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"    Photo: Courtesy of Flywheel Sports   In a city where indoor cycling studios inspire West Side Story levels of loyalty, instructors can make or break a class with their energy and playlists. So it&amp;#039;s no surprise that the most charismatic ones develop a cult following. Flywheel Sports instructor Jesse Alexander in NYC is certainly of that ilk and his consistently fully registered classes (within seconds of sign-up) are proof of his fierce following. Perhaps this is because of the Brooklyn native&amp;#039;s penchant for keeping the entire class moving in unison with hip hop and &amp;#039;90s garage band tracks blasting during his class. His encouraging, yet never cheesy motivational words are an added bonus.   ELLE.com caught up with Alexander and asked him all of our burning biking questions like how to avoid bulking up, what other exercises to incorporate into our routine, and the best pre-ride snack for maximum energy to help us slim down for summer. ELLE: What are some tips to ensure we&amp;#039;re making the most of our indoor cycling classes? Jesse Alexander: Treat it as a positive experience! Detach completely from your world outside the stadium. Have a goal. Have a plan. Have an expectation of what you&amp;#039;re about to do, then exceed those expectations. As for form, shoulders [should be] relaxed, loose, and down. Hands and toes [should be] light and relaxed, with your hips back and knees behind your brake. There shouldn&amp;#039;t be any pressure in your arms. Don&amp;#039;t ride your handlebars! ELLE: Which other workouts should we be incorporating into our routines for a balanced fitness plan? JA: In addition to cycling, you should incorporate some form of strength training. It&amp;#039;s important to change it up. Keeping your workout fresh helps you achieve the best results by shocking your muscles. That&amp;#039;s why a Flywheel ride changes often\u2014you&amp;#039;ll notice the ride routine is never the same. I recommend incorporating our FlyBarre classes, as well. The body-sculpting class blends circuit training, yoga, pilates, strength building, and more. It&amp;#039;s a guaranteed challenge every time and works to quickly reshape the body. Last, try to do something that makes you sweat almost every day. Remember rest is important so try for one &amp;quot;off&amp;quot; day a week. ELLE: Is there anything you recommend we eat or drink before or after class for optimum results? JA: Coconut water, an apple, and some almonds are my go-to pre-ride snacks. The natural sugar and protein will get you through a ride in a healthy way. ELLE: Is there any validity to a fear that multiple spinning classes a week could make one gain weight by making thighs bulky and igniting an irrational hungry-like-the-wolf appetite post-class? JA: When we first start riding with more frequency, our legs are going to get stronger, not &amp;quot;bigger.&amp;quot; This is a good thing! To maintain this achievement in the lower body and to avoid an unwanted increase your leg size, you must be extremely diligent in making sure your form is perfect. Hips have to be back behind your brake (I say &amp;quot;straddle your saddle&amp;quot;), which will naturally engage your abdominal muscles and won&amp;#039;t overwork your lower extremities and joints. ELLE: What other workouts do you do? JA: In addition to the classes I teach or partake in, I do a combination of TRX, kettlebell workouts, push-ups, circuit training, and core work three to four days a week. ELLE: How can someone be motivated for those early morning workouts? JA: Morning workouts will set the tone for an extremely productive day. You will be more focused and energized. Psychologically, there&amp;#039;s an unspoken confidence about knowing you dominated a workout while most of the world sleeps. Nothing remarkable happens when you stay in bed. It&amp;#039;s done and out of the way. You&amp;#039;re free to enjoy your day and your evening. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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