Favourite Spinervals DVD?

[crazycanuck]

Just wondering if you have a favourite one? I'm searching for my next spinervals purchase & want some suggestions. I'd like some hard stuff!

No Slackers?
The Uphill Grind?
Have Mercy?
Tough Love?

Jobob, V & MP-i know you guys like Coach troy..any suggestions?

[Blueberry]

I have No Slackers, Uphill Grind, Zoot Challenge, and Recharge. I like Uphill Grind. It's hard, but I have a feeling it's really helping on my climbing. The main part is 4 5 minute hill climb efforts.

No Slackers was just plain hard for me. Lots of superspins.

Have Mercy is 2 hours and Tough Love is 3 (I don't have them - but this is why I don't). The others are 45-50 minutes. So...I'd decide whether you want a short or long one.

I think all of them have out of the saddle parts (which I'm having a really hard time with).

I'm still thinking about Hillacious, Sweating Buckets, Suffer-o-Rama, Muscle Breakdown & Bending Crank Arms. Also considering Ultra Leg and/or Iron Girl (or maybe one of the "virtual reality" rides).

CA

[Thorn]

I'll second Uphill Grind.....I love to hate it. The intervals are long, challenging and does seem to help. Hillacious is also good, but for some reason I look at it as being easier yet I'm equally trashed when it is over. Go figure.

I can't remember if I like or hate No Slackers. I'll let you know tomorrow--on Thursdays, I do a 35-45 minute Spinervals interval. No Slackers is in the rotation of three, but I can't remember which one it is. Besides Uphill Grind in the set of three there is one I like doing and one I despise and I don't know which is No Slackers.

When winter comes I actually like the 5 hour long century DVD. I only do 3 to 3.5 hour stints--if you go from the beginning it is easier; if you start up for the end, it is tough. But, you should be heading for summer so the shorter, painful ones are better.

[roadie gal]

2+ on the Uphill Grind and Hillacious

[Irulan]

Question, if one has a home spin bike ( as compared to a bike on a trainer) are these still suitable?

[SadieKate]

Does it have adjustable resistance and gears? If so, yes.

I can loan you a DVD to try since they're a bit expensive. I find myself going to the Uphill Grind just out of preference. I can mentally deal with indoor trainer time better.

[Veronica]

I haven't met a Spinervals I didn't like.

If I'm not in the mood to work out, I do Zoot or Uphill Grind. They are easy on me mentally.

No Slackers is tough, lots of short acceleration sets which doesn't suit me. It's an interval day workout.

Hillacious if I want an hour workout. Mental Toughness if I want 90 minutes.

Recharge, Recovery and Technique and Aerobase Builder are for easy days.

Ultra Core, Ultra Leg and Ultra Full Body are for days I feel like I need some weights.

Tough Love is for rainy winter weekends.

If I'm feeling all studly I'll combine Mental Toughness with Zoot, Uphill Grind or Hillacious.

V.

[Irulan]

spin bikes are flywheel based. You can adjust the resistance with the knob, but there's no "gearing" so to speak. That is why I am wondering how it would translate.

[Veronica]

I would think you could use a spin bike to do a Spinervals. There a couple of videos where he talks about what sort of resistance you should have if you're on a Lemond trainer I think. I haven't really paid that much attention to the exact kind of spin bike.

V.

[Blueberry]

Some of the Spinervals (I know for sure Recharge, and I think Uphill Grind) have LeMond re-master settings included (1-5, I think). There's also a perceived exertion chart on the Spinervals website (e.g. when ECT says 53-11, you should be working hard).

ETA - V and I posted at the same time

CA

[maillotpois]

I really like Tough Love and Have Mercy. You can do as much or as little as you like. They're a good long ride replacement. I also have the interval pack with 5 interval DVDs, like Uphill Grind and SufferORama. I do like Sufferorama.

[crazycanuck]

I have a spin bike at home & I think i get the tension right when i do a spinervals session..(I can't remember which ones i have atm) I would use my normal bike but i'd like to avoid being frustrated about not being able to do the whole jump out of the saddle thing.

I shall wander up to the bike shop & see what I can get

Tanks

[susan.wells]

Question, if one has a home spin bike ( as compared to a bike on a trainer) are these still suitable?

The Spinervals web site has a conversion chart based on a scale of 1 to 5 as CA_in_NC has described. It's been updated since I was last there. There's also a pdf that compares standard and compact cranks as well as has the 1-5 scale. Pretty nifty little chart! I just downloaded it for future reference. Oh another vote for Mental Toughness and Tough Love. I think I just like Tough in the title.

[Thorn]

No Slackers -- love to hate; Sufferama -- just hate it. If I were to analyze why, it is because No Slackers builds upon my strengths while Sufferama shows up all of the dents in my wimpy armor.

That is, No Slackers has longer sets with bigger gears (ah, better hills) and when it does super spins they're shorter (ah, stomping up those little hills). I can handle that sprint-y stuff if it is short.

On the other hand Sufferama has these long (60 seconds) all-out spins. Blah...that's *hard*. I can't do it. I hate it. I don't see the immediate gain (heck, I don't race and I don't need to sprint). BUT....I know it is good for me because it pushes me out of my comfort zone.

So...to paraphrase Veronica....I never met a Spinervals that I didn't think was doing me some good. Whatever you end up with, it'll do you good.

[jesvetmed]

As someone else said, Uphill Grind -- love to hate it. It is a great workout! I also have Sufforama.... different kind of hate -- it is a good workout, though.
I have Aero Base Builder.... LONG 2 hr workout -- good calorie burner... use a heartrate monitor -- works best that way. Good off season workout.

I also have Lean and Mean, which was the first one I bought. Quick workout, you know you've done something when you're done!