The importance of mental conditioning

Most people think that sports and performance are about your physical condition but in fact it is mostly about being in the right mindset.

During the physical preparation to train for a competition or to reach a personal goal, most athletes will go through a lot of stress- which they will feel it both in their bodies and their minds.

It feels like a real pressure and they will go through many different mindsets while they try to stay motivated and focused on their objectives. Staying strong at this point is the key to success- no matter how unattainable your objectives will sometimes feel, pushing through this barrier will make your success stronger, greater and sweeter.

You should not underestimate the power and conviction of your mind. When we face an obstacle, most people will automatically tend towards thinking: « this is too hard for me » or « I can’t do it » This is just a mindset. We can trace it back to early childhood when we are told by the world around us that « No, you can’t do that”, or « No, it’s too hard » etc… We learn to limit our coping mechanisms. Only very few people grow up with a positive reinforcement, like “Yes! Go ahead and try it”, or ‘You’ve got this, I know you can do it”.

This is the core of Spinbreak: “You have definitely got this!”

Of course, during your first class, you will probably think « This is really hard, I’m not used to this » but with the cheering of the instructors, the group, and the motivating playlists, you surpass yourself and finish your first class. What happens next? You are intrigued because you pushed passed your comfort zone, and it felt GOOD!

You are, rightly, proud of yourself. But can you get this feeling again? You try it a second time, and since you know what to expect, you enjoy yourself so much more- and your coach can help to push your limits a little bit more. A third time is followed by many more and you quickly want this feeling as an integral part of your week.

Spinbreak is not just about the endorphins or the fun and relaxed physical fitness, it is also about the positivity and motivations the coaches give you that help you push passed your comfort zone. Whatever your objectives are (better fitness, more toned body, a way to release your stress/energy, training for a sports competition…) your coaches will help you get there!

As we say to every person before they try a class for the first time… you really have to experience it to understand it. And trust us, you will never look back again!

Why Indoor Cycling rocks ?

1. A motivated and entertaining coach changes everything! Enough with boring sports sessions!

2. Playlists will make you sing and dance on your bike!

3. You are surrounded by an awesome community!

4. You’re done with basic cardio equipment; it’s time for your favorite bike!

5. You’ll get fitter and strengthen your core.

6. Your head will say thank you as well!

7. You’re going to become addicted and you won’t see the time fly during the workouts !

8. THIS is your Happy Hour!

9. Whatever the weather is like, you can come to the studio all year round…

10. Everyone can ride, whatever your fitness level is…

Does Indoor Cycling create fat thighs ?

What exactly is “bulk” ? Basically, it’s adding a lot of muscle mass to your body. Bulking up is something that needs to be trained for – you must have the goal of major muscle growth in mind.

It’s a form of exercise that anyone can do, since indoor cycling is a low-impact activity that allows you to determine your own intensity level. That’s the pro.

Proper indoor cycling, just like any other form of cardio (we know, we know, even though sometimes pushing that resistance feels more like anaerobic strength training than cardio!), uses your slow twitch muscle fibers, which are designed for long stretches of endurance that can accommodate short bursts of high intensity without completely fatiguing. Slow twitch muscles can’t increases in size like those fast twitch fibers can.

Spinning is not meant to be easy, and especially when your body is not used to it, your muscles can get temporarily inflammed as they try to figure out what the heck is going on and rush blood cells in to aid recovery. This slight inflammation can last for an hour or two, but will in fact go away

Just like any new activity, your body can take some time getting used to indoor cycling – and your muscles might get a little inflammed right after a good sweat. Be sure to gauge your intensity on how hard you are working, not how fast you are going. It’s not what it looks like that counts, it’s what it feels like. Verdict? The claim that indoor cycling makes your legs bulky is definitely a fit myth that needs to take a hike…or rather, ride.

Our low levels of testosterone make it pretty darn difficult to build bulging muscles, according to the American Council on Exericse.

If you ride 15 to 20 (or more) hours a week, you better believe you’ll have the legs to show for it.

The anabolic hormone regulates and stimulates protein synthesis, such as cycling, works your endurance muscle fibres – these become more resistant to fatigue with training, but don’t bulk up.

Cycling, alongside a healthy diet, will result in a lean physique for most people.

So if you’re worried about developing tree-trunk legs, here are some things you need to know…

Aerobic exercise, such as cycling, works your endurance muscle fibres – these become more resistant to fatigue with training, but don’t bulk up. You’d need to lift heavy weights on a regular basis to get a reaction from the muscles responsible for power.

Women have much lower levels of testosterone than men (around 15% less), and higher levels of body fat (around 10% more). The body fat is necessary for a healthy menstrual cycle and it’s just the way we are.

So yes, cycling will change the shape of your legs, but unless you’re doing a LOT of squats, and maintaining the same levels of fat (by eating A LOT), you’re not likely to get “bigger”.

Happy riders are a lot more attractive than anyone stuck indoors, dreaming of skinny legs and cucumber. So go ride your bike!