I've been doing a spin session 3 days a week and find it quite addicting. I've been combining it with some running, swimming and lifting. The holiday softness is gone and I'm in the best shape I've ever been for the end of January. One thing that I think is really important is to use the off season to work on non-bike forms of fitness. This is the time to strengthen the areas of the body that don't get worked when riding. Developing those muscles now helps revent injuries down the line.

I download podcast and watch or listen to them on my laptop.

It is a great way to get in a 30+/- training ride.

My question is why it seems so like so much more work?
After a 30 min ride on the trainer I am wet and finished yet I normally ride a 25 mile course outdoors and don't mind it.

It's because there is no coasting on the trainer. It may not seem like much, but when you are on the road you can back off a little here and there and maintain your speed...on the trainer when you stop pedaling you stop. Trainers are like a constant uphill climb.

Nope, never, not even once.

And there's no wind to dry your sweat as you have outside. I ride a set of resistance-equipped rollers 5x a week and I have 3 fans blowing on me. It's a little cool until I get warmed up, but it's really helpful during the ride. And, it keeps the gym-type smell away.

I do spinning 2xweek with an instructor (and friend) who is an ex-racer & bike shop owner. He makes it closer to an actual ride than most instructors. Also try to ride my rollers at least once a week. Now if I could only give up beer. Oh, well.

Hour spin class @5:45AM Mon-Fri before work. Tues/Wed night Level 2 Vinyasa yoga class. After yoga class, Tues night 2 hour velodrome motorpaced workout. Sat 50 mile club training ride. Sun 50-75 miles recovery. Getting ready for the 2010 velodrome season. Such is life in San Diego.

Why the heck would you want to do a silly thing like that? ;)

With winter confining me way more than normal, I have been using that Coach Fred program too. For several weeks now. I've been using just parts of it (ILT, 3s, seated sprints mostly). I have some days when the spin is just mostly a recovery ride too. Staying on the spin bike for more than one hour just does not compute with me. I am hoping to go up hills better and ride faster, if and when I ever get to ride outside again!

I do have a pleasant place to spin though and the HR monitor gives me something to pay attention to.

Just went for a swim in the deep end of the pool:

40 minute warm up then 3 x 15 min. @ LT+ It hurts sooooooo good.

I think a guppy could swim on the floor under my bike now.

Unfortunately we can't use the trainers as clothes hangers like we did with our nortic skiiers and treadmills.

I bought a used trainer for $35 a couple of years ago. Used it a couple of times and sold it with the stipulation that it be sold for $35 when he realized he won't use it.

Joe, my pigeon, sold it last year for $35 and made the buyer promise to do the same.

Care to elaborate? I wouldn't mind some amazing results myself this year!

I swear by Spinervals, especially their Virtual Reality series.

Hills that I used to granny out on, I now motor up 3 or 4 above granny. Hills I used to downshift on I don't, or upshift on. Speed up most of my climbs up several mph. I was by no means a climber before, nor am I one now, but I can highly recommend this routine, especially to those not following any structured training.

Routine is geared to a trainer or on the road, but we managed to convert to spinner fairly easily.

edit: if you decide to give it a try, I'd be interested in your results next spring.

I think trainers are tough but a great way to keep in shape.
I am not selling mine!

I have been doing spin classes - I seem to be able to do them as a regeme rather than the trainer. they occur twice a week.

It is a series of structured routines to do on the trainer or spin bike. There are five specific exercises that you work into a one hour indoor ride in various combinations over a 12 week period. The program is designed to build power more than endurance. So far I am pretty pleased with the results but I will know much more when I can ride outside again.

To make a long story short, you get on the trainer or spinner for no more than one hour with a specific plan in mind, as opposed to just pedaling along aimlessly for X amount of time. A HR monitor is very helpful in doing the program, as is a towel and water bottle. The legs are deeply sore and tired at the end of each of these sessions and rest days (or VERY easy recovery rides) are pretty much mandatory at our age. The program actually warns you against overtraining by using the workouts too often.

BD, thanks, I totally misinterpreted the elaboration request, nice summary.

I'd add that a fan also helps a lot. We use spinner bikes, outside the classroom, near a window with a ledge type sill. Water bottle, towel, timer (or clock with second hand), and cue sheet go on the ledge next to the bikes. We made single week cue sheets for the entire series, and printed then off for reference while doing each routine. As BD said, the routines are tough, when you're done you're spent. Two hours a week... what a deal!

PB, this routine is available for 4.00 USD at http://www.roadbikerider.com/booksto..._to_the_Pedals
I'd also highly recommend the RbR newsletter- once a week on Thursdays via email. And free.

not to side track the thread but .... what are you guys paying for the spin classes?

It's in cluded with the YMCA membership, for the family plan, it's $80 a month. That also includes use of the other facilities, and other locations. Not a bad deal.

ANd they're included in our health club membership, ~ 40.00 month. If you're not a member, they're 7.50 (for a day's access)

I belong to the rec center at a nearby university. It's a beautiful, well-maintained facility and I make use of the free spinning classes, swimming pool, equipment room, and indoor track. I've found spinning to be a lot more of a workout than my typical cycling since there are no downhills and some of the exercises are not "natural" cycling things (mainly the "jumps" where you stand up and sit back down at 2 to 8-second intervals).

Generally the mid-morning spinning class is mostly other 40+ people, but yesterday a few students actually showed up. I ended up next to a coed who was wearing very short shorts, and then she proceeded to strip off a couple of upper layers as we started getting warmed up. Of course, I tried not to notice (ha!), but it was tough (especially since we face a wall-sized mirror in the spinning room!). By the way, I've observed that people our age are totally invisible to the college-age kids -- they actually get startled if you so much as say "good morning!" to them. :)

I belong to the rec center at a nearby university. It's a beautiful, well-maintained facility and I make use of the free spinning classes, swimming pool, equipment room, and indoor track. I've found spinning to be a lot more of a workout than my typical cycling since there are no downhills and some of the exercises are not "natural" cycling things (mainly the "jumps" where you stand up and sit back down at 2 to 8-second intervals).

Generally the mid-morning spinning class is mostly other 40+ people, but yesterday a few students actually showed up. I ended up next to a coed who was wearing very short shorts, and then she proceeded to strip off a couple of upper layers as we started getting warmed up. Of course, I tried not to notice (ha!), but it was tough (especially since we face a wall-sized mirror in the spinning room!). By the way, I've observed that people our age are totally invisible to the college-age kids -- they actually get startled if you so much as say "good morning!" to them. :rolleyes:

I take a spinning class at the local YMCA three times a week. I have noticed that I'm the only one in the 70+ category. It's a good workout, certainly not like being out on the open road. It beats being a couch potato in NW PA during the winter and the scenery can't be beat.