Training & Nutrition - spinning class?

Has anyone done this and what should I expect?

I called a local gym and I can do it for $5/class or with a gym membership.

Give it a try and if you like indoor riding and don't have a problem motivating yourself then get a trainer(mag fluid roller)

I agree that you give it a try. I am now a spinning convert. When I started, another spinner suggested that I give it a month before I decided whether or not I liked it.

I can push myself in different ways in the class. I started with one class a week. During bad weather, I sometimes take a class three times a week. It keeps me going. Most of the people in the early morning class are triathletes talking about their latests races. Generally, they are much more intense and give me a better workout. Afternoon and evening classes I found were full of people chatting about Oprah and their stresses at work. They were more about the talking and less about the workout. It may be different at different gyms, but this is what I noticed.

You might also try different classes, different teachers, and different times of the day. For me, it was a very different experience depending on any of these factors.

Sandy

I don't get to ride my bike during the week so I Spin at 6AM a few mornings and ride one or two centuries every weekend. I really like spinning - it has helped me to get in some superb interval training and allows me to crank up my heartrate to levels I don't dare go very often. Plus, the bikes at my club can be clipped into and most people wear cycling shoes and don't have to worry about falling over :p .

As already mentioned by SandySwimmer, you might have to try out a few different classes and different instructors. But you can definitely get a kick butt workout if you dare to push yourself that hard.

The Spin Bikes have a 40 lb flywheel that spins unlike any other "exercise bike". Get to class early and introduce yourself to the instructor and she/he should be able to get you set up properly and show you the hand positions ie: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Remember, NO ONE really knows how hard you are or aren't working, so work at your own pace and if the instructor is a screaming aerobic jump around type instructor - don't be afraid to set the tension on the flywheel to mimmick a good hard working wind or something and do your own thing. I am fortunate that some of the instructors in my gym race bikes and give a great class.

Also, bring at least one 24 oz + bottle of water, a sweat towel, and wear cycling shorts if you wish, but you may want to wear just a tee shirt or plain jersey. Unless you want to draw ALOT of attention to yourself, skip the full kit ;) . After a class or two, you'll get to know what to expect and can go from there.

Give it a try - a few tries - Spinning, IMO can be a great addition to real cycling or training at home on a trainer or rollers.

I love Spinning. It was designed to supplement road cycling training. If you get a good instructor you will see a great benefit from it.

I have been spinning for 2 years or so, mostly in the long Canadian winters and spring and fall too.

Here are some suggestions.

Try different locations before joining. Each place may have different bikes and in various states of repair. Nothing worse than spinning on a crappy bike.

Find out which instructors you like. Some are inspiring and always will give you a great class, others can be awful. There are some instructors who know nothing about biking yet they have terrific music, great form on a spin bike and make great instructors. The class mix matters too. Some classes attract a crowd that just want to socialize, others are there to kick butt.

As far as clothing goes, I could not imagine wearing anything that wasn't good for biking especially bike shorts or bibs. The top is less important, I wear a tank top made from a sports synthetic. I sweat like a stuck pig so it works for me.


Like I said, try various locations, after 10 or 20 classes you will know if spinning is for you, where to go and whom to go with.

I use a trainer when I can't get out in teh winter. But I took three classes ona cruisie in February. I was impressed. It was quite a hard workout. The instructor pushed some of us by cranking up the tension on the weel. Others, he let do what was comfortable. All in all, a very intense workout that I probably couldn't/wouldn't duplicate on my own.

Take a few classes, and if you like the instructors, you can sign up for the membership, but if you don't, get a trainer and just pay per class with the instructors you do like.

Koffee

Spinning is great but just remember to make sure what your doing translates some what to your cycling.

Things I'm wary of having little no resistance, very high revolutions - this can't be good for the knees plus I don't think it really helps with your aerobic base.

Some "spinners" like to thrash around like they are possesed which in some cases I guess gives you a little more momentum or it just makes you look like your working hard, but I concentrate on keeping the upperbody as still as possible.