HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR RIDE AT INSPIRE
Check out these tips to get the most out of your ride, straight from our instructors! From climbs to jogs, bike setup, and choreography, you'll be ready to smash your next class at the studio.
The #1 Golden Rule: The beat is your priority! Get the beat in the saddle, then rise up.
1. Stretch, stretch, stretch!
Before class and after class, you should be stretching! Taking the time to warm up your body gently before jumping on the bike lowers your risk of injury, and helps you maximise the first two warm-up tracks. At the same time, don't be tempted to slip out during the post-class cool down! If you have the time, a post-class stretch is crucial to help your muscles recover, relax and prepare for your next class.
Here are some stretches you can do before or after class to ensure you look after your body!
2. Set up your bike correctly
Okay, so we may not be trying to get a setup exactly like Jake here (😉) .... But seriously, a bad bike setup is not only extremely uncomfortable, but also breeds bad riding form! There's no worse feeling than tapping back and missing the seat because it's in the wrong place!
There are three things you want to check when setting up your bike:
Seat height
You want to make sure that your seat saddle sits around the height of your hip bone. You can adjust your seat by pulling out the pin at the base of your saddle, and pulling the seat up / pushing it down until you reach your desired height. Make sure you retighten the pin at the base of your seat, so that you are locked in and secured for class!
Handle bars
Again, adjust your handlebars with the pin at the base of the handlebar. This time, you want to adjust it to a height that feels comfortable for you. Mostly, we just want to make sure you are not too hunched or leaning too far back!
Clip In
The most important (and also the trickiest) part of setting up your bike! Clipping in takes some practice, but there are some things you can do to make it a little easier. Pointing your toes down and aligning the cleat with your pedal is a great start. You can then drive the heel down, and you should hear a click to confirm that you are clipped in and ready to go!
3. Hill Climbs
Checkout tips from Jake, our OG Inspire instructor, in the video below!
Hill climbs are supposed to be HEAVY! You need to make sure you have enough resistance under your legs to activate the muscles we're trying to target (our legs)! How do you add resistance? Reach to the dial between your legs and turn it to the right. We recommend at least 2-4 big turns for a climb!
The other thing that is crucial during a hill climb is engaging your core. By locking in these muscles, you can use your legs to push you from side to side, allowing you to feel the burn in your quads!
4. Jogs
In a jog, we're focusing on endurance! You want to get your heart rate up.
If you're new to jogs, it's best to start by staying in the saddle and trying to catch that beat - remember our Golden Rule! When you're ready (this can take a few classes!) you can rise up so that you are hovering out of the saddle. The best jog position will allow your bum to hover back over the saddle, while your shoulders are relaxed and your arms lengthened. You want to ensure that you maintain a good posture throughout the song, so you want to keep your core nice and tight so that you have stability throughout our entire body!
5. Sprints
Sprints will be the tracks where you have the lightest resistance on the dial, but don't be mistaken, you still want to make sure we have enough resistance to make sure your legs are supported!
You want to feel lifted throughout your body as you're sitting down. Try to avoid slouching in the saddle if you can! When you're ready to rise up out of the saddle, there are two things you want to remember to maintain the beat, and add the choreography, only when you feel ready
Our instructors are experts, and are always here to help, so don't be afraid to ask them questions before or after class! We're want you to leave every class feeling accomplished and proud.
I was only just thinking about getting a refresher in the different riding movements and revisiting the ‘basics’ to improve my overall rides - thanks GS and Inspire 🫶