For anyone who hasn’t been on an actual bicycle in years, it might seem that hopping back on is like, well, riding a bike. But if it’s anything like the latest indoor cycling classes to hit Los Angeles, it isn’t as easy the old adage promises.
The indoor cycling workout has acquired a twist – a bike that is slightly destabilized so that one can lean into turns and have to maintain balance while riding. While most spinning classes focus on the lower body, the destabilized indoor bike intensifies a workout by engaging the abs, arms and back, as well as butt and thighs. The result is more calories burned and an overall body workout in an hour.
Manager of Los Angeles-based RealRyder Studio, Rachelle Ambrose, is also one of the instructors. Her studio maintains a limited number of bikes and a small class size so clients can expect individualized attention. Ambrose notes that a destabilized indoor cycling bike will challenge coordination and balance, even if for an experienced indoor or outdoor rider. Since the bikes incorporate a side-to-side motion, it requires shifts of balance and continuous adjustments that correspond to a biker’s actual movements on the road.
For anyone looking for a unique challenge to an everyday routine, the workout is an affordable alternative to a gym spinning class.
For more information on RealRyder Studio, visit realrydercyclingstudio.com.