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Spinyoga-Cyclyoga® The New Fitness Craze!

When you manage to snag an hour to exercise, do you choose to burn optimal calories with cardio activities, strengthen your muscles with weights, or take time to simultaneously stretch and unwind? Why not accomplish all three goals in one workout?

The ancient practice of yoga improves strength, balance, and flexibility, but many people complain that it doesn't give them a real, fat-blasting workout. On the other hand, Indoor Cycling a high-energy class--burns a whopping 450 to 550 calories per 40-minute session, but doesn't soothe the savage beast, enhance stretching techniques, or sculpt bodies. A group of Freestyle Indoor Cycling and Yoga instructors have realised the benefits of both exercises and combined the two into a new fitness craze called Spinyoga-Cyclyoga®.

Although the two forms of exercise may seem at odds, they actually have many similarities. In both yoga and Indoor Cycling instructors help participants become more aware of the integral link between their minds and bodies by verbally guiding them through changes in workout intensity, focusing on different parts of their bodies, and providing calm support and encouragement. 

Throughout class, Spinyoga-Cyclyoga® instructors help members become more in tune with their breath, their aerobic capacity, and their muscles by saying things like, 'Envision your body grounded from the waist down and allow your upper body to flow from your shoulders' or even 'Imagine your head lengthening toward the sky to improve your posture”. These verbal cues can also prevent exercise injuries and stall workout boredom.

A typical class ranges from 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the teacher and location, and begins off the bike with 5 minutes Standing Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama) or the Breath of Fire  (Agni-Prasana) an empowering chest/thoracic type of breathing technique that has a very important place in hatha yoga. In this type of pranayama, the lungs and the abdominal muscles function like bellows, stoking the breath and heating and invigorating the body. New research in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports have established that Bhastrika Pranayama  and the Agni Prasana enhances lung function capacity and efficiency in athletes.

After the heart and muscles are warmed by the powerful Pranayama breathing technique, participants hit the bikes and start the Cycling session for 30 -40 minutes. After gradually lessening the intensity of the ride, the instructor leads participants off the bikes and onto the floor for a series of pre-sequenced series of asanas (performed in a specific order  to be effective) designed to target the major muscle groups used in cycling to reflect the principles of yoga and its application in sport specific training (as a rule, this section is done wearing athletic footwear, unlike regular yoga class, where participants are barefoot.). The yoga segment is dedicated to slowing our hearts, lungs, and muscles, and returning to stillness. Some instructors may light candles, chant, or lead meditation to help the rejuvenation process, "But it shouldn’t be too far out for exercise novices or for people who don't ordinarily practice yoga."

In fact, Spinyoga-Cyclyoga®  a earthy ALL IN ONE 60 minutes non-impact athletic-mind-body class is the perfect exercise combination because participants simultaneously grow strong, burn fat, and relieve them from stress. "When walking out of the room at the end of class," one feels more energized and more in tune with his/her thoughts, feelings, and especially their body. They’ll be able to face all daily drama from a much calmer perspective." Not to mention burning hundreds of calories in the process. To become a Spinyoga-Cyclyoga® Certified  Instructor read more: Get Certified