Indoor cycling classes are hugely successful, and are now getting more specialized. Here’s one that focuses on the connection between the mind and the body.

This may look like your ordinary spinning class—but it’s not. What you DON’T see these students doing, is probably the most important thing they ARE doing. Sports psychologist  Tom Seabourne explains.

Tom Seabourne/sports psychologist 
“What we try to do, is we teach people how to relax on the bike, because when you’re relaxed, then you’re faster and you’re stronger.”

“To get the best out of any performance, doesn’t matter if you’re throwing a shot put or putting in golf, you have to have your mind relaxed enough or at that proper level of activation so then you can accomplish your skill.”

To get students into this relaxed state, Seabourne teaches students a variety of  relaxation and imagery techniques prior to the workout.

For example, when Tom tries to bend my arm and I fight him by using my biceps, he’s able to bend it easily. By imagining my arm is a steel rod and keeping it straight, using  my triceps instead, I’m more effective at resisting the bend. This type of  imagery combined with focus on specific muscle groups transfers over to the cycling class. 

Tom:
“Even though they’re pumped up, they’re at their proper level of activation, and they’re using the right muscles. In other words, the muscles that don’t need to be contracted are relaxed, they’re only using the muscles that need to be contracted.”

Seabourne calls this being in “the zone”, the place most elite athletes claim to be when they are at the top of their form. 

For Fitness Magazine, I’m Bonnie Kaye.