Skip to main content

Tag: The science of indoor cycling

Live life to the VO2 max

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Issue 24 May 2025, The science of indoor cycling.

What is VO2 max?

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.

Aerobic exercise such as indoor cycling is key to improving VO2 max |  ©SPINNING

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.

Establishing a good VO2 max in your 30s sets you up for an active, independent older age |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/PEOPLEIMAGES.COM – YURI A

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.

Everyday life – even just sitting chatting – will feel easier if you have a higher VO2 max |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/DAVOR GEBER

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 typically have a fairly stable VO2 max until we’re 30–35 years old, after which it depreciates year on year |  ©SPORT ENGLAND – THIS GIRL CAN

How much can we improve VO2 max?

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.

The sector has doubled down on strength training and neglected cardio, says Patrick. “We need to train both.” |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/BAZA PRODUCTION

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.

Group cycling instructors should learn to use the narrative of VO2 max |  ©ØRBIKE

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.

Exercise: The secret ingredient in medicated weight loss

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Issue 23 January 2025, The science of indoor cycling.

It would be impossible not to have seen the headlines and hype around the new generation of obesity drugs. Hailed by many scientists and doctors as a gamechanger in the fight against obesity and other chronic conditions, they have also spawned derogatory phrases such as ‘skinny jab’ and ‘Ozempic face’.

I have been conducting research into the psychosocial determinants of obesity-related behaviours and the lived experience of obesity for over 16 years. As a health coach and trainer, I have worked directly with clients living with obesity for even longer. I see the huge potential of these drugs in helping people live longer, healthier lives.

Yet as the evidence grows, it’s clear that physical activity has a huge role to play in maximising this potential.

Indoor cycling is a good activity to incorporate alongside GLP-1s  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/GPOINTSTUDIO

But how exactly? How does exercise dovetail with medicated obesity treatment? What do instructors and clubs need to know to support individuals during and after use of weight-loss medication? Does indoor cycling’s calorie-burning role in weight management still apply when used alongside weight-loss drugs? Let’s start by digging into the science.

“Drugs kick-start the weight loss and bring down some of the barriers to physical activity. Motivation to exercise and levels of activity increase.”

Dr Lou Atkinson is an expert in obesity-related behaviours

Obesity: Causes, effects & treatment

Firstly, it is important to remind ourselves that the development of obesity is not solely about willpower or personal choice around calories in vs out, as is often suggested. Genetics, environment, socioeconomic circumstances and stress are among the many factors that can make achieving a healthy weight much more challenging for some people. This is exactly why additional support, including drug treatments, are needed.

Excess weight can lead to conditions such as osteoarthritis  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/PORMEZZ

Obesity is defined by excess body fat – adipose tissue – which poses health risks by impacting metabolic, cardiovascular and inflammatory processes.

  • High levels of body fat – especially visceral fat surrounding internal organs – increase the likelihood of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and contribute to hypertension, high cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.
  • Adipose tissue is also biologically active, releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines that can lead to chronic inflammation, which in turn elevates the risk of several cancers and liver diseases.
  • Moreover, excess weight can strain joints, leading to conditions such as osteoarthritis and exacerbating respiratory issues including obstructive sleep apnea.

All of this impacts overall health and quality of life. The good news: it is now undeniable that exercise has a positive effect on these metabolic, cardiovascular and inflammatory processes, enhancing insulin sensitivity, improving blood lipids (cholesterol), regulating blood pressure and reducing chronic inflammation.

“Most participants regain significant weight when they stop using the drugs. People may require ongoing drug treatment unless they can make lifestyle changes.”

This means that someone living with obesity can significantly improve their health through exercise, even if their body weight remains the same. However, achieving weight loss brings additional physical, psychological and social benefits and remains an important goal for many.

Yet people living with obesity often struggle to be sufficiently active to benefit their health or achieve their weight goals. Commonly reported barriers include low mood, pain, fatigue, limited mobility and low self-efficacy. Additionally, the stigma of living in a bigger body can make people with obesity feel very exposed and unwelcome in gyms and classes or when exercising in public spaces.

Anyone taking GLP-1s should be counselled on reducing calorie intake  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/BRANISLAV NENIN

And so initial evidence around the new obesity drugs represents good news, indicating that motivation to exercise and levels of physical activity both increase among those taking these drugs. This is likely due to a combination of the exercise becoming physically easier, a desire to maximise weight loss and increased confidence from early weight change.

Some of the best interventions I have seen have involved a combination of physical activity and behavioural change support, integrated alongside the use of drugs which kick-start the weight loss and bring down some of the barriers to physical activity.

The new drugs: How do they work?

The new class of weight-loss drugs are known as GLP-1 agonists and include liraglutide (under the brand name Saxenda®), tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) and semaglutide (Wegovy® and Ozempic®). Usually taken by self-administered injection, these medications mimic the action of the natural hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which is produced in the gut and plays important roles in appetite regulation and glucose metabolism.

A topline understanding of the science is useful here. Poor blood sugar control and obesity are closely linked in a cycle where each can contribute to the other: high blood sugar caused by insulin resistance results in excess production of insulin, which in turn encourages the body to store fat, while obesity worsens insulin resistance.   

Interventions should offer physical activity and behavioural change support alongside GLP-1s  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES

GLP-1 drugs help control blood sugar and support both weight loss and overall metabolic health in several ways:

  • They cause food to leave the stomach more slowly, allowing for more gradual absorption of sugars. This helps control blood sugar after meals; it is spikes and dips in glucose levels that can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain, obesity, metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
  • They help keep blood sugar levels down by reducing glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar.
  • They encourage the pancreas to release insulin after meals, which controls blood sugar levels. When insulin levels are normal, cells can also burn fat more effectively.
  • They signal the brain to feel fuller sooner, which can reduce appetite and help people eat less. This may lead to weight loss.
  • They have added benefits for heart health, including helping to lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels.

“When GLP-1 medication is taken alongside structured exercise programmes, greater weight loss is achieved. There is also lower weight regain after the treatment ends.”

Results from using GLP-1 drugs

Clinical trial results for GLP-1 agonists have been remarkable, showing they are highly effective in…

  • Improving glycemic control: Average blood sugar can reduce by enough to move someone from the diabetic range to pre-diabetic, or even back to a non-diabetic range.
  • Boosting weight loss: A loss of 5–15 per cent body mass is typical, with the most advanced drugs producing up to 20 per cent loss.
  • Reducing cardiovascular events: Risk can be reduced by up to 25 per cent in those at the highest risk.

However, although trials have shown the drugs to be safe and effective, they are not without their side-effects – most commonly nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and decreased appetite. While the latter can aid weight loss, it can also lead to overly low blood sugar, fatigue and nutrient deficiencies if diet is not carefully managed.

GLP-1 medication is usually taken by self-administered injection  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/MILLAF

Crucially, follow-up data from these trials show that most participants (about two-thirds) regain a significant amount of weight and lose many of the improvements in metabolic health when they stop using the drugs.

This suggests that many people may require ongoing drug treatment, unless they are able to make the necessary lifestyle changes to sustain their lower weight and improved metabolic health without medication. This is where physical activity and a healthy, balanced diet come in.

“Measures of body composition after GLP-1 use show a 20–50% loss of lean mass. Exercise professionals have a huge opportunity to minimise any negative effects.”

Dovetailing diet and exercise

Whenever GLP-1 medications are prescribed, patients should – as part of their treatment – also be counselled by a healthcare professional on reducing calorie intake, eating a healthy balanced diet and completing 150 minutes of at least moderate-intensity physical activity every week.

Studies show that when GLP-1 medication is taken alongside structured exercise programmes, greater weight loss is achieved. There is also lower weight regain after the treatment ends.

We must help people establish healthy habits they can sustain post-GLP-1s  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/FRANCES L FRUIT

Another hugely important finding: measures of body composition after treatment with GLP-1 agonists show a 20–50 per cent loss of lean body mass. While research is still ongoing to discover whether this level of muscle loss might have negative consequences for future health, this change in body composition is a potential cause for concern given the importance of muscle mass in maintaining bone density, preserving physical function, immune support and overall metabolic health.

Meanwhile, there is positive evidence of the benefits of exercise during other weight-loss interventions, including bariatric surgery and very low-calorie diets. These range from increased insulin sensitivity to the preservation of muscle mass – and even increased muscle strength and size.

As exercise professionals, we therefore have a huge opportunity to maximise the potential of GLP-1 drugs, harnessing the power of exercise to:

  • Increase weight loss and metabolic health improvements
  • Minimise any negative effects of the drugs on body composition
  • Help create physical activity habits that will outlast the drug treatment

“The exercise prescription for GLP-1 patients is the same as for the general adult population. Indoor cycling is great for the 150 minutes’ moderate-intensity activity.”

Indoor cycling during or after GLP-1 treatment

The exercise prescription for GLP-1 patients is the same as for the general adult population: 150 minutes of at least moderate-intensity activities each week, plus at least two strength training sessions a week.

Indoor cycling is a great option for accumulating a lot of those 150 minutes, with its low-impact, simple movement pattern and option to individualise intensity through resistance.

Early weight change via GLP-1s has been shown to boost exercise motivation  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/PRESSMASTER

The cycle studio might also be a slightly more comfortable environment for those who are conscious of their size – for example, where there is the option for low lighting, avoiding mirrors and choosing a spot where they feel less exposed.

As always, if an individual’s current activity level is low, they should start gradually – with shorter bouts of 10–15 minutes – and gradually progress to participating in full classes.

For those with good conditioning and experience – and no contraindications – incorporating vigorous-intensity sessions such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in an indoor cycling class can have additional benefits for both blood sugar control and weight loss.

Top tips for cycling instructors & studios

#1 – Create the right space

Co-location of exercise and health facilities is the optimal set-up. This enables exercise professionals to work directly with the clinical staff prescribing the medication, providing holistic care to patients on this journey. Unfortunately, this is still rare.

In the absence of this set-up, the most positive step any instructor or studio can take is to create a space where people of all sizes feel safe and welcome; those living with obesity can experience a huge amount of shame and often won’t reveal they are using GLP-1 drugs, even to close friends or family.

Getting the timing of food right can help with readiness to exercise  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/SEVENTYFOUR

Note that not everyone who exercises wants to lose weight, including those with obesity, so weight-focused messaging is best avoided. Design programmes that emphasise holistic health and enjoyment rather than weight loss. Show people of all body types in marketing and signage. Create workout areas that feel private as well as larger, accessible changing rooms with seating. Avoid weight-biased language.

This type of environment will make your club and classes more appealing to someone seeking options to increase their physical activity alongside their medication. It may also encourage them to disclose their medication to instructors, so they can be given the best possible support. But it starts with an approach that’s inclusive of all.

It might then be appropriate to also offer specific programmes for those using GLP-1s or seeking weight loss, where individuals can receive tailored advice and be connected with others on the same journey, creating a supportive community.

#2 – Be aware of side-effects

Ordinarily, we would advise anyone experiencing nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or stomach pain to skip the workout until they feel better. However, to achieve their exercise goals, some people on GLP-1 medication will need to navigate working out even with these symptoms.

Although the severity of side-effects will vary person to person, the majority of patients report at least some gastrointestinal issues. With some drugs, the dose gradually increases over time, with a corresponding spike in side-effects with each increase.

The key is to encourage clients to experiment with the types and timings of food, to minimise symptoms and create the best opportunities for exercise.

For example, patients often report that bland food creates less discomfort and that they need to schedule exercise to allow adequate time for the stomach to empty after eating.

Additionally, many patients will be in calorie deficit, so coaches should advise them to be mindful of signs of low blood sugar during exercise – for example, light headedness or sudden weakness – and promote taking breaks when needed.

It is really important to remind clients that this is a long-term process. Taking a few days off when symptoms are severe is not a sign of failure or lack of willpower. ‘Consistency’ doesn’t mean turning up regardless of how you feel. It means doing the best you can each day and staying in it for the long run.

#3 – Support strength training

Indoor cycling is great for cardiovascular fitness, but it can actually contribute to muscle loss if not combined with resistance exercise.

Body weight training (including yoga and pilates), resistance band exercises, weight machines and free weights all count, but it is lifting heavier weights – typically in the range of 6–12 reps a set – that stimulates greater muscle activation. This helps preserve muscle fibres that might otherwise be lost in a calorie deficit.

For this reason, fusion classes – where time is split between being on the bike and doing heavier resistance training – is likely to be more effective than using lighter hand weights while in the saddle. It allows participants to work at sufficient intensity to stimulate muscle growth. It is also simpler and safer for novice indoor cyclists to master, as they don’t have to combine movements.

Clients should also be reminded of the importance of sufficient protein in their diet, as this provides the building blocks of muscle.

Resistance training helps maintain muscle mass while taking GLP-1s  |  ©SHUTTERSTOCK/INSIDE CREATIVE HOUSE

#4 – Prepare for de-prescribing

Many patients report a noticeable return of hunger and an increase in food cravings when they stop GLP-1 treatment, which can make it challenging to maintain the weight loss achieved. Continuing with physical activity once they come off the drugs will reduce weight regain and continue to provide significant physical and mental health benefits.

It is therefore important not only to harness the initial boost in motivation to exercise – experienced during treatment – but also to provide behavioural change support in the weeks and months running up to the end of treatment. The aim is to provide individuals with the tools that can help limit the impact of the loss of the drugs’ effects.

From an activity perspective, planning ahead to create suitable programmes and setting up motivational structures – for example, a supportive network of friends, family and workout buddies – can help people maintain their activity levels and sustain the results they’ve achieved.

“Remind clients that this is a long-term process. Taking a few days off when symptoms are severe is not a sign of failure or lack of willpower.”

Clubs can also help people prepare by encouraging them to identify and minimise triggers that lead to over-eating – for example, specific settings, times or emotions – as well as practising portion control, removing tempting foods and structuring eating times to help manage hunger and cravings. Teaching mindful eating is another good technique: eating slowly, savouring food and paying attention to how full they feel.

The power of visible effort

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Fitness Technology, Issue 22 September 2024, The science of indoor cycling.

Karen Tejedor Bowen: Research explores impact of data visibility and social context on class participants

Tell us about your research.

After doing my masters in marketing at Leeds University, I worked on the Nike account at an advertising agency. The campaigns were always about training hard and pushing yourself, but I was conscious this message wouldn’t work for everyone. Especially when you first start exercising, it’s about the little wins.

I wanted to explore this further, looking at what messages would help people stick with exercise, especially beginners. I approached Leeds University to do a PhD on the topic of social contexts and their influence on exercise motivation, performance and happiness.

“Where there’s no objective measure of performance, everyone judges themselves based on those around them”

One of my grounding theories was the social comparison theory, which describes how people naturally compare themselves to others – even if not intentionally – in all aspects of life. I wanted to see if this would have an impact on people’s motivation, performance and happiness in a gym-based group exercise environment.

My studies were conducted at the university gym. Although open to the public and academic staff, it meant a high proportion of my study participants were students. This could have influenced the results, as younger people tend to be more affected by social comparison than older people, but I believe we all compare ourselves to others, even as we age.   

Even if not intentionally, we all naturally compare ourselves to others

What did you measure?

Performance I defined as calories burnt and, where relevant, distance travelled. I wanted to talk the language of the masses rather than using elite performance metrics.

Motivation was measured according to a peer-reviewed academic scale published in the Journal of Marketing Research. Participants self-reported how motivated they felt during class, how hard they worked during class and how much effort they put in, giving each a score out of seven.

In mixed-level classes, advanced participants are more motivated when there’s no effort data, but their performance improves when this data is shown

And then happiness was measured using a peer-reviewed academic scale published in the Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, with participants giving scores out of seven in response to statements such as: ‘this class gave me a sense of enjoyment’; ‘I felt good while engaged in the class’; and ‘I felt happier in this class than in other activities’.

My results stand even when controlling for age, BMI and body image.

“Effort visibility effectively erased the impact of group composition and lessened the natural decline in motivation over time”

What studies did you conduct?

My initial study was based on a one-off indoor cycling class, with participants anonymously categorised as beginners or advanced based on their self-reported indoor cycling experience. Nobody knew about these categories, though.

I then randomly assigned people to one of two cycling classes to look at the impact of group composition on motivation, performance and happiness.

Seeing their effort data motivates beginners whether they’re in mixed- or same-level classes

As I say, my main focus was on understanding how to support beginners, so I studied beginners in a beginners-only class, as well as beginners alongside advanced riders in a mixed-level class. We used the same virtual cycling class across both classes for consistency and in the mixed-level class used a chess formation, surrounding each rider with people of a different level from themselves.

The results were fascinating and very much in line with social comparison theory. In the mixed-level class, advanced and beginner riders all cycled a similar distance (11.11 miles and 10.96 miles respectively) and burned a similar number of calories (278.02 kcal and 259.32 kcal). In the beginners-only class, mean performance was far lower for both distance (8.54 miles) and calories (190.39 kcal).

With or without data, advanced participants were always happier than beginners

It was a small pilot study of 81 females, but it showed how in an environment where there’s no objective measure of performance, everyone judges themselves based on those around them. In the same-level group, beginners could look around and think: ‘I’m doing OK.’ In the mixed-level group, they pushed harder to keep up with the more advanced riders.

We also looked at happiness in this study and found that advanced riders were always much happier – understandably, as the experience was something they were comfortable with. However, the difference in beginners’ happiness between the two classes was not statistically significant: beginners performed much better in a mixed-level class without feeling significantly less happy than in a same-level class.

These findings led me to move on to a larger longitudinal study where as well as performance and happiness, we also looked at motivation.

“For beginners, being able to see effort data reduced the negative impact of time on their exercise enthusiasm”

Where no data is shown, beginners perform better in mixed-level classes

Tell us about study #2.

The Leeds University gym manager was a fan of Myzone, so we collaborated with them in an eight-week study of 251 participants, again with a female bias that’s typical of group exercise.

Using Myzone enabled us to compare the impact of social comparison – a subjective way of benchmarking your own performance – with the objectivity of visible effort data.

In this second study, self-reported fitness levels were used to categorise participants as beginner or advanced, with additional InBody assessments supporting these categorisations.

Advanced participants in mixed classes work hard to hit the top effort zone – if data is visible

People were then randomly and anonymously allocated to one of eight groups using the variables of advanced vs beginner; same-level or mixed-level group; and with or without effort visibility – that is, a Myzone screen at the front of the class showing participants’ real-time effort as percentages on colour-coded squares.

For eight weeks, participants took part in once-weekly, 30-minute bodyweight HIIT classes – the same workout for each group, refreshed each week. We had a maximum of 15 people per class and a total of 22 weekly classes. All participants wore a Myzone belt to provide effort data, but only those in the effort visibility groups could see it.

The objective of the study was to track how performance, motivation and happiness changed over time in the different groups.

What did you discover?

In the groups without effort visibility, we saw similar results to the original pilot study: beginners in mixed-level classes were more motivated and performed better – in terms of calories burned – than beginners in same-level classes.

Around week eight, the beginners in same-level classes with no effort visibility really began to struggle with motivation.

“In advanced-only classes, performance was better with no effort visibility – the only group in which this was the case”

This gives me confidence that the results of this second study would be replicated in other gym-based HIIT classes such as indoor cycling.

Where beginners could see their effort on-screen, however, they were far more motivated, irrespective of whether they were in mixed- or same-level classes. That motivation was also sustained throughout the eight weeks.

Effort visibility effectively erased the impact of group composition and lessened the natural decline in motivation over time – something gyms are all too familiar with as new members lose motivation and drop off.

Exercise makes you happy – and seeing your effort data makes you even happier

Interestingly, advanced participants in mixed-level classes were slightly more motivated when they didn’t see their effort data than when they saw it.

This could be explained by the way Myzone works: by rewarding personal effort, it’s easier for beginners to hit the red zone [maximum effort] than it is for seasoned exercisers, who might have felt they were smashing it until they saw themselves only in the yellow zone compared to others in the red.

However, while advanced participants in mixed-level classes were more motivated with no data shown, they didn’t perform as well, performing on a par with beginners.

“Over time, happiness in exercise was higher across the board when effort was visible than when it was not”

By contrast, when data was visible, advanced participants in mixed-level classes pushed themselves to perform better than the beginners – even if they felt demotivated in the process!

In this second study, we also assessed advanced individuals in same-level (advanced-only) classes. Here, performance was actually better with no effort visibility – the only group in which this was the case.

Data visibility drives uniformity in participants’ performance

Other interesting findings include the way data visibility drove greater uniformity in performance: all groups were much closer in mean calories burned when they could see their data. Their performance still dropped over time, but this could be explained by the study effect: in week one, participants are keen to make a good impression, but by halfway through the study their excitement wanes and they don’t push as hard.

What about happiness?

Advanced participants were always happier than beginners, with or without effort visibility.

Where beginners had no visibility of their effort data, group composition strongly influenced their happiness: in mixed-level classes, their happiness initially fell, then stabilised; in same-level classes, their happiness plummeted by week eight.

Where beginners had effort visibility, their happiness still dropped a little by week eight; in the normal world, they would likely have been given the chance to try something different if they weren’t enjoying HIIT, but that wasn’t the case in this study. However, the drop was far less dramatic. Being able to see their effort reduced the negative impact of time on beginners’ exercise enthusiasm.

Finally, looking at the mean scores of all participants combined, those who could see their data were significantly happier at week four (5.17 out of 7.0) and week eight (5.12 out of 7.0) than those who could not (4.85 out of 7.0 at week four, and 4.75 out of 7.0 at week eight).

Happy hour

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Issue 21 March 2024, The science of indoor cycling.

Meet our experts: Oliver Patrick, Daphne Feller, Daniel Callow and Michael Hosking

“Physical markers are very often intangible to people,” says Oliver Patrick, co-founder of clinical wellbeing academy FuturePractice. “I can’t get someone out of bed on a cold Wednesday morning to go and increase their VO2 max by 3 per cent, because it doesn’t mean anything to them. 

“Neither can I tell them with certainty what the long-term physical outcome of their exercise will be. It’s so intangible, so immeasurable, that it isn’t worth talking about for most people. 

“From the first time someone exercises, we can expect tangible increases in energy and happiness”

“As a coach, I have to find something that bothers or interests the individual, then draw a direct line between exercise and their desired outcome. That’s generally going to be something to do with the way they feel, because being mentally suboptimal is the norm in our high-stress world. 

“And actually that’s useful, because there’s an immediacy to humans: to get someone hooked on a drug, you need to give them a first fix, and with exercise that first fix will come quicker if you focus on feelings, not fitness goals.”

An uplift in mental and emotional feelgood can come within 15 minutes of starting a class

A feelgood boost in just 15 minutes

He adds: “In fact, it can come within 15 minutes of starting a class. From the first time someone exercises, we can expect tangible increases in energy and happiness, decreases in stress, improvements in clarity of thinking and even sleep quality.”

BrainExplainers’ Daphne Feller agrees: “The feelgood hormones dopamine, serotonin and endorphins come within a single workout, with cardiovascular exercise particularly well-known for inducing a significant release of these neurotransmitters. 

“Each neurotransmitter has its own job, but all three are associated with enhanced feelings of positivity: runners’ high hormone serotonin plays an important role in regulating mood, emotions and sleep; dopamine triggers our reward system to help us feel pleasurably motivated; and endorphins manage pain, lower stress, improve mood and enhance our sense of wellbeing.

“In a 45-minute indoor cycling class, you can expect your brain to release all three; serotonin takes the longest, normally kicking in after around 30 minutes. Exercise also helps control the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.”

We are hardwired to exist and feel good in the presence of other people, says Patrick

Why group exercise is top for happiness

Patrick continues: “The problem is, we’re generally not great at attaching feelings to what we do. It’s therefore really important that we tell people what we want them to observe when they exercise. Ask them: ‘Have you noticed a decreased tension in your muscles, are you feeling less burdened and a bit more joyful – less keen to honk your horn at someone on the way home?’ 

“That’s the feeling we want to get them addicted to, so crucially we need them not just to say ‘I feel a bit better today’, but to actively recognise and attach that feeling to their workout: ‘I feel a bit better today because I did the exercise.’

“We need to help them understand the control that exercise gives them over their feelings, so the next time their mood lowers or their shoulders start moving towards their ears, they know how to do something about it.”

“If I help you find more energy, I put you in the best possible position to find happiness… and group exercise helps with multiple forms of energy.”

He adds: “Happiness isn’t always possible, of course. You can’t feel happy if you’re in a state of grief, as an example. However, if I help you find more energy – emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually – I enable happiness. I put you in the best possible position to find it.

“And group exercise helps with multiple forms of energy, not just physical. We also feel emotionally, spiritually and mentally energised by being in a community where we have a part to play. There’s a lot of interesting scientific work going on at the moment to explain why, but we are undoubtedly hardwired to exist and feel good in the presence of other people.”

By stimulating the brain, music can evoke strong emotions and encourage feelings of happiness

The music in class plays a key role too, says Feller: “Music can evoke strong emotions by stimulating the limbic system – the part of the brain that’s responsible for emotional responses. When activated in a positive way, it can encourage feelings of happiness.

“Music also lowers cortisol levels, especially slow, calming music. It means the final cool-down track of a cycling class is particularly beneficial not just for the body, but also for the brain.”

How exercise helps us deal with stress

Yet the science of exercise and its impact on the brain is still emerging, warns Daniel Callow PhD, postdoctoral research fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

“We don’t actually know what’s changing in the brain at a molecular level when we exercise,” he explains. “BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is something people talk about, as we know BDNF is likely important for brain health: the suggestion is that it may be released in the brain when we exercise. However, most of this research has been done in animals. 

“In humans, we can only measure BDNF in the blood, not the brain, and it may cross the brain/blood barrier and respond to exercise in an inconsistent manner. At this stage, there’s insufficient evidence to be confident about neurotrophic factor and its direct contribution to exercise-induced brain health.

“Being active is good for brain health, which sits at the heart of mental health,” says Patrick

“That isn’t to say we can’t measure any positive impact of exercise on the brain. What we can see and objectively measure – through eye tracking and neuroimaging of brain activity – are changes in networks within the brain, which affect how we respond to external stimuli. The stress response region of the brain, for example, is altered by exercise – mostly in a seemingly beneficial way – which could help explain why exercise helps us deal with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. 

“Scientists have already measured the short-term impact of a single session of activity, but the idea is that over time, a sustained exercise routine could lead to adaptations in the brain that make you more resilient to these stressors.”

How indoor cycling can help treat depression

It is this interest in the causes and treatment of depression that underpins the work of Michael Hosking, Biology PhD, professor and founder of Revocycle Mind and Body Cycling. 

Hosking’s fascination with the emerging science around exercise and the brain initially stemmed from his own period of intense depression and PTSD around 15 years ago, which he self-treated using physical activity. 

He explains: “I started cycling again and feeling better. I then began to look into the research on exercise and depression/PTSD and a couple of weeks later, told my psychiatrist I was going to stop taking medication. I was feeling so much better. She was shocked by the results I’d achieved and told me it would fundamentally change the way she treated patients with depression.

Gyms should change their marketing to focus on stress reduction and elevated mood, says Feller

“When I then discovered Dr John Ratey’s seminal book, SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, I contacted Harvard University and spent a week studying under him. I created Revocycle Mind and Body Cycling there and then – an indoor cycling programme where we talk about movement as self-care, stress relief, meditation. We focus on social connection and self-efficacy and we never, ever talk about changing the body or burning calories. The whole programme looks entirely unlike a typical indoor cycling class in its delivery, the way we celebrate, even the way we greet people. 

“Why wouldn’t we promote going to the gym to be happy? It’s more inclusive. It says you don’t have to look a certain way to attend the gym.”

“We’ve also now launched Revocycle Mind and Body Education, to teach fitness professionals the science of exercise and the brain. Depression is a huge burden on individuals and society around the world. I just felt it was too important not to bring all of this together and spread the word.”

Exciting new findings as the science ‘explodes’

Hosking continues: “Exciting new findings are emerging all the time, too. For example, until the late 90s–early 2000s, scientists didn’t believe the brain could grow new neurons, yet now we know that neurogenesis – the creation of new nerve cells – can occur in the hippocampus.

“Scientists then began to investigate where in the brain depression lives, and they discovered that it lives in the hippocampus. Specifically, they began to notice that the hippocampus was smaller – with fewer cells and fewer connections – in individuals with depression. 

“The next question, of course: Does depression cause the hippocampus to shrink? And can we promote neurogenesis to treat depression?

“Scientists found that if rats were made to run a lot, more new neurons formed in their hippocampi. The idea began to emerge that exercise might be a tool to promote neurogenesis and help address depression. Research in this field skyrocketed.

We must help people understand the control exercise gives them over their emotions

“The science is still evolving and exploding, but a meta-study published in 2023 reviewed research from the last 20 years and drew out four key conclusions. First, depression is almost always associated with reduced hippocampus volume. Second, exercise can help with depression – this the conclusion of 76 per cent of studies. Third, exercise is as effective or more effective than medication, with fewer negative side-effects and lots of positive side-effects. 

“And fourth, BDNF is the likely linchpin for the effectiveness of both exercise and antidepressants, with neurogenesis very likely the mechanism and mediator.

“The sector has to be braver in the conversations it’s willing to have, encouraging people to keep an eye out for changes in how they feel”

“Daniel [Callow] is of course correct when he says we have to be careful about drawing early conclusions about BDNF. However, we already know that people with depression have low levels of BDNF in their blood, and that one-off sessions of exercise increase those levels. We also know that aerobic exercise is better than strength training at increasing levels of BDNF in the blood.

“I very much appreciate a scientist who’s cautious and focused on what’s absolutely proven, but I guess I’m just willing to be a little more generous in my views of the emerging molecular and cellular models of BDNF and neurogenesis, which are highly complex and compelling.”

We must start selling ourselves as feeling centres, not physical transformation centres, says Patrick

We know what works. Why not talk about it?

Yet whatever we now discover as the science continues to evolve, as Callow himself says: “A precise mapping of BDNF levels in the brain isn’t what will elicit the greatest benefits for individuals. It might help develop therapeutics and drugs in the future, but what matters to the individual is the brain’s proven response to physical activity in terms of our behaviours, moods and cognitive responses.”

Patrick agrees: “If you’re on the field, you can’t deprive people by holding back waiting for a journal that empirically proves what we all suspect. You have to work with what’s available, and we know that being active is good for brain health – especially cardiovascular activity [find out more in our Life Cycle article]. We also know that brain health sits at the heart of mental health.” 

“Gyms should move away from marketing physical perfection to focus on elevated mood, stress reduction and better sleep”

“And why wouldn’t we promote going to the gym to be happy?” asks Feller. “Not only does this encourage people to focus on the instant feelgood of being active, it’s also a more inclusive, supportive approach. It says you don’t have to look a certain way to attend the gym. It gives everyone permission to go purely for how it makes them feel.”

She adds: “I believe gyms should move away from marketing physical perfection to show people of all shapes and sizes, highlighting exercise benefits such as elevated mood, stress reduction, mental strength and better sleep.” (See also Focus on the Feelgood for more fascinating thought leadership on this topic.)

Loyalty will come if people attach your classes to their improved mental state

The brave new conversations gyms must have

But to support this new approach, says Patrick: “The sector has to be braver in the conversations it’s willing to have. Everyone’s scared of what they don’t know, but you don’t have to be a psychologist to ask someone how they feel, and to do so in a structured way.

“You can’t diagnose or promise specific results. You have to know when to stop giving advice. But you can ask the question, you can be empathetic, and you can say: ‘No matter what you’ve told me, I believe what we’re going to do will help.’ You can have a meaningful conversation and encourage people to keep an eye out for changes in how they feel.”

“Asking ‘How are you feeling?’ can be a throwaway comment, or it can be the basis for your whole brand”

He adds: “In the end, if exercise is done in a quest for improved body composition, very few people will adhere to it at the frequency that’s required. But if we can attach coming to class to improving the things that are bothering people mentally, we will drive loyalty. 

“So we need to start selling ourselves as feeling centres, not physical transformation centres, with a clear scope of practice to communicate and improve the way people feel. There is no product that comes close to exercise, sleep and nutrition for achieving this goal; upscale gyms and studios already have the facilities, people and interventions to alleviate most people’s problems.

“If we can now improve our quality of language and diversify our understanding a little bit, we can be the wellbeing antidote to a poisonous environment. Asking ‘How are you feeling?’ can be a throwaway comment, or it can be the basis for your whole brand.”

The science of cycling

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Issue 19 June 2023, The science of indoor cycling.

#1 Cycling is an enjoyable way to kick-start a fitness regime

With pumping music, motivating instructors and tested programming, indoor cycling has proven to be a particularly effective way to get hooked on exercise. This was highlighted by an eight-week study where exercise newbies eased into exercise with three Les Mills RPM™ indoor cycle classes a week – and the vast majority didn’t miss a single workout.

Bryce Hastings, Les Mills’ head of research, says the 95 per cent compliance rate is almost unheard of in a fitness trial. “It speaks volumes about the enjoyable nature of the workout and its positive effects,” he adds.

#2 Indoor cycling gets you fit… fast!

Powering through just three cycle workouts a week can do wonders for your fitness. Research shows that just eight weeks of regular cycle workouts can lead to improved cardio fitness – we’re talking an 11.8 per cent increase in VO2 – as well as reducing body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Indoor cycling can reduce body fat
Three RPM classes a week for eight weeks can dramatically reduce body fat

According to researchers, it’s the varying levels of intensity within the cycle workout that are an important factor in maximising muscle adaptations and producing comprehensive health benefits.

It’s why workouts such as RPM are based on the science of cardio peak training, which combines the cardio endurance of steady-state training with the transformative fat-burning benefits of high-intensity interval training. The workout is structured to maintain your heart rate at an aerobic training base of between 60 and 80 per cent of your maximum heart rate, interspersed with peaks of intensity that push you to 85 to 90 per cent of your max.

#3 High-intensity interval cycling gets you even fitter

There are plenty of studies highlighting how high-intensity interval training (HIIT) drives muscle activation and fat-burning capacity, but most of these studies are based on conventional weight-bearing HIIT exercises such as burpees, squat jumps and lunges.

Indoor cycling spinning
In an eight-week study, RPM hooked 95 per cent of exercise newbies

The exception is an interesting study by Professor Jinger Gottschall at Penn State University in the US, which detailed how high-intensity interval cycling can be a great, low-impact way to enjoy the transformative results of HIIT.

Study participants added just two 30-minute Les Mills SPRINT™ workouts – Les Mills’ HIIT cycling programme – to their weekly regime and significantly improved cardiovascular, metabolic and musculoskeletal fitness. They also reduced body fat mass and blood pressure, while enhancing glucose tolerance and strength.

#4 Cycling cuts fat from your waistline

Regular cycling doesn’t just result in toned and shapely legs: it can be a great way to reduce your waistline too. One study showed that in just eight weeks, exercisers doing RPM three times a week managed to cut an average of 3cm from their waistlines, as well as reducing body fat by 13.6 per cent. This is important, as fat that’s stored around your middle is often dangerous visceral fat; a disproportionately large waistline is an indicator of several serious health risks.

Les Mills sprint
Cycling is the second most beneficial activity for emotional health, after team sports

#5 Cycling helps your mental health

Jumping on a bike is shown to be one of the best ways to beat stress, depression and poor mental health.

Over a three-year study, 1.2 million adults recorded their physical activity, as well as detailing how many days they experienced any stress, depression or other emotional issues. Researchers concluded that cycling was the second most beneficial activity in terms of emotional wellness, beaten only by team sports.

#6 Cycling can slow, and even reverse, the ageing process

Forget pills and potions: research indicates that pedal power could be the elixir of youth.

In a study of 125 amateur cyclists, researchers found the cyclists maintained consistent muscle mass and strength as they aged, as well as stable levels of body fat and cholesterol. In the process, they reduced their risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, while their production of disease-combatting T-cells was still functioning as well as in much younger people.

There’s even evidence that cycling can reverse the ageing process and shave up to 20 years off your biological age. Sound too good to be true? Here’s the evidence.

If that isn’t a reason to jump on the nearest indoor bike right now, we don’t know what is!

Les Mills Sprint instructor sweating with open mouth
SPRINT can bring all the benefits of a HIIT workout without impacting the joints

Emma Hogan is a writer for global group workout leader Les Mills. A longer version of this article was published on Les Mills’ Fit Planet in November 2022.

Body Bike indoor cycling events

Recovery at work

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Articles, Issue 17 September 2022, Rockstar instructors, The science of indoor cycling.

What is Training Stress Score?

Training Stress Score (TSS) is something I invented in 2002 in collaboration with Dr Andrew Coggan. It’s a composite number that takes into account the duration and intensity of a workout to arrive at a single estimate of the overall training load and physiological stress created by that training session. 

Put another way, it quantifies the training stress on your body after a workout and is applicable to power-based cycling or rowing. [For a briefing on power training, see RIDE HIGH issue 16.]

“TSS lets you track the cumulative stress of each workout on your body to ensure you’re resting enough”

It was a measure I knew I needed to help my athletes accurately understand how hard each workout was compared to others. I also knew I could use this data to shape a plan to peak them at exactly the right moment for big events. Dr Coggan provided the science! 

Instructors will sometimes need to ‘fake it’ in the saddle rather than hitting all the %FTPs in class

Why is it important?

Before we invented TSS, kilojoules (kJ) – how much energy you burned – were used to quantify the stress of a ride. The problem with this was, it didn’t acknowledge ride intensity: you can ride for longer at a lower intensity and burn the same kJ, but the physiological stress on your body will be nowhere near the same. 

TSS gives a far more accurate picture of how much stress you can create. Most important of all, it lets you cumulatively track this stress, allowing you to build a picture of your chronic training load (the cumulation of everything you did between 15 days and six weeks ago, and with it your overall fitness) and acute training load (your workouts over the last two weeks, and with it your current fatigue) to understand the Training Stress Balance in your body today.

This information, in particular the chronic training load, tells you exactly when you should push hard in training and when you should rest. It allows you to continually strike a good balance between fitness (which results from training stress) and freshness (which results from rest) to keep improving – and, where relevant, to hit top form for your event.

As an indoor cycling instructor, it allows you to track the cumulative stress of each workout on your body to ensure you’re resting enough – most injuries are down to insufficient recovery – without losing fitness. 

TSS is scaleable, meaning pros like Bradley Wiggins will score 100 for an hour at FTP, the same as a deconditioned rider

How do you calculate TSS?

As I say, TSS takes into account both workout duration and intensity, with intensity based on the individual’s FTP (functional threshold power).

The easiest way to understand TSS is that you score 100 points if you go as hard as you can – that is, if you cycle at your personal FTP – for an hour. From that benchmark, it’s easy to relate it to other workouts.

“After six weeks of instructing two cycling classes a day, your chronic training load could be 160: the same as a pro at the end of the Tour de France!”

Basing it on FTP makes it scaleable, too: Bradley Wiggins cycles at his super-high FTP for an hour and gets a score of 100. A deconditioned individual cycles at their 80-watt FTP for an hour and gets a score of 100. All you need is an accurate personal FTP.

Some software – such as TrainingPeaks, which you can download as an app – works out the TSS of each ride for you, and there are a few bikes that include this score on their console. If you don’t have access to that, though, it isn’t too hard to calculate the TSS of a ride yourself. 

The equation is TSS = {[(duration (s) x normalized power (W)) x IF]/(threshold power x 3600 s)} x100 – but don’t be put off by how it looks, as it isn’t actually that complicated! 

Even just two classes a day, if cycled ‘properly’, can lead an instructor to max out and increase their risk of illness and injury

First, take the workout duration in seconds and multiply that by normalised power (which in the context of studio cycling is almost always average wattage), then multiply all that by the intensity factor (see end of this article: What do we mean by intensity factor?) This is the only bit of guesstimating you’ll need to do, as this figure won’t be in your bike. However, you can get a pretty good idea of the intensity factor simply by dividing your average power (wattage) throughout the class by your personal functional threshold power. 

“As a basic guideline, I’d advise that if your chronic training load hits 115, you need to rest. That could just mean taking it easy in class.”

You then divide this figure by your personal FTP x 3600 (seconds, to get it up to an hour). Finally, multiply all that by 100 – just because we wanted to present scores as full numbers!

What does TSS mean in practice?

If your score is less than 150, we categorise that as low stress – that is, it should be relatively easy to recover from that workout by the following day. Note that recovery is not the same as being totally fresh: you may still have sore muscles. However, it’s likely you could produce the same effort again the next day, or at least get very close to it. This is how we define recovery.

A score of 150–300 is medium stress: you should have recovered by the second day. High stress is TSS 300–450, where residual fatigue is likely to be around for a few days at least. And then epic is a TSS of more than 450, and here you’re looking at anything from a few days to a few weeks before you can get on the bike and do the same again. The muscular soreness might be gone, but your cardiovascular system still needs more time to recover.

Hunter Allen is a world-leading endurance coach and power training expert

You talk about cumulative load…

Yes, and this is where TSS becomes really valuable. Let’s move away from elite road racing examples and focus purely on indoor cycling instructors to bring this to life.

Every single ride has its own TSS; a typical hour-long indoor cycling class – with its sprints and climbs but also its recovery sections – will have a score of around 65–90. So, let’s say TSS 80 as a rough average.

Now let’s assume an indoor cycling instructor teaches a class a day. Six weeks later, their chronic training load is 80. That’s do-able. Even TSS 100 a day is do-able. Your body adapts to training stress after all – it’s how we get fitter – and a load of 80–100 is a moderate yet solid level of stress. 

But what if they’re instructing two cycling classes a day – not uncommon – and they’re cycling them ‘properly’, by which I mean they’re in the saddle hitting all the %FTPs they’re telling the class to hit. Do that every day for six weeks and all of a sudden, chronic training load is 160 (plus any other workouts they happen to be doing).

Now let’s consider that cycling pros, when they reach the end of the Tour de France, have a chronic training load of 160–180 – and then they rest!

Now we can begin to understand why indoor cycling instructors get injured or sick when they’re doing too many classes, and why it doesn’t actually take much for class load to tip over into being too much.

Indoor cycling instructor at event Velthoven
Instructors must learn to rest, including taking it easier in the saddle during class

So, when does an instructor need to rest?

First things first, as an instructor, you should absolutely be logging the TSS of every class you instruct, so you build up an accurate picture of your chronic training load (CTL). You then listen to your body and identify what your CTL is when you feel you can’t perform any more. As soon as you see yourself approaching this number in the future, you know you need to start thinking about building in some rest.

“Remember it’s about chronic training load: one day off doesn’t immediately undo the last six weeks of effort”

As a basic guideline, I’d advise that if your chronic training load hits 115 – if you add up the TSS of all your rides over the last six weeks, divide by 42 to get an average daily score, and that average is 115 or more – you need to rest. 

(Note: Specialist software will weight more recent workouts higher than workouts six weeks ago. However, for the purposes of simplicity, calculating an average daily TSS as above will suffice.)

Rest could mean taking it easy in class, whether that’s ‘faking it’ rather than actually cranking it up in the saddle, or getting off the bike and walking the studio floor to offer encouragement and motivation.

It could mean taking a break altogether, if schedules allow. But even here, remember that it’s about chronic training load: one day off doesn’t immediately undo the last six weeks of effort.

Intensity factorRead more: Hunter’s previous RIDE HIGH article – on why he believes indoor cycling classes should always be based on power – can be found here.

@peakscoachinggroup
/peakscoaching

Indoor cycling event

Power Play

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Articles, Fitness Technology, Issue 16 May 2022, Music & programming, The science of indoor cycling.

What’s the difference between heart rate and power training?
Put simply, power is the ultimate training dose, while heart rate (HR) is a response to the training dose.

What do I mean by that? Heart rate training has been around for many years and it’s an important and valid metric. It shows the intensity of your intention – how hard you’re trying to push yourself. That’s very useful for instructors in particular, allowing them to read the room and understand the effort each participant is putting in. With the addition of colour zones, it’s also easy to understand and can be very motivating in a class environment.

Power training aficionado Allen is founder of Peaks Coaching Group

However, the issue is this: there are many factors that can impact someone’s heart rate. It isn’t exclusively a response to training. Yes, your heart rate could be high because you’re really pushing yourself in your workout. However, it could also be high because the room is too warm and you’re over-heating, you’ve had lots of caffeine, you’re stressed, or because of a number of other external factors.

In short, HR training tells you how fast your heart is pumping, but it doesn’t tell you why. It can also vary quite notably from day to day. Plus, heart rate zones are based on your max HR – a figure that doesn’t change as you get fitter. It means you can’t easily track or build on your progress.

How is power different?
Whether you’re in a studio or on the road in the rain, 200 watts is 200 watts. This is why I refer to power as the ultimate training dose: you can very precisely specify a number.

Let’s take the analogy of weight training. Month one, you might have 20kg on your bar. Next month it’s 30kg, a few months later it’s 50kg. The weight is your training dose and the rising number reflects the progress you’ve made. It’s the same with wattage: you can see your improved performance on the power meter of your bike as your output rises from 200 to 220 to 240 watts over time.

FTP % is a great tool in a class environment, allowing clubs to run classes with very specific objectives

Then there’s a measure called FTP – functional threshold power – which is a great tool for a class environment. Every individual can calculate their personal FTP, which is directly related to their fitness level. Rather than specifying a wattage, an instructor can then specify an FTP percentage they want the class to ride at. In turn, this ensures every individual is working according to their current fitness level – but also at exactly the right load for the training goal.

I say ‘current’ because your FTP will rise as you get fitter. If there’s a day when you’re tired or stressed, you may not hit the same output as on a day when you’re fresh, but overall – over time – your FTP will increase as your fitness improves. That provides a great sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep going.

How does FTP work?
Your functional threshold power is the highest average power (wattage) output you can maintain for an hour, going as hard as possible for the whole hour. You then take that average wattage as 100 per cent and build your training zones around it.

Zone 1, active recovery, sees you cycling at 55 per cent or less of your personal FTP. It’s an important zone in every class and for every cyclist: it stops you training too hard and ensures you’re ready for the next effort.

“Every individual can calculate their personal FTP, which is directly related to their fitness level. An instructor can then specify an FTP percentage they want the class to ride at.”

Zone 2, endurance, is where you could spend all day cycling. You’re at 56–75 per cent of your FTP, and as the name suggests, it’s about improving your endurance.

Zone 3, tempo, is a zone most people could stay in for perhaps 30 minutes to a couple of hours – or eight hours if you’re a pro cyclist! You’re now working at 76–90 per cent of your FTP, and the benefit here is improved aerobic capacity and muscular endurance.

Zone 4 is your FTP zone, and this is the measure that really defines your fitness. It’s a bit like the one rep max in weight training: you quote your FTP to someone and it’s a shorthand for how fit you are. In this zone, you’re working at 91–105 per cent of your FTP, and translated to real world cycling it’s about how fast you can ride outside: with an FTP of 180 watts, you might be able to maintain 15mph; 220 watts and you’re looking at perhaps 20mph. Physiologically, it’s about improving overall cardiovascular fitness and the body’s ability to handle lactate in the blood.

BODY BIKE’s new app features two different FTP tests that you can do on your own (photo @julie.duverger.buissiere @lifestudio_orleans)

Zone 5 – 106–120 per cent of FTP – is the VO2 max zone. We’re talking three- to eight-minute all-out efforts, as if you’re riding up a steep hill. You’re training your body’s ability to bring oxygen into the lungs and from there to the bloodstream and the muscles; your VO2 max is the efficiency with which your body can do this, and it can be improved with training.

Zone 6 is anaerobic capacity, spanning 121–300 per cent of FTP. We’re talking very intense intervals of perhaps 30 seconds to two minutes only, and it’s about improving your ability to produce energy without oxygen. Working in this zone brings a rounded approach to fitness.

Finally, anything above that is zone 7 – neuromuscular power. Think of it as your very best sprint for five to 15 seconds, which might typically be anything from 700–2,500 watts. This is pure muscular strength building.

How do you calculate FTP?
As I say, FTP is about going as hard as you can for an hour, but not everyone wants to do that – not even pro athletes! There are a few shortcuts, but I believe the best is a 20-minute test that you can run as a class.

You start with a 20-minute warm-up – or 10–15 minutes if you want the class to fit neatly into an hour’s slot – including 3 x one-minute fast pedals to wake up the legs.

Then you do five minutes cycling as hard as you possibly can to exhaust the body’s anaerobic capacity – something that could otherwise skew the results – before 10 minutes of recovery, cycling at around 65 per cent of your capacity.

“Test your FTP every eight weeks; fitness generally changes in eight-week cycles. To keep progressing, re-set training zones around your rising FTP.”

Only then do you do the 20-minute time trial, striking up a strong, steady wattage that you think you can maintain for 20 minutes; you can tweak as you go, because we take an average reading, so don’t start too hard! Your FTP is your power average for the 20 minutes, minus 3–5 per cent to even more accurately estimate what you could do in an hour.

The class ends with a cool-down of 10–15 minutes’ easy pedalling.

People often object – they say they’re tired by the time we do the time trial – but that’s the whole point. We’re trying to approximate what you could do in an hour, so you have to be a little fatigued when you begin the 20-minute test.

Crucially, you should re-test your FTP every eight weeks, because fitness generally changes in eight-week cycles. To keep progressing, you need to continually re-set your training zones around your rising FTP.

FTP training allows people of varying fitness levels to train together in the same class

Do you always favour power training?
In a word, yes. It’s a great way to scale for everyone in the room, so they can train in the same zones and progress together but without having to achieve the same wattage.

It’s also possible to create classes around specific training objectives. “On Monday, our class will train the cardiovascular system with relatively low force; on Tuesday we’ll focus on improving our FTP, with 4 x 10 minutes at 95–105 per cent of FTP; Wednesdays will be all about improving anaerobic capacity, with short, hard efforts of 30 seconds to two minutes; Thursday’s class will focus on VO2 max, with three- to five-minute intervals, but we’ll throw in five muscular strength intervals first.” And so on.

Not every FTP zone is suitable for every level of fitness, though, so classes should be clearly labelled for their training objectives, benefits and level of experience required. Unfit beginners should focus on zones 1–3, for example, but note that it doesn’t get progressively harder from zone 1 up to zone 7: fitter beginners could do zone 7 and even zone 6, provided intervals aren’t too long and there’s plenty of variety in the class.

On the other hand, if you put a beginner straight into an FTP intervals class, I can pretty much guarantee they’ll never come back!

This is the beauty of power training, though. You know exactly what energy system you’re training – VO2 max or threshold power, for example – which is something other modes of training don’t allow for.

“How you create your wattage is important. In a general-purpose class, aim to push people out of their cadence comfort zones.”

Where does cadence (RPM) fit in?
Cadence can be a challenge for many people in a class, especially beginners who aren’t used to moving their leg muscles in a pedalling motion. At first, people generally want to pedal slower – perhaps 70–80 RPM – until they get used to it.

However, cadence is a very important metric, as power = force x cadence. You can produce 1,000 watts by cycling at a slow 40 RPM with the resistance cranked up to 20, or you could cycle at 150 RPM with the resistance at 5 and still produce 1,000 watts.

At face value, that may seem like the same outcome, but how you create your wattage is important: in this example, the 40 RPM approach is about producing the watts through force, which means you’re training muscular strength; the 150 RPM approach produces watts through speed and trains cardiovascular fitness.

When you teach a general-purpose indoor cycling class, you should aim to balance load between the muscles and the cardiovascular system. You need to push people out of their cadence comfort zones, helping endurance runners build muscle and weight lifters improve their cardiovascular fitness. You should also move people through the different FTP zones to work on strength, cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance. This is how you use power training to improve all-round fitness.

 

Get in the zone

Monitoring your % FTP

If the key to effective indoor cycling is working to specified percentages of your personal FTP – well, how exactly do you do this? Easy, says Allen: with indoor cycling bikes now boasting advanced computers, you simply enter your personal FTP at the beginning of class and the console will show you what % FTP you’re hitting throughout the workout.

BODY BIKE Smart+ goes a step further. Believing that exercisers should have clear ownership of their personal data, and that operators should have future-proofed bikes, BODY BIKE got rid of integrated consoles around five years ago. In their place, an app that links seamlessly to any BODY BIKE Smart+ bike, transforming exercisers’ phones into portable consoles that can be upgraded with each app update, and that let exercisers carry their data with them.

The latest app update, launched in April, features in-saddle installation: simply pedal for 30 seconds and the upgrade is installed on your phone, bringing your previous training history across with it. Alongside a host of new features, including achievement-based status updates, are all the old favourites – not least a number of FTP features.

There are two FTP tests you can do on your own – a five-minute test and a burnout test – which, as BODY BIKE CEO Uffe A Olesen explains, “allow people to easily do a test themselves at any point, rather than having to wait for their club to run a class as Hunter suggests”. Alternatively, if you already know your FTP, you can simply store it in your personal app settings.

You then monitor your % FTP during class by tapping the middle of the wattage ‘target board’ to reveal your % FTP figure.

% FTP is just one of numerous metrics that can be tracked through the BODY BIKE Smart+ app, alongside % max HR, cadence, kilometres travelled, calories burned and workout duration.

The pain-reducing power of VR

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Articles, Fitness Technology, Issue 11 September 2020, The science of indoor cycling.

Group exercise. The entertaining, engaging, dare we say it even fun part of a gym’s offering. The community creator. The loyalty builder and retention booster. True before COVID; still true even in these strange days of social distancing.

Yet even without social distancing and its resulting capacity issues, group exercise throws up obstacles to participation, not least the intimidation factor of being the newbie among a group of regulars. And that intimidation factor is arguably never more evident than in group cycling – so often perceived as a hardcore workout led by gung-ho instructors exhorting regulars to crank it up in a ‘who can work the hardest’ battle.

“Our cycling classes aren’t like that,” you say. Quite possibly not, but this is all about perception. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we have to acknowledge that this perception hasn’t come from nowhere. For many years, that’s what so many of these classes were like. Instructors would see it as a badge of honour if participants wobbled out of the studio on jelly legs at the end of the class.

For those exposed to the interactive VR, the pain intensity was 12–13 per cent lower

Perceptions are now shifting, in part thanks to the growth in rhythm cycling – the SoulCycle-esque, ‘party on a bike’ classes which have broadened the appeal of group cycling, making it as much about the mental feelgood as the physical results. Where people don’t feel beasted through every pedal stroke.

But there is another tool at your disposal: one that’s reportedly drawing new audiences in to give cycling a try, and which research shows then seals the deal by making the whole experience more enjoyable, reducing perceived effort levels – even when it is a tough workout.

That tool is virtual reality.

Interactive VR lowers perceived muscle pain

Interactive VR versus muscle pain
High-intensity cycling is less painful when combined with virtual reality, according to a study published last year by University of Georgia researchers.

Past studies have shown that exposure to virtual reality (VR) can help medical patients better manage their pain. This latest study wanted to explore the topic further, investigating whether the use of virtual reality during high-intensity cycling could reduce pain from exercise.

The study tested 94 healthy adults, specifically selecting those who didn’t have a high likelihood of motion sickness – one of the potential drawbacks of using a VR headset.

Wearing their VR headsets, all participants completed three 30-second cycling sprints, each followed by four minutes of recovery. Half of the participants were shown a dynamic virtual cityscape: a changing VR environment which made them feel as though they were actively cycling through it. The other half – the control group – viewed a non-interactive, static picture of the same cityscape and were asked to mentally imagine cycling through the city while they completed the same cycling workout.

The study found that, among those who were exposed to the interactive VR experience, the perceived pain intensity in their quadriceps was 12–13 per cent lower during the second and third sprints compared to participants in the non-interactive group.

Meanwhile, cycling performance was the same across the board; pain relief was not a side-effect of reduced cycling performance among those engaged by the interactive VR experience.

In THE TRIP, people don’t realise how hard they’re working

Immersive experience versus RPE
Research conducted in 2017 on behalf of Les Mills International – exploring the impact of its immersive cycling class THE TRIP – reached similar conclusions, particularly among novice cyclists.

Rate of perceived exertion and fatigue were a lot less when doing an immersive class

Carried out by associate professor Jinger Gottschall and her Penn State University research team, and published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise – the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) – the study compared THE TRIP’s immersive class with an audio-only class, both among experienced and novice indoor cyclists.

Heart rate data (percentage of time spent in the 80–100 per cent maximum heart rate zone) was tracked during the class to establish exercise intensity, while a survey conducted immediately after each class looked at rate of perceived exertion, satisfaction and enjoyment.

Among experienced cyclists, the impact wasn’t too dramatic. However, for novices, the immersive audiovisual experience was enough to distract them from the pain of the workout – this in spite of the fact that only 19 per cent of a TRIP class is spent in either a light- or very light-intensity heart rate zone. Moderate intensity work comprises 32 per cent of the class, with 26 per cent being high intensity and 23 per cent maximum intensity.

“The results showed the novice group’s rate of perceived exertion (RPE) – how hard they thought they had worked out – and perception of fatigue were a lot less when doing an immersive class in comparison with the audio-only class, when in fact the intensity was exactly the same,” says Dr Gottschall.

Anecdotal feedback reinforces these findings. One study participant summed it up perfectly: “I got so lost in the visuals that I had no idea how hard I was working until I saw the pool of sweat below my bike when the lights were turn on – super cool!”

Interval training indoor cycling

It’s never too late

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Articles, Issue 9 January 2020, The science of indoor cycling.

Exercise is good for you – that much is all but undisputed. But could it be that it actually gets better for you as you get older?

This was the fascinating question at the heart of a study – published in the journal Cell
Metabolism and reported in The New York Times – which looked at the impact different forms of exercise can have on a person’s body, and at different stages of their life.

health of cells importance indoor cycling
Among older adults, interval cycling activated almost 400 genes, helping produce more energy for the muscles

the activated genes influence the ability of mitochondria to produce energy for muscle cells.

Old versus young

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the United States conducted an experiment involving 72 healthy but sedentary men and women, all of whom fell into one of two age groups: 30 years or younger; or older than 64. All participants were randomly assigned to a particular exercise routine.

  • Group 1 undertook vigorous weight training several times a week.
  • Group 2 took part in 30 minutes’ moderate intensity indoor cycling a few times a week, interspersed with light strength training on other days.
  • group 3 took part in interval training on indoor cycles three times a week (four minutes flat-out pedalling followed by three minutes’ rest, repeated a further three times).
  • Group 4 was the control group, doing no exercise at all.

Tests were conducted before the experiment began and again after 12 weeks, measuring aerobic fitness and blood sugar levels, as well as gene activity and mitochondrial health in participants’ muscle cells (mitochondria being the powerhouses within our cells that, among other things, turn the food we eat into the energy we need to function, and that typically dwindle in number and strength as we age – in turn causing our bodies to weaken).

Boosting cellular health

Many of the study’s results were unsurprising. Improvements in fitness and ability to regulate blood sugar were observed across the board. Meanwhile, group 1 experienced the greatest gains in strength and muscle mass, while group 3 saw the most marked improvements in endurance and stamina.

Things became less predictable when it came to the results of the muscle cell biopsies.

Among participants aged 30 and under:

  • Group 1 – activity levels changed in 74 genes
  • Group 2 – activity levels changed in 170 genes
  • Group 3 – activity levels changed in 274 genes

Among participants aged over 64:

  • Group 1 – activity levels changed in 33 genes
  • Group 2 – activity levels changed in 19 genes
  • Group 3 – activity levels changed in 400 genes

And why does this matter? The New York Times concluded: “Many of these affected genes, especially in the cells of the interval trainers, are believed to influence the ability of mitochondria to produce energy for muscle cells; the subjects who did the interval workouts showed increases in the number and health of their mitochondria – an impact that was particularly pronounced among the older cyclists.”

HIIT training on an indoor cycle could, it seems, be the best form of exercise to improve the cellular health of our muscles – and the good news for those of us getting older is that it’s never too late to benefit from this form of exercise.

The appliance of science

Written by Pernille on . Posted in Articles, Issue 8 October 2019, Music & programming, The science of indoor cycling.

What makes for a great group exercise class? Pose that question to a group of class enthusiasts and you’ll no doubt be offered a wide range of answers: great instructors, inspirational music, engaging choreography, exciting AV… 

But to focus purely on the experience is to miss one vital factor – and that factor is RESULTS. You might be able to make a class fun, but how many people would do it if they weren’t also likely to get fitter, lose weight, improve their health?

That’s why, even with its decades of group exercise expertise, Les Mills International continues to invest in extensive research – research to prove the effectiveness of new programmes and establish compelling ways to speak about them, but also studies to help it continually improve existing programmes.

Within this, cycling has been a key focus – and the research has paid dividends, leading to the successful expansion of Les Mills’ portfolio of indoor cycling programming. Now, alongside RPM, cycling enthusiasts can also benefit from HIIT cycling concept SPRINT and immersive experience THE TRIP.

“Our research has highlighted that, by offering a variety of different programmes, cycling can accommodate people of very different levels of fitness and exercise experience,“ confirms Bryce Hastings, head of research for Les Mills. 

And Hastings believes such research shouldn’t be left behind the scenes. “Clubs should always be looking for new ways to promote the benefits of cycling to members, and sharing these kinds of research findings is one way to do that,“ he says.

We take a look at some of the research that shaped RPM, SPRINT and THE TRIP.

ADherence to training was more than 95 per cent – really high for previously inactive people

research les mills programmesRPM: Lowering the risk of heart disease

“We wanted to investigate whether group cycling could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in a group of sedentary individuals,“ explains Hastings. “In particular, we were interested in the
effects of what we call cardio peak training – varying levels of intensity off a sustained aerobic base.

“We were also interested in whether cycling in groups could improve compliance.“

The study was conducted at Loughborough University in the UK in 2015, and set out to study the effectiveness of an eight-week studio cycling intervention – conducted in a group environment – on improving the cardio-metabolic health of previously physically inactive, overweight adults.

“We hypothesised that VO₂ max, blood lipids, blood pressure, body composition and glycaemic control would be improved following the intervention,“ adds Hastings.

The methodology

Eight overweight, physically inactive – defined as doing less than 1.5 hours’ activity a week before the intervention began – but otherwise healthy volunteers completed eight weeks of supervised studio cycling lasting 20–50 minutes, three times a week for eight weeks.

Participants underwent assessment for maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max), body composition, blood lipids, glucose tolerance and insulin resistance before and after the intervention.

The findings

First and foremost, adherence to training was more than 95 per cent – and participants reaped the rewards. VO₂ max (aerobic fitness) increased by 12 per cent, while body fat percentage was reduced by 13.6 per cent. Total cholesterol was reduced by 12.5 per cent, and LDL cholesterol – the type of cholesterol that contributes to plaque formation in the arteries – was reduced by 30 per cent.

“The compliance rate – attending 95 per cent of the prescribed workouts – was really high for this type of group,“ observes Hastings. “This was possibly due to the group environment, but crucially, it was instrumental to the success
of the intervention in reducing cardiovascular disease risk.“

“A nearly 10 per cent increase in VO2 max for a group who are already fit is impressive“

sprint research

SPRINT: Get your cycling HIIT

“We had seen great results from Les Mills GRIT, our series of HIIT workouts that combine high impact bodyweight and resistance exercises,“ explains Hastings. “We wanted to investigate whether we could achieve similar results with a non-impact form of HIIT, namely Les Mills SPRINT, which is carried out on a bike.“

Conducted at Penn State University in the US in 2015, this study was based on a hypothesis that a six-week intervention – where trained individuals replaced one 60-minute bout of moderate cardiovascular training with two 30-minute bouts of HIIT cycling – would improve health and fitness more than maintaining their moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise routine.

The methodology

In this study, 36 trained adults were randomly
assigned to one of two groups: Group HIIT or Group FIT.

Group HIIT participants replaced a single 60-
minute cardiovascular training session with two 30-minute high-intensity indoor cycling sessions for a period of six weeks. Meanwhile, Group FIT maintained their current training routine.

The researchers measured blood pressure, peak oxygen consumption, fasting blood profile, body composition and leg strength before and after the intervention.

The findings

The HIIT intervention significantly improved all variables except HDL cholesterol. Peak oxygen consumption and leg strength increased significantly for the HIIT group – these individuals saw increases of 9.7 per cent and 11.9 per cent respectively – but not the FIT group.

Meanwhile, there were significant decreases in the HIIT group for blood pressure (down 9.9 per cent), fasting blood glucose (down 7.0 per cent), total cholesterol (down 6.0 per cent), LDL cholesterol (down 7.8 per cent) and triglycerides (down 16.3 per cent). Fat mass also dropped by 1.1 per cent for the HIIT group.

“I’m always impressed with how fast HIIT works,“ comments Hastings. “A nearly 10 per cent increase in VO2 max for a group who are already fit – in just six weeks – is impressive.“

He adds: “The other reassuring component of this research was that you don’t need to jump around doing high impact exercise to reap the rewards of HIIT training. A class like Les Mills SPRINT is accessible to anyone who wants to take their fitness up a notch.“

THE STUDY FOCUSED ON EXERCISE INTENSITY AND PERCEIVED EXERTION

screen cycling classTHE TRIP: Immerse yourself

“We’ve previously published findings on the various motivation styles instructors might use in a cycling environment,“ says Hastings. “These findings indicate that the old ‘bootcamp’ style of instruction may not be the best method.

“One of the key factors that increases the chances of someone adopting an exercise habit is simply a sense of enjoyment. It is this that shifts novices from exercising because they ‘have to’ to exercising because they want to, which in turn makes it more likely they will keep up the habit.“

Les Mills was therefore keen to explore new ways of motivating members, and it developed what it believed to be a world-class solution: its immersive, audio-visually spectacular TRIP classes. This was then put to the test in a scientific study.

“This study was designed to explore what adding this visual experience would do to the cycling intensity, and the perceived exertion of the workout, among novice cyclists,“ says Hastings. 

“We already had good data that group cycling workouts delivered key health benefits – as noted in the RPM study above – but what effect would adding a visual stimulus have?“

Conducted at Penn State University in 2017, the study therefore set out to investigate the impact of the immersive qualities of THE TRIP – specifically, whether those immersive qualities increased the intensity of a person’s workout without them noticing how hard they were pushing themselves.

The methodology 

Tests were conducted on a group of 20 novice fitness participants. Over an eight-week period, they completed eight audio-only group fitness cycling classes and eight immersive classes (featuring digital imagery matched to the music).

The study focused on two variables: exercise intensity and perceived exertion.

The findings

The results showed the novice group’s rate of perceived exertion (RPE) – that is, how hard they thought they had worked out – was less doing THE TRIP than when doing the audio-only class, when in fact the intensity was the same.

“This investigation indicates that THE TRIP is an ideal group fitness environment for relative newcomers, to help them achieve their fitness goals,“ says Hastings. 

“Cycling studios in general are a great avenue for beginners. There is very little technique involved, so perceived competence levels are high right from the start. But what this research shows is that adding a visual stimulus can reduce perceived intensity, which we believe can also help beginners. The element of ‘exertainment’ reduces the sense of discomfort and encourages people to adhere to cycling classes in the early stages of developing an exercise habit.“

He adds: “Exercise intensity has been highlighted as a key factor that can impact compliance in early exercisers: if those new to exercise feel they have had to push themselves ‘too hard’, they may be less likely to return. With THE TRIP, they get into a higher heart rate zone to get fitter, faster, but without feeling the discomfort of this intensity level.“

And on this topic, Hastings has further advice to offer beginner cyclists – and the clubs and studios catering for them: “Starting gradually is key, focusing on frequency and consistency before intensity. 

“In fact, we’ve found that giving people the licence to leave a class when they have had enough, and slowly adding tracks as they get fitter, helps them establish an exercise habit.“

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.

Subscribe for free