Not everyone has time to spend hours at the gym. Kids, jobs, friends, and more can all get in the way of a normal exercise routine. So here’s a quick, 18-minute cycling workout that’ll get your blood pumpin’ and your metabolism workin’!
Warm up
Pedal at a maintainable endurance pace at light resistance for 3-5 minutes.
Work out
| **High intensity | *Recovery |
| :30 | 1:00 |
| :30 | 1:00 |
| :30 | :45 |
| :30 | :45 |
| :30 | :30 |
| :30 | :30 |
| :30 | :15 |
| :30 | :15 |
| :15 | :30 |
| :15 | :30 |
| :30 | :30 |
| :30 | :30 |
| :45 | :30 |
| :45 | :30 |
| 1:00 | :30 |
| 1:00 | :30 |
*Recovery: Use this time as an active recovery. Continue to pedal, but remove most of the resistance and lower your RPMs to a point that you can catch your breath between sprints.
**High intensity: This should be a maximum effort sprint. Increase both the RPMs and the resistance. If you’re on an indoor cycling bike, watch your Watt output. This is equivalent to the power your body is creating as you work out. While everyone’s abilities differ, the equation below will help you figure out how much Watt output you should see during a high-intensity interval:
Beginner: 1 x your weight
Intermediate: 1.5 x your weight
Advanced: 2 x your weight
Cool down
Go back to pedaling at a maintainable endurance pace at light resistancefor 5-7 minutes.
Hopefully, this makes your schedule a little less hectic. And be sure to let me know how you like the workout in the comments. Happy cycling!
iFit Trainer
Emily Wiley
WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.
