9 Indoor Cycling Resolutions for 2025
Each year, I challenge my riders to chase new goals and increase their fitness levels in a race against Father Time. A recent NYT article, “No One Told Me This Would Happen to My Body in my 40s,” prompted me to revise this piece I wrote a few years back.
Beyond the use of metrics (which most don’t even understand), indoor cycling has not changed much in the last fifteen years. If there’s to be a change, it starts with you. Here are some suggestions:
1) Invest in Wearable Technology.— SmartWatches, GPS monitors, and fitness trackers are again the number one trend in fitness, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Move beyond max heart rate and delve into newer metrics like heart rate reserve and heart rate variability (view last week’s post). Commit to learning more about how your body works in 2025!
I am a fan of the Whoop band. Use this link (https://join.whoop.com/A0FEF43D) to get a free one-month trial. If you prefer a device with a screen, check out these options.
2) Increase resistance while maintaining heart rate.— We are experts at losing our breath. Incrementally add resistance or cadence (how fast you pedal) to teach your body how to maintain effort. The majority of your training should be an aerobic effort, or under 75% of your max heart rate. Peddling efficiently, proper form, and maybe a yoga class to help with breathing techniques will get you there. Remember to lose resistance before losing your breath if the effort becomes too difficult. To para-quote Wu-Tang Clan - “Protect ya Breath!”
3) Maintain effort in and out of the saddle.— The ability to maintain your effort while sitting in the saddle puts the ‘cycling’ back in indoor cycling. Professional cyclists spend 95%, maybe even 98%, of their time sitting. Swaying back and forth out of the saddle (aka penduluming), robs your legs of a workout. Always favor form over resistance and be willing to let your legs, not torso, do the work.
4) Invest in bike shorts.— Now that folks are wearing bike shorts for fashion again (shout out to the 90s!), why not wear the padded version for their intended purpose? It might make sitting in the saddle a bit more pleasant. A general rule in cycling is “Buy it nice, or buy it twice.” I am a fan of Competitive Cyclist. They have gearheads who can answer your questions before purchase.
5) Don’t take all of the recovery. Learn to recover gracefully. — Forty-five minutes is 3% of your day. My outdoor cycling friends bristle at the need for multiple recoveries, sometimes even a whole song, in a spin class. Kinda like dessert, take what you need … no one eats the whole cake! Teach your body to ‘pedal fast and breathe slow’; it will soon become a habit. Recovery means ‘less,’ not stop.
6) Pedal to effort, not music.— Athletes in competition aren’t allowed to listen to music during an event. Research shows music can enhance performance which is why ‘audio doping’ is frowned upon. The magical synchronization of stopping at the end of a song or chorus can be limiting. The ability to pedal to effort will push your body in ways pedaling to the end of a song chorus cannot. Breathless is an individual choice — not a communal one. And it has nothing to do with music.
Muscles used while pedaling.
7) Increase resistance while maintaining cadence.— Adding resistance is often accompanied by a demonstrative physical reaction from the rider. Popping out of the saddle, lowering cadence, swaying shoulders . . . or worse — the sad face. You know, the face that lets everyone know how hard you’re working. Much like adding another 5 pounds to the barbell, it shouldn’t wildly impact your form. Recruit muscle as you add resistance to maintain your cadence. A little work on the fitness floor goes a long way toward accomplishing this goal
8) Resist the seduction of the countdown.— Three, two, one . . . the countdown means the end is near, and you should NOW go faster. But what about the effort before the countdown? Much like the marathon runner who takes a cab to the last mile and sprints across the finishing line, waiting until the end to put in effort cheats your body of the authentic cycling experience. The first 30 seconds are just as important as the last 30 seconds!
9) Smile more. Bikes are joy machines! No child grimaces while riding a bike. Get older, bring the effort indoors, and things change. Research shows smiling versus frowning impacts perceived exertion. Professional cycling teams adopt this philosophy … consistently looking for a relaxed versus tense face. This doesn’t apply to intense efforts… frown away! Here’s a little inspiration.
Remember, gyms sell memberships, not fitness. You are responsible for the fitness part. Let’s GO HARDER & SMARTER in 2025!