When indoor cycling is brought into a health club, it can change members from health and fitness enthusiasts into athletes. “It brought our facility to a whole new level,” said Jeff Howard, the exclusive instructor for Baptist East Milestone Wellness Center in Louisville, Ky.
Howard sees indoor cycling as a necessity for health clubs because of its adaptability. “It is physically less stressful,” said Howard. And the cycle can be adapted to riders of all ages, strengths and needs, by changing the bike positioning, adding upper body movements or just switching up the music. “Good music makes the ride,” said Howard.
Cycling, in general, is a better cardiovascular workout because the cyclist gets more bang for their buck. “You can manipulate the ride to burn more,” said Howard. “People don’t have time. They can get a lot more out of one hour of [cycling] than a typical cardio regimen.”
A common new theme among indoor cycling is express classes. Often used as an introduction or a lighter ride, these classes run for 30 to 45 minutes, versus the typical hour. Another more recent change is the addition of different types of music and upper body movements. “As soon as you put your arms over your head, your body works harder to pump the blood up there,” explained Howard.
Every rider needs a different atmosphere to motivate them and get their body moving. Adding different styles of indoor cycling classes can appeal to wider demographics of cyclists. At Baptist East, the club offers three different cycling classes — Power Cycle, an intense cycling class; Rhythm Ride, a popular music-focused class; and traditional cardio-based cycling.
Although there are multiple types of bikes and programs for clubs to choose from, Howard focuses on one thing — whether or not the bike provides for a great member experience.
“It doesn’t matter what bike you have, as long as it’s a smooth ride and as long as you can manipulate it to the rider’s needs,” he said. “When the members get a smooth ride, the health club gets a happy member.”
By Maggie Cunningham
