Spinning

Closest thing you can get to a "real" cycle. Make sure you set it up correctly - too short in leg length is most common mistake.
If you can't get to a class remember to mix up resistance, seated flat, seated climb, standing climb, jumps etc....

As for the saddle soreness, you will quickly get conditioned to it but best to wear padded cycling shorts (Evans Cycles and Wiggle both have good web sites if you are in the UK). Standing cycling every few minutes helps of course!
If you decide to do it a lot it can be worth investing in clip-in cycling shoes, really helps keep ankles and knees in line.

Spinning is by far my favorite class at the gym! I do it twice a week. It took loads off my thighs. It's done miracles for my arms too (we do press up things on the handlebars), it's worth getting a gel cover for the seat though, otherwise you end up with a sore butt. :laugh:

I just started taking spinning classes and I love them.

However, spinning won't trim down calves. Making any body part smaller, comes through a calorie deficit to lose the fat.. and once you lose the fat, then the only way to get ride of big calves is to let the muscle atrophy.

I just started taking spinning classes and I love them.

However, spinning won't trim down calves. Making any body part smaller, comes through a calorie deficit to lose the fat.. and once you lose the fat, then the only way to get ride of big calves is to let the muscle atrophy.

The best part is its not the fat that worries that I know will go, its the big muscles i have there, I have always had Big calves , was wondering is this would help trim, but I will give it a bash and let it trim the fat

I DEFINITELY went down a jeans size doing spinning, really tones up your thighs with the resistance and things.

If your gym doesn't do classes you can download videos from YouTube which you can watch on an Iphone or the like, this will give you an idea of what you should be doing.

My gym has Virtual spin classes which means I can go in at any time and do a 20,30 or 60 minute class with a trainer or scenery on a big screen.

Make sure the bike is set up correctly as this will help with the sore bum!

The gym I now go to is primarily focused on spinning done on the Real Ryders, rowing on Indo Rowers, TRX, etc. Newer types of equipment that have more real resistance. I LOVE the spinning. It easily burns 400+calories in a 45 minute workout (with 10 being warm-up) if you are being led by an instructor. Definitely tones legs and if you are doing the Real Ryders it does work your core more because it moves and you have to use resistance to stabilize the bike. On those bikes the red knob serves two purposes - it turns to add/subtract resistance from the bike and it also doubles as an emergency stop when you press straight down on it. Make sure you are putting enough resistance on when you use the bikes (Your hips shouldn't be "jumping" out of the saddle when you pedal - that's how our instructors explain it. Each bike is different but it usually takes me a good 3-4 full turns on the resistance to be on what they call a "flat road."). Also, your butt being sore is normal... The padded seats (they have seat covers in addition to pants - I find those are easier, and my gym actually supplies them) help a little, but you will still feel it. It will go away after a few weeks of sticking with it. However, if you do a really long ride (we have 90 minute rides), you might feel a little bit of it again or if you stop for a while and start back you will definitely feel it. It's totally worth it though! GREAT workout!

Its a great workout, your butt only hurts the frist class/week.
Than its not a problem.

Spinning can be a lot of fun - in our classes they play very energetic music very loud - so you get in a zone.
Definately buy padded bike shorts, and eventually your rear end will get used to it

How many calories can you burn in 1h workout? My instructor told me that it's between 600 and 700 calories. Can it be true?