What makes a good spinning class

Be sure to arrive early to your first class so that instructor can set you up on the bike safely. Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, blood cells and lungs to provide oxygenated blood to our muscles allowing them to produce energy so we can move. Basically the more cardiovascular fitness you have the easier it will be for you to move and stay active.

It will also lessen your chances of getting Coronary Heart Disease and other cardiovascular health problems. A Spin class can be an effective and safe way for you to increase your cardiovascular fitness under the supervision of our highly qualified Spin instructors. Muscle weighs more than fat, so people get confused when they want to lose their muffin top but start to see an increase on the scales! As you start to build more lean muscle definition you are likely to put on weight but your body shape will change in all the right places.

Plus the more muscle mass you have the more calories your body burns day to day, even when resting. Exercising makes you feel good about yourself and increases your confidence, all of which help to reduce stress within our daily lives.

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Karen Asp is a certified fitness trainer, avid Peloton user and former spin instructor and endurance road cyclist who knows a thing or two about how to make sure your spin class is effective and fun -- whether that's at home or in the studio.

Keep reading for Asp's and Owens' advice on how to make sure your body and mind are getting the most benefits from your spin class. But spin workouts have a few benefits in particular that make many people fall in love with the workout and keep hopping on the bike day after day.

Many forms of cardio -- like running, jumping rope or doing anything else that is high-impact -- can put a lot of stress on your joints. That can be an issue if you have injuries or other health conditions that require you to avoid high-impact exercise.

That's where spin workouts can come in to save the day. And they're great for all levels of exercisers, whether you're new or advanced," Asp says. You can adjust your intensity by either reducing or increasing the resistance, or by going faster or slowing down.

Spin is a great workout for beginners because you can easily adjust the intensity and work at your own pace. In fact, to keep up my general fitness, I prefer to do most of my interval training on my spin bike because it's easier on the joints," Asp says. Spin workouts can help you build strength and muscle, especially in your glutes, quads and calves. Your strength will depend on how much you "climb hills" by turning up the resistance and how often you do hills and sprints during your workouts.

Likely, during your class an instructor will guide you through intervals and give you suggestions for how much resistance you should use. That added resistance pushes your muscles to work harder, and ultimately makes you stronger. It's not just about strengthening the lower body.

Instructors now incorporate light weights, and even push-ups to ensure the upper body is not left out of the workout. In fact, your left ventricle can actually grow in size due to increased stroke volume! What does this mean? You want to protect your heart?! In fact, indoor cycling low-impact workouts accommodate ailments, are easy on injuries, support joint and tendon health, and are excellent for the longevity of your fitness regime. What does this imply? It unites innovation in indoor stationary bike technology with an unprecedented cycling experience on the road.

You can even wear the same shoes and clip in just like you would outdoors.