Spinning: What's with the weird hand positions?

[VW Beetle]

I've learned so much browsing this board in the past few weeks, and you have now inspired me to go for some spinning classes(!), which I will be starting in February.

So I took a look at the "official" Spinning website. I was a little baffled by the hand positions described in their handout, particularly #1 and #2.(http://media.godashboard.com/spinnin..._Positions.pdf) I had assumed that the basic hand position would be similar to riding the hoods on a road bike, but not so, apparently. The hand position for seated flats has the hands folded together in something like polite first-grade "hands-folded-on-desk" style. Even position 2, which supposedly opens the lungs for out-of-saddle movements, seems to have the hands only a few inches apart, which seems kind of cramped to me. Do people really stick to these positions?

Can anybody enlighten me?

[Irulan]

that's probably for official Spinning (TM) classes. They do some other brand at my gym and hand positions are never discussed.

~i.

[Raindrop]

Yeah, the hand positions only apply to the Spinning program. Other valid certifications (Heartzones, Reebok, Schwinn. Lemond etc.) do not address them.

[Eden]

They look like they might be emulating time trial and/or triathalon (aerobar) positions?

[SpinSis]

My instructors use the terms for Position 1, 2, and 3 and they look similar to what you read. But frankly, I rarely do the "good student" grip--but instead adjust for seating or standing. I find my main concentration is just keeping my knees and back comfortable and safe with proper seat and handlebar adjustment, and staying loose on the grips so that I'm not leaning on them. It's a good time to focus on your core.

Have fun!
S

[VW Beetle]

Thanks, everyone. Guess I'll find out soon enough!

[alpinerabbit]

How bout good first grader position is to prevent people from resting their upper body weight on their hands (bad positioning)? I've seen a guy shaking out his hands in class because he did that.

I was actually explained the two other positions:

Standing position 2 - again no resting your weight on the handlebars, you keep your stance with your leg muscles.

also, our trainer says to round your back sometimes in pos. 3, standing, to work your glutes.

[han-grrl]

Hand position 1 is meant for warm up and recovery style classes. It is meant to be a relaxing position.

Position 2, should be the "normal" position to hold your handebars. Normally i tell people to close their eyes and go for their handle bars. that's their natural position

Position 3 is to be used in standing position only.

The hand positions were meant for the "spinner" bike. I am not a total stickler for the "exact" positions, except for hand position 3. some people like to use it seated but it is not ideal for the back, and tends to be used when they are feeling "lazy".

[anne_77]

I use very different hand positions in spin class than on my road bike because the spin bike handlebars are shaped differently and they hurt my hands (arthritis and carpal tunnel). So although I would never put my hands together in the middle of my handlebars on the road, I do sometimes in spin class when my hands/wrists get too painful. I'm also one of those shaking out their hands.

The problem isn't from putting pressure on the hands. I find it's actually due to the angle of the spin bike handlebars, which angle down from the center instead of lying flat across. I almost never have any problems on my road bike, which I ride for up to 3 or 4 hours as opposed to the hour long spin class, and when I do have problems on my road bike it's because my hands/wrists were bothering me before I got on the bike.

[VenusdeVelo]

I actually like the hand positions -- I always equated HP 1 to putting my hands on the middle of the bar (which I do when riding more upright and not in drops or hoods, or relaxing like han-grrl mentions), HP 2 was like riding with my hands in the hoods, and HP was more specialized, probably even closer to my mtn bike while hill climbing and my hands are on the bar-ends.

Your experience will certainly vary, esp for specialized situations like Anne mentions but if you ride on road or trail, I find you can align your positions to your normal riding style pretty well.

[Jen]

That's madd dog athletics. They are weird. There are kind of three types of spinning. One emulates a real ride and one is diffent exercises, and LeMond is like a very competitive training exercise. I do RPM which is like a real ride outdoors, all tracks follow the work and recover pricipal of cycling. I love spinning.

[Raindrop]

I also wanted to add, that the hand positions don't really work well on some of the different models of indoor bikes...the lemond bikes particularly. (I'm still trying to get used to them since I teach at a club that has them, but luckily...I'm not married to the Maddog hand positions)

[hellokelli]

To me the 3 hand positions seem natural. When you'r standing it's just easier to hold the end of the handle bars, and when you are starting off doing a warm up, its natural to put your hands in the center. My spinning instructor also says that the hand positions help take the action off your arms. In other words, you don't want to use your arm's muscles to hold yourself up, you should be using your core and your legs only.

[Jen]

I also wanted to add, that the hand positions don't really work well on some of the different models of indoor bikes...the lemond bikes particularly. (I'm still trying to get used to them since I teach at a club that has them, but luckily...I'm not married to the Maddog hand positions)

I have to teach on the LeMond bikes at two clubs. I really hate them. It seems like you are spinning straight up and down. Don't like the feel, the resistance, nothing. In fact, I try not to teach at those clubs. I far prefer the schwinn. On the leMond bikes, the handlebars are weird. You only use the top part for hanging things. Ugh. They did some good marketing. They also fall apart quickly. Many are broken at both gyms I go to.

[Raindrop]

Jen, I feel a lot like you. The set up of the bikes makes you feel very "upright" and not at all like a real bike set up (road or mountain). I do like the belt driven drive, although on this bike it takes way too many turns to adjust your setting. Phew! I'm just trying to get comfortable on the bikes. It's kind of hard to instruct when you're not at ease on the bike you're teaching from.

P.S. I am very aware that many of the participants don't ride outside...but, I also have many that do and replicating a ride is hard when the bike doesn't give them that ability.