Spining Question

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tinkerbell1310
tinkerbell1310 Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,

I am hoping to join a spining class on Saturday and was wondering if anyone else had done this class adn did they notice any benefit from it?

Thanks
Amanda:smile:

Replies

  • martinh78
    martinh78 Posts: 601
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    Take a towel, you'll sweat loads!

    Great workout for calorie burning and cardiovascular fitness. Don't worry if you have to back-off (sit down or reduce the resistance for example), just get back into it as soon as you can.

    I'm pretty fit and cycled for years but I can't do a full on spinning session for an hour without having to drop back a few times!
  • susannahsutton1
    susannahsutton1 Posts: 372
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    Spinning is my indoor exercise of choice and some people have said will it make you bulky blah blah...

    ...to which I say have you ever seen a bulky spinning instructor? I haven't!

    It burns calories really hard and fast, and because it is low impact on your joints, with the exception of a sore bottom from the saddle when you first go, if you are on the heavy side like me, injury worries are low.

    If it is your first time, get there a bit early, introduce yourself to the instructor and get them to help you set the bike up for you, so your handlebars and seat position etc are right. Also ask them what will happen in the class, so that you know how to follow their instructions. Different instructors do it in different ways.

    If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. According to my HRM, I burned about 450 calories from a 30 minute class yesterday.
  • susannahsutton1
    susannahsutton1 Posts: 372
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    PS TAKE A BOTTLE OF WATER WITH YOU AND KEEP IT WITHIN REACH!!
  • FrankenBeanz
    FrankenBeanz Posts: 176 Member
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    I second everything Susannah said - I did my first class this monday after asking for support on here and I got loads.

    It was a great class, I too burned about 450cal in half hour, and sweat was literally dripping off my nose. Its a great work out and no major aches besides my bum :)

    Good luck, and I hpoe you enjoy it!
  • Kenyamtoto
    Kenyamtoto Posts: 6
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    I went to my first spin class in August - I was really nervous as I have bad knees, but it was SO addictive. Within three sessions you can see such a difference to your fitness. If you need to sit down during the first three classes or so thats fine and the instructors will support that too - but its so much fun Id really recommend it. It feels so good to really sweat too you feel like the weight is dropping off even if it is all in the mind it puts you in a better frame of mind!! x
    Good luck!
  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
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    Your bum is going to hurt. Power through!!
  • susannahsutton1
    susannahsutton1 Posts: 372
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    If you like it, it is worth buying padded cycling shorts. I won't do more than a 30 minute class without padded shorts and one would think my backside has enough of its own padding already!!
  • Erica_theRedhead
    Erica_theRedhead Posts: 724 Member
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    Bring water, a towel, and wear light/as little amount of clothing that you feel comfortable in. Also, the instructor is going to keep telling you to add resistance, and stay off the seat. If it's your first time, don't push yourself too far too quickly. Maybe turn the resistance dial every other time to start just to gauge how you feel. You'll feel amazing 5 minutes in, but if you go too strong you won't be able to to do anything 30 minutes in. Best of luck, it's one of my favorite things!
  • RhondaRho
    RhondaRho Posts: 24
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    A good friend lost 66 lbs by tweaking her diet just a little and spinning. She has stayed at her normal weight for +6 years, spinning twice a week now. Many docs say it's the one of the best ways to lose weight, get cardio up and save your knees. But . . . and I don't want to discourage you, but, I tried doing it too soon at the beginning of last year when was horrifically out of shape, ended up in bed for four days and it killed my motivation. I bought a FitDesk for home in Dec so I can go at my own pace and build my stamia. My aim is to go back to the gym/spinning classes in mid-Feb. Good luck. Friend me?
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    Cycling is my favorite forms of exercise - Spinning being the second.

    As others have said, have water & a towel. Another thing is if you go on a regular basis you should invest in a good pair of biking shorts w/chamois (padding) in them.

    The only problem with Spinning is you can "cheat" by not adjusting the tension knob when the instructor tells you. So it's up to you to push yourself and try to keep up as best you can. If you cheat the class, you're cheating yourself and you obviously won't benefit as much from it.
  • tinkerbell1310
    tinkerbell1310 Posts: 3
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    Thanks for everyone's advice. x
  • susannahsutton1
    susannahsutton1 Posts: 372
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    Did you go? Did you enjoy it?
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
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    Some stellar advice in this thread - if you did go, I hope you enjoyed it!

    I've started spinning again after a little break (my favourite instructor has taken a new class - honestly, anyone who plays 'Painkiller' by Noize Suppressors and 'Run With The Wolves' by the Prodigy in the same session is a goddess to me) and I really missed it - it works your legs and bum like nothing else.

    Things I swear by - a towel draped over the handlebars for when you're sweating your insides out all over the place (in my classes, your face is over the handlebars a lot and dripping sweat, so it's handy), lots of water, and a goooood long stretch afterwards. I didn't stretch properly on Saturday, and my hamstrings are throbbing today!

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