Whether you are riding a spin bike or a road bike, you can use different types of positions to be efficient, stay comfortable, and get the most out of your workouts. This post will go through the proper cycling form and summarize several positions you can start utilizing in your workouts.
Proper Form When Riding a Spin Bike
If you’ve ever gone for a ride and have experienced numbness in your arms or legs, you may think it’s because your positioning is incorrect. But in truth, a simple tweak could make all the difference in the comfort of your rides.
Upper Body Form
Ensure your shoulders are relaxed and away from your ears to elongate your neck and allow for airflow. You want a slight bend in your arms and a loose grip on the handlebars to increase your hands and fingers’ blood flow. Finally, be sure your spine is in a neutral, comfortable position that feels natural to you. Slight rounding of the spine is expected since you’ll be reaching forward toward your handlebars.
Lower Body
All muscles in the legs must be at work to get the most out of a workout. Ensure the saddle is positioned, so your knees have a slight bend when fully extended at the bottom of your stroke. A slight angle in the leg is necessary so that blood can flow quickly to all parts of the legs and feet. Also, position your saddle so that your knees track directly over your feet so that your glutes, hamstrings, and quads all have a chance to activate.
Riding Positions on a Spin Bike
Hand Positions
On a spin bike, there are three main positions your hands can be in.
Position 1 is when your hands are at the handlebar’s base with your hands close together, at a 45-degree angle directly in front of you. This is a powerful position because it allows your upper body to remain upright and solid so that you can use the power of your legs without compromising your upper body form.
Position 2 places your hands naturally in front of you with thumbs wrapped around the handles. This is a neutral position that you can use for seated flat or climbs.
Position 3 is when you place your hands at the top of the handles, with thumbs wrapped around the top. This elongates your spine and propels your upper body forward, making it an excellent position for seated or standing climbs. It can especially be suitable for shorter sprinting climbs.
Seated vs Out of Saddle Position
The seated position is when you’re seated in the saddle, and the out-of-saddle position is when you are standing. The seated position is when you should spend most of your ride since it is the most stable, efficient, and power-building position.
The out-of-saddle position is great for short, steep hills because it puts more pressure on the pedals, allowing you to push through difficult climbs. It is also suitable for sprinting or simply resting when you experience achy pains in your legs, glutes, or back. It is essential to shift your body weight over the pedals, keep a slight bend in the knees (just like when seated), and focus on pulling up on the pedals and letting your body weight push the pedals down.
Regardless of your fitness level, we encourage you to use proper form and try out all the positions of riding a spin bike to keep your ride comfortable, fun, and efficient.
