What are you better at due to Spin Class?

Spin class has helped me discover my threshold before I completely run outta gas. It allows me to watch my heart rate when I'm really pushing hard to see what my magic number is. I've found that this year I can push hard at 170 - 173 ish and it feels like 160 - 163 BPM used to feel. I can work at higher intensities for longer periods of time now and not bonk. I don't know for sure but I guess this indicates I finally have achieved some conditioning?

Spin helps me smooth out my pedal stroke for sure. Some of our instructors are outdoor riders and they are very good at reminding you about form and continuity on your pedal stroke. Fluid pedal stroke equates to much more endurance with less effort once the season starts.

Kinda glad you guys brought this up it reminded me of WHY I sweat my butt of 3 or 4 times a week. You all are great! You help keep me motivated when there is 6 inches of snow on. :)

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Originally Posted by Zen

Sweating.

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LOL - you keep me laughing.

I find my endurance has increased.

Well, I don't ride a bike much anymore; but a few years ago when I was still racing mountain bikes; and we had a really snowy and cold year, I basically got fit for the first race in spin class and on my trainer. (I live at 7,000 feet in the mountains). Most of our races in Arizona are down south where people are training in warm weather for the season that starts in January/February. That year, I won the first race of the season off of spin training and trainer workouts! I was absolutely stunned.

Cardiovascular endurance, and my legs are looking MUCH better these days :D

Our instructor is a competitive mountain biker and is also my personal trainer - so he has given me instructions to translate the "out of the seat" parts of the class to differing levels of resistance and to stay in my seat unless I simply must relieve my legs. He said this in order to build the right muscles/strength for the bike - that standing on a spinning bike doesn't quite use the same muscles as standing on a real bike. He gives me feedback after class as well...I am always surprised at how much attention he can pay this one person in a room full of people.

I was surprised to read here that some instructors give directions for standing runs without much resistance...even I know that is very bad for the knees. My instructor does include standing runs and standing climbs, but both are far from having no or light resistance.

We do have other instructors though who are not cyclists and are aerobics instructors instead - I do not attend their classes. Thankfully there are three classes a week I can attend anyway, so am thankful.

My speed improved after spinning. Plus it took the pressure of my outdoor rides - because I was getting such a workout in spinning, I let myself enjoy my outdoor rides more (I have a 9 year old and we like to ride together, but you have to be patient with kids - not only do they go slower, but they also like to stop a lot and look at things).

It's official. I ride like a 9 year old child :)

I know some very fast nine year old children! Zen you slay me.

Catrin - Where is your gym if you don't mind me asking? My gym has been OK but I can't get to the good classes with my schedule.

I keep getting into the suffer fest classes that are full of fluff moves and rediculously fast standing runs. I went to one of our Sunday classes and I almost laughed out loud at this girl! She was like a gerbil! I could barely see her legs they were spinning so fast and she must have been all of 4'8. The bike was bigger than her. It was so rediculous it was comical! She was doing bar push ups, need I say more :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by WindingRoad

Catrin - Where is your gym if you don't mind me asking? My gym has been OK but I can't get to the good classes with my schedule.

I keep getting into the suffer fest classes that are full of fluff moves and rediculously fast standing runs. I went to one of our Sunday classes and I almost laughed out loud at this girl! She was like a gerbil! I could barely see her legs they were spinning so fast and she must have been all of 4'8. The bike was bigger than her. It was so rediculous it was comical! She was doing bar push ups, need I say more :rolleyes:

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I am in Indianapolis and go to the Westview Healthplex. It is a great place if you live in the area.

The sprints in spin classes have really helped me. I'm kinda of a Slowy McPokerPoke in general, but I have noticed when I mix spin classes with outdoor riding, I am less hesitant to try riding faster, ala the sprints. I think it's more of a mindset thing - I even think of my legs moving fast like in the class - but whatever works, right?