3 Goals of Regular Workouts: Which One Is Yours?

Have you ever had the experience of visiting an indoor cycling studio or gym for the first time? If so, you probably met a trainer who offered to show you around. That trainer probably asked you what your personal goals were as well. Trust us, it's part of the job.

We ask about goals because they go a long way toward designing the best workout. In other words, different types of workouts achieve different results. Anyone who wants to make the most of precious workout time really wants to have a routine specifically designed to help them reach their goals. In order to do that, trainers need to know what those goals are.

Below are the three most common goals in our industry. All can be achieved, at least in part, with regular indoor cycling sessions. Whether that means an organized class or cycling at home doesn't much matter.

1. Weight Loss/Burning Fat

By far, most people who go from no exercise to a workout routine are looking to lose weight. They head off to the cycling studio or gym in hopes of burning the fat that so bothers them. The good news is that reaching one's weight loss goals is achievable in most cases. But it does require work.

Any form of exercise that increases your heart rate and forces you to break a sweat will be beneficial for losing weight. Weight management is all about the number of calories consumed as opposed to the amount of energy the body expends. If your output (energy expended) exceeds your input (calories) you will lose weight.

Having said that, the best way to lose weight is to combine exercise with a healthy diet. In addition to limiting caloric intake, you want to make sure that the calories consumed are good calories. You also need good food if you want to supply your body with the necessary materials to replace the fat you burn with muscle.

2. Increasing Cardio Strength

Second to weight loss is the goal of increasing cardiovascular strength. Indeed, some trainers in our industry are obsessed with cardio. That's fine. You can get a great cardio workout in a lot of different ways: spinning classes, jogging/running, swimming, etc.

The point of cardio exercise is to increase your body's need for oxygen so that it can learn how to utilize that oxygen better. In essence, you stress the system in order to make it work better. It is generally accepted that increasing cardio strength requires using muscles vigorously. The more muscles you use and the more vigorously you work them, the greater the cardio benefit.

3. Building Muscle Mass

The third and final goal is that of building muscle mass. Note that this is considered a specialized discipline to some degree. When building muscle mass is your goal, you target specific muscles with specific exercises. You might push using your legs or pull using your arms. You might lift weights or do squat thrusts.

Exercises like indoor cycling and elliptical training can be part of a comprehensive workout designed to build muscle mass. But such exercises on their own are generally not enough. There's a reason bodybuilders do a lot of training using weights.

If you exercise regularly, which of the three goals do you focus on? Regardless, we invite you to consider spinning classes here at Mcycle. Our classes are taught by fully trained, experienced professionals who know how to get the most out of every session. Contact us to learn more or check out our schedule online. We would love to see you on an Mcycle bike.