Can A Spin Class Kill You?

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fjrandol
fjrandol Posts: 437 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/spin-class-kill-212400187.html

Personally I love spin classes, but the instructor at my gym insists on us doing things like squats while pedaling. For those of us who are overly leggy, this seems over the top, as it's impossible to keep your knees from overextending, and do you know how far down you have to squat on a bike to get your butt between the handlebars and the seat, and then she still wants us to pedal?? It doesn't seem to matter either if you have any preexisting conditions, as she'll be in your face hollering to pedal faster and turning up the tension on the bike.

I don't know if that's a typical experience or not; is it?

Not really a good environment for people starting out. I can totally see how someone could develop some severe complications from going in and blindly trying to keep up with some of these over the top kinds of gym classes.

Replies

  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    A lot of the issues in the article are the fault of the person taking the class. She says " I never listening when the instructor said to turn the resistance knob up," Then she wonders why her legs "are motioned in circles faster than I thought possible" a good instructor would have seen her hips bouncing like crazy (a sign that you need more tension) and jumped of the bike and relayed this to her instead of touching the resistance knob (which is an instructor no-no) Also, you should never do anything on a spin bike that you wouldn't do on your normal bike. Would you squat on your normal bike? Do Bicep Curls on your normal bike? The answer is NO, because it's dangerous.

    Spinning is safe if you have a good instructor who leads a good class and is cognizant of what the class is doing (which IS the instructors job). Spinning too fast, with too much resistance, or not having your bike properly set up are sure fire ways to case an injury.

    Okay, rant over... :D
  • Pinkranger626
    Pinkranger626 Posts: 460 Member
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    A lot of the issues in the article are the fault of the person taking the class. She says " I never listening when the instructor said to turn the resistance knob up," Then she wonders why her legs "are motioned in circles faster than I thought possible" a good instructor would have seen her hips bouncing like crazy (a sign that you need more tension) and jumped of the bike and relayed this to her instead of touching the resistance knob (which is an instructor no-no) Also, you should never do anything on a spin bike that you wouldn't do on your normal bike. Would you squat on your normal bike? Do Bicep Curls on your normal bike? The answer is NO, because it's dangerous.

    Spinning is safe if you have a good instructor who leads a good class and is cognizant of what the class is doing (which IS the instructors job). Spinning too fast, with too much resistance, or not having your bike properly set up are sure fire ways to case an injury.



    I second that! I would avoid an instructor that has you doing any of those things, I'm Spinning certified and we were taught that you NEVER do things like that as it's a safety issue
    Okay, rant over... :D
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Oh jeeze. Another "exercise induced rhabdomyolisis" thread! Scare tactics at it's worst!!

    Seriously one should exercise at their own pace. I completely agree with the poster who said that the she should have increased the resistance herself and the instructor should NOT have come over and cranked it for her. Not only that but the instructor should have seen the flailing and bouncing and told her (in a nice way) to up the resistance. I've taken a cycling class (way different than spinning but still wicked hard) and there were times where the instructor saw me bouncing and yelled out "If you're bouncing in your seat you need to up the resistance!" Problem solved.

    I also agree that doing bicep curls, squats etc. on a bike is just ridiculous. I knew a woman who took a spin class and sometimes the instructor would make them remove the bike seat and do the whole class standing up. She'd also yell at you if you got off the bike to take a rest. Thanks but no thanks!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Article writer is an idiot.

    /thread
  • autumnsquirrel
    autumnsquirrel Posts: 258 Member
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    http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/spin-class-kill-212400187.html

    Personally I love spin classes, but the instructor at my gym insists on us doing things like squats while pedaling. For those of us who are overly leggy, this seems over the top, as it's impossible to keep your knees from overextending, and do you know how far down you have to squat on a bike to get your butt between the handlebars and the seat, and then she still wants us to pedal?? It doesn't seem to matter either if you have any preexisting conditions, as she'll be in your face hollering to pedal faster and turning up the tension on the bike.

    I don't know if that's a typical experience or not; is it?

    Not really a good environment for people starting out. I can totally see how someone could develop some severe complications from going in and blindly trying to keep up with some of these over the top kinds of gym classes.

    it is YOUR workout. The instructor designs the ride and leads you through it. If you don't fancy the 'up and down'/squatting while pedaling, just pedal at your pace, but make sure you are still getting a good workout in. Pedal to the beat of the tunes being played. A good instructor will have your modify if there are moves you don't fancy doing. it's your ride, your pace. All my instructors hollar to "turn it up" or "touch the resistance to the right" when we are coming to a 'hill' or 'bridge";) There are days I am not in the mood for that and leave the knob as is. I can't see what you went through being a typical experience. I had one instructor walk around and make sure our handlebars were tight--sometimes the knobs can be loose. You do NOT have to keep up with anyone. Just try to be stronger than the person you were yesterday:) Enjoy the ride;)
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
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    Article writer is an idiot.

    /thread

    +1
  • autumnsquirrel
    autumnsquirrel Posts: 258 Member
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    If spin class kills a person, what a way to go!!!:)
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/spin-class-kill-212400187.html

    Personally I love spin classes, but the instructor at my gym insists on us doing things like squats while pedaling. For those of us who are overly leggy, this seems over the top, as it's impossible to keep your knees from overextending, and do you know how far down you have to squat on a bike to get your butt between the handlebars and the seat, and then she still wants us to pedal?? It doesn't seem to matter either if you have any preexisting conditions, as she'll be in your face hollering to pedal faster and turning up the tension on the bike.

    I don't know if that's a typical experience or not; is it?

    Not really a good environment for people starting out. I can totally see how someone could develop some severe complications from going in and blindly trying to keep up with some of these over the top kinds of gym classes.

    this sounds more like the instructor killing you. so i guess spin classes are like guns. spin doesn't kill people. people kill people.
  • autumnsquirrel
    autumnsquirrel Posts: 258 Member
    Options
    http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/spin-class-kill-212400187.html

    Personally I love spin classes, but the instructor at my gym insists on us doing things like squats while pedaling. For those of us who are overly leggy, this seems over the top, as it's impossible to keep your knees from overextending, and do you know how far down you have to squat on a bike to get your butt between the handlebars and the seat, and then she still wants us to pedal?? It doesn't seem to matter either if you have any preexisting conditions, as she'll be in your face hollering to pedal faster and turning up the tension on the bike.

    I don't know if that's a typical experience or not; is it?

    Not really a good environment for people starting out. I can totally see how someone could develop some severe complications from going in and blindly trying to keep up with some of these over the top kinds of gym classes.

    this sounds more like the instructor killing you. so i guess spin classes are like guns. spin doesn't kill people. people kill people.
    I agree; a good instructor would stress safety first, and implement moves on a carefully designed ride. We do squats on the bike; upper body/pushup moves, up and downs, etc., but it's not at all a problem. We will be instructed to add more resistance; come people do and some people leave it right where it is. It's your workout, but...if it's too easy and you are too comfortable, you won't get much out of it; gotta suffer a little bit!!!:)

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