3 benefits from spinning - the perfect cardio exercise for people who hate cardio

What even is spinning? Spinning is a high intensity exercise that takes place on a stationary bike. Most gyms will offer their members a spin class that typically lasts around 45 minutes, usually accompanied by some upbeat music to keep you going.

45 minutes may sound like a long time, but I can promise you, it gets easier as the time goes on. I normally spend the first part of the class thinking “oh my god why am I doing this?” “This is so hard I can’t do this for much longer” but once I hit that 15-minute mark it suddenly feels like something in my brain unlocks and the class begins to feel so much easier.

This is probably due to the release of dopamine and serotonin. Which brings me to the first benefit of spinning.

1.     The release of endorphins.

When you exercise, your brain releases serotonin, this is also known as the ‘happy hormone’ and it does what it says on the tin. Serotonin makes you feel happier. So, when you exercise your brain rewards you by making you feel happy.

I love the feeling I get when I finish a class. The mix of exhaustion from working hard with the satisfaction that I made it through just creates a high that lasts the whole day making me more productive. I attended a 10am class purely so I can have that feeling in the morning and then go about by day benefiting from the good mood I am in.

When you achieve things, your brain releases dopamine which some call the ‘reward hormone’. Therefore, when I tell myself “just get through this next five minutes” and I do, my brain releases a rush of dopamine, which similar to serotonin, makes you feel good.

When I feel good for that moment, it makes me more motivated to continue and get through the next five minutes, creating a cycle of work and reward.

2.     Its low impact

Due to being on a bike, you’re putting less weight on your lower body during the exercise. This is why I think spinning is the perfect cardio exercise for those who often feel the impact of running on their knees, ankles or legs. Jinger Gottschal, an associate professor of kinesiology at Penn State University names spinning as the “optimal cardio workout” where you can get the intensity of a stair climber or running exercise, without the impact.

I have never been able to run for more than a minute at a pace so slow it was practically a walk. I distinctly remember being called out by my PE teachers for walking the 800m. I also find that every time I run, I experience pain in my shins. I can mitigate this by rolling my calves with a hockey ball (thanks to the tip from my athletics coach) but in my head, having to do this every time is too much effort and ruins my burst of motivation that I just had.

I found that with spinning, I never experience any struggles like I do with running. I may be tired and breathing heavy but my lungs aren’t burning and my body doesn’t hurt.

It’s still important to warm up and cool down properly otherwise your legs will be sore even if it’s the easier option for cardio.

You can also go at your own pace. The instructor may say to put the resistance up to a higher level but if that’s too hard for you, you can keep it lower. Something that I have done myself when I’ve not been able to keep up with the intensity.

3.     Burns A LOT of calories

Dr Maureen Brogan is an assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College who has conducted research into spinning. According to Dr Brogan, “the muscles you use on a spinning, the gluteus maximus and the quadriceps, are some of the largest in your body, so you’re using a lot of energy”. Therefore, leading to more calories burned than if you were completing a workout that focused on other muscle groups.

I personally burn around 400 calories in my 45-minute class at the moment but some people can burn over 600 calories in an hour. The harder you work, the more calories you burn. The more spin classes you do, the harder you’ll be able to push yourself and the more calories you’ll burn.

Workout results from my latest spin class