Sitting straight up, not touching bar?

I've started taking spinning classes at my university's gym. I haven't been in a spin class for maybe four years, so maybe there have been some new discoveries about the best way to do it, but I'm confused about the reason for a difference in form.

That is, the instructor wants us sitting straight up when seated, not holding onto the handlebar unless we need to for balance. (Though in a seated sprint he did say we could grab the bar.) I can do this and it doesn't hurt. But it doesn't seem right either, though maybe that's because of my road riding background. I know there are some spinning instructors here, so what you say? Is this sitting-straight-up form pretty standard practice in spinning, or does it sound unusual to you? What are the benefits?:confused:

I'd like to know the answer also. When I'm spinning on the trainer on my own, I'm often reading, or just sitting upright because it feels more comfortable for my belly....and I've often wondered what the change in benefit is...

thanks,
~T~

Well, if you're sitting up straight you don't have to use your core muscles, since all you have to do is balance your butt on the seat.

When you lean forward and use the bar, you have to engage your abs to maintain a neutral spine (unlike the chickie on the bike at the top frame of the forum - her spine ain't neutral and it's driving me NUTS!!!)

Just a pet peeve of mine.... Be Kind To Your Spine!!!

I've heard this term "neutral spine" before and I'm not sure exactly what it means. Is it similar to a flat back? That's what I'm usually aiming for in my on-bike position on the road.

So what it sounds like this upright position isn't doing my upper body or my core any good, right? And that does make sense now that I think about it.

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

. . . (unlike the chickie on the bike at the top frame of the forum - her spine ain't neutral and it's driving me NUTS!!!)!

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The chickie at the top appears to be on a time trial bike and racing. :confused:

But am I using my core if I'm holding a really heavy book in my arms while I'm sitting upright?

And, yes, I also have trouble visualizing a neutral spine. Are there any pictures of someone on a bike with a neutral spine that I could see for reference?

thx,
Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

Here's a pic of me on my custom frame. This is what I perceive as a "neutral spine"

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Originally Posted by Kathi

Here's a pic of me on my custom frame. This is what I perceive as a "neutral spine"

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Yep, that's my idea of neutral spine--that's what I try to achieve on my bike, too.

When riding your spin bike or your bike on a trainer, or outside, you want to eventually strive for neutral spine as much as possible.

that means all the natural curves in your spine are there. you aren't over arching, or rounding at the upper back.

i have never EVER heard of doing an entire spin class without hanging onto the handle bars. nor do i teach it that way. you don't ride your bike outside (Which you are trying to simulate) that way, except to maybe stretch and sit up.

or...get the spine into neutral. which you can do leaning forward. drop shoulders away from ears and wiggle until you feel it. you can practice off bike on hands and knees. do cat/cow pose and find neutral. use a mirror.

those are my thoughts...

H

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Originally Posted by han-grrl

i have never EVER heard of doing an entire spin class without hanging onto the handle bars. nor do i teach it that way. you don't ride your bike outside (Which you are trying to simulate) that way, except to maybe stretch and sit up.

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That's pretty much what I had hoped to hear, since it's what makes sense to me. So in my next class, I won't feel dorky when I lean into the bar with my bad self and aim for that neutral spine position.

I've been taking indoor cycling for at least 12 years and instructing classes for the last ten years. In that time I've seen cranks break at least four times. Because I instruct the members to have their hands on the handlebars at all times, unless they're taking a drink, or wiping off sweat, those cranks breaking didn't result in any injuries.

My certifications (three different ones) don't condone cycling with no hands. I don't know of any that do.

Again, it comes down to...if you don't do it outside, and if it doesn't feel right....don't do it.

It really doesn't matter whether you are in a class or not. If it's not comfortable for you, or if you feel it's incorrect for you to do, just continue pedaling and don't adhere to peer pressure.

It's instructors such as these that give indoor cycling a bad reputation.

I talked to the instructor yesterday and he said that he just prefers to do seated cycling hands-free because he likes to use his hands while he teaches, but admitted that it's not important for the students to keep their hands off the bars while seated. OK, I wish he'd said that at the start, but I can live with it.

But he also said that he encourages students to avoid leaning on the bars while standing (unless doing a standing climb) because the more upright position with more weight over the pedals and less over the bars works the core more effectively. I'm not sure I'm buying that claim--any expert response from the spinning instructors or spinal experts here?

haha no offense but this guy sucks.

what the heck is the point of being a *teacher* to teach people in a spin class to do something totally different than riding a bike. it makes no sense to me. "i'm going to be your spin instructor. i'm going to tell you not to ride your bike like everybody else....or the way you're supposed to ride....because of pointless reasons." :confused: :rolleyes:

perhaps he can reiterate throughout the class to remind people from leaning too hard on their handlebars? even then....if you're not a road cyclist and just enjoy taking spin classes then what the hell's the difference?? you know? so what if they lean on the bars...doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things except your arms burn after a while! :p

Although this instructor is right, you don't want to DRAPE all your body weight on your handle bars...you don't want to be completely upright in a standing position either. weight should be centered over the centers of the pedals, with some pressure on the hands for balance. i have seen participants, try to take all the pressure off their legs, and try to hold themselves up with their arms (usually in an effort to make it easier). I have also seen some instructors (i believe this is called hovering) to try and spin without any hands while standing, which is quite hard on the knees. this is actually a no no in the spin program.

anyway, the main thing to remember is to be safe, and stay comfortable. if something doesn't feel right, then DON'T DO IT!

Smile

han

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Originally Posted by equus123

haha no offense but this guy sucks.

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Yeah, I'm slowly coming to think so. On the other hand, it's a good workout and the only class that fits into my schedule--plus it's at the campus gym, so it doesn't cost me anything.

I think I'll continue going and just try to keep my form as close as possible to road cycling--I already KNOW how that's supposed to be done.:)

Really, all of you, thanks for all the input and advice!

more weight over the pedals and less over the bars works the core more effectively.
Actually it is more weight over the saddle not the pedals! And this weight comes from the hips and butt area! THink of it as a gentle stretch and the more the glutes are back the more the hamstrings are engaged which helps create balance between quads and hammies. This is virtually impossible to do in an upright position. I very rarely use an up right position as it is awkward and just not standard unless it is in a recovery mode for you back!
Watch road riders, you wont see many in an upright, it slows down timw and impossible to climb hills!

I can't sit up straight or hold the bars on the spin bike for long.

The way I ride the spin bike for long periods of time is spending most of it resiting on my forearms in a pseudo aero/TT position.

The spin bike is so radically different from the road bikes - even though we have tried to set it as best we can to match, it still feels wrong...

After my own frustrations with certain spin instructors at my gym, I tend more and more to treat their instructions as suggestions. If they don't make much sense or stand to injure some part of me, I freely ignore them. Like the instructor who wants our class to spin like crazy people while using a high resistance. Unless he's paying for my knee replacement surgery, I'm not doing it.

It seems like you've already gotten an answer to the no hands spinning question, but I'd further add that sitting up like really just works your quads. Strong quads are great, but if you want to be really powerful on the bike, you have to work your glutes and hamstrings. Your question brings to mind a passage in one of my favorite cycling/exercise books--"Bike for Life." In the book, it states that if your bike fits correctly, you should be able to practice "butt-centric" cycling. The ideal bike fit, according to the book, puts your upper body in approximately a forty-degree angle to your bars to best utilize your glutes and hamstrings. It makes sense to me, then, to approximate that angle in spin class so that I work those muscle groups. In fact, since I regularly started spinning, I do feel more powerful in that sense on the bike. I notice it during seated climbs in particular.