Spin class - So THAT’s What It’s About!
So to get my daughter some decent swimming lessons, I joined the local gym last week. Under my membership, she gets access to the pool (nice - 25m), and some pretty good teachers. But it’d be a shame if I didn’t take advantage of the facilities, wouldn’t it?
So this morning at 6:45 I found myself sitting on a bike with only one wheel. And no stearing. Or brakes. Worse still, in a room full of people, some of whom seemed pretty fit - and not in the pfwaaaar! sense of the word - more the “If this was a real bike, keeping up with these guys would probably kill me” sense.
Oh, and yet worse still, there was kickin’ dance music, and mirrors on every wall.
Welcome to the world of the Spin Class. I’ll not go into the detail of what happened, except to say that after 45 minutes, I was drenched in sweat, had thighs that felt like over-cooked spaghetti, and had gone through most of my 650ml of my personal funky rehydration mix (dash of ginger cordial, 150ml grapefruit juice, 150ml pineapple juice, top up with water, and add a little salt - just enough so that you can taste it).
After a shower, and a drive to today’s client, I still felt pretty wierd. Even a couple of bananas and a bowl of porridge didn’t seem to make much of a dent in that heady mix of fuel burn and endorphin release.
Today’s session was all in the seat (no standing allowed), while for next Tuesday, we go again with the seats removed from the ‘bikes’ - all standing, and no chance of a rest.
Can’t wait!
I told you! But you wouldn’t listen… Hear me now, believe me later!
I tell you, next to buying yourself a fixie, a good spin class will put muscles on you in a hurry!
Yep. The oddest thing is that despite the shock (pain, fatigue, despair), I really enjoyed it too.
I find the idea of a fixed wheel a little too scary though. Either it’s too hilly here, or I’m too soft - take your pick!
Karl.
I just started taking spin classes a few weeks ago to work on other muscle groups to help my running, and oh my gosh, it was hard the first time but it was so much fun. But you are right, being in there with people you know are better than yourself at it and could out bike you on the road is so hard to do. However, it has really helped out my running and did not realize that it would. Good luck in the upcoming classes.
Hi Marathongirl -
I also think it had an IMMEDIATE effect on my cycling.
Sounds crazy after only one session, but I’ve changed my cadence pattern - I was up-shifting at 94 rpm, and down-shifting at 80 rpm. But for the last three days, these have moved to 103 and 93 rpm respectively.
I’m not sure if this is because I’m still suffering from the effects of the class (tired legs struggle with the torque output at lower rpm, so up the tempo to compensate), or if there’s one of these odd knesthetic muscle memory things going on. I seem to have the “kickin’ dance music” from the class firmly lodged in my head when cycling on the road now, so it may be the latter.
Karl.
Karl,
I think it might be a little of everything. But the music, yeah it can keep you going or pumped up not sure which. I mean, we have some crazy music in our class and I still to this day could not tell you any of the songs except one, and that is one that has the days of the week, because every time it says a day of the week you have to keep putting more and more tension on the bike to make it feel as if you are going up a very steep hill or walking thru sand as our instructor tells us. I don’t think I remember any of the other songs because we are pushing so hard and so fast that I think I am concentrating more on not falling off the bike.
But I think the effects of the class are helping me, I will let you know after I run the Mercedes 1/2 Marathon next weekend.