Etiquette for repeat classes/weight loss

[Miranda]

I teach Spinning at a couple gyms, and road cycle & mtb outside seasonally.

For me personally, pedaling is my only form of cardio. I have some medical issues I can't do any impactive activities. Walking I do not enjoy, and it's not the same intensity by far. Swimming, I just never could get the stroke w/my asthma.

So, I would be one of those people in the back to back classes. I do lift weights at the gym (plus have that at home). But, it's my spin class that makes my whole gym membership of why I pay. And also, my favorite instructor in the group setting that makes it for me.

I have literally in the past re-arranged the rest of my life (whenever possible) to be able to get to my class. Without my pedaling, I'm a glass half empty person. So, I'd fight you tooth and nail to be on the sign-up sheet, whatever the method is, to get my bike for class.

Also, I can tell you as an instructor, I have had people even willing to change gym memberships to follow me as a teacher... just to get their class (like a change in my teaching availability). So, yep... the ocd world of spin does exists lol.

If you pay the gym to be able to spin, and you can't, then point that out each time. We have done sign up sheets before also. Now, it's first come, first serve basis. As a insturctor, I have access to the bikes available to me at any time, so if the class is full... I give my bike up to a member as courtesy.

On the weight loss... for anyone that hits a plateau, regardless of activity-diet etc., you have to shake something up to get off that plateau. If they are HRM users--have they reset their HRM as they became fitter from the stock numbers (220-age=MHR)? Some people are under the false pretense that they are burning more calories than they really do... eat those calories, etc.... and are really not going by accurate information.

The fitter you become, the more intensity it will take to burn the same amount of calories. Thus, a person is fitter than the average stock #s, and should make adjustments by up-ing that number for MHR & %effort respectively.

Hope that helps!
Miranda

p.s. for re-evaluation MHR in my own situation, I knew I was fitter than my stock #s of because I would go over 100% MHR & still be alive to tell about it. I did my own version of a VO2 Max test by default. I.e. cycling outside & chased by a dog--basically sprinting on a hill for my life, to the point of when I got away, I was having chest pains, seeing spots, verge of puking etc. That was pretty much my max. I then took that number (the highest one I had ever seen before) and put that as my new max #. Based on PE (perceived exersion) I tested my new settings. I performed efforts on the spin bike and matched what the percentage was of MHR, to my PE. That gave me a pretty good reset. Versus for the $ you can do as the pros do and get a sports medical lab supervised VO2 Max test done. Which is the safest... cuz the dog hill sprint was not really fun.