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The X-Files Returns on a Bike: It'Ll Work You Well, Say Participants

Posted on: Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 12:00 CDT

By Kadi Hodges, Times-News, Burlington, N.C.

May 30--If you're looking for a solid, total body workout fast, X-biking is it.

A 180-pound person can burn 500 calories during a 30-minute class. That's the equivalent of fitting in a five-mile run during your lunch break, except that at the end your arms are tired, too.

Unless you've taken a class at the YMCA in Burlington, you've probably never heard of X-biking. The Alamance County Community Y is only the second facility in the state to use them. The first was a YMCA in Charlotte.

X-biking is like a second generation of spinning, with just enough changes to add a fresh layer of challenge.

According to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia of all things hip, spinning is also called indoor cycling or studio cycling. It was created in the 1980s and involves using stationary bikes in an indoor classroom in a workout led by an instructor. It's popular at gyms everywhere.

In spinning, a teacher leads a class through moves like climbs, sprints, and pedaling with one leg. There's usually music pumping, and heart rates get pumping in no time. Spinning is a tough workout that attracts a lot of men.

X-bikes are also stationary bikes, and the classes are similarly led by an instructor on a bike. But the bikes have two important differences from spin bikes: First, X-bikes have an independent fly wheel, which means that the pedals are only as good as the person pedaling.

Spin bikes, on the other hand, have a fixed wheel. The fixed wheel allows the rider to build up momentum in the pedals and can lead to a lazy pedal stroke. When you stop pedaling on a spin bike, your feet will keep moving.

When you stop pedaling on an Xbike, you just stop.

The more noticeable difference is in the handles. Spinning bikes have stationary handles. When spinning, some instructors ask students to do exercises similar to push-ups, but there aren't a lot of possibilities for an upper body workout.

X-bike handles, on the other hand, will move. The side-to-side motions simulate the handle movement on a mountain bike. Instructors incorporate moves where participants stop pedaling and just work their arms. Dawn Ferettino, who was teaching the Monday lunchtime class, said the handle moves work the shoulders, triceps, biceps, and upper back. On an X-bike, your core has to balance, so there's an ab workout too.

Fitness specialist Sara Bailey noted that X-bikes are also slightly weightbearing for the upper body.

The YMCA purchased six different soundtracks to go along with the new bikes, which have been available to members for the past month. The music has an intense beat and some background, but no lyrics. The thumping lets you know how fast to pedal.

Not everybody can pedal with the beat. Ferettino says she has had students in her class who were only able to pedal for a few minutes before needing a rest. They're all welcome. The workout gets easier after a few classes, and everybody has to start somewhere.

"Just come and play," said Bailey. "Nobody gets left behind." At the other end of the spectrum, the class attracts plenty of fitness buffs and competitive men who coach each other in the back row. Ferettino said the camaraderie is part of the mission at the Y, and "you don't get that in a step class so much." The Alamance County Community YMCA is offering X-biking four or five times per day. The number of people taking the classes has grown consistently. "People are saying it's addictive," said Ferettino.

Rider Bonnie Kronbach agrees. After taking the class for four weeks, Kronbach's opinion is, "I wish it was an hour." Kadi Hodges can be reached at kadi_hodges@link.freedom.com.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Times-News, Burlington, N.C.

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Source: Times-News

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