Here's the Gist
As the author of this guide, I want to show you how HIIT workouts can completely transform your indoor cycling routine. High-intensity interval training pushes your limits, burns calories fast, and builds both cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength.
- HIIT alternates short periods of maximum effort with recovery intervals to maximize calorie burn and boost overall fitness quickly.
- Keep your total workout between 20 and 60 minutes, making shorter sessions tougher and longer sessions less aggressive.
- Begin every workout with a five-minute warm-up at a light pace, slowly building resistance until you are ready.
- Structure realistic interval sets, such as a one-minute sprint followed by two minutes of easy rest spinning.
- Vary your interval sets by targeting different cadences or switching between seated and standing positions on the bike.
- Finish with a five-minute low-intensity cool-down spin followed by basic stretches to properly wind down.
Indoor cycling doesn’t have to be boring. You can make it incredibly exciting by doing different types of workouts. You could focus on long endurance workouts, do a ramp session, or even an FTP test. One of the best and most popular ways to spice up a workout is HIIT training.
Check out my YouTube video on HIIT workouts!
Not only does it push you to the absolute limit, but it can boost that fitness to the next level very quickly. In this article, were going to be telling you everything you need to know when it comes to doing HIIT workouts on your indoor bike by discussing:
- What Is A HIIT Workout?
- How To Do A HIIT Workout On A Bike
What Is A HIIT Workout?
HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. The concept of HIIT is to take your body to very high levels of intensity for a short period of time, then recover and repeat the process. Not only are HIIT training workouts great for improving fitness quickly, but they are also a huge amount of fun.
Benefits Of A HIIT Workout?
HIIT workouts have a huge amount of benefits compared to a traditional workout. Here are a few reasons why we highly recommend them:
Time Efficient
HIIT workouts can be as short as 20 minutes or as long as an hour, and in this time, you can burn a huge amount of calories and help improve your fitness very quickly. Many people choose HIIT because it’s quick and efficient.
High-Calorie Burn
HIIT Workouts have an amazing ability to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. The body also requires a fair amount of recovery after burning even more calories.
They’re Fun
Training endurance can be quite boring, being at the same intensity for a long period. When HIIT workouts are up and down, and really keep you on your toes at all times. They are so much more dynamic and fun.
Improved Fitness
Not only do HIIT workouts help improve cardiovascular fitness, but they also are amazing when it comes to growing muscular strength too. They are excellent for overall fitness gains and can get you in amazing shape.
How To Do A HIIT Workout On A Bike
So now you know the benefits of a HIIT workout, how do you go about doing one? Surprisingly, you probably have done something similar in a spin class.
Step One: Warm Up
The first thing you need to do is warm up. Five minutes of riding at a light pace and slowly build in resistance until you feel ready to go.
Step Two: Interval Sets
Now it’s time to do some sets of intervals. These can be whatever you want them to be. It could be a 1-minute hard sprint and 2 minutes easy rest spin; it could be a 10-second sprint and 50 seconds rest. We call this an interval set.
An interval set can come in many different forms, but what we’re looking for is a period of high-intensity work and a rest period. Obviously, it needs to be realistic. You couldn’t have a 2-minute flat-out sprint and 2 seconds rest.
We recommend repeating this interval set multiple times, once after the other, to make the workout last between 20 minutes to 60 minutes long. The shorter the workout, the tougher you can make it. The longer the workout, the less aggressive you need to be.
It’s also worth mentioning that intervals can be many different things. Then don’t just refer to intensity, but they can refer to cadence (RPM), or you could even do intervals sitting and standing. Here’s an example of a HIIT workout I put together:
| Over Under(HIIT) | Time of Activity (Minutes) | Total Time (Minutes) | Intensity (1-10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up build up! | 5 | 1-4 | |
| 5 | |||
| 80 RPM Seated Climb | 1 | 8 | |
| 60 RPM Standing Climb | 1 | 8 | |
| 100 RPM Light Seated Rest | 3 | 4 | |
| x6 | 35 | ||
| Cool Down | 5 | 4-1 | |
| 40 |
Step Three: Cool Down
Finally, the last thing you need to do is have a cool down. I recommend 5 minutes of riding at a low intensity and then finish with some basic stretches.
A Final Note
HIIT training is a great way to stay in shape and quickly improve your fitness. We highly recommend it to anyone, especially when it comes to indoor cycling. Thanks for taking the time to check out our article. Ensure to check the video on the Indoor Cycling Love YouTube channel.
Quick Answers
What is a HIIT cycling workout?
HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. On an indoor bike, the concept is to push your body to very high levels of intensity for a short period of time, recover, and repeat the process. It pushes you to your absolute limit to quickly boost your fitness while keeping indoor cycling fun.
How long should an indoor bike HIIT workout be?
A HIIT workout on an indoor bike can be as short as 20 minutes or as long as an hour. The shorter your workout is, the tougher you can make the intervals. The longer your workout lasts, the less aggressive you need to be with your effort.
What are the benefits of HIIT indoor cycling workouts?
HIIT is quick and time-efficient, burning a huge amount of calories both during the ride and throughout recovery. Unlike steady endurance riding, HIIT is dynamic, changing, and fun. It also builds overall fitness quickly by improving both your cardiovascular fitness and your muscular strength.
How do you structure intervals for an indoor bike HIIT workout?
An interval set requires a period of realistic high-intensity work paired with a rest period. You might do a 1-minute hard sprint with 2 minutes of easy spinning, or a 10-second sprint with 50 seconds of rest. Intervals can also involve cadence changes (RPM) or switching between sitting and standing climbs.
How should I warm up and cool down for a HIIT bike workout?
Start with a 5-minute warm-up riding at a light pace, slowly building in resistance until you feel ready to go. After finishing your interval sets, cool down with 5 minutes of low-intensity riding and finish off with some basic stretches.
