Boothbay Region YMCA cycling instructor Carla Carver is guaranteeing she can whip (or in this case pedal) her participants into shape. The longtime Edgecomb resident and co-owner of Bath Cycle & Ski in Woolwich joined the YMCA and will be holding free (for members) classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer.

“I can cater to everyone's needs,” said Carver. “All levels of fitness ability are welcome.”

Carver has a lifelong love of bicycling and was a competitive racer up until a few years ago. In addition, she has been a physical fitness instructor for nearly 30 years, so marrying the two interests was a no-brainer. She is careful to note she teaches stationary cycling, lest anyone think they’ll be flying around a makeshift hippodrome above the gymnasium. The benefits of cycling are many as it’s core-specific; you are actually getting an abdominal workout, a fact lost on most people, said Carver. 

“It’s also great for joints. You’re not pounding on the pavement, there are a variety of different positions on the bike so you are using multiple muscles,” she said. ‘You’re standing, you’re sitting, and moving forward and back.”

In addition, cycling increases brain function and reduces stress, according to WebMD, at www.webmd.com. The classes at the YMCA are designed to challenge both the experienced cyclist and accommodate a beginner. With music and instruction from Carver, the participants are guided through a range of exercises. It’s geared for most ages as long as they can reach the pedals. There are no training wheels, she notes. She advises a beginner to meet with her before a class to familiarize themselves with the gear and what to expect. There is a language specific to her routine.

“It’s not necessarily the normal cycling language but really my own,” said Carver. “Also getting fit to the bicycle is very important.”

In her spare time, Carver is an avid long distance biker, a passion that fulfills a physical and spiritual quotient in her life.

“When I first started riding in the ’80s, I really loved the motion and the turning of the cranks,” she said. “It’s such an innate part of who I am.”

A number of her participants are cycling enthusiasts but leery of riding on local roads where close encounters with vehicles are a constant concern.

“People do get freaked out riding on the road, especially with people texting and driving all the time,” said Carver. “But they love the way cycling makes them feel.”

 For those skeptical about the results of cycling, she makes a promise.

“It’s only 50 minutes and doesn’t involve pounding the pavement so some wonder how it could work,” said Carver. “But it really does work.”

For more information, please visit www.boothbayregionymca.org.