Confusion during my spinning class (sorry; it's kind of long)

[KSH]

Well Kate, I'm sorry to hear about your frustration. It sounds like you really care about your spin class and instructor.

For me, I just do what feels like real cycling to me... when I'm a spin class. If I wouldn't do it on the road, I won't do it in a spin class. If I'm going to hurt myself... aka: my knees.. I don't do it.

Let's face it, unless we live where there are huge hills and we don't have a triple... we are RARELY going to mash the pedals with extremely low cadence, sitting down. But, spin instructors tell people to do it all the time

Good luck on getting it all worked out... but I think if you just do what feels right, it will all work itself out.

[Derf]

Let's face it, unless we live where there are huge hills and we don't have a triple... we are RARELY going to mash the pedals with extremely low cadence, sitting down. But, spin instructors tell people to do it all the time

Good point. I've started to ease up on that type of stuff since it's causing me pain in my right knee.

[indysteel]

KSH, I had to laugh at your reply because I am SO analytical and earnest about everything I do. I give everything LOTS of thought and I love to research/learn things so I'm always way more "informed" than I need to be. It's a blessing and a curse! I drive my friends nuts. Since I'm an attorney, I think I picked the right career.

I agree with about not doing anything on the spin bike that doesn't feel like riding outside. I tend to avoid doing "speed bumps" over and over again because of that. When am I ever going to have to get out of the saddle for four counts 20 times in a row?

I do like doing some harder seated "climbs" though because, sadly, the hills in my neck of the woods and in southern Indiana are often really steep (in the 15-20% grade). They're the kind that you have to just grin and bear because they're often too long to just power over out of the saddle but too steep to just spin away. So, working on slower cadenced seated climbs helps me develop the patience and capacity (I hope) to deal with the hard stuff. That said, I avoid resistance levels that are too tough on my knees. I'm still able to spin, just not very fast and not without really paying attention to my form to maximize my hamstrings and glutes. I hated doing it at first, but kind of like it now, which I hope bodes well for this season.

After all this discussion, it occurs to me that I should just get trained to be a spin instructor. Then I can do it my way, right? I would actually do that, but I don't want to commit myself to teaching evenings when I could be outside.

As an aside, can I just say how excited I am that the weather this weekend is finally going to allow me to ride outside again. I haven't since December 30th. I feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve!