Pedal In CIRCLES
Spin classes. Kinda fun . . . and you get out of breath and you sweat a lot. And there’s the sort of music that I’d usually run a mile from, but it just adds to the fun.
BUT…
I’m not sure spin classes are that good for your cycling - for two reasons:
- I pedal at a pretty high cadence anyway. So when some bangin’ techno track comes on, and the instructor yells at us all to pedal to the beat, I’m the one double-timing it. In fact this could be a big problem for me as there’s just not enough sproing in my muscles and tendons to keep up with it, meaning that the potential for injury is far higher than I’d like. This is especially true when it’s time for yet another standing sprint . In fact, I think I may have identified spin classes as a trigger for my plantar fasciitis because of this.
- Have you seen how people pedal in spin classes? I remember reading in Lance Armstrong’s first autobiography (It’s Not About The Bike ) about how the guy in the support car knew Lance was riding well when he seemed to be completely stationary on the bike. What that means is pedaling in circles, so that your foot is driving the pedal through all 360° of a revolution - pulling it across the bottom of the stroke, back up the recovery, and pushing across the top before the main down stroke. In most spin classes, this doesn’t seem to be how it’s done. Just compare this with how most people (especially the class leader) seem to pedal. It’s all push, with no finesse, and as a result of this, their bums are bouncing on the saddles in a manner that can only suggest some sort of bicycle sexual gratification thing going on. Yeah, I know, I’ve got a dirty mind and should be ashamed for even thinking this. But I’m telling you - this one isn’t just in my head. You’ve only got to look at the serene faces some people seem to wear on the way out of the class to know that there were more than simple exercise endorphins being released in there.
So there you go. Spin classes are good fun, are a great way to raise your heartbeat, and I do enjoy them. But I think I’m probably better off giving them a miss from now on, and spend more time out there in the elements.
Workout:
- Type: Cycle
- Date: 01/21/2010
- Total Time: 00:45:00.00
- Calories: 438
- Distance: 10 miles
- Average Speed: 13.33 mph
