October 08, 2023

Deep Cycling Guides: Cadence, Belly Fat, Leg Muscle, and Glutes

Cycling is a fantastic cardiovascular workout that burns calories, increases stamina, and strengthens the muscles. It's easy to learn, can be done indoors or outdoors, and lets you enjoy the scenery while burning calories. But to get the most out of cycling, it's essential to learn about certain aspects of it. In this post, we'll discuss some deep cycling guides that every cyclist should know - cadence, belly fat, muscle, and glutes.

Cadence

For beginners, it can be a bit intimidating to know where to start, especially when it comes to cycling cadence.

What is cadence?

Cadence refers to the number of times your pedals rotate per minute (RPM) while you’re cycling. It sounds complicated, but it’s an essential part of your cycling workout.

Why is Cadence Important?

You might be wondering why you need to care about cadence, but it’s essential for a few reasons. First of all, cadence is directly related to your speed on a bike. If you want to ride faster, you need to increase your cadence. On the other hand, if you want to conserve energy and ride longer distances, you need to lower your cadence. Second, your cadence affects your muscle endurance. The higher your cadence, the more you’re going to rely on your cardiovascular system. Conversely, the lower your cadence, the more you’re going to rely on your muscles. Lastly, paying attention to your cadence can help prevent injuries by ensuring that you’re not putting too much stress on your joints.

What is the ideal cycling cadence for a beginner?

The ideal cadence for most cyclists is somewhere between 80-100 revolutions per minute (RPM). This range is a comfortable pace for most people, and it gives your muscles and cardiovascular system time to adapt to the demands of cycling. As a beginner, you might feel overwhelmed when trying to determine the ideal cadence for you. The good news is that most beginner cyclists fall within a range of 70-90 RPM.

A lower cadence means you're exerting more force, which can lead to muscle fatigue and burnout. A higher cadence means you're using less force, which can reduce the strain on your muscles and joints. If you’re not used to cycling, you might find it challenging to maintain a constant cadence, but don’t worry, it takes practice.

How to Improve Your Cadence?

Improving your cycling cadence takes time, effort, and consistency. If you’re serious about cycling, you need to put in the time and effort to improve your cadence. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Focus on pedaling in circles rather than pushing down on your pedals.
Use music to help you maintain a constant cadence.
Practice riding in a specific cadence range, such as 70-90 RPM.
Incorporate interval training into your workout routine.
Consider investing in a cadence sensor to help you track your progress.

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freebeat™ Lit Bike offers an immersive stationary biking experience, where the rhythm of the music guides your movements. Its unique scoring system motivates you to match your cadence with the beat, making each workout engaging and rewarding. Receive instant performance tracking metrics as you ride. freebeat™ software recommends appropriate training programs according to each rider's riding data.

Belly Fat

Cycling is an effective way to burn fat, especially belly fat. Belly fat is the most stubborn type of fat and requires consistent effort to burn. Cycling stimulates metabolism and burns calories, leading to a reduction in overall body fat percentage, including belly fat. We’ve put together a comprehensive cycling guide that can help you lose belly fat without having to sacrifice all your favorite foods.

#1 Building Endurance and Stamina

Cycling is an endurance exercise that trains your heart, lungs, and muscles over time. By cycling regularly, you can improve your endurance and stamina, which will help you burn more calories and fat. It doesn’t matter if you’re cycling on a stationary bike or riding outdoors, both will help you burn fat and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

#2 Cycling Techniques to Burn More Fat

Cycling techniques like interval training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories and fat during and after your workout. If you’re cycling outdoors, try to vary the intensity of your ride by including hills or sprints in your workout. This adds variety to your workout and keeps your body guessing.

#3 Burning Belly Fat with a Stationary bike

Cycling is a safe and low-impact exercise that can be easily modified to suit your fitness level. It’s a fun way to get outside and explore your local area, or you can cycle indoors on a stationary bike. Cycling is also a social activity- freebeat™ champions inclusivity, offering 1000+ indoor cycling classes that cater to all fitness levels, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their fitness journey or experience, can relish and benefit from cycling workouts. Instructors guide and inspire you, fostering a supportive and empowering ambiance. Believe in the power of community, motivating yourself to cycle can be a lot easier when you have friends or family supporting you.

Leg Muscle

Cycling is a low-impact workout that strengthens the muscles of the legs, hips, and thighs. Cycling at a moderate intensity for 30-45 minutes a day can help to build strength and endurance in the lower body. But to gain muscle mass, you need to add resistance training to your cycling routine. Resistance training involves using weights, resistance bands, or machines to target specific muscle groups. freebeat™ industry-leading electromagnetic resistance technology automatically adjusts based on the instructor's cue. Never have to worry about manually adjusting the resistance.

Glutes

The glutes, or the muscles of the buttocks, are the largest muscle group in the body. Cycling is one of the best ways to tone and strengthen the glutes and achieve better-looking buttocks. To target the glutes through cycling, you need to focus on high resistance and low cadence. High-resistance cycling involves using higher gears to pedal at a lower RPM.

#1 Adjust Your Bike Seat Height

One of the most important things you can do to target your glutes while cycling is to adjust your bike seat height. When your seat is too low, you put more pressure on your quads, which means your glutes don't get as much of a workout. To fix this, raise your bike seat so that your leg is almost fully extended when pedaling. This will help you engage your glutes and prevent any unnecessary strain on your joints.

#2 Add Resistance

Another way to train your glutes while cycling is to add resistance. If you're just starting, begin with a low resistance and low intensity, gradually increasing it as your strength and stamina improve. This will engage your glutes more effectively, making them work harder and helping you to tone them up. You can do this on a stationary bike or by adjusting the gears on your outdoor bike to create more resistance.

#3 Incorporate Hill Climbs

One of the best ways to target your glutes is to add hill climbs to your cycling routine. Hills will challenge your glutes and other leg muscles, making them stronger over time. Start with an easy hill and gradually work your way up to steeper hills as your strength improves. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll feel the burn in your glutes during a hill climb!

#4 Use Proper Form

Proper form is essential for engaging your glutes while cycling. To ensure that you're using the correct form, keep your knees aligned with your feet and avoid tilting your hips backward. This will help you activate your glutes more effectively, minimize the risk of injury and prevent any unnecessary strain on your joints.

#5 Stretch and Recover

Finally, don't forget to stretch and recover after your cycling session. Stretching will help to improve your flexibility, reduce the risk of injury and prevent muscle soreness. Incorporating foam rolling and massage can also aid in recovery by removing knots from your muscles and improving circulation.

Conclusion

Cycling is an excellent workout that burns calories, increases stamina, and strengthens the muscles. To get the most out of cycling, you need to have a firm grasp of the essential aspects of it. In this post, we discussed the deep cycling guides of cadence, belly fat, muscle, and glutes. Maintaining an ideal cadence, focusing on high-intensity interval training, incorporating resistance training, and targeting the glutes can help you achieve optimum results while cycling. So hop on your bike, get outside or get on your stationary bike, and start cycling!