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[annette]

Well, since no one else has started this, I will. I've been spinning about 3 times a week since the beginning of the year. I love it! The only thing I don't like is when the instructor calls for position 3 and want you to be way low with your butt out. I feel like I'm going to fall off the bike. Any thoughts?

[han-grrl]

I have the same problem with the spinning bikes. I am short (just under 5 foot 2) and i find i can't reach very well. One time i tried raising the handlebars higher than usual, and that seemed to work...

[gapgoil]

my instructor did a set up with us with every new segment, and kept in mind the different positions that we would have to be in. Try getting asking about ideals set up if you haven't already done so.
Love the spinning classes though, they really helped me out with my climbing and breathing techniques, and kept me in shape for the spring. Great way to spend the winter though, especially in Ottawa, when the only riding I can continue is urban when the roads and "stunts" are cleared.

[pennys]

I've found that the instructor quality can really vary. There's one I hate... she's a "stand up and mash" type and I uttelry refuse to mash my pedals. Many time I just close my eyes and visualize a favorite section of single track. Also, I've been experimenting with keeping my heart rate lower ( 140) al la Lance's training instaed up in the 80% range.

As for the getting your butt back thing.. if you do it right, with a very quiet stable core, my experinces is that you are really isoloating the butt and quad muscles.

penny

[diane]

I have been spinning for about five years and absolutely love it. Position three is hard for me - I seem to end up with lower back pain. It must be the "age" thing creeping up on me. I love the music. It can certainly make the class!! We have one instructor whose music is the best. My heart rate really rockets during her class.

[Irulan]

I spin during the shoulder seasons... when there's no snow for skiing, and the cycling gets dicey due to ice.

Our instructors don't use numbers for the different positions. Hmm.. I wonder if that's what "brand" of spinning they've been trained for?

My dream is that there ought to be a 10' x 12' big wall screen where they show bike footage or videos for real inspiration. And wouldn't it be nice to be able to bring your own saddle on a post and just drop it into the spin bike??

What I find really annoying is that if I want to guarantee a spot I have to sign up in advance, and PAY for my slot. It's not like I don't already pay the gym a ton of money anyway.

Irulan

[goddess1222]

i have the same problem with having to sign up early. i love spinning and have been doing it a long time. if the gyms want to alleviate this (since this means there is high demand for the classes) they should add more bikes. that is my 2 cents

[gapgoil]

There is hope for the wide screen.....on of the gyms in my city has a screen that they set up to ride into. The instructor even changes the way that the room is set up. For example, a tape of the Tour last year was played and the room was set up into a pack....too cool.

[Veronica]

But not too many of the instructors at my gym actually ever ride bikes. Sometimes I just refuse to do what they are doing - or modify it to fit what I think I need to do to improve.

They don't talk a lot about form, so a lot of the women in the class seem to be running in place or have a WHOLE lot of upper body movement. There are a lot of chatty folks too. I usually don't mind - except when they complain to me that they're working out so hard and not losing weight. I get a lot of that 'cause I dropped 30 pounds - and have kept it off for almost a year so the "oldtimers" know I use to be hefty.

[Irulan]

Originally posted by Veronica
But not too many of the instructors at my gym actually ever ride bikes. Sometimes I just refuse to do what they are doing - or modify it to fit what I think I need to do to improve.

Yep.... I try to make it so it feels as much like real biking as possible for me.

Irulan

[chicagobiker]

Hi everyone,
I'm a roadie and started spinning over 3 years ago. I thought piece of cake well it kicked my butt in the begining. I spin 4-5 x/wk during winter months and at least 1x/wk during biking season.
I've tried all our instructors at our facility and after a while when you feel more comfortable/stronger you want harder classes. Yes you can modify your class by either increasing the resistance or doing your own thing. Most of our instructors are not bikers so when it comes to their heavy 'hill' and mine, the cadence of her strokes sometimes looks like a run.
When I initially did the 'tunnels' in the 3 position I had a very hard time doing this but as time goes on and when the music is good you just get into it no matter how bad the burn feels in your hamstrings and glutes. If your lower back hurts try to get down lower and hold your abs in.
Spinning has helped my cycling tremendously!
Grinding in the saddle I didn't like as a newbie (so I turned the resistance down or got up in 3) but now I am much stronger and it doesn't bother me any more.
I also see that some instructors will tell you to throw your weight into the pedals in a heavy 3 position. I try to minimize my upper body movements so I can use my leg muscles in the stroke better, especially when you are pulling up. (this applies to seated climbs as well)...a good instructor will call out correct position reminders. (knees in, shoulders down, feet flat etc...)

Happy spinning everybody. I hope it warms up soon.

[Dogmama]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pennys
[Also, I've been experimenting with keeping my heart rate lower ( 140) al la Lance's training instaed up in the 80% range.

What does that do for you? I tend to max out my heart rate in spinning. I think I'd like to try a lower heart rate if I knew why it would help.

[goddess1222]

keeping a lower heart rate ( or the lower end of your range), helps burn fat as the main source of fuel. your body doesn't really like to use the fat as a fuel, and prefers using glycogen, but if you want to burn the fat, this is the way to do it.

i also know that working at the lower end for a longer period is mainly for endurance training. the idea is that if you maintain a steady"lower" heart rate for a longer period, you can go further and further.

[han-grrl]

Keeping your heart rate low to burn fat is one of the many fitness myths around. In order to use fat for fuel you need A LOT of oxygen, hence the myth of keeping low heart rate to use fat as a fuel. What it is actually is that at lower heart rate, the PERCENTAGE of fuel that comes from fat is higher, HOWEVER, because fat produces so much energy in the form of ATP, not much fat is actually used (or needed). At higher intensities, even though the perecentage of fat is lower, the total number of calories burned is actually higher. More CALORIES from fat is used at higher intensity than at lower intensity. Using a simple example, lets say that a light walk for 30 minutes burns 100 calories, 60% of which comes from fat, and 30 % from carbs. that means 60 calories from fat are used. Now say that you change this light walk to a light jog, burning a total of 300 calories, but only 30% of those calories comes from fat, BUT that 30% is 90 calories coming from fat - 20 more than the light walk. this is oversimplified, but you get the idea. The best thing to do if you are trying to burn fat is to go as hard as possible for as long as possible. People have a hard time pacing themselves though and as hard as possible means at best 5 minutes. So using the keeping your heart rate low advice forces people to pace themselves.

The idea of keeping heart rate low is to build your endurance. Many people tend to work at a heart rate of over 85% of their max heart rate without having good base training. This is like building a tower without a good foundation. Aerobic base training is vital to training and is often neglected. My suggestion to my clients is that if they work on building to an hour long session at 65-75% of their max heart rate before doing higher intensity work.

Hope this helps

Happy Spinning

Hannah