First time Spin/Cycling class

dannatona
dannatona Posts: 101 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm taking my first spin class tonight, any pointers to help me enjoy it more?? Everyone always says how intense it is!
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Replies

  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    The great thing about spin is that you can slow down and take off resistance when you need to. Get there early and talk to the teacher so you can properly set up your bike. Your butt will be sore for a day or sore, but you'll be fine.
  • dannatona
    dannatona Posts: 101 Member
    Thanks for the advice! I didn't even think about getting there early to set up the bike :)
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    wear a pair of spin shorts with padding...I didn't know that and how it hurts...Instructor loaned me a gel pad on the bike but it's so slippery...
  • IllustratedxGirl
    IllustratedxGirl Posts: 240 Member
    You'll get used to the soreness. After about 10 classes my butt finally stopped hurting lol
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I'm taking my first spin class tonight, any pointers to help me enjoy it more?? Everyone always says how intense it is!

    Use padded shorts to protect the culo.
  • logg1e
    logg1e Posts: 1,208 Member
    Funny, I've never noticed any saddle soreness.

    It takes about 90 seconds to set the bike up, but make sure you ask for instructions on how to do this, otherwise it'll be a long, uncomfortable session and you won't get the best results. Make sure you take a good litre of water and a small towel and have them to hand throughout the session.

    Don't cheat yourself, push yourself as much as you can. If you're about to stand up on the pedals you need to set a high resistance otherwise you can do yourself a mischief.

    Have fun, I was burning about 480 calories in 45 minutes when I first started.
  • mariemoomoo
    mariemoomoo Posts: 11
    I've been doing spin for years and the trick is to try and zone out everybody else in the room (except the instructor)! Don;t worry too much about the others, especially in the beginning, and try to concentrate on your own performance. The music helps usually!

    The quality of spin classes are often really down to the quality of the instructor I find, so if you don't like this one, change and you might enjoy it more!

    x
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    I love my spin classes - At first I hated it!

    But the good thing about it, is you just work as hard as YOU can go! Don't worry about the others... If they want to do level 18-20 etc and you want to be on level 12 - You be on level 12

    Besides no one knows what level your on - as there too busy doing there own thing (Well my instructor now gets of his bike & looks as mine) Haaaaaaa

    I stock up on lots of water, and lots of paper towel & wrap it around the handle bars........ : )

    Just have fun I say!!!!!!!!!
  • RyanG2106
    RyanG2106 Posts: 29
    Go at your own pace and see it through, don't try and keep up, that'll come.................
  • Jaminjo2
    Jaminjo2 Posts: 31 Member
    This was all good information. I have been giving it some thought to try a spin class to build stamina.
  • Bella0531
    Bella0531 Posts: 309 Member
    Ditto what everyone else has said.

    Enjoy the music and the ride!

    If you find that you like it, the only thing you should invest in is a pair of cycling shoes with pedal clips -- they are amazing and completely change the ride for the better (no more numb toes)! You'll also use different muscles you never knew you had!

    p.s. bike seats and padded shorts are for wimps! :P
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    You'll get used to the soreness. After about 10 classes my butt finally stopped hurting lol

    maybe....I grew up riding bikes going every where but I was surprised to find out how much I don't like spin class...It's not soreness but rather ...discomfort...but I am a "wimp" like the last poster said. so be it. I am glad you enjoy it. :)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    You'll get used to the soreness. After about 10 classes my butt finally stopped hurting lol

    maybe....I grew up riding bikes going every where but I was surprised to find out how much I don't like spin class...It's not soreness but rather ...discomfort...but I am a "wimp" like the last poster said. so be it. I am glad you enjoy it. :)

    I guess I'm a wimp too. I can spend 4 hours on my carbon saddle on my road bike and be fine, but I must be made of sugar or something because those poorly designed spin bike saddles get me.
  • starznholes
    starznholes Posts: 170 Member
    I love spinning!!! My only tip, drinks lots of water! Especially after your first class.
  • brandyjones1991
    brandyjones1991 Posts: 34 Member
    I've been taking a spin class for about a month now. You should get a bicycle seat cover (they're about $10 at WalMart). This may sound weird, but if I were you I would wear a pad (like you would wear during your period) to the first class or two because the seat does not just hurt your butt. :D But this won't really work for guys, so........
  • DantheMan2517
    DantheMan2517 Posts: 134 Member
    Been doing Spin/RPM for a while now. Was instructor for a short time, but my work schedule was too busy. Thinking back on all the good advice you already got, keys to remember are proper bike fit, drink lots of water, listen to your body, the music is there to enjoy and be able to maintain a pace.

    Hope you get something out of it. Hope your instructor is good (and doesn't get off the bike thinking they gotta check everybody). Raise that HR, girl!
  • dannatona
    dannatona Posts: 101 Member
    Thanks for all the advice everyone! I REALLY enjoyed the class! In fact, I enjoyed it so much I went again the next day and I can't wait till I have time for my next class! Burned 920 calories yesterday! Showed up early to have the instructor help me set up my bike, SO happy I did. I know I would have done that wrong.
  • dannatona
    dannatona Posts: 101 Member
    I've been doing spin for years and the trick is to try and zone out everybody else in the room (except the instructor)! Don;t worry too much about the others, especially in the beginning, and try to concentrate on your own performance. The music helps usually!

    The quality of spin classes are often really down to the quality of the instructor I find, so if you don't like this one, change and you might enjoy it more!

    x

    Totally agree about the class depending on the instructor! When they're pumped up and uplifting, YOU get pumped up and feel like you can push yourself. :)
  • _Schatzi_
    _Schatzi_ Posts: 112 Member
    I just started taking a spin class regularly and it's a great workout. At first I thought I wouldn't like people shouting at me or the pop music, but what makes up for it is that every instructor I've had says at some point during the class, "this is your ride", and you really do have complete control over how hard you are working. The you control the resistance and decide how hard you are going to push yourself. And if you need to take it a step down from the rest of the class, no problem. No one can tell, really. I've even gone on days that I wasn't feeling 100% because I knew that I could just get a bike in the back and just petal. No big deal.

    Plus the best thing- It burns a massive amount of calories. I consistently burn about 940 calories for a 60 minute class / 1060 calories for a 75 minute class.

    I HIGHLY recommend getting some indoor cycling shoes and a gel seat. The shoes make standing much more comfortable (my feet would hurt terribly during the first few classes) and you get a pull up motion for every push down, so you are working hamstrings much more. To get the shoes, you'll need to find a bike store that sells indoor cycling shoes. They will sell you the shoes, the 'cleats' which is a piece of metal that screws into the shoe and clips on to the bike petal- kinda like a ski boot, and they will install it for you. I would also recommend getting the cycling socks so your feet can breath. The shoes, cleats, and 3 pairs of socks were about $160 (the shoes were $99).

    The gel seat, I really couldn't do without. I realized part of the discomfort the first few times was that my bike wasn't set up properly for me (since I just kinda guessed at it). Now I have a proper set up and have gotten used to the gel seat and where to put my seatbones for the most comfort. When I first started, I used the gel seat and a hand towel, my poor bum was so tender, lol.

    And like everyone else says, bring a small towel and about a liter of water.
  • timrpm
    timrpm Posts: 57 Member
    +1 for proper shoes with rigid soles and cleats. Also go at your own pace, if one class is too manic you may be better off going for a class more tailored to beginners.

    Depends partly what you're used to and your level of fitness. If you've cycled regularly recently, you won't need padded shorts on a spin class since the saddles are on the soft side anyway. If not, maybe expect some aching in the butt afterwards as your muscles get used to the new demands on them.

    Some classes don't seem very cycle-focused at all, more like running on a bike, or like a static aerobics class - you can find a whole range of flavours.

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