spinning

Sammi11710

has anyone ever tried a yoga or spinning class? I've never done either....but this month I am challenging myself to try new active things (last night I did boxing...still sore ! :P)
Opinions? Are they fun classes? good for fat burning?

gregavila

I love spinning classes, and am just getting back into them. They are a good work out for not only your legs but for your body core as well. With the intensity of the class it may not be the best for fat burning, but with a heart rate monitor you can certainly use them to stay within your fat burning zone.

cardbucfan

Totally addicted to spinning. Best workout to get my heart rate up. I don't have the patience for yoga. Try spinning but search on here before you do your first class for some advice to make it a successful class.

bhurley1424

I just started going to a spinning class; I was addicted the first time I went. It's a great workout!!

MTBRTW

I added spinning to supplement mt bike rides during the week about a month ago, as it gets dark and cold here in N FL. After 8 classes, and even tho I avg riding 200 miles per month, I've been impressed how much 45-50 minutes helps in standing up in saddle and adding long ride endurance. Resistance is flexible and at your discretion, unless you have a controlling instructor, so I was able to ease into just finishing first spin class and coast/challenge therafter, depending upon how I feel that day. I also went for a treadill run twice after spinning and was so well warmed up that I ran some faster miles than I have in past...considering warming up on my bike before future runs instead of walk-light jog-stretches.

RobinLoren

I love spinning class! It is very intensive but you have control over your resistance so you can do more or less at your discretion. My instructor tells us when we should turn up the resistance and how much (like one turn or half turn) but you decide how much to really turn it. I would recommend stretching before and after and don't push yourself too hard. The first class I took I didn't realize how intense it would be and I almost got sick in class. But I just slowed myself down and it helped. After you get used to it, you will know when to push yourself and when to back off a little. Overall, it is a great workout! Although, the first time I took the class I almost couldn't walk after and climbing the stairs felt like a mountain.

KimertRuns13_1

I LOVE spinning!!

knight76306

I love spinning!!!!! Spin is a good fat burning class. As with anything, it's what you make it. What I call a "slack" class (if I'm not feeling well, etc) I burn anywhere between 400 to 450. Normally, it's around 550 to 600. Ease into it. The first few times, I did 30 minutes, then bumped it up to an hour. On days when I'm feeling really good, I'll do 2 hours.

daphnemoon

Just to add a bit of balance

I do spinning class occasionally but I don't like it. I find it soooo boring compared to all the studio classes I do such as combat, attack, balance, step etc. etc. I think my mind likes to be challenged with choreography (perhaps to take my mind off how hard I'm working!??!) and in spinning all I have to think about is the resistance and pace.

However, it does have a lot of benefits - excellent toning for butt and legs (you won't bulk up) and I think it is a really good thing to have as part of your exercise regime. I just couldn't do a lot of it, because I'm not an outdoor rider and there are people in my gym who go to in excess of one class of spinning per day, I don't know how they do it.

But that's the great thing about gym classes - there is something for everyone and you can keep mixing it up so you don't get bored and your body doesn't get used to doing the same thing day in day out. Definitely try it, you will either love it or hate it. Great idea to keep trying new things though, boxing is fab and also do try yoga as well (though see if you can find a Les Mills Body Balance class as for newcomers I think these are much more accesible than a straight yoga class.)

Have fun!!

ItsLessOfMe

I do spin at least 2x per week. Great burn

alyssamiller77

I used to do spin classes and I loved it. Really kicks your butt if you commit yourself to it. There is a certain level of honor system going on as far as setting your resistance according to the instructor's instructions, but if you're true to yourself it's a killer workout. Wish I still had access to a gym that does spinning classes.

Crystals422

I have just tried it recently and really liked it. I burn around 600 calories in a hour class. I think it is a great workout and you can cater it to how fit you are.

chicago_dad

It's awesome. So awesome that I want to get certified as an instructor, and bought a spin bike for home use-- I make better music mixes than most spin instructors, and the music is a big part of the class. Some tips for beginners:

1. The instructor is what makes the class great or terrible. If you have a bad experience with an instructor find another one, don't give up. The BEST instructor in the world is named Jill Brown. She is in LA. Take ALL classes you can with Jill. She makes Jillian from the Biggest Loser seem like the worst trainer on the planet by comparison.

2. Bring bottle(s) of water. You will need it. Also, bring a sweat towel or two.

3. Don't do stuff that hurts too much (in a bad way) while you're doing it. Some instructors aren't very good at directing classes, and make you do stuff your body really shouldn't do in the interest of keeping it interesting.

4. Good form and properly adjusting the bike to fit you is extremely important. Ask for help if you don't know how to set up your bike. Ask about whether you are supposed to be doing something w/ your arms. The biggest mistake people make is forgetting to RELAX their shoulders and elbows. Your elbows should be BENT. Don't tense up your neck and shoulders.

5. Think about investing in a quality pair of bike shorts (with the padding), some clipless bike shoes (confirm the pedal type with the instructor-- it's usually SPD or some variation of this, but check before buying), some proper bike socks to go with those shoes, a comfortable top, and you might want to get some chamoise butter for the sore inner thighs. David Zabriski (a famous pro cyclist) makes a product called, "DZ Nuts" (horrible name-- get it?), that is AWESOME for reducing what is often referred to as "saddle soarness" -- it's the best, but a little pricey at about $15 a bottle. Other use body glide, which is good, but not as good as DZ Nuts imho.

Friend me and ask more questions-- I love spinning!
:-)

RBXChas

It's awesome. So awesome that I want to get certified as an instructor, and bought a spin bike for home use-- I make better music mixes than most spin instructors, and the music is a big part of the class. Some tips for beginners:

1. The instructor is what makes the class great or terrible. If you have a bad experience with an instructor find another one, don't give up. The BEST instructor in the world is named Jill Brown. She is in LA. Take ALL classes you can with Jill. She makes Jillian from the Biggest Loser seem like the worst trainer on the planet by comparison.

2. Bring bottle(s) of water. You will need it. Also, bring a sweat towel or two.

3. Don't do stuff that hurts too much (in a bad way) while you're doing it. Some instructors aren't very good at directing classes, and make you do stuff your body really shouldn't do in the interest of keeping it interesting.

4. Good form and properly adjusting the bike to fit you is extremely important. Ask for help if you don't know how to set up your bike. Ask about whether you are supposed to be doing something w/ your arms. The biggest mistake people make is forgetting to RELAX their shoulders and elbows. Your elbows should be BENT. Don't tense up your neck and shoulders.

5. Think about investing in a quality pair of bike shorts (with the padding), some clipless bike shoes (confirm the pedal type with the instructor-- it's usually SPD or some variation of this, but check before buying), some proper bike socks to go with those shoes, a comfortable top, and you might want to get some chamoise butter for the sore inner thighs. David Zabriski (a famous pro cyclist) makes a product called, "DZ Nuts" (horrible name-- get it?), that is AWESOME for reducing what is often referred to as "saddle soarness" -- it's the best, but a little pricey at about $15 a bottle. Other use body glide, which is good, but not as good as DZ Nuts imho.

Friend me and ask more questions-- I love spinning!
:-)

^^^This, this, THISETY-THIS!!!

I am in LOVE with Spinning! (Spinning is actually a trademark, hence the capital S... For a class to be a Spinning class, the instructor has to be certified, and the location must be a licensed Spinning facility - quality control )

I also seriously second the thing about the instructor. I work out at Charleston RIDE, which is a new Spinning studio by me. A bunch of instructors worked at the same gym, which decided not to renew its Spinning certification, so they went out on their own. One of the owners is a Master Instructor and recently went to Holland to teach European instructors - apparently she's quite the celebrity in the Spinning world! Anyway, I've definitely had some instructors who were better than others, but it's a personal preference. They're all great in their own way.

As far as padded bike shorts, I looked into it because I was MAJORLY sore after my first class and couldn't get off the bike fast enough. It took me about a week to feel normal again! However, those shorts are not cheap... My sister assured me that I would be less sore in subsequent classes, and she was absolutely right. I thus never invested in padded shorts, and I've been going 1-2x/week (last week I went 4x!) for the past 2 months with no more soreness. I overheard the instructor last week telling somebody it usually takes 3-4 classes before the soreness goes away. It may be different for guys vs. girls, but I am glad I never made the investment.

As for the shoes, they can be very pricey unless you find an incredible sale (which is rare), so I'd wait on that investment until you are sure Spinning is really for you. And yes, check with the instructor to make sure you're purchasing shoes that are compatible with the cleats (clips) you need for your bike. Usually bike shoes don't come with the cleats, which run about $15-$20, so that's why I recommend not yet investing in the shoes until you're sure. The cheapest shoes retail for about $90 and can run upwards of $200 (and you can spend a lot more than that if you go after crazy expensive cycling shoes), so add the price of cleats on top of that, and your wallet is a lot lighter. :frown:

Anyhow, be prepared to seriously sweat and work hard! Spinning is a very loving community, and they want you to have a safe workout above all else, so don't be afraid to tell them you're new. Any instructor worth their salt will make sure you are set up properly on the bike and will give you initial pointers about form, and they will check with you either during or after class (or both). Come early your first day so that you can get 5-10 minutes of more or less uninterrupted time being properly set up.

I was running 5-6 days/week (I did C25K) and was losing about 5-7lbs/month, and I credit Spinning for kicking that back up to 10lbs/month. Certainly there are other workouts that will do this for you, but Spinning's my favorite! I use my HRM and consistently burn between 600 and 800 calories per one-hour class, depending on how hard the workout is and how hard I work, since you have 100% control over how hard you go at all times based on resistance. You'll be amazed at what your body is capable of if you keep it up!