bikingman

I'm looking into taking a job as a Spin Instructor to boost hours on bike. I live in the North East and THANK GOD we get so much cold weather...

Neways -while keeping my personal RPE at around 4-5 or endurance/tempo does anyone else agree this is a good way to boost weekly hours on a bike/build slow twitch muscles. I'll also be suffering away with 2-3+ hour work out 5 days a week at different intensity levels as any competitor should.

Thhaankk yoouuuu

Carbonfiberboy 

It's a great aerobic workout, but it'll screw up your spin and out of saddle coordination. That's because the heavy flywheel makes it way too easy to forget how to pedal. Supplement with OLP and spin work on your own trainer or rollers, rollers preferably for better out of saddle work. Also be careful of your hands.

bikingman

great advice abou the roller... but what is OLP.. and "careful about your hands"...???

Carbonfiberboy 

One Legged Pedaling. Spin bikes seem to offer many hand positions, but basically you're just sitting there so it's not the same variety. Good gloves, straight wrists, shake it out.

gregf83 

If you're teaching a spin class don't you need to do something more interesting than riding endurance/tempo for an hour?

bikingman

Well I coulldd. I'd be instructing the class, not taking the class. I just as easy as some pollys can leave the resistance low. I'm going to try and get students to buy/use HR monitors for real workouts. Get those gerbils moving

bikingman

Thank you CFB for the good advice

sjvcycler

Spin classes are awesome. I spend quite a bit of time on the bike and have found that if I can do the same interval workout on a spin bike. I find good spin bikes to be nice to work on form with, even One legged pedaling. You just have to make sure to control yourself and know that you can free spin. I have trainers and rollers at home, but mixing a spin class in is fun. Exercise is exercise. I don't think anyone will forget how to pedal, just make it a point to keep pedaling. Just my two cents.

squirtdad

If you are instructing I assume you have done some spin classes....but any way

You have to have awesome music.....as an occaisonal class take the music can make or break it.

Spin classes (the ones i've been to) are not just ride hard. The instuctor varies a log... in seat high cadence, low load, out of seat high load, etc we are constandly up and down an changing resistatnce.

CbadRider

I've been teaching spin classes for several years. I try to gear mine toward cyclists who also ride on the road. I do tempo rides, intervals, LT workouts, cadence drills, you name it. Instead of getting in and out of the saddle a lot and resting every other song, I focus on strength and endurance.

We did the 2x20 minute AT test recently. It's nice to do on a spin bike because you don't have to worry about stopping for cars or signals.

Vary your workout so the students don't get bored. Give them options so the hardcore cyclists can work hard while those just there for an aerobics workout can take a break. Example: I do a time trial class where the students get their choice of three 9-minute trials with a 4 minute recovery in between, two 15-minute trials with a 5 minute recovery, or a single 35-minute trial. The hardcore people go for 35 minutes, the newbies do the 9 minute version.