Spinning Newbie

[pyxichick]

Hey thanks for the responses.

I did go to my first spin class today and I survived! Though barely... I'm wondering, is my heart rate supposed to be over 80 percent max. for 45 minutes straight? I would never keep my HR that high for that long on a regular outdoor ride.

Thanks,
Kate

[tygab]

my observations on this are that its a function of goals and objectives... I just got in shape this year so I am no expert but have been learning a lot. When I started 10 miles seemed like a big deal. Now I am hoping to prep for a century and triathlon in 07.

I think spinning is like cycling but not quite the same, and just that little variation is enough to make you doubt what you thought you knew about your fitness. This is why in my own little fitness journey I have not only decided to cross train, but every few weeks do one completely different activity. It doesn't have to become something I do regularly, but the idea is to surprise myself somehow. For example, I can be riding outside 3-4x a week for 30+ miles, but go to a spin class and feel like I am going to keel over as it is a constant effort, no stopsigns or downhills or roadside country stores.

Or be going to spin 3x a week and go for one 30 mile ride and feel very sore after - "what is this balancing thing I must do???".

The upshot is my body pretty quickly adapts to whatever my routine is, so I can't stay in one routine and expect overall progress. I think this is why most exercise programs I've been looking thru change something in the focus every three weeks or so.

That said, if and when I am prepping for a specific event, the last few weeks/months depending on the nature and duration of the event, I would try to be goal specific. After all, if you want to do that one thing well, then you have to do that one thing a lot (practice).

For me, my offseason unofficially started end of Sept, and starts in earnest Monday as I have my last 'prepared' event for 06 Sunday, so I will feel free after to try things for the next few months when I will be predominently in spin routine.

pe to be b

[pyxichick]

Cool. Thanks Ty. I was feeling very out of shape suddenly and wondering whether it's possible to lose all fitness in the matter of a few weeks of not riding as much. This is very encouraging!

[tygab]

Don't worry, you haven't! Have fun challenging yourself at spinning!

[aicabsolut]

Spinning is a great way to train in the upper aerobic/anaerobic zones because it can be a good interval workout to help round out your training. That said, I second the opinion that a cyclist or at least someone with some endurance training makes the best instructor. The worst kind are those who treat it like any other cardio choreography class where you spend too much time standing, 'jumping', and overall not training your body to work efficiently on a bike. This irks me too because when would I ever want to stand under load for 5 minutes or more? I wouldn't. Even if I didn't have an ankle injury that makes me really not want to. I have gotten better at spinning faster in a seated position under the same resistance. The good thing about the classes is you can just sit or do your own thing (like not spin at 50rpm when the instructor tells you too--too slow for those knees!).

I recently got into cycling outdoors and I learned a lot of how to train by taking spin classes taught by a racer. Note he was also a good teacher. His 'endurance' classes bored some but I learned a lot (I was a sprinter in a previous life--I could get the intervals thing down). So I started doing longer endurance rides indoors. It's helped me on my new bike outside. So I think that while spinning IS different, it's a fun way to train if you get an instructor you like who plays music you like.

[Dogmama]

The worst kind are those who treat it like any other cardio choreography class where you spend too much time standing, 'jumping', and overall not training your body to work efficiently on a bike. This irks me too because when would I ever want to stand under load for 5 minutes or more?

I don't. I replicate my road riding in spinning classes. So, often, I'm not doing what everybody else is doing.

[Crankin]

What was said about being a good teacher is absolsutely true. Just because someone is good at an activity, does not mean s/he will be a good teacher of the activity. When i taught high impact aerobics, my classes may not have been the fanciest or even the hardest, but they were safe and I think my "real" job as an educator helped me a great deal in teaching the steps to people and with just dealing with the clients. I feel the same way about leading bike rides. I may not be the fastest cyclist, but I can lead people and make it an enjoyable experience. And yes, a spin class led by a person who rides outside is really the best because it is focused on training for riding. But, I have had a few other instructors who are either runners or really good step instructors who have very good spin classes that appeal to all types of people. Yesterday, I went to my first spin class since April. It felt really hard, just like Tasha said. There's no coasting, easing up, stopping, unless you're one of those people who puts no resistance on the bike at all (and I still wonder why those people even come). The longer I exercise, the more important it becomes to vary what you do. My body just adapts too quickly if I only do one thing. I love riding the most, but I am trying to become a (very slow) runner. It's painful, but necessary or else I don't feel challenged.

Robyn