Author(s): BORBAS, Z., HAJDU, G., FEKETE-KOVACS, ZS., ANNAR, D., KALABISKA, I., Institution: HUNGARIAN UNIVERSITY OF SPORTS SCIENCE, Country: HUNGARY, Abstract-ID: 2671

INTRODUCTION:
A popular form of exercise today is the Spinning program (SP), which has a history of several decades. The Spinning program is also suitable for individuals struggling with excess body weight, as it protects the joints from excessive load, while the cyclic pedalling improves metabolism and thus helps to develop a healthy body composition.
The aim of our study was to examine the adaptation of the cardiovascular system, the body’s oxygen uptake capacity and body composition, as well as changes in biochemical markers, in response to a 12‑week, moderate-intensity training program.
METHODS:
We included a total of 20 male participants (n = 20; mean age 42.1 ± 4.5 years) who had been physically inactive for at least six months. They took part in a 12‑week SP consisting of 2–3 sessions per week of aerobic, moderate-intensity endurance training. Before and after the intervention, they underwent resting and exercise measurements. The endurance test was performed on a bicycle ergometer (Spinner Chrono Power). The protocol was a step test in which the workload was increased by 25 watts every 2 minutes. At the end of each stage, capillary blood lactate concentration was assessed, and heart rate, oxygen uptake and gas exchange were continuously monitored until submaximal intensity was reached. Body composition was measured using a Lunar Prodigy DEXA device. We assessed normality with the Shapiro–Wilk test, and compared body composition parameters using the one-sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The statistical analyses were performed with IBM SPSS Statistics 26, and hypotheses were tested at the 5% significance level.
RESULTS:
During the complex intervention, changes were observed in the measured body composition parameters, including muscle mass, bone mass, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) quantity among the participants, which showed strong correlations with performance characteristics. The android/gynoid fat mass ratio (A/G) demonstrated a significant improvement (p < 0.05). VAT quantity decreased in more than half of the group, while body mass index (BMI) values changed in parallel with VAT. We observed a non-significant decreasing trend in parameters indicative of bone health. Both the maximum power output values (r = 0.21) and the peak heart rate values (r = 0.53) showed correlation with VAT values. We did not observe a significant change in muscle mass.
CONCLUSION:
The results of the study suggest that regular, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise performed via the SP at least 2–3 times per week can beneficially influence body composition in middle-aged men who begin exercising after prolonged inactivity. VAT values change proportionally with fitness-determining parameters (peak heart rate, maximum power output). At the same time, it may be recommendable to introduce other forms of exercise, such as resistance training, which have been proved to positively affect body composition.