Spinning is a very popular form of exercise nowadays because of the many health benefits it can provide the body. However, some people shy away from spinning because they think that it will make their thighs or legs bigger. So the big question is, does spinning make your thighs bigger?

Contrary to what many believe, spinning does not make your thighs bigger. You need to build muscle mass on your thighs or legs to get them bigger.

There are some factors that need to be considered to build muscle. These include your calorie intake, metabolism, genetics, and the intensity of your spinning workout.

Read on to know more about why spinning exercise alone will not make your thighs bigger, how to not gain muscles from spinning, as well as the benefits and reasons why you should give spinning a try.

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Why It’s Difficult to Get Bigger Legs from Spinning

Some of you might be wondering why some cyclists have bulky legs. The reason behind this is that these cyclists have been pedalling on challenging roads for many years. Professional cyclists also do lower-body training and follow a strict diet.

  • You will need special training

Your muscles won’t simply grow through training. For professional cyclists, the combination of lower body strength training, extra calorie intake, and riding against resistance in a large gear made their legs bigger.

  • Your metabolism plays a role

Some people may find it easier to build muscles through cycling while others don’t. People with slower metabolism do not burn energy as quickly as those with a fast metabolic rate. They tend to accumulate more fat and can put on mass much easier even if they do not eat that much. So people with a fast metabolism will have difficulty making their legs bigger through spinning.

Spinning alone does not make your thighs or legs bigger. So if you are afraid of having your thighs grow big by spinning, then the good news is that you probably won’t. It takes a lot of hard work to build muscle mass.

How You Won’t Gain More Muscles by Spinning

Staying light is one way to ensure you won’t gain more muscle from cycling. It entails you to keep your body fat low, but it can also make you lose excess muscle.

To achieve this, you must be aware of your calorie intake. You should not eat more calories than you can burn off during spinning. This means that if you can burn 2,000 calories through spinning then you should not eat more than 2,000 calories within the day.

You will also need to eat nutritious food for recovery. Eating the optimal amount of fats, protein and carbohydrates will make you recover well after your workout and since there is no calorie excess, your muscles won’t get bigger.

7 Benefits of Spinning and Why You Should Give It a Try

Whatever your intention of spinning, there is no doubt that this type of exercise has a lot of tremendous effects on your body. It’s no wonder more and more people go to spinning classes. Continue reading to find out why many people love spinning.

1. Relieves Stress

We all know how exercise can help reduce stress. Well, spinning is not an exemption. Indoor cycling helps you focus your mind on what you are doing, making you forget all your troubles. Exercising makes you feel good about yourself especially after you finish a session. This gives you a sense of accomplishment which helps relieve stress in your daily living.

2, Great Cardiovascular Workout

Spinning is a great cardio workout that you can incorporate into your fitness routine. One good thing about this low-impact exercise is that it is easy on the joints. Spinning is a very good workout for elderly people because they are less likely to suffer from injuries related to cardio exercises. Cycling or spinning can also help strengthen your muscles, bones and ligaments and can help you function well and get more active as you grow older.

3. Improves Heart Health

Aerobic activity such as spinning can enhance heart health. It can protect you from developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diseases. Spinning can improve your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, body composition and aerobic capacity.

4. Builds Mental Strength

Spinning is a good way to focus and push yourself to your limits. That is why it is a great way to build mental strength. According to research by Mandolesi et.al. (2018), physical exercise aids in cognitive functioning and well-being and also prevents mental decline associated with ageing.

5. Convenient

As much as we want to ride our bikes outdoors, there will still be days that won’t allow us to do that. Indoor cycling lets you squeeze in a spinning class any time you are free. It is a good option to do a workout, especially when your schedule is jam-packed. If you are looking to get one for yourself, we have a list of the best indoor bikes that may interest you.

6. Builds Strength

If you want to build strength through indoor cycling, you need to do at least 150 minutes of spinning weekly. Remember that you need to attend several weeks of regular classes to see results.

7. Burns Calories

Spinning will get you all sweaty in no time. It’s an effective and fun way to burn calories. Some spin classes incorporate HIIT which is known to burn calories even after a workout. It is important to note that a spin bike is different from an exercise bike.

Bottom Line: Does Spinning Make Your Thighs Bigger?

Not everyone can gain muscles from spinning. Professional cyclists train hard that is why some of them have big thighs. Genetics and metabolism also play a major role in why some people get bigger legs from spinning while some do not. Therefore, you should not worry if you do not want to get bigger thighs.

Just follow the tips above on how not to gain more muscles from spinning. Bear in mind that no matter what your intention is in trying spinning classes, you will get many health benefits from it.

Does spinning help with thigh fat?

Spinning can help lower belly and thigh fat. It can also improve blood circulation and increase metabolism. But fat reduction will depend on some factors such as diet, lifestyle and genetics.

Does spinning make thighs smaller?

Spinning burns calories and forces the body to attack fat reserves for functioning and energy recovery. Spinning plus proper nutrition and diet will make legs with excess fat smaller and tighter.

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