Have you started spinning at home or do you regularly follow (online) lessons on your own indoor fitness bike? Then you definitely want to read this article. There are a number of indoor cycling mistakes that you should not make. Your body will not thank you for that…
Holding onto the handles as if your life depended on them puts unnecessary strain on your arms, neck, and shoulders. As a result, you can suffer from complaints, both during and after cycling. It could even lead to injuries if you do this too often, so really try to pay attention to this.
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The solution :Place your hands lightly on the sides of the handles with your thumbs up so that your arms are in a more natural position. This supports your upper body and opens your chest. You also better target the muscles in your upper body. When you get on your bike, lift your shoulders up to your ears and roll them back. Relax your arms, shoulders and grip. It is also useful to check whether your seat is too far forward/backward.
When it comes to resistance on your bike, you want to find a position that is challenging, but not impossible. Too little resistance will not give you enough support and can lead to injury, while too much resistance can affect your posture while cycling, putting strain on your neck and shoulders. You may also tend to push your hips forward and rock back and forth violently, but then you'll be using too much body weight to exert force, which can cause pain in your knees and back. And then we haven't even mentioned how quickly you run out of energy if you have to pedal too hard…
The solution :You want to get the right amount of resistance at the right time to improve your results. So listen carefully to your body and see what feels good. If you're bouncing back and forth too much, it's better to turn up the resistance a bit. Are you almost unable to make progress? Then lower it slightly.
Pedaling should be an equal push and pull motion. If not, you need to make adjustments. Many people tend to focus on the push motion and forget about the pull motion. But it is actually important for activating your hamstrings! The pull movement also helps you tighten your core, thigh muscles, glutes, shins and calves. Enough reason to actively do the pulling movement!
The solution :Work on your pull, so focus on the entire pedaling motion rather than just the pushing aspects. Think of it like scraping the gum off your shoe when you lift your feet up again while pedaling.
If the height of your bike and the grips are not adjusted correctly, you will not only cycle uncomfortably, but you also run a higher risk of injury. Sore knees, stiff neck, low back pain, shoulder pain, you name it.
The solution :Take the time to properly adjust your bike to your body, so that you can ride comfortably. For the height of your seat, it is best to stand next to your bicycle and lift the knee closest to the bicycle to hip height. Then adjust your seat to the bottom of your thigh. It may seem too high, but there should only be a slight bend in your knee when you pedal, otherwise you will keep tension in your knees. You can adjust the handles for comfort. Place your seat at a forearm's length from your handles to ensure that you remain upright while cycling.
If you lean too far forward while cycling, you put your upper body under tension. You ensure that you are in a position where you put more weight on the handles than on the seat. When you lean back too far again, you'll have the same problem, just make sure your shoulders don't stay straight. It also means that you use your abdominal muscles less, so that you train your abdominal muscles less.
The solution :Stay centered on the bike while riding. As a result, your weight remains well distributed and the focus is on your core, so that you can cycle stably and get the most out of your workout. You should always be able to look down and see your feet. Your arms should be long and outstretched when you get off your saddle.
A little back and forth while cycling is normal, especially if you start to experience resistance. That in itself isn't a problem when it comes to your posture or your risk of injury, but if you get too distracted, you may not be getting the most out of your ride. And that is of course a sin!
The solution :Keep your core engaged and make sure you don't focus too much on other things, such as the dance of the online class you are taking. Keep your hips back and above the saddle and make sure you keep control over your posture and your movements while cycling.
