How indoor cycling can benefit your mental health

In the United States, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We hope you’ve been creating good self-care habits during this month and for your mental health.

At Motosumo, we support open dialogues about mental illness and mental health. We believe that your mental health is just as important as your physical health. That’s why we all must continue our efforts to improve mental health conditions.

Bye, bye, winter blues?

Perhaps you’ve already had a chance to cure those winter blues that many of us suffer from and find ways to navigate life since the covid-19 pandemic hit. Taking a stroll in nature and enjoying the newness of spring can be a great way to do that. But sometimes, our bodies and minds need a little more attention.

One way to give your body some attention is to exercise using a stationary bike. Having a regular exercise routine has both physical and mental health benefits. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Just 30 minutes of walking every day can help boost your mood and improve your health.”

Cycling is good for your body

You don’t have to train for the Tour de France to have an awesome indoor cycling workout. At Motosumo, we’ve created a community-based indoor cycling experience where our members can train together in real-time and enjoy the physical and mental benefits of cycling indoors.

So, if you’re looking for new ways to have a fun and meaningful workout at your pace, you should check out the Motosumo app, awarded the best indoor cycling app by the Women’s Health fitness awards 2022.

Now - let’s get back to the benefits. We’ll start with the physical aspects. Cycling is an excellent way to strengthen your body, and it’s fun, mainly when you work out with others.

Cycling is also a great way to strengthen your muscles, heart, and lungs by increasing your blood circulation and helping you to control your breathing. Just cycling for 30 minutes a day on your road or stationary bike can work wonders for your health.

Cycling is also good for your mental health

Riding an indoor bike also benefits your mental health. The Motosumo team can get behind that! If you’re new to indoor cycling or creating a workout routine, you must be patient with yourself. Routines and results are not created overnight.

Try not to set unrealistic expectations upfront or push yourself to the max to reap the benefits. It will take some weeks to build good habits, and with the right coaching, you can come a long way, even in a short time. You will discover that training with others turns exercising into a game and motivates you to keep going.

Once you’re ready, hop on that bike and begin with an easy pedal stroke to relieve some stress, and you’ll soon find that beyond improving your physical results, you are also improving your mood. Cycling makes you happier; here’s why.

When you cycle, especially when you have a high-intensity interval workout (HIIT), your body releases endorphins (hormones), which can also help prevent and treat depression, stress, and anxiety and increase your overall self-esteem and behavioral health.

A good exercise routine both improves your general mood and your sleep quality. As you form a consistent exercise routine and get into your groove, you improve your mental strength, endurance, and immune system.

If ever in doubt, it may be a good idea to talk with your physician to help you figure out the best approach to get the most from your workouts.

So much more than an indoor cycling app

As we have just learned, building good exercise routines can help you take care of or even improve your mental health. And what we are all about at Motosumo is helping people become healthier and happier through group exercise.

Our app accommodates cyclists of all levels. If you are new to indoor cycling and are looking for a stationary bike for your home, don’t worry, we can also help you find a bike! Check out our blog post, “Bike-less? Here's how to find one on any budget,” for some tips.

Together - we can do this!

Let’s face it, somedays you are pumped to workout, and other days you don’t quite feel up to it. We get it and are one step ahead of you. You can conveniently plan your Motosumo classes when it fits your schedule, choosing from our long list of weekly Live - or On-Demand classes in the app.

Socializing with others can be an excellent way to nurture your mental health, specifically if you’re looking for a sense of community. Joining a Motosumo class is quite similar to attending a physical bike class at your local gym, except you can join our community workouts from the comfort of your home.

Our indoor bike class participants span the globe, and anyone can join the fun, no matter where, when, or why. What's great about our Live classes is that you don't have to look or feel your best since only the instructor is visible to the class. At the same time, Motosumo members in the class can interact in real-time with one another.

Our world-class indoor bike instructors will help you through your workouts as they guide, cheer, encourage you throughout the ride and give you tips on maximizing the outcome of your workouts.

Brooke Emery, Motosumo’s Master Trainer, loves to inspire and remind Motosumo members in every live class that whatever they want to bring to the workout today is more than enough - and stresses that “...Starting off with a positive attitude allows our members to push past their limits and tap into their potential, no matter what kind of day they are having.”

Get the party started

Our instructors surely know how to start a good workout party! You’ll forget that you’re working up a sweat while the upbeat music plays, and before that, you’ll be sending funny emojis to your instructors and classmates. Don’t take our word for it; ask our members.

“I’ve been spinning for years with different gyms, but I’ve never been able to increase my spinning ability and overall physical health as much as I have since I joined Motosumo. I honestly think that the best benefit to joining is the community spirit and motivation you get!”

Kirsty P., Motosumo member

If you are looking for guidance on mental health, we encourage you to reach out to available supportive communities. Maintaining one's mental health is always a work in progress, so be patient with yourself and practice daily self-care.

Now, if you’re ready to experience a Motosumo class - to see what indoor cycling classes and regular training can do for you - why not give it a go and start pedaling - we promise you cannot stop smiling!

Motosumo offers a free seven-day trial for new users. Motosumo is available for download on the Apple App, Google Play stores, and Motosumo.com.