45 Min Spin Cycle Workout

If you’re after a high octane workout to optimise your calorie burn and work your quads and calves to the max, then you need to get yourself to a spin session. But, you don’t have to always rely on an instructor-led spin cycle class. 

Here’s a 45-minute spin session that you can do at home or in the gym. We recommend creating your own playlist of your favourite songs that will get you pumped and keep you going. Here are the lengths of the various parts of the workout for you to synchronise your playlist …

• Warm-Up - 5 minutes

• Phase One - 4 minutes

• Phase Two - 5 minutes

• Phase Three - 6 minutes

• Phase Four - 4 minutes

• Phase Five - 4 minutes

• Phase Six - 5 minutes

• Phase Seven - 6 minutes

• Phase Eight - 3 minutes

• Cool-down - 3 minutes

The Workout

Warm-Up - 5 minutes

Start nice and slow, gradually building up so that by the end of the 5 minutes, you’re peddling at about 65 percent of maximum intensity. Choose a song that has a gradually building tempo.

Phase One - 4 minutes

During this phase, you want to lift the tempo so that you’re working at a challenging but manageable pace. Set your pace in the first 60 seconds, then go for two gear changes in the second 60 seconds. Over the last two minutes do six jumps out of the saddle for an 8-count each time. 

Phase Two - 5 minutes

Over this period, do intervals of fast and slow. Pedal for 85-95 RPMs for 60 seconds, then rest at a slow pace for 60 seconds.

Phase Three - 6 minutes

This is the first of two hill climbs. Increase resistance so that you have to slow down to about 70 rpm. After two minutes, get up out of the saddle and move into HP2. Then, at three minutes take it up to HP3, out of the saddle, for 90 seconds. Then return to the seat, reducing the gradient slightly.

Phase Four - 4 minutes

This is a recovery phase. After a minute at a slow pace, start rebuilding to a moderately challenging tempo.

Phase Five - 4 minutes

In this phase, you are bringing your work rate back up to a max in preparation for the next phase.

Phase Six - 5 minutes

Here you are maintaining a challenging work rate prior to an upcoming hill. Imagine yourself powering along a rural straight as you contemplate the mountain ahead. 

Phase Seven - 6 minutes

This is your second, and last, hill climb. Follow the same pattern as last time. Increase resistance so that you have to slow down to about 70 rpm. After two minutes, get up out of the saddle and move into HP2. Then, at three minutes take it up to HP3, out of the saddle, for 90 seconds. Then return to the seat, reducing the gradient slightly.

Phase Eight - 3 minutes

Get back into the saddle and focus on your final sprint. You are now on a straight after knocking off the hill. Try to maintain 80-90 rpm for as long as you can.

Cooldown - 3 minutes

Slowly bring it down, minute by minute, to normalise your heart rate.

Summary

This is a challenging workout that will burn through a ton of calories as it improves your heart and lung efficiency and gives you an awesome quad burn. Add in your favourite tunes and it will also get you super pumped. Do this 3 times per week and you’ll have your weekly cardio sorted.