Spinning: standing v sitting
jennjensp25
Posts: 29 Member
Hi. Thanks for reading my post. I've started spin class at 3 classes per week. 1 x 30 min and 2 x 45 min sessions. I'm very overweight and started to lose weight steadily at 1kg (2.2lbs)per week (at least it's going down and not up). I'm not able to do the stand up part during the class still after 4 weeks. It's like my knees (Not joints but muscles) buckle from under me almost like jelly. When the class does the stand up parts I up my resistance to almost the point I'm crawling put tolerable. My question is how long do you think it will take till I can do the stand up part and also am I burning calories and gaining results to the extent of the others who stand? My gear fit says I burn between 400 and 600 calories per session depending on length of class.
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Replies
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A good spin instructor will always be willing to chat with you and take the time to be sure you are properly set up on the bike.
If you have been properly set up, it sounds like you are making good progress.
Listen to your body- it will tell you when you are ready for ‘out of the saddle’ work.
Try Short intervals of standing as you get stronger- never compromise form.
Form first, then proper resistance, then speed.
Check in with your instructor- they are probably happy to help!6 -
I agree with the above comment that you should be able to talk to the instructor, but most importantly you are doing everything right, losing weight and exercising. When you get lighter and stronger it will be easier. I read somewhere that "kilogram in body weight is multiplied 2 or 3 times at the knee" so be careful, don't stand if it doesn't feel right, you'll need a bit of patience, but it will happen. You are already getting a great workout, 400-600 calories per session sounds right, I spin and my Polar heart rate monitor gives me similar results. Keep it up!2
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First comment has some great tips!
I'm roughly 220 and just started spin this last month. I've found that I get that buckling feeling if my resistance is too low when I'm standing up. It's like my legs spin out from under me. Don't up it as high as you mention but definitely give it some tension that you can "hold on to". Move your arms to a different position, too. I've noticed that when my hands are on the horizontal part of the handles, I feel much steadier.
And get spin shoes. They're well worth the investment if you're going to continue to go to spin.2 -
Hi guys thank you for the replies. All 3 spin instructors are great and say go at my own pace and do what I can. And even if I try to stand for a few seconds is an achievement. I have enough resistance to stand for example before spin class starts I can stand and cycle not a problem but when the class has started and your in mid flow my knees are like "hey you sit your ads back down " I really enjoy the spin although I often think to my self why am I here lol 5 mins into it. I am 5ft 5 and weigh 108kg (17 stone and carry it well as I don't look that heavy and in a size 16 but my knees obviously don't bare it well while in class and spinning. Is there any other exercises I could do to strengthen these knee muscles? I do my 10,000 steps a day minimum 6 out of 7 days as well as the 3 spin classes and aquamax areobics once a week for an hour. Any ideas would be welcome and again thank you for the comments and praise on my work.3
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I agree with what u said in the OP that the "jelly" feeling is likely muscle fatigue. It sounds like you are doing great and just need to give yourself more time (as much as it takes) to build up the strength to be able to do more of the out of the saddle work. If you are too tired to stand, you are doing the right thing by sitting back down. You get a better and safer workout by sitting with proper form than u would if you were to stand up but lean forward and let your arms bear more of the weight (this actually puts your knees in a bad position and increase chances of knee injury).
I spin 3 x per week and have spin shoes. They give you a completely different ride, which was actually a little harder for me at first. The first time I wore them, my hamstrings felt the workout a lot more than usually because the weight was a lot more evenly distributed between front and back of the lower body. For me, I felt it was a lot easier to load the quads (women have much stronger quads than hamstrings typically) when I was spinning in regular shoes and the spin shoes did help even that out. Once u get to the point of being able to stand more (and you will get there if you like the class and stick with it), you may consider spin shoes.2 -
Do some stability exercises for your core every day. It can help with form and your body "holding itself up" in difficult postures.2
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Other than continuing to build up strength by trying to stand a few seconds longer each class:
Work on core strength, we use our lower back and abdominals to hold us in place while seated and standing, if you notice your hands & wrists are sore or start feeling numb, you are putting too much pressure on your arms.
In terms of leg strength if you can squat that will help, otherwise you can always do leg press, also try working in leg curl (works hamstrings) & leg extension (works quads) both will help with extending your out of saddle time.
The most important thing is to listen to your body and don't overdo it to the point of injuring yourself. With time you will improve, but only if you stay healthy enough to keep going.0 -
I spin 3 x per week and have spin shoes. They give you a completely different ride, which was actually a little harder for me at first. The first time I wore them, my hamstrings felt the workout a lot more than usually because the weight was a lot more evenly distributed between front and back of the lower body. For me, I felt it was a lot easier to load the quads (women have much stronger quads than hamstrings typically) when I was spinning in regular shoes and the spin shoes did help even that out. Once u get to the point of being able to stand more (and you will get there if you like the class and stick with it), you may consider spin shoes.
My issue was the my FEET were killing me. I only lasted two classes without spin shoes because my feet hurt so badly. The added support from the shoe helped me shift a lot of the pressure/weight from hips and knees to feet and core, if that makes sense. I was very, VERY tense cycling the first two classes.
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I will reply to your comments very soon sorry at work at mo. I did just write a reply but for some reason it only posted last 2 lines??2
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"Crawling" is just a low cadence/RPM (your legs aren't spinning as fast). That totally doesn't mean you aren't producing mega watts, or burning major calories (sometimes my calorie/watt output has been highest while standing).
I cycle a lot outside and there are probably better people to educate you about the differences standing/sitting, but for me, standing is something I do when:
1) I'm trying to maintain an effort level, for a short period of time, which my legs are simply too tired to finish seated.
2) I've been riding long indoors and I need to break it up.
3) Riding indoors for a long time, with a low cadence, and again --the legs just want a break.
4) Riding outside and the legs need a break.
Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
*climbs have a lower RPM, usually 60-75/80 RPM1 -
jennjensp25 wrote: »Hi. Thanks for reading my post. I've started spin class at 3 classes per week. 1 x 30 min and 2 x 45 min sessions. I'm very overweight and started to lose weight steadily at 1kg (2.2lbs)per week (at least it's going down and not up). I'm not able to do the stand up part during the class still after 4 weeks. It's like my knees (Not joints but muscles) buckle from under me almost like jelly. When the class does the stand up parts I up my resistance to almost the point I'm crawling put tolerable. My question is how long do you think it will take till I can do the stand up part and also am I burning calories and gaining results to the extent of the others who stand? My gear fit says I burn between 400 and 600 calories per session depending on length of class.
Impossible to say how long it will take...wouldn't worry about that. Do what you can do and keep building on your fitness. Fitness can take quite some time to develop...it's definitely not an overnight thing. I was doing spin for months before I could fully keep up with the class...and I was in pretty good shape already when I started cycling/spin...just a different kind of shape because I mostly ran before I discovered cycling.1 -
Right I'll start again. Thank you greatly for your replies and kind words they encourage me more. My feet did use to go numb but new trainers better fit and seems to be ok. My left hand goes sore but use my mountain bike gel padded gloves and seems to help slightly but OMG between my legs is another feeling of numbness0
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Goatg and cwolfman thank you for replying. I totally understand what your saying in regards to the low rpm. I appreciate the info provided and thanks cwolfman it's good to know it's not just me that takes a while, I'll keep going 1 cause I enjoy it and 2 I'm determined to not let this get in the way of getting fit!1
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Right I'll start again. Thank you greatly for your replies and kind words they encourage me more. My feet did use to go numb but new trainers better fit and seems to be ok. My left hand goes sore but use my mountain bike gel padded gloves and seems to help slightly but OMG between my legs is another feeling of numbness0 -
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Hi all can you see my reply its quite long?? On my end its only showing half of it and posted one line from it!0
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jennjensp25 wrote: »Hi all can you see my reply its quite long?? On my end its only showing half of it and posted one line from it!
Are you posting from your phone? If you use an emoji the text will cut off at that point - I learned that the hard way!
I really want to commend you for your determination to work your way through the difficulties of taking up a new activity! So many people go a few sessions, decide it's too hard if they can't do all the moves and drop it. You sound like you've got what it takes to achieve your goals - keep on keepin' on
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The other part of this is standing on a bike is not something that everyone naturally does. Pedaling while standing is a technique that has to be learned, and not everyone can do it. Even some pro cyclists prefer to stay in the saddle almost all the time.2
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Mph323 thank you I learned something new haha there was in fact an imoji lol I will remember in future and thank you so much for your kind words. I will be attending my 12th class (4 weeks in)tomorrow 45 min session. I survived last night's and did 30 seconds standing before the class started. Like wtf haha but managed 5 seconds during class, its weird.
I really appreciate all the feedback, its made me feel more confident about what I'm doing and I realise it will come in time. My only downside I have is the day after spinning I feel so fatigued just as if I have just woken up, you know tired and lethargic? Anybody any ideas for energy boost? I'm on b complex with b12 and garcinia complex, it was helping but not over the last week.1 -
Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
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YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
Why the emphasis on increasing heart rate as opposed to power (watts)? Which is to say, if they can achieve the target amount of watts while seated then what's the point in standing in your second point?1 -
YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
Why the emphasis on increasing heart rate as opposed to power (watts)? Which is to say, if they can achieve the target amount of watts while seated then what's the point in standing in your second point?
Because we're trying to lose fat. Idk, isn't it all just means to the same end?0 -
YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
Why the emphasis on increasing heart rate as opposed to power (watts)? Which is to say, if they can achieve the target amount of watts while seated then what's the point in standing in your second point?
Because we're trying to lose fat. Idk, isn't it all just means to the same end?
You lose fat through a calorie deficit - I know you know this. If you're putting out the same amount of watts seated as you are standing then you're creating the same calorie deficit. So yes, it is potentially a means to the same end (assuming people are putting out an equal number of watts). That's why I asked about the second point to begin with.
Shifting your weight in various ways to improve comfort is logical enough, but the effort thing, less so if there's a prescribed number of watts you want someone at and they can get there seated or standing.1 -
YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
Why the emphasis on increasing heart rate as opposed to power (watts)? Which is to say, if they can achieve the target amount of watts while seated then what's the point in standing in your second point?
Because we're trying to lose fat. Idk, isn't it all just means to the same end?
You lose fat through a calorie deficit - I know you know this. If you're putting out the same amount of watts seated as you are standing then you're creating the same calorie deficit. So yes, it is potentially a means to the same end (assuming people are putting out an equal number of watts). That's why I asked about the second point to begin with.
Shifting your weight in various ways to improve comfort is logical enough, but the effort thing, less so if there's a prescribed number of watts you want someone at and they can get there seated or standing.
Let me rephrase.
An increased heart rate means you're putting in more effort, ergo burning more wattage. You can focus on one or the other but isn't the end result the same?
I just started spinning and I couldn't give a hoot about wattage but I know that if I get my heart rate up high enough for long enough, I get pizza after class.4 -
I almost always hit my highest power output while seated. Almost never while standing. That's based on riding 3 to 5 thousand miles per year, with a pedals-based power meter.
Like anyone else, I can put a lot more torque into the pedals from a standing position, but my cadence falls more than enough to compensate. Peak power is usually achieved seated and spinning at very high cadence.0 -
YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
Why the emphasis on increasing heart rate as opposed to power (watts)? Which is to say, if they can achieve the target amount of watts while seated then what's the point in standing in your second point?
Because we're trying to lose fat. Idk, isn't it all just means to the same end?
You lose fat through a calorie deficit - I know you know this. If you're putting out the same amount of watts seated as you are standing then you're creating the same calorie deficit. So yes, it is potentially a means to the same end (assuming people are putting out an equal number of watts). That's why I asked about the second point to begin with.
Shifting your weight in various ways to improve comfort is logical enough, but the effort thing, less so if there's a prescribed number of watts you want someone at and they can get there seated or standing.
Let me rephrase.
An increased heart rate means you're putting in more effort, ergo burning more wattage. You can focus on one or the other but isn't the end result the same?
I just started spinning and I couldn't give a hoot about wattage but I know that if I get my heart rate up high enough for long enough, I get pizza after class.
Except even that's not always true. If I look at a workout I did earlier this month, my average heart rate was higher multiple times at 243 watts than it was at 220 watts. Never mind the general upward trend of the last interval of that workout despite it being the exact same as the previous four.
My point is, HR is not as reliable in cycling as watts. If you're able to know how many watts you're cycling at (which with a spin bike I'd assume you're able to but that would depend on the bike I suppose) then why aim for a HR percentage?2 -
YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
Why the emphasis on increasing heart rate as opposed to power (watts)? Which is to say, if they can achieve the target amount of watts while seated then what's the point in standing in your second point?
Because we're trying to lose fat. Idk, isn't it all just means to the same end?
You lose fat through a calorie deficit - I know you know this. If you're putting out the same amount of watts seated as you are standing then you're creating the same calorie deficit. So yes, it is potentially a means to the same end (assuming people are putting out an equal number of watts). That's why I asked about the second point to begin with.
Shifting your weight in various ways to improve comfort is logical enough, but the effort thing, less so if there's a prescribed number of watts you want someone at and they can get there seated or standing.
Let me rephrase.
An increased heart rate means you're putting in more effort, ergo burning more wattage. You can focus on one or the other but isn't the end result the same?
When you go to the gym do you use your heart rate or the numbers on the plates to know what to put on the bar?1 -
All right, all right, I obviously don't know what I'm talking about.
Like I said, the extent of my knowledge about it is that spin = pizza.3 -
I spin three times a week, for about an hour each time, and have been doing so for 7 years now. Standing is lovely but it's not a must.0
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YosemiteSlamAK wrote: »Honestly, I never understood why 45 min spin classes make you stand up. But you can achieve some pretty high effort levels that you might not achieve seated (even if it's just the average for a "long," 6-12minute, climb*)
The two main reasons I have students stand up is
1) saddle relief, those seats can take a toll
2) increase heart rate, our heart rate will increase with increased effort & standing raises it quite rapidly in most.
Why the emphasis on increasing heart rate as opposed to power (watts)? Which is to say, if they can achieve the target amount of watts while seated then what's the point in standing in your second point?
Because we're trying to lose fat. Idk, isn't it all just means to the same end?
You lose fat through a calorie deficit - I know you know this. If you're putting out the same amount of watts seated as you are standing then you're creating the same calorie deficit. So yes, it is potentially a means to the same end (assuming people are putting out an equal number of watts). That's why I asked about the second point to begin with.
Shifting your weight in various ways to improve comfort is logical enough, but the effort thing, less so if there's a prescribed number of watts you want someone at and they can get there seated or standing.
I will say, for the same number of watts seated vs. standing, the perceived level of exertion is definitely lower standing (although seated is more sustainable).0
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