“Any operator considering removing its indoor cycling studio needs to think again,” say Phillip and Jackie Mills of Les Mills International (LMI) – the company that counts RPM, SPRINT and immersive ride THE TRIP among its global programming portfolio.
“With its dimmed lights and wonderful connection to music, indoor cycling has a comparatively low barrier to entry. This is where club newcomers and long-time lapsed members should be directed.
“With the right innovation, indoor cycling studios can also be the most profitable spaces in your clubs. There’s nowhere else you can serve so many people per square metre. Even better, the proximity to each other actually fuels and enhances the experience. You’re moving together. There’s a sense of intimacy and community.”
Immersive ride THE TRIP first launched 10 years ago and continues to evolve, with “incredible things happening in the field of computer graphics”
Misinterpreting the facts
So why are some operators considering removing their cycle studios?
“The story we’re hearing is that since the pandemic, people don’t want to cycle any more,” says Phillip, adding: “We’ve found this to be the incorrect diagnosis of what’s happened.”
He explains: “It’s certainly true that a lot of long-term members – people who otherwise may well have stayed at the gym – found new habits during lockdown. They didn’t go off indoor cycling but off the gym in general. Meanwhile, the average age of new joiners is typically mid-20s – and for this younger generation, strength and mind-body are the big trends.
THE TRIP has been introduced in all Les Mills New Zealand clubs, propelling indoor cycling to #1 spot among all group exercise categories
“So, indoor cycling unquestionably took a hit, yet we have clear evidence that people do still want to cycle.
“At Les Mills New Zealand, for example, indoor cycling has easily the largest participation of any group exercise category: it accounts for 15 per cent of all club attendances. Cycle studios are the most profitable spaces in these clubs.
“The key has been innovating in a way that’s genuinely different: cool and exciting enough to re-engage previous members and appeal to Gen Zs.”
A new route into cycle
Phillip continues: “What we did at Les Mills New Zealand was put THE TRIP into every club; pre-pandemic it was only in two. We experimented with screen size to make it more affordable and in every case, found it was bringing young people as well as previous regulars into the studios.
“Not only that, but it was encouraging people to engage with indoor cycling more broadly. It was THE TRIP that drew them in, but they then got serious about cycle, sought variety and migrated into SPRINT and RPM too. All indoor cycling programmes saw an uplift off the back of THE TRIP.”
Other operators are enjoying similar successes, with THE TRIP now available in almost 4,000 clubs globally – up from 130 pre-pandemic.
RPM used to be ‘go hard or go home’ but is now seen as an accessible gateway class
One great example comes from SATS Stureplan in Sweden, which runs 27 TRIP classes every week – and still has enough demand that there are waiting lists. Meanwhile, in the US, Gold’s Gym So Cal Group offers THE TRIP, RPM and SPRINT and has grown its cycle studios back to an average 70 per cent capacity – and rising. Brick Bodies is at capacity, as are a number of large state universities where cycle is consistently in the top three programmes.
“Our US team believes these Gen Z students will drive a massive resurgence in indoor cycling over the next few years,” says Phillip.
SPRINT is a 30-minute HIIT class launched in 2015
Constant evolution
Innovation shouldn’t end with technology, however. Continual evolution of programming is also key to maintaining high engagement levels.
Phillip observes: “SoulCycle was a great innovation when it launched in 2006, but its star began to fade as the industry moved on and new innovations came to the fore.
“Dancing on a bike was fun, but it was all sprinting in the saddle or standing up and that formula remained broadly unchanged over time.
“At LMI, we are firmly of the belief that you have to keep innovating in your programming, whether that’s new concepts or pushing the boundaries of existing programmes.”
He continues: “A few examples… In 2015, off the back of the boom in HIIT, we launched SPRINT – our half-hour HIIT class. It’s been hugely successful, especially where it sits alongside THE TRIP.
RPM is about the musical journey, with recent innovations focused on ensuring it feels “beautiful to do”
“THE TRIP is also constantly evolving. It’s already so different from its launch 10 years ago and with the incredible things happening in the field of computer graphics, that innovation will only accelerate.”
Jackie picks up the story: “We take really good notice of club numbers. As soon as they start to drop, we look at what we might need to shift up in the programme to keep people interested.
“SPRINT is fairly easy as it’s interval-based: we mix it up all the time. As long as there are 20 minutes above 85 per cent max heart rate, we know we’ve got the intervals right. But we also continue to subtly innovate within RPM to maintain its appeal almost 30 years on.”
Pushing the boundaries
Jackie continues: “With RPM, we know it’s the intervals and the musical journey that make it such a great way to get into exercise. Over recent years, we’ve therefore done two very cool things within the choreography to reinforce that. We’re also about to trial a third idea, just to keep things fresh.
In SPRINT, 20 of the 30 minutes are spent above 85% maximum heart rate
“They’re all a bit of a trade secret, but for example, we’ve explored the use of resistance to make the ride more enjoyable. It’s been subtle but significant, because it’s about how people feel when they work out.”
“We have to take some of the blame for the old ‘go hard or go home’ ethos of indoor cycling, which we drove through the first 10 years of RPM’s life,” acknowledges Phillip. Now, explains Jackie: “We see RPM as the gateway class that welcomes all ages and fitness levels and we’ve been working on different innovations to ensure it feels beautiful to do. You’re very connected to the music, to yourself and to the ride.
“As part of this, we’ve added young people into our choreography teams – making them multi-generational – and most recently have experimented with music and the rhythm of motion for a deeper experience. Piloted as Progressive Cycle in our Auckland club, it won’t roll out as a standalone concept; we don’t need a fourth cycle programme at this stage. However, our learnings will influence RPM.
“We like to extend our programmes as far as we can take them. If our trial classes get waitlists, we know we’re getting it right!”
I was 11 years old when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It was 1993 and we didn’t have the technology or medication options we do now: the fast-acting insulin or the continuous glucose monitors. I was admitted to hospital, diagnosed, stabilised and sent home to take insulin and figure it out!
Keeping yourself alive is a big responsibility to take on as a child and it sets you apart from other kids your age. There are rules to follow and steps to take. It’s a life of numbers and judgement calls and I experienced such carbohydrate fear: if I eat this, my blood sugar goes up, but if my blood sugar goes low I have to treat it with sugar. I felt trapped in a world of complicated nutrition.
Discovering the power of a plant-based diet was a lightbulb moment, says Plunkett
I developed an obsessiveness with food that didn’t feel healthy: by the time I was 12, I could read food labels and was speaking the language of macronutrients and calories.
Diabetes affected my personality too, my mood and self-confidence influenced by blood sugar fluctuations. I never denied diabetes. I was never angry at it. But the feeling of being misunderstood because your priorities are different is something that shapes who you are.
I reached my early 20s and wanted more for myself than simply staying alive. I wanted to thrive.
When did you decide to make a change?
I had lived such a controlled life, putting in so much work just to stay alive, yet still things didn’t feel as great as I would have hoped or expected. I reached my early 20s and didn’t want to keep living in a space where I had diabetes first and was a person second. I wanted more for myself than simply staying alive. I wanted to thrive. I wanted to be healthy.
I began to question the standardised approach to diabetes education and over the course of a few years, had a series of moments that led me to nutrition not only as my most significant problem, but also as my solution.
I started making small changes to heal my relationship with food. I became a vegetarian overnight, eating lots more fibre and less saturated fat. I introduced more fruit, vegetables, beans and wholegrains, deciding not to be afraid of these foods any more. And it worked. I quickly felt different and my blood sugar dropped, even though I didn’t really know why at the time. I was eating more carbs than ever, but I was able to cut my insulin use in half over the space of six months.
I was eating more carbs than ever, but I was able to cut my insulin use in half over the space of six months
It inspired me to go back to university to become a registered dietitian, which is when I met my mentor. She was plant-based, as I am now, and a diabetes educator. She dropped a stack of information on me and said: ‘I know what’s happening to you. It’s the fibre.’ Wow, lightbulb moment.
Plunkett says wearing a continuous glucose monitor validates her positive choices.
By making smarter choices about food and insulin as well as around sleep, exercise and stress management, I had changed my physiology. I was processing food differently and had reduced my insulin resistance at a cellular level.
And yet this lifestyle approach wasn’t even talked about in my dietetics courses. I was following evidence-based research and it was working, but the university wasn’t teaching dietitians-to-be about the power of plant-based nutrition in treating and managing chronic disease. It made me so angry.
When did exercise come in?
Having grown up in an active family, I knew I needed to move for my health. I also wanted to channel my stress and frustration and knew exercise would help. However, I wanted to feel safe.
That’s when I discovered indoor cycling, doing my first class while I was at university. By this point my blood sugar was more predictable, so I felt brave enough to do a tough workout. The fact it took place on a bike that didn’t move made me feel extra safe and in control.
Plunkett discovered indoor cycling while at university and loved it instantly
Consistency is really important with diabetes. It doesn’t matter if it’s yoga or triathlon. Just find your way of moving.
In that very first class, something switched in my brain. I loved it instantly. It was a group workout but a personal challenge. I was in my own safe space on the bike, not forced to compare myself to others. I was in control. And the music, the rhythmic pedalling, the instructor’s encouragement, the like-mindedness of the group… it lit me up with an incredible mental feelgood, allowing me to have fun and reminding me who I was.
My insulin needs also lowered even further with exercise. I felt younger and had so much energy. I realised plant-based nutrition, endurance exercise and insulin were the three things I need to survive.
Within a week, I had decided to train as an indoor cycling instructor.
Is it safe for you to instruct regular classes?
I landed a job teaching a Saturday morning class, which meant I had to show up for people – and when you have type 1 diabetes, that demands a plan. You have to think strategically about your food and the timing of your nutrition. Before you go to bed, you’re already thinking about your morning blood sugar so you can wake up on a healthy number, jump on the bike and maintain a healthy range throughout the workout.
“I genuinely believe that if I weren’t an indoor cycling instructor, I would be less of a human,” says Plunkett
I was incredibly nervous at first, so I started off doing 20 minutes at a time to understand my physiological response; diabetes is so numbers-driven that you can monitor the impact of every change you make.
I viewed the cycle studio as a lab where I could track my metrics and directly correlate my blood sugar levels with the exercise I’d just done. Whenever I nailed it, I knew I had made the right adjustments around how much to eat and when. I gained confidence from learning how nutrition, exercise and insulin interact.
I viewed the cycle studio as a lab, gaining confidence from learning how nutrition, exercise and insulin interact
It’s still a challenge because I teach intense interval training: I’ll be busy coaching heart rates and educating people in using the bike to get fitter, but in the back of my mind I’ll also be tracking my blood sugar and how I feel. I have, however, become an expert of my own body, learning to see patterns and creating my own protocols.
The key is to understand carbohydrates, striking the right balance between slow-acting, fibre-rich carbs and fast-acting carbs so I have the fuel I need as an athlete and the nutrition I need as a person with diabetes.
Committing to consistency is really important with diabetes. It doesn’t matter if it’s yoga or triathlon, just find your way of moving: something you love that makes you feel good about yourself.
Talk to your doctor to understand your medication and keep a good record of what happens when you exercise. Glucose-lowering medications combined with exercise can equal low blood sugar, but that isn’t a reason to quit. It’s a reason to make adjustments in the things you can control: the timing of your workouts, your hydration and the timing and type of your nutrition.
A diabetes diagnosis doesn’t have to mean a life of fear. If you’re willing to make changes, it can be the prompt you need to thrive.
Start small. Walking is super-effective – anything that gets your heart rate up. I love that we can now throw on a smartwatch and compare what our heart rate does with what our blood sugar does, especially if we also wear a continuous glucose monitor. You can do a hill walk, see your heart rate peak and come home to find your blood sugar gradually lowering.
In fact, wearing a continuous glucose monitor is a great idea generally as it validates your positive choices, instantly revealing what’s happening when you exercise or eat a particular food. I’ve worn one for nearly 10 years.
It’s the same as my advice to primary care providers: recognise when you don’t have the necessary expertise in-house and build your team. Bring in specialists. Specifically, bring in a plant-based dietitian and host free classes and workshops so members can learn from the experts. And please let’s move away from fad diets.
There are certified diabetes educators around the globe who have connections to the same resources I do, but if anybody needs help, my virtual door is always open.
What has indoor cycling given you?
I’m a strong advocate for group fitness generally – everything feels better after a class – but I genuinely believe that if I weren’t an indoor cycling instructor, I would be less of a human.
Diabetes saps you of your self-worth; indoor cycling was the safe space that made me feel I could be better. I dealt with my anger, found my tribe, became healthier and in the process happier. I now have the confidence to go skiing, hiking and more, but it all started with indoor cycling.
I’ve done it the hard way, but I’ve proved that a diabetes diagnosis doesn’t have to mean a life of restriction and fear. If you’re willing to be brave and make changes, it can be the prompt you need to become a better version of yourself. To thrive.
She is a registered dietitian, a certified diabetes care and education specialist, an indoor cycling instructor, public speaker and advocate for living exceptionally with type 1 diabetes. She also coaches type 2 diabetes remission and has launched a new podcast, Green Glow Lifestyle.
“These six references are important to my work across all types of diabetes, including a video to one of my favourite pieces of education in existence,” enthuses Lauren Plunkett.
“The study by Kahleova is the newest and most thorough in type 1 diabetes, while Michael Riddell’s lab is responsible for so much of what we know about exercise and type 1 diabetes. I couldn’t get enough of his research when I was first learning and training on the bike.”
“Being misunderstood because your priorities are different shapes who you are.” (Dickinson et al. 2017)
“I was eating more carbs than ever, but cut my insulin use in half over six months.” (Kahleova et al. 2024)
Indeed, I know many of my friends and colleagues have stopped reading the news altogether, overwhelmed by feelings of fear and powerlessness.
My own response has been to scale back my vista – not blind to the realities of the world nor to the privilege of (currently) living in safety, but certainly acknowledging how much I can onboard without grinding to a halt. I find myself increasingly focusing on the immediacy of my local community and my own actions. By surrounding myself with allies and curating what goes into my body and mind, I find I am able to bring positivity into my every day.
“In exercise as in life, focusing on those around us can actually be the best way to bring joy to ourselves”
It all starts with giving. Think about the giving and receiving of gifts – which fills you with the most joy? For me, and I believe for many of us, it is unquestionably the giving – that moment of surprised happiness when the perfect gift you’ve put so much thought into is finally opened.
I feel it each time we publish a new issue of RIDE HIGH, too, sharing knowledge for free and showcasing even those we might deem competitors. Giving always feels better than taking.
Now more than ever, I believe we must harness this insight to find joy in our daily lives. We must learn to give to ourselves.
Lack of exercise, bad food, limited sleep, tobacco, alcohol… all of this depletes our positive energy. We take from ourselves and we feel worse for it. Conversely, give ourselves the gift of a healthy lifestyle and we almost instantly feel better – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Choose group exercise and we also layer on that powerful sense of giving to each other. By showing up for our community, we give something of ourselves. Our effort feeds the collective energy of the class, building us up, creating positivity, fuelling those around us. Every bit of effort we give comes back stronger.
In exercise as in life, focusing on those around us can actually be the best, most powerful way to bring joy to ourselves. So in times when all we can really do is focus on our own actions, let’s remember we always have the power to give.
“Any music used during indoor cycling will reduce perceived exertion by 8 per cent, even if it’s just arbitrarily selected: if you’re listening to the radio in the background, for example.
“If the music is well selected with the individual’s musical taste, personality traits and the specifics of the session in mind, the benefit can be as great as 12 per cent.”
So says Costas Karageorghis – professor in sport and exercise psychology at Brunel University of London – who over three decades has established an international reputation for his research into the psychological, psychophysiological and neurophysiological effects of music.
“However,” he adds, “there’s one very important caveat. Although music is highly effective at reducing perceived exertion at low to moderate intensities of exercise, it has virtually no effect at high intensities.”
“Cycling is particularly effective in helping us understand how music takes effect during exercise,” Karageorghis continues. “Its simplicity allows us to control a broad range of factors and reduce experimental error.”
Over the last decade, he and his team have conducted a series of studies simultaneously examining the electrical activities of the brain and muscle function, with a number of fascinating discoveries.
“At low to moderate intensities of cycling, music blocks fatigue-related signals from entering focal awareness,” he says. “This is possibly one of the key mechanisms to help us understand why we get an 8–12 per cent reduction in perceived exertion when we play music during low to moderate intensities of cycling.”
For those interested in the why: “Music reduces the capacity of the afferent nervous system, which takes messages from the working muscles to the central processor. If you think of the afferent nervous system as being analogous to internet bandwidth, music takes up some of that capacity, leaving less bandwidth for fatigue-related signals to enter focal awareness.”
Music can’t influence what we feel during high-intensity cycling, but it can influence how we feel it
He continues: “Then there’s something our group has explored very recently, which is how different clusters of neurons in the brain fire in response to music during exercise. We found that music reorganises our brain activity. We need less conscious processing to cycle with music than we do without music. This reorganisation of brain activity relates directly to flow state – to being ‘in the zone’ during a workout.”
The key working muscle in indoor cycling – the vastus lateralis – has been shown to engage more effectively under the influence of music
Other studies have explored how different regions of the brain communicate with one another. “We found that communication across somatosensory areas of the brain [the areas responsible for communicating fatigue] is reduced under the influence of music,” says Karageorghis. In layman’s terms: “Music reduces our exercise consciousness.”
Happiness
In other non-cycling exercise-based research, Karageorghis and his team found music can “very effectively” tap the sensory areas of the brain that are responsible for regulating our emotions.
“As previously noted, music doesn’t reduce perceived exertion at high intensities. However, even at high intensities, music does seem to permeate the emotional regions of the brain.
“During high-intensity exercise, you might report a score of seven or eight on the 11-point RPE [Rating of Perceived Exertion] scale. But responding to a Feeling Scale, with music you might report +1 – you’re feeling ‘fairly good’. Without music, you might report -1 – you’re feeling ‘fairly bad’.
“So, music can’t influence what we feel during high-intensity cycling, but it can influence how we feel it. It can colour our interpretation of fatigue-related symptoms.”
Music can colour our interpretation of fatigue-related symptoms during exercise
Performance
Returning to the topic of neurons firing in the brain in response to music, Karageorghis explains: “We found this was also associated with simultaneous firing of the vastus lateralis – the key working muscle in indoor cycling.” In less scientific terms: “We’re able to engage the musculature more effectively under the influence of music.”
When cycling at moderate intensities, the use of music makes us about 6% more energy-efficient
He adds: “We’ve also assessed efficiency during cycling, with and without music, and found that when cycling at moderate intensities, the use of music makes us about 6 per cent more energy-efficient.
“Music dissolves some of the inefficiencies in the movement chain and reduces oxygen uptake, which is an index of energy efficiency: the more we reduce our oxygen uptake, the more we’re able to achieve the same workload but with lower energy expenditure.
“Note that this is for recreational athletes only; the benefits are negligible for elite athletes. The music must also be used synchronously [pedalling to the beat] for a metronomic effect. It doesn’t work when music is played asynchronously [in the background].”
This improved efficiency has a “direct impact” on performance, says Karageorghis: “In a range of bipedal activities, music can engender an ergogenic [work-enhancing] effect in the region of 10–15 per cent in recreational exercisers.”
Five ways to use music
So, how can indoor cycling instructors use this information when creating playlists?
“Even before we get there, we should acknowledge the different ways in which music can be used,” says Karageorghis.
“We can use music before cycling as a stimulant or sedative, either priming the individual for the workout or helping them overcome their anxiety. So many people are self-conscious about going into an indoor cycling class. Music can help alleviate this – particularly songs with self-affirming lyrics.
During recovery, the brain is more malleable to external manipulation. This is where music takes effect.
“During cycling, music can be used asynchronously – a background stimulus to generally reduce perceived exertion and help people feel better – or synchronously, which can be active or passive.
“Active synchronisation is when you try to coordinate the RPM [revolutions per minute] of the pedals with the BPM [beats per minute] of the music. It’s a conscious process to tap the rhythmical qualities of the music.
“Meanwhile, passive synchronisation uses technology to facilitate music that follows your work. It requires no conscious effort.
“Then we have post-task music, with recuperative music the simplest to understand: you work people to exhaustion, then use music – generally descending from 90 BPM to 60 BPM – to bring them back towards their regular resting state.
“Finally we have respite music, which is something I’ve focused on recently in response to the abundance of HIIT-style classes. Respite music is used during recovery phases in between high-intensity bouts.”
If using music asynchronously, there’s a tempo sweet spot of 120–140 BPM for the full range of exercise intensities
Making exercise enjoyable
Continuing on the topic of respite music, Karageorghis explains: “You can have respite-passive music for static recovery or respite-active music for movement-based recovery – and our recent work shows respite-active music to be very effective both in assuaging negative feelings after bouts of high-intensity and in preparing people for the next bout.
“During very high-intensity bouts of exercise, the messages that travel through the afferent nervous system are so strong, so overwhelming, that they render music a relatively ineffectual stimulus. But during recovery, physiological systems immediately decline and the brain is more malleable to external manipulation. This is where music takes effect and allows you to mentally prepare participants for the next bout of work.”
Music takes effect during recovery phases, setting us up for the next high-intensity interval
All of which brings us to exercise hedonics and the peak-end rule, which states that: “It is how people feel during the peak intensity of any activity and how they feel at the end that they carry into future activities of a similar nature.” In other words, the peak and end moments are crucial to how an exercise experience is remembered.
“The fitness industry hasn’t cracked this at all,” Karageorghis observes. “The focus has always been on personal goals, appearance and shifting kilos rather than immersing people in the actual process of exercising and rendering exercise palatable – even enjoyable.”
In bipedal activities, it’s a lot easier to have a whole revolution to a beat rather than a semi-revolution
Through his recent focus on respite and recovery, Karageorghis is showing the industry how to do things differently, evidencing “the power of music to make the belly of the workout pleasurable and help people leave class feeling positive” – and potentially more inclined to engage on a long-term basis.
The perfect playlist
So how does all this come together in the perfect indoor cycling playlist?
“To begin with, we must acknowledge that it’s complex and that one person’s music is another person’s noise. Instructors must also actively decide whether to use music asynchronously or synchronously.
“If you’re using music synchronously, you’ll need to do a lot of preparation to ensure BPMs align with the desired RPMs. One useful tip based on the work we’ve done: in bipedal activities, it’s a lot easier to have a whole revolution to a beat rather than a semi-revolution. It requires much less brain processing and makes the whole thing easier for your participants. I’m not sure how many instructors know that.”
Johnson Digital Studios applies Karageorghis’ findings to music curation and graphics
He continues: “If you’re using music asynchronously, we’ve modelled the relationship between exercise intensity and preference for music tempo. This body of work, now spanning four studies, shows a tempo sweet spot between 120 and 140 BPM for the full range of exercise intensities.
“Higher than that and the music is almost overwhelming: it provides too much stimulation, requires too much processing and does not optimise psychological or psychophysical outcomes.”
And what about respite-active music? “Slow music doesn’t work well, downregulating activation to such a degree that you’re not prepared for the next bout of work, while high-intensity music leaves you feeling over-aroused. Music between about 120 and 125 BPM seems to work really well.”
During high-intensity exercise, the damage from ear-level music beyond about 85 decibels can be permanent
Karageorghis also points to the role of extramusical association and lyrical content – that is, selecting songs with a relevance to cycling. “These factors aren’t as potent in predicting the motivational qualities of music as the rhythm, harmony and melody, but they can be the icing on the cake,” he explains.
A final warning
He concludes with two words of warning. The first: “Cycling and music are a marriage made in heaven, but only when cycling indoors. Music is such an intoxicating stimulus that it can easily lead the outdoor cyclist towards danger.”
The second is of crucial importance to the entire fitness sector, whether you’re an instructor or a participant: “The cochlea – part of your inner ear – is surrounded by thousands of follicles. During high-intensity exercise, blood flows away from the cochlea to the working muscles, leaving the follicles susceptible to damage from music beyond about 85 decibels at ear level. With repeated exposure, the damage can be permanent, leading to conditions such as tinnitus.
“This is an important message, since it’s not unusual to go into a cycling class with ear-level music between 95 and 105 decibels. A safe level would be 75 decibels.
“Multiple smaller speakers around a studio, rather than two big ones blasting out the music, can be a good solution – otherwise wear earplugs.”
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Applying the science
Antony Stewart is the creator of the BeatFit app
“As fitness director at Johnson Digital Studios and in my previous role as head of group exercise at Third Space, I’ve curated music around the scientific principles Costas has talked about,” enthuses Antony Stewart.
“Historically, that has meant manually managing the tempo, rhythm, structure and intensity to tick all the boxes, but I’ve always wanted to automate the process.” The result is the BeatFit app.
When it’s a song participants don’t recognise, the emphasis is on rhythm, intensity, tempo and structure
Designed initially with the asynchronous, time-protocol application of music in mind, BeatFit launched in 2024 complete with a small library of copyright-cleared music across all genres. Suitable for all modalities of training, indoor cycling is well within its remit; the team is currently curating and writing the music for digital in-app versions of David Lloyd’s Cyclone and Rhythm programmes.
Instructors create a workout, then tell BeatFit what they need
“Indoor cycling has been synchronous for a long time, but increasingly we’re seeing clubs and studios introducing time- and power-based protocols that use asynchronous music,” says Stewart.
“In this scenario, instructors first create the workout, then tell BeatFit what they need. They might have eight rounds of 30 seconds’ work / 90 seconds’ recovery and want a priming track at the beginning and a recovery track at the end; they can specify the tracks’ duration. BeatFit then stitches together a bespoke playlist that perfectly matches the required intensities throughout.
“It also works for synchronous music, helping ensure the songs in a rhythm cycling class are exactly the right length and tempo and feature the proper work/recovery ratios.”
He adds: “To Costas’ point about one person’s music being another person’s noise, we’ve seen neutral music elicit a better average rating than well-known music. BeatFit learns your preferences when you reject songs and we’re looking closely at lyrics and associations, but when it’s a song participants don’t recognise, the emphasis is on rhythm, intensity, tempo and structure. You don’t have to worry about it being a song some people will love but others will hate.”
Stewart concludes: “We’re applying this thinking in all our virtual fitness content creation at Johnson Digital, too, with curated music and colourful graphics on screens behind the instructors that match the music intensities. It really adds to the overall exercise experience.”
VO2 max is a marker of cardiorespiratory fitness. Specifically, it is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume in one minute, measured as millilitres per kilogramme of body weight per minute.
As such, it is distinct from cardiovascular health, which is about the integrity of the cardiovascular system generally, including the heart and blood vessels.
It gets a bit confusing, because we can use cardiorespiratory fitness to improve cardiovascular health – and if you have a high VO2 max, you also have a greater likelihood of good cardiovascular health. However, VO2 max does not in itself guarantee good cardiovascular health. It is a functional measure of the body’s ability to transport and consume oxygen and doesn’t tell you anything about the function of your blood vessels, if you have angina or have had a stroke.
VO2 max is the single best predictor of life expectancy. Every millilitre increase can extend life expectancy by 45 days.
So, why does VO2 max matter?
VO2 max is the single best predictor of life expectancy, over and above blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels, smoking or obesity.
Independent of all other factors, every millilitre increase in VO2 max can extend life expectancy by 45 days. This is the headline finding of the Copenhagen study, which has been tracking health outcomes among 155,000 males since 1970; sadly the data set doesn’t yet exist for females.
VO2 max is the biggest determinant of available energy in our bodies, whether that’s energy to run a 10k or fight a virus
Improved VO2 max is also about retaining functionality as we age. If you have a VO2 max of 60 in your 30s, even with an age-related drop-off, you’re still set to be sufficiently functional in your 80s to go to the shops and carry your own bags. If you have a VO2 max of 35 in your 30s and don’t do anything to improve that, you’re the person who can’t perform the basic tasks of daily living by your mid-70s.
Tell us more…
The biggest change we see from improved VO2 max is increased heart strength and stroke volume [the amount of blood ejected from the ventricle in each cardiac cycle and with it, the amount of oxygen being delivered around the body]. This has huge benefits for longevity and general health.
From a disease prevention point of view, we see a correlation between higher VO2 max and a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurocognitive decline.
Then there are the functional benefits, with VO2 max the biggest determinant of available energy in our bodies.
For the most part, humans combust energy using fuel and oxygen; the better we are at delivering and consuming oxygen, the more effective our machines become. Increasing cardiorespiratory fitness also increases the volume and quality of mitochondria – the energy-producing powerhouses in our cells.
Hear more from Oli Patrick in his recent podcast about VO2 max
Crucially, this increased energy isn’t just about our ability to run a 10k. It’s about immunity and what happens when a virus comes along that needs energy to fight it. It’s about cognition and virility. And it’s about the basic demands of day-to-day life, which are lessened when the size and capacity of our engines are greater. Just sitting chatting, someone with a higher VO2 max might idle along at 2 per cent of their capacity. Someone with a lower VO2 max might be at 6 per cent of theirs.
What is a good VO2 max?
The highest VO2 max ever recorded was 96, but there are question marks over the methodology. Elite endurance athletes, where VO2 max is really the key determinant of success, are typically in the 70s and 80s. In other sports – football, for example – the ability to consume oxygen is not the defining trait of the world’s best players. Professional footballers also need strength, speed and skill and might have a VO2 max in the 50s.
VO2 max depreciates year on year at a fairly aggressive rate, but we can address this through regular VO2 max training
At the other end of the scale, drop below 30–32 and there’s an increased cardiovascular health risk. Below 20, we would be concerned for the individual’s ability to perform basic tasks or possibly survive complex surgery.
Note that the number is not a percentage. It’s an absolute measurement: millilitres per kilogramme per minute.
Of course, ages and stages are key. We typically have a fairly stable VO2 max until around the age of 30–35, after which – as with most key biological systems – it depreciates year on year, and at a fairly aggressive rate.
From the age of 30–35, VO2 max drops at 10 per cent per decade, then 15 per cent per decade from the age of 50 onwards. However, we can address this natural depreciation by taking part in regular, deliberate VO2 max training.
What exercise should we do?
We’re talking aerobic exercise such as indoor cycling, but only about 20 per cent of your weekly effort needs to be in the top heart rate zones. The rest can be low-intensity steady state, which also helps with sleep, stress management, digestion and so on.
We’re all familiar with high-intensity interval training that features short bursts of work and short recovery periods. VO2 max training uses longer intervals, with the Norwegian protocol a well-established method: four minutes going as hard as you can followed by three minutes recovering sufficiently that the next four minutes of work are the same quality as previously, repeated four times.
One Norwegian protocol each week, plus steady state work, should improve your VO2 max
The key is to set the right pace for the work intervals, because you need to maintain the intensity throughout. It isn’t about maximum effort, so don’t go off too hard and burn out after a minute. Equally, don’t make it too easy: it should feel like an eight out of 10. The first two minutes won’t be too bad, but by the time you’ve completed four minutes you’re fatigued and wouldn’t be able to do a fifth. This is where indoor bikes are so good, because you can establish the perfect wattage for you to achieve this.
A meta-analysis of indoor cycling studies found an 8–15 per cent improvement in VO2 max from two to three sessions a week
If you do one Norwegian protocol a week and two low-intensity steady states, although I can’t guarantee it, I would expect to see an improvement in VO2 max over time.
Of course, any little bit more exercise is better. But to defy ageing, physical activity has to move from a hobby to a fundamental part of your daily and weekly routines – and in all likelihood, you will need to work a little harder each year just to stand still.
We’ve seen individuals aged 50+ improve their VO2 max by 17 per cent in the space of a year and individuals in their 80s and 90s with VO2 max scores in the high 30s.
Even with training, there will be some loss of VO2 max as we age; the body of data isn’t quite there yet to show the exact extent to which this can be reversed and stabilised with a regime of deliberate VO2 max training.
Improvements in VO2 max will also vary by individual, with the stiffening of the heart a key variable that’s influenced by a multitude of factors, some genetic. For some people, improvements will be smaller.
Historically, fitness professionals have learned about VO2 max as a performance metric. It’s time for a modern day narrative.
However, we do know we can improve VO2 max and reduce the rate of drop-off at pretty much any age. Say you’re in your early 50s. The perfect time to start might have been 15 years ago, but the next best time is today. If, rather than losing 15 per cent this decade, you can retain your current VO2 max into your next decade and so on, your fitness level at 80 years old will be fantastic.
For indoor cycling specifically, we can also refer to a Spanish meta-analysis of indoor cycling studies which found an 8–15 per cent improvement in VO2 max, a 6 per cent decrease in LDL and total cholesterol, improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a 5–6 per cent decrease in triglycerides – all directly related to two to three indoor cycling sessions a week.
Losing weight can significantly improve VO2 max, too, because it’s measured in millilitres per kilogramme of body weight. You would want to be losing fat, though, not lean muscle mass.
How do you use VO2 max with clients?
I’ve spent my life trying to convince people to be more physically active, but what do I have to offer them if they’re comfortable with the way they look and their ability to perform the tasks of their daily lives? Body composition – weight loss – has certainly been a very ineffective tool and a dramatic undersell of what exercise has to offer.
VO2 max is the strongest argument for exercise that I’m aware of. Of course, people don’t care about ‘VO2 max’ in itself. They care about finding solutions to whatever’s bothering them – and it’s a rare situation in which improving VO2 max won’t in some way address their concerns, whether that’s quality of sleep, rest, immune function and more. I start with their problem and I use VO2 max to solve it.
VO2 max allows me to talk energy, healthspan and lifespan. It gives me a tool to engage a disengaged audience, reinvigorate lapsed exercisers and encourage those who have overly narrowed their focus – getting really good at CrossFit or tennis, for example – to look again at their body’s biological requirements.
The fitness industry has doubled down on strength training and neglected cardio recently, but these are separate biological systems and we need to train both, as well as recovery and mobility. VO2 max helps us bring cardio back onto the menu.
Deliberate VO2 max training can yield results at any age
Can we use VO2 max in group exercise?
In this scenario, VO2 max is more of a language play. As a group fitness instructor, you might not offer VO2 max assessments, but if you’re teaching cardio classes you can certainly embrace the narrative of VO2 max. You can talk to participants about immunity, energy, longevity – about changing the structure and shape of their lives by improving their cardiorespiratory fitness.
As an indoor cycling instructor specifically, you can also talk about the Spanish meta-analysis: you have an intervention that’s proven to increase VO2 max by 8–15 per cent. Make this relevant to your participants by linking it to their goals. And start thinking creatively about your audience, because with this impact you can also talk to GP surgeries, care homes and corporates looking to reduce absenteeism.
Tell us about your VO2 max course.
Historically, fitness professionals have learned about VO2 max as a performance metric. Now, with the longevity boom spearheaded by clinicians such as Peter Attia – who has made VO2 max his primary health marker – it’s time for a modern day narrative.
Indirect VO2 max and lifestyle coaching is a new course we’ve launched through FuturePractice – a quick, bite-sized way to become an expert in VO2 max: what drives it, how to measure it, ways to commoditise this knowledge. It gives fitness professionals a new opportunity to prove their worth and stretch their service proposition to a broader audience, including longevity.
About Oli Patrick
Oli Patrick is a physiologist and world-leading expert in lifestyle management. He speaks widely on the application of contemporary wellbeing strategies, consults to businesses and individuals globally and, through clinical wellbeing academy FuturePractice, seeks to elevate the skillset of health and fitness professionals via education in key areas such as sleep, stress and VO2 max.
Formerly head of physiology at Nuffield Hospitals and a Harley Street clinician, Patrick has been instrumental in establishing professional recognition for applied physiology in the UK, working closely with professional and government bodies as well as major teaching institutions.
He is also a sought-after speaker and podcast host.
In 2018, GymNation opened its first club in Dubai. The vision: to create affordable gyms that also delivered fantastic experiences.
At that point, Dubai was the second most expensive market in the world to have a gym membership – a close second to Tokyo – with an average gym membership costing AED600+ (£125+ / €150+ / US$160) a month, paid upfront for the whole year.
GymNation set about shattering this mould, creating high-quality gyms for unprecedentedly low prices; when its first club went into pre-sale with an initial limited availability monthly fee of AED99 and follow-on memberships priced at just AED139–149, the team were accused of being scam artists. “People just didn’t believe it could be done or could be true,” says co-founder and CCO Ant Martland.
Many come to Saudi with assumptions about what’s possible, but we’re here to push the boundaries
Disbelief soon turned to delight, however, and the brand has continued to blaze a trail of successful disruption across the region: it now operates 14 clubs in the UAE and six in Saudi Arabia, with a further 20 set to open this year. New clubs will also boast an expanding line-up of signature classes and club-in-club boutique spaces – including a new signature cycling concept set to launch mid-2025.
We speak to Martland along with Laura Brown and Lauren Downey, respectively head of signature classes and group exercise director.
Ant Martland, co-founder and CCO; Laura Brown, head of signature classes; and Lauren Downey, group exercise director
Does your model vary across markets?
We entered Saudi last year expecting our model to do well, but it’s done extremely well: double what we forecast. It’s interesting because pretty much everyone told us it wouldn’t work: they said our marketing wouldn’t resonate, that the monthly payment model wouldn’t work and that we’d have really high default rates.
We’ve priced women’s gyms the same as men’s. Why should they pay more for the same product?
In practice, we’ve made the same model work in Saudi as in the UAE: the same pay-monthly model with the majority of members on a 12-month contract. The marketing is more Arabic-focused and of course all sites are currently split into male- or female-only, but that’s really the only major difference.
GymNation creates high-quality gyms for prices that are unprecedentedly low for the region
Our Saudi clubs look fantastic and have been very well received, with over 25,000 members across the six clubs. Demand is through the roof: in our initial three-day pre-sale alone, we sold a record-breaking 12,500 memberships.
Many come to Saudi with assumptions about what’s possible, but we’re here to push the boundaries and explore the incredible opportunities the Kingdom has to offer. The demographic is remarkable: 63 per cent of the country’s 35 million population is aged under 30 and fully tuned in to fitness, health and wellness, with the appetite among women particularly notable. Saudi women have never really had access to what we offer at the price point we’re offering and they’re crying out for it. Meanwhile, the government – particularly the Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Sports For All Federation – is putting a big spotlight on sport, health and fitness.
Each club offers 30–40 group exercise classes every day
You don’t have to choose between signature and pre-choreographed programmes. Moving exclusively to signature is, in our view, a mistake.
True to our brand, we’ve therefore been brave in our messaging and our offering. We’ve put music into our clubs. We’ve launched men’s group exercise and seen really strong uptake. We’ve priced women’s gyms the same as men’s – why should they pay more for the same product? – and in response to demand are looking at bringing new classes such as HYROX to our female members.
We’ve even run a few mixed events which have done very well. And we’ve designed our clubs so all it would take to create mixed gyms – should the time come that these are permitted and the demand is there – would be to knock down the dividing walls.
We’ve found the Kingdom to be very open and willing to forge a new path. It just shows you don’t know what can be done until you try.
Existing cycle studios will be upgraded where relevant to launch signature cycling
How significant is group exercise at GymNation?
Each of our 20 clubs offers 30–40 scheduled classes a day on average, with around 40 per cent of our members taking part. The majority of our classes are live instructor-led, but we do schedule some virtual classes in shoulder periods and on-demand virtual is available off-peak for a 24/7 class offering.
Most classes, including the full Les Mills repertoire, are included in our Core and Plus memberships: GymNation Core gives you single-club access for AED180–200 a month, while GymNation Plus gives you full reciprocal access for AED200–229 a month.
BLITZ was GymNation’s first signature class – a HIIT concept that launched in the aftermath of lockdown
Ours is an affordable gym brand and we want everyone to enjoy high-quality group exercise, so we put a lot of thought and investment into our studios and core class offering. Taking cycling as an example, we think carefully about the lighting, the placement of the 20–25 bikes, the high-spec sound systems, the staging for the instructor and the LED screens that allow us to run Les Mills THE TRIP and Les Mills Virtual. These studios feel like premium spaces, delivering great experiences at no additional charge to members.
New lighting will be inspired by the nightclubs of Ibiza and we’ll bring some of the competition of HYROX to the cycle studio
We also invest in our instructors; they’re all freelance but still the face of our brand. We want the very best instructors, so in a competitive market we work hard to make them feel valued and part of our team. We treat them as we would want to be treated and put them through qualifications and upskill programmes based on internal quality assurance and member feedback; members are invited to rate every class.
BLITZ is currently available in five GymNation clubs
You also have signature classes…
We will always make high-quality group exercise available to our Core and Plus members, but we’re aware of our demographic’s desire for experience-led classes and communities. We’ve therefore created a series of boutique-style, experience-led signature classes that take place in dedicated studios: HYROX, BLITZ, Box ’N’ Burn and Reformer Pilates, with more to come including indoor cycling and recovery – think ice baths, infrared and assisted stretching.
The 500sq m HYROX Performance Centre at GymNation Al Quoz is the first in the Middle East
Signature membership costs AED349 a month, or AED399 including reformer pilates, and includes full, reciprocal access to all GymNation clubs. When you consider that a single class in a standalone boutique costs around AED150, it’s incredible value.
Signature membership isn’t available in all our clubs. It needs to represent good value for money and, with the possible exception of reformer pilates, we believe this requires more than one signature studio per club. That isn’t always possible when retrofitting.
We encourage free trials. Once people see our signature studios, they’re amazed and it’s the easiest conversion ever.
Our HIIT concept BLITZ is available in five clubs so far, as is Box ’N’ Burn, while HYROX is currently being rolled out across multiple locations. We launched it in style in our recently refurbished Al Quoz club, creating the world’s largest – and the Middle East’s first – HYROX Performance Centre at over 500sq m. Reformer pilates is only available in Al Quoz at the moment, but it’s going into three more UAE clubs shortly and is included in all our Saudi plans.
As an affordable gym brand, GymNation is committed to making high-quality group exercise available to all members
From now on, every club will have a minimum of three core studios – a main group exercise studio, mind-body and cycle – plus two to three signature studios depending on demand, demographics and clusters; reciprocal access means Signature members can mix and match clubs around their homes and/or places of work.
Crucially, we’ve realised you don’t have to choose between signature and pre-choreographed programmes such as Les Mills. They work in harmony. If anything, they bolster each other. Thinking you can do it better and moving exclusively to signature classes is, in our view, a mistake.
Tell us about your signature cycle concept.
Indoor cycling is one of our most popular live classes, especially in Saudi where there are a lot of newcomers to fitness. With its simple movement and full control of your own intensity, it’s a very accessible option. We also have a lot of serious cyclists and triathletes who, in the summer, want to escape the heat by training indoors.
Cycling is also our #1 virtual class, led by THE TRIP and with SPRINT a close second. If you’re on your own, it’s more comfortable to be in a dark studio than in a bright space where everyone can see you.
So, our indoor cycling classes already attract a diverse audience. However, even with our mix of programmes – Les Mills SPRINT, RPM and THE TRIP, as well as some freestyle classes and Les Mills Virtual – there’s scope to progress our offering and increase the use of our dedicated cycling studios.
We know how to manage and segment a signature product: how to make it feel premium, encourage free trials and upsell
We’re therefore creating two boutique cycle programmes, one rhythm and one performance. The brand names are still in development, but we want to appeal to serious cyclists and experience-seekers, those inspired by competition and gamification, those new to cycling, those ready to progress and those whose passion will be reignited by something fresh.
A signature reformer pilates studio is included in all Saudi club plans
Will signature cycling launch in all clubs?
No – but where our demographics justify it, we’ll upgrade our existing cycle studios. New lighting will be inspired by the hospitality sector, from bars to the nightclubs of Ibiza. We’ll also use our existing screens to implement new motivational technology, bringing some of the competition of BLITZ and HYROX into the cycle studio.
We’ll launch signature cycling in one of our new Riyadh clubs, which will open around June. We’ve lined up instructors who are interested and now need to train them, giving them the confidence to incorporate tech and create their own classes and playlists.
We’ll create guidelines to ensure the classes have a structure and a GymNation identity, but we’ll give instructors the freedom to inject their own personalities. We particularly want them to push the boundaries when it comes to music, so we’ll run music workshops and encourage them to seek inspiration from the real world – theming classes around global events and local concerts, for example – as well as members’ preferences.
Enjoy a fly-through of Saudi Arabia’s fantastic Al Khobar club
Does boutique work in a budget club?
There’s definitely an initial hurdle to overcome, because people make assumptions about how it will be before they even see or experience it. That’s why we’re so keen to encourage free trials: once people see our signature studios, they’re amazed and it’s the easiest conversion ever.
The fact we’re doing it at scale means we can execute really well – with premium equipment, instructors and fit-outs – all for an affordable fee. But we also understand the operational requirements, from the coach-led interactions to the front-of-house experience, the email communications to the celebration of milestones. These are the things boutiques do well, but that big boxes don’t always think about.
GymNation Core unlocks single-club access – including a comprehensive gym floor and group classes – for AED180–200/month
If we grow at the pace we’re expecting, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be the number one player in the Middle East in three to five years
In our signature clubs, we even have dedicated sales agents who are almost like studio managers. They only look after Signature members, from welcoming and checking them in to facilitating free trials and making sure the studios are properly maintained.
Having launched BLITZ as we came out of lockdown, we now have several years’ experience of additional paid products co-existing within the gym. We know how to manage and segment a signature product, how to make it feel premium, how to encourage free trials and how to upsell. We know what works and what doesn’t and we’re extending that insight across our other signature products.
When GymNation first launched, with prices far below the norm, people didn’t believe it could be true
What are your growth plans?
Since our 2023 MBO, we now have full control and decision-making autonomy. This is enabling us to expand across the region untethered and at scale, with the full backing of our investment partners Tricap Investments and Ruya Partners.
By the end of 2025, we’ll have doubled our estate to 40 gyms – we already have 12 locations signed – and will probably reach 220,000–230,000 members. We’re then looking at 20 new openings a year for at least the next three to five years.
Cycling is a highly popular class discipline across the GymNation estate
We’ve already announced two new locations in the UAE this year, both in Sharjah, and will potentially have two to three more towards the end of this year. But we’ve already captured a lot of the UAE and we don’t want to cannibalise ourselves. There may be more opportunities as the UAE expands, but in the short term we’re probably only looking at three to four more new openings here on top of those already planned for this year.
The majority of our new sites will be in Saudi, with our first two gyms in Riyadh already announced. There’s huge potential in this market: our biggest competitor has 200 locations and a US$2.3bn valuation on the Saudi stock exchange.
We therefore have a dedicated team in Saudi now and are building a head office there. This will be the regional head office not only for Saudi, but for the whole GCC region.
Saudi women are “crying out for” GymNation’s high-value product
So you’re eyeing new markets?
We’re already starting business formations and property searches in some other GCC markets – namely Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. These aren’t as large as the UAE or Saudi, but we could likely open two to three gyms in each.
While we have discussed other markets, we have more than enough opportunity in the GCC to keep us busy for now. If we grow at the pace we’re expecting, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be the number one player in the Middle East within three to five years, be that in terms of member volume and/or gym locations.
With demand for its product booming, GymNation will reach 40 gyms by the end of 2025
Ever wonder what it takes to create a truly exceptional boutique studio? TheFit Guidepodcast is on a mission to find out.
As an independent rating system for premium studios worldwide, The Fit Guide objectively assesses leading boutique brands to verify and celebrate excellence. Now, in its new podcast hosted by Fit Guide co-founder Jack Thomas, it dives deep into the stories behind the world’s leading studios.
“Instructors aren’t even allowed a plastic bottle on the stage, because it doesn’t embody sustainability.”
In the first of a new RIDE HIGH series – created in partnership with The Fit Guide podcast – we shine a spotlight on Storm Cycling, Dubai’s five-star indoor cycling studio.
In this fascinating podcast, founder Ivana Bruic opens our eyes to the incredible attention to detail that landed Storm Cycling top marks from The Fit Guide, scoring five stars both overall and for the class experience.
Discover the secrets of Storm Cycling’s success – listen to the podcast now!
Listen to the podcast now to discover…
How Bruic defeated imposter syndrome to launch Storm Cycling
How Storm launched with every class already waitlisted
The most important question Bruic asks would-be team members
The rigour that goes in to protecting the brand
Why company culture has an influence on expansion plans
How absolutely everything in the studio has an SOP
(it matters where towels are dry cleaned)
… and far more besides
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When is a towel not just a towel? Listen to the podcast now to find out!
Conceived, powered and funded by BODY BIKE®, RIDE HIGH has a simple mission: to celebrate and champion the very best of indoor cycling, sharing ideas, stories and experiences from around the world to inspire the sector on to even bigger and better things. Subscribe for free by leaving your details below and we'll send indoor cycling's hottest news direct to your inbox three times a year.
