I have been doing Spin classes at my local Gym for the last month or so. They usually last for around an hour and offer a fairly good cardio workout. The class has several things that are unrealistic to actual cycling. Does anyone train on spincycles and what is the most effective workout routine.

I ride a stationary bike sometimes, I like it

I go for about 40mins, about 85-90 rpm with no coasting--gives a good workout

I like to wear headphones, close my eyes, and pedal like a mofo

Have you ever participated in a spinclass with an instructor?

My wife and I have been doing spinning for about a year and a half. We are definitely much stronger riders for having done it. Of course, anything is better than the nothing we would have done otherwise.

I think of it as a sort of near anerobic weight lifting program. It ain't like real cycling.

My wife is a dedicated "spinner" and has been much stronger on our rides this year. Not the same as cycling per se but builds the right muscles and is good cardio work as well.

I think it helps alot. I was riding a stationary bike and doing spin classes and when I got my road bike it was very simple to me to catch on. Cross-training is important to any kind of sport.

It's not as good as getting out on the road, but it's better than sitting on the couch watching Desperate Housewives.

Simple.

wow my wife started doing a class once a week last month and her avg. speed on road has jumped a lot. it's kinda scary actually, we did a bit of climbing yesterday and granted i felt like crap, but she schooled me! i stopped for a quick pee in the bushes and never caught her after that! she swears its the spin classes.

I did it alot last year...if you have a good instructor, and you use the right resistance its a great workout... I need to go again... I think it can be fun...and I tend to go harder when there are other people than if I am just out by myself on the road..

I've been doing it for a bout a month at least once, sometimes twice a week and I think its really helped me. If you can find an instructor who actually rides it works really well.

Improved leg speed (smoother pedal stroke) and burning calories.
That's what I get out of it.
Not much in the way of strength.

It's fun to go for a ride with someone who has done nothing but sit-and-spin. They tend to believe that it's just like riding. It isn't.
But it's a start.

It is a good cardio workout, so there is some benefit.. If you think it's too easy crank up the resistance on the bike..

I think I've been quite... obsessed with spinners..
I never took a class, because the instructions were for an hour.. I usually stayed on a spinner for at least two... for interval training
And like you said.. there are a lot of things that are unrealistic in cycling..

What I did find is that if you set the handlebar just right and tension high enough... you can easily practice out of saddle climbing intervals... and with the momentum in the wheel, you get a great resistance workout...
PLUS
staying in the saddle and finding a good decent tension helped me gain strength [imma lightweight...] for my flats...
ALSO
try getting up there in the rpms.. you can do 200 easy... because of the momentum... that'll help you on sprints...

Tis' a good workout... but nothing like the real thing.. but it definitely make a good companion to make you a solid rider..

Hope that helped..
-Peter

{What I did find is that if you set the handlebar just right and tension high enough... you can easily practice out of saddle climbing intervals... and with the momentum in the wheel, you get a great resistance workout...}


What sort of intervals do you do?

When my bike was out of commision I trained on those stationary bikes. It screwed my right kneee pretty badly. Took me over a month to stop feeling pain in it. Granted I injured my right knee few years back, and this was just a reocuring injury. Still I don't think I will try stationary bikes again. The most I got with a bike was when I warm up my knee lets me know once in a while to take it easy at first.

I find it a great winter workout as the cold and decreased light means I only ride weekends - IMHO it would help sprinting and climbing as most of us tend to sit in bunches and go with the flow - a good instructor certainly helps

I found those "air bikes" with the fan-blade wheels are great for high-RPM use...the slight increase in force to gain RPM's is at least better than a regular bike.

I haven't used a spinning bike ever, so I have no idea what those are like. I did push 240RPM on the fan-blade bike for about 2mins though.

Climbing Intervals?
Get a good song [Moby - Graciosa/ Rob D - Clubbed to Death (from Matrix)] and just stand on your pedals and push... it's hard to quantify.. but about 80% of maximum effort [90% when there are people around ^^]... Then I try and get a good rhythm of breathing deep and pedaling hard and slow... it works wonders... lets you worry about form and rhythm vs. the road ahead...
I do that until either the song ends or I burn out...
Relax on the trainer for about 5 mins [zero tension], then do it all over again... what fun!

-Peter

Wife got me into it at the Local Y. Our normal instructor rides quite a bit so she is quite good. I also occasionally get to take a class with a local TT guy who is quite technical. learned a great deal from him on 'banking oxygen' and recovery. One side benefit for me was improving my form (I learned that by keeping my heels down and keeping my calves out of pedal stroke I can improve my endurance substansially) also has improved my standing climbing form. The right instructor is key.

I looked at spinning for a long time with scorn. "aerobic ************" was the term I used. And then work and kids and responsibility came along. Sooooo I gave it a shot.

I work out at Bally's, the instructors are hit or miss. But the concept is good and it CAN BE a good workout. I am definitely a believer.

I need to use a HRM to keep myself honest. But if you do your part, the potential is there for a great workout.

-Z (Spin-Dog Spot)

I am a cycling instructor... actually, I'm certified to teach indoor cycling, and I have my USA Cycling license, so I can teach outdoors too. It's nice to have both.

I do know that quite a few cycling instructors are not very good- there is a pretty low standard set for getting your indoor cycling license, and the bad stuff that makes your eyes roll is what the newbie instructors somehow pick up, then they teach it that way and pass those bad habits around like a new, nasty, contageous, unknown, unclassifiable sexually transmitted disease. It's terrible.

For the cardio benefit and the opportunity to work on spinning your legs, it can be good, provided the instructor knows what they're doing. Unfortunately, the knowledgeable are few and far between.

Personally, I tell people that if you don't do it outdoors, I'm not teaching it- so there are a lot of things you aren't going to see in class. I emphasize heart rate training/perceived exertion training, cadence, form, technique, breathing, working with resistance, visualization, and drills in my classes. I am very anal about my methods, music, drills, etc. I had a metronome to count cadence in class, and I always specified heart rate and cadence for the duration of the class. Then I would walk around and work with people and ensure they maintained proper cadence. I can't stand seeing people at the wrong cadence. It grates my nerves. Some people who just want to eff around do not like my classes. I usually tell them that I'm not holding a gun to their heads and they are free to go. The ones that do come to my classes love them, so I know I'm all good. I get a lot of roadies coming in for my classes. Some of them do their own thing, which is all good for me too. I'm not going to interrupt your training schedule if you have something different on your agenda. I'm just glad you chose my class to do it in!

Newbies who came in my class were always required to arrive at least 5 minutes before the start of class for a full bike setup. By setup, I mean I have a plumb line and goniameter. If I work fast, I can get them set up and measured out in 5 minutes. But less than that, and I'm throwing a fit. I need to take time to give you a good setup, and I like to measure all kinds of angles and stuff. I want folks comfortable when they're riding. I also like to give out my newbie sheet I made up so they can do self corrections if they have pains in their knees, back, shoulders, etc. I have a list of common problems, then a list of solutions next to the problems. We need to go over this before they leave the room.

For July, it's Tour de France month, so everyone rides the profiles I get off the Tour website, and we ride with the video of that stage ride. That is a lot of fun, and it breaks up the usual tense and military-type atmosphere I maintain throughout the year. Plus, it gives them a chance to see the big boys in action and look at good riding, and I can go over all the stuff I usually talk about and use the riders as examples. They love this.

No talking in class. I swear, I will cut someone's tongue out. There's no need to talk. If you are talking, you aren't working. I will cut out your tongue and scratch out your eyes, I swear I will!

I hope I do a good class. The music changes for every ride. I never repeat a class more than once. Once in a rare blue moon, if I'm tired, or my CD burner broke down, I may play the same CD again. I don't care if they liked the music and/or profile I put together or not. You aren't here for the music. You're here to work out. Music is just an added bonus!

When I left Chicago, all my students gathered at all my clubs to wish me luck. What just flattered me more than everything was the request from everyone for all my music and profiles. I gave away 4 bags of cds, tapes, and profiles I'd made over the years... 4 of those huge plastic bags with the handles. I've only been teaching since November 1999. I've also already thrown out music and profiles over the years, so the fact that I had so many bags of it tells you how much time I worked on my classes.

A good instructor should not go the extra mile. They should go an extra century. Imperical, not metric.

I should have asked for a raise. Dang it!

Koffee

I am a coach for indoor cycling and I believe that if it were not for the training I get in the off season I would really have searing lungs in the beginning of the outdoor season. I train people in RPE and HRM. I ahve a steady periodization schedule that I use during the year so that the training is both fun and effective in CV, Caloric burn and Nuromuscular. I coach from Low and high endurance to intervals that are intensive and extensive to competition work and then yes recovery. Still nothing beats the outdoors for true road and trail conditioning but the fun and the challenges in the class are great for those rainy days or when you travel away from home and your bike is not with you.

Velocity

Spinning actually got me on my bike in the first place. I was much faster when I started than people expected - got quite a few comments that I was doing well for someone who'd only owned a road bike for two weeks.

Spinning also teaches you that clipless pedals are good, and to spin in a circle, albeit an artificially created circle that might not translate perfectly to the bike. However, it does not teach you bike handling skills. I crashed my third day on the bike. Talk about overly confident or overly stupid. I never even considered how to go around a sharp curve until I was rapidly approaching the pavement. I put clipless pedals on a month later, and proceeded to fall over about five more times.

All in all, Spinning works the right muscles and helps with endurance and fitness. But it's not actually like riding a bike.

I started spinning at Bally's after running started killing my knees. After about 8 months of it I bought a road bike.

As has been stated, its not the same as riding outside. But if you concentrate on your form, cadence, & resistence, it is a good workout. I think it has helped me alot. But its not a substitute for the road. Using a HR monitor in class helps make sure your pushing yourself. Find classes that have good instructors. Some don't have a clue about what real riding is like and it shows.

So which club do you train out of and what do you think about Reaction Cycling??
Velocity