To ensure you have the proper distance between the seat and handlebars, you should begin pedaling slowly. Handlebars are all about comfort level, so if you have any kind of back issue or if you are a beginner, we suggest keeping the handlebars a little higher. “If you’re setting up your own bike, make sure your saddle is at height level with your hips.

“Correct form is key as it not only prevents injuries, but ensures you’re working targeted muscles at an optimum level,” says Zukerman. I wore my hair in a tight French braid and kept my bangs back with a headband. If you have long hair, make sure it’s completely pulled off your face and neck - you are going to sweat, a lot. And since this isn’t the Tour de France, you probably won’t need padded shorts. As for footwear, the studio will provide cycling shoes that actually clip into the bikes. Opt for fitted clothes because they allow more movement, whereas baggy clothes can get stuck on equipment. “You want to wear something you feel comfortable moving in so that you can enjoy your workout.” Practically speaking, “I recommend wearing fitted, indoor cycling pants/capris and a tank,” says Zukerman. It’s a proven fact (ok, maybe not scientifically) that the better you dress the more motivated you’ll be to work out. As a runner, I put it in hours and hours of training and I don’t get these results. It’ll burn, but if you’re short on time and you want a quick workout that delivers results, spinning is worth the extra effort. In layman’s terms, you work it all in 45 minutes. Within a 45-minute class, you can expect to burn between 500-700 calories, depending on your body weight and strength. “Each class also includes a challenging upper body workout using weighted bars.” Spinning describes a high-energy cycling class, in which you’ll perform “intervals, climbs and descents to deliver a full-body workout, targeting glutes, quads, hamstrings and, of course, the heart, giving the rider an intense cardio and fat burning workout,” says Flywheel co-founder Ruth Zukerman. Here’s what I learned and what you should know before your first ride. So I decided to put my cycling fear to a rest and get back on the horse, er, bike by taking a class at Flywheel, one of the premiere spinning studios in Manhattan. From Flywheel to SoulCycle and AquaCycling (yes, cycling underwater), stationary biking is the “It” way to get in shape. But now that I’m venturing more and more into the fitness class craze, I find myself not being able to stay away from the spinning circuit. All I can think of when riding a bicycle is the time as a pre-teen when I forgot to hit the brakes and rode right into the person in front of me. (Maybe that’s why I decided running was more my speed).

Spinning bike positions