Spin classes

[indysteel]

As for climbing with weight on your hands - your instructor should be reminding people to keep their weight over their saddle and be very light on their wrists. I always tell people, "spinning is NOT an upper body exercise!"

This. I have a home spin bike and, when I'm out of the saddle, most of my weight is in my lower body because my butt is pretty far back.

I always thought spin classes were fun. We don't have a gym that offers them near me, which is why I bought a home spin bike. When I lived in downtown Indy, I went to at least two classes at the Y each week. I had a blast, and really miss it.

[spokewench]

It kind of depends on how you do a spin class. I have found if it is a spin class taught by a spin only instructor, it crosses over a little. If you do longer spin classes taught by a cyclist who is working on a periodic plan with class with more of a bent toward regular training for outside cycling, it can really help a lot. Several years ago, I trained almost specifically indoors for the start of the mountain bike race series in January. We had a very snowy year and it was just not conducive to training outside. I live in northern Arizona at 7,000 feet

Long story short, I won my first race against desert rats from southern Arizona who had been training hard outside. It certainly can get you there if you find a good cycling instructor.

[Catrin]

At my last gym my spin instructor was a mountain biker and we jokingly referred to his class as "mountain bike class" rather than spinning. All joking aside, it was a great class and REALLY helped with riding outside. I need to get my butt to a spinning class or two a week since riding outside just doesn't seem to be in the books for now. I don't want to lose ALL of my bike-endurance - that is a very different thing from my metabolic/lifting work. My only concern is the older bikes don't really fit me and my whiplash still isn't quite healed - but I need to give it a shot. If my neck isn't up to it then I will need to spend more time on the trainer at home.