Beginner indoor training session: 20-minute sweet spot indoor cycling workout
If you're new to indoor training, this is a good session to start with. No super hard efforts or high cadences, just a good, entry-level session that will burn calories
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GCN's James (Hank) Lowsley-Williams is joined by Nathan, Liam, Katie, and fellow presenter, Manon Lloyd, for an easy beginner session for anyone who is new to indoor cycling training. The levels are based on your perceived effort so that everyone can follow the sessions.
Entry-level indoor training session
This session is designed to be an approachable entry point to the world of indoor training or spin cycling. Hank will gradually build up the intensity level and only go up to a perceived effort of 8. If you're looking to get familiar on your static bike or with our sessions, this is a good one to start with.
What are the benefits of sweet spot training?
This session will work your sweet spot, which is a term we use to describe the kind of riding where you're at the very top end of your aerobic capacity. That means that you'll still be pushing the pedals pretty hard, but you won't stray into that lung-busting, thigh-burning realm of anaerobic exercise. Sweet spot training increases your aerobic capacity faster than steady state riding, while requiring less recovery time than anaerobic exercise.
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Warm up on your indoor bike for six minutes
Whatever session we're doing, it's important to warm up. For this one, we've got a six minute warmup, starting with a really easy 2/10 effort, and building up gradually to a 4/10 effort.
Build into the main part of the session gradually
Now we're warmed up, we're going to gradually work our way up the gears, from 4/10 to 7/10, spending two minutes at each intensity. Then, after a couple of minutes of easy spinning, we'll finish off with two minutes at 8/10 just to work the upper limits of your aerobic zone.
Top Tip
7/10 and 8/10 efforts will work that sweet spot zone, which will boost your aerobic capacity.
Cool down for four minutes
Just as every workout needs a warm up, every workout needs a cool down. It's as simple as bringing the intensity right down and spinning the legs for a couple of minutes. Two minutes of easy pedalling will loosen off the muscles and help your body recover from the session.
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