While the legs do the majority of the work in a spin class, spinning is really a full-body workout because you need to use your arms and core to stay stable while riding the bike. Some spin classes also incorporate hand weights and presses on the handlebars to incorporate upper body work, too.

When you up the resistance on the bike (as most classes will ask you to do), these areas are worked even harder. “Increasing resistance on the bike will increase the weight through the legs, resulting in more of a leg workout,” explains Marie Napier, head of ride at Psycle. “Using higher resistance will require more work in your stomach muscles – providing your posture is correct.”

Specific areas of the legs will also be worked harder than others, explains Kate Beckett, an instructor at the studio Ride Republic. “As you move between seated and standing, your quads, glutes, hip flexors and hamstrings are all going to be working,” she says. “You’ll feel your glutes more when you stand and those quads will be burning more when you’re in the saddle.”

Why does spinning always feel so damn intense: the science behind the sweaty workout