Equinox’s new Cycle Beats and Bands class is perfect for anyone who wants it all.
There’s nothing like leaving a cycling class dripping in sweat and riding an endorphin high. For 45 minutes, you’re able to leave all of life’s stressors at the door and focus on nothing but pushing yourself to the limit.
An intense cardio burn is great for shedding fat and supporting heart health, but if you’re looking to build strength, the one song you spend lifting two-pound weights isn’t going to cut it. It’s why Equinox created Cycle Beats and Bands, a class that combines intense cardio with strength training while also undoing the damage of sitting at your computer all day. You want it all? You got it.
How the class is structured and why it’s a step above other cycling classes
Sara McGowan, Group Fitness Manager at Equinox Marina Del Rey and who teaches the class, explains that the class is divided into five blocks: three cycle blocks and two blocks using a CLX resistance band. “We start with 15 minutes of cycling and then transition into the first five-minute band block. Then, it’s back to cycling for 10 minutes followed by the second band block and finishing with one final cycling block,” she explains.
You know how in some classes there are a couple of minutes of transition time between blocks? There’s none of that with this class. McGowan explains that everything is done while still on the bike so there’s no dead time whatsoever; not one minute is wasted.
Besides combining cardio with strength training, another way that Cycle Beats and Bands is different from every other cycling class is that it’s designed to enhance posture—key for anyone with a desk job. Keith Irace, Equinox’s Vice President of Group Fitness and who came up with the class’s concept and structure, explains that in your typical cycling class, most mid and upper back muscles are fairly dormant when the body is flexed forward from the hips while seated on the bike saddle. He says the same is true when riding in a standing position. “A forward curved or rounded spine can lead to many complications and can be exacerbated by activities that lead to hunching forward like sitting at computers, driving, even using our phones,” he says.
Here’s where he says Cycle Beats and Bands is different: The CLX band activates, conditions, and strengthens muscles in the back—particularly the muscles that retract the shoulder blades and the group that pulls them down the back for better posture. “Additionally, stabilizing ‘band resistance’ also requires strong core engagement as the band pulls you forward when anchored and the body must counter that with core stability, adding even more value to posture improvement,” Irace says. McGowan adds to this saying, “Resistance bands are an essential aid in posture correction. We spend the entire first band block focusing on the posterior chain, working on the muscles that support the spine. The resistance from the band helps reinforce good posture and builds muscle memory that will carry over into your day.”
How You’ll Build Strength and Endurance, Burn Fat, and Improve Heart Health
While most cycling classes primarily work lower body muscles, McGowan says that virtually all muscle groups are put to work during Cycle Beats and Bands. “Back, triceps, delts, lats, biceps, shoulders, chest, core…We really hit quite a bit,” she says. “Resistance bands create more time under tension than other types of loads, forcing your muscles to work harder and optimizing muscular strength,” McGowan says. “Also, there is no cheating in the band blocks. The constant load that the band creates throughout the full range of motion prevents letting momentum take over.” You can also expect a lot of ab work. McGowan explains that the core is engaged in both the cycling blocks and the band blocks.
As with all Equinox classes, this one is science-backed and Irace says that the band blocks actually enhance the benefits of the cycling blocks. “Because resistance bands hold muscles in tension on both the up and down—and back and forth—motions of an exercise, they maximize the amount of cardio benefit and pack in more caloric burn in the same amount of workout time,” he says, adding that it does this without putting excessive pressure on joints and tendons. All of this comes together to strengthen muscles, enhance endurance, burn fat, and improve heart health.
It’s not just your body that will benefit; your mind will too. As with other cycling classes, this one ensures that every rider experiences an endorphin high. “[The release of endorphins in the brain] relaxes our mind, makes us feel happier, and reduces feelings of anxiety,” McGowan says, adding that the music enhances this. “A powerful beat drop can change everything and give a rush like no other. There is something very satisfying when we all come together to push hard and the music scores that and moves it to the next level,” she says. Talk about leaving class on a high note.