Spinning!

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lecounth
lecounth Posts: 42 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I discovered Spinning about eight months ago and I'm addicted! Looking for other Spinning fans out there!!

My gym offers Spinning at 5:45 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays -- it may sound crazy but getting a workout in before the day begins is a great way to start the day!!

This morning's instructor likes to say, "red knob, right turn!". Wednesday's instructor's favorite line is, "smooth, steady, fast!" And they both make comments along the lines, "you didn't get up this early to cheat yourself!!" Very motivating!!!!!!!!!!!! They both have awesome music which doesn't hurt. Last Saturday's class featured a disco ball -- so much fun!


Happy Monday!

Replies

  • KelliB3
    KelliB3 Posts: 39 Member
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    I'm addicted to spin class too! My gym offers classes every day - but the times that work for my schedule are the Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes at 5:30pm. Gives me a great workout after a tough day at work and burns a ton of calories! It's the same instructor on each of those days and she's great so that helps a lot

    I also find that a good workout on a Friday evening gives me extra energy if I'm going out that night :)
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I am really looking forward to the gym membership I will be getting next month. The place I picked out has spinning AND a pool! I used to cycle a great deal years ago, but I've never taken a spin class. I can't wait to start!
  • mistikal13
    mistikal13 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    Fellow spinning fan here! I take it Thurs and Sat mornings. Very good music and great workout =)
  • sazrina
    sazrina Posts: 99 Member
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    I love spinning so much so that I nearly cried yesterday when my gym changed the time due to an open day and I missed my class, I had been looking forward to it all week! I'm not going as much as I'm training for a run but I normally go on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings, I get such a buzz from it and I love the music.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    I cycle quite a bit, but have never taken a spin class. I'm planning on doing some spinning though pretty soon...I'm just waiting for things to die down in the gym from the New Year as all of those classes are full right now.
  • stephanie_adams
    stephanie_adams Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi everyone, I'm trying a Spin class tonight for the first time- yikes! I was just wondering if anyone can tell me how long they go on for? Also, I'm sure I've read somewhere that you burn at least 600 calories per class. However, when I input 60 minutes of Spinning into My Fitness Pal diary it says I'll burn something like 350 calories :-( I'm not sure what to believe! Helpful tips much appreciated :-) x
  • GenoPrice
    GenoPrice Posts: 477 Member
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    Hi everyone, I'm trying a Spin class tonight for the first time- yikes! I was just wondering if anyone can tell me how long they go on for? Also, I'm sure I've read somewhere that you burn at least 600 calories per class. However, when I input 60 minutes of Spinning into My Fitness Pal diary it says I'll burn something like 350 calories :-( I'm not sure what to believe! Helpful tips much appreciated :-) x

    I have been spinning for a few months now and always wear a HRM.

    My burns average anywhere between 600 and 800 for an hour class. I think it depends on the instructor or whether I am tired from a long run the day before.

    I don't rely on MFP calculations for any exercise I do - some are quite close to my HRM yet some are ridiculously under or over.

    Don't forget to take a towel and plenty of water and if you have cycling shorts wear them as your butt will get sore.
  • mlogantra76
    mlogantra76 Posts: 334 Member
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    I love spinning. Unfortunately, most of the classes at my gym are during my work day. Right now, I go to a Saturday morning spin class and a Monday night class.
  • lecounth
    lecounth Posts: 42 Member
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    Our Spinning classes are 60 minutes. I also wear a Heart Rate Monitor and if the class has been challenging, I can burn up to 1000 calories (partly because I weigh more). Give several more tries including going to different instructors. My gym has about 6
    trainers who teach the class but I don't prefer all of their styles and/or music. Once I found someone I liked, I gravitated to their classes which has helped me to stay motivated and actually WANT to go to class!
  • Jersey_GirlSpins
    Jersey_GirlSpins Posts: 330 Member
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    I LOVE spinning...since getting back on track after a break, I've been going almost every day. I know that is too much, so I'm forcing myself to take a break today and I signed up for a free personal training session tomorrow to add some weights to my routine.

    I spin an hour and am thinking of getting a polar HRM to double check the calories burned according to MFP. If you're new to spinning, I recommend telling your instructor before class so he or she can help you adjust your bike-very important. Also, bring a towel and plenty of water. And I also have a padded bike seat and clip on shoes (totally optional, but IMO worth it!)
  • gena7125
    gena7125 Posts: 4
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    Will be spinning this morning at 9:15am. Love my instructor Roni from Philly. She is so motivating. On average burn 600 to 700 calories a class. We have a monitoring system at the gym that clocks our progress. Great tool to let you know if you need to pick it up or slow it down. TV screens in spin room to shows your calories burn and effort you as you are spinning.
  • AEROBICVIC
    AEROBICVIC Posts: 159 Member
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    Hello! I teaching indoor cycling and I'm happy to see the positve comments that you have! People either love it or hate it, no in betweeners. There is a difference between spinning and cycling. I prefer cyling because of the upper body workouts that can be included. I see the sore butt issue mentioned, it does get easier, and less painful the more you cycle. The reason it gets easier is because of a few things that happen. Normally when a person starts cycling classes they do what is natural. Push down on the pedals, like we did when we were kids. As time goes on and they learn to use their legs properly., the more they will receive balance in the leg muscles allowing the pressure of the your body weight to be less on the seat. Picture your feet going around the pedals like the hands of a clock... Between 1:00-5:00 you push down on pedal using quads... between 5-7:00 your calf muscles kick in.... between 7-11:00 you pull up on the pedal using hamstring muscles... then when your foot goes over the top between 11:00-1:00 the glutes kick in. So as you make one full circle, the muscles used in order are quads, calf, hamstring, and then glutes.
    Another way to relieve some of the butt pain is to be out of the saddle more. The better shape you are in, the more you will be able to withstand out of the seat exercises.... so less time sitting. Hope this helps! Happy Cycling!
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    I took Spin twice a week for a year and loved it. I had the craziest colorful padded shorts that I wore at the class!!!!
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    I've been spinning for 6 weeks now and am completely in love. I go Tues and/or Wed nights and Sunday afternoons. I remember going to my first class and watching a guy put towels on the floor all around the bike and wondering what the heck he was doing. It didn't take long to understand! I sweat buckets during the class. I love the music and the instructors motiviating me to turn that red knob and give it my all.

    Does anyone have any input on spinning shoes with clips? I want to get them but I am so scared of them coming unclipped mid-sprint or while I'm standing up. Does this happen? Brand recommendations?
  • jjking54
    jjking54 Posts: 113 Member
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    Does anyone have any input on spinning shoes with clips? I want to get them but I am so scared of them coming unclipped mid-sprint or while I'm standing up. Does this happen? Brand recommendations?

    It's pretty rare, if ever, that you'll come unclipped :) The only way to unclip is to basically twist your foot outward away from the bike. So long as your pedal stroke is normal, you'll be fine.

    I don't do spin classes at the moment, but I do cycle outdoors and the pedal clips/shoes are the same.

    Don't spend a lot on your shoes ... if they're only for spin class. If you're riding outdoors as well as spin class, then a really good pair of shoes would be handy. Basically you want something with a stiff sole and that can accomodate the type of cleat you'll need for your gym's pedals. Ask your instructor about it, and then shop around. Bike Nashbar and Performance are two good, and relatively cheap, online shops.

    Something like these would work : http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_561501_-1___202529 and because they're technically a mountain bike shoe they won't make you walk funny.
  • alathIN
    alathIN Posts: 142 Member
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    Spin class was my "gateway drug" between being overweight and out of shape and now being a triathlete.

    My YMCA has a great spin teacher who is also the head coach of the triathlon group and an experienced cyclist. I started off learning a lot about cycling (that also helped my real-world cycling) and learned a lot about the process of building fitness. He encouraged me to start swimming lessons so I could tri, and I just swam in my first swim meet two weeks ago. So for me spin class was the start of a life-changing process.

    I will say there is some variation in quality between different spin instructors. Some are better than others about designing a workout that translates to real world cycling (not a priority for everyone I realize). Also it seems that some do not understand the concept of intervals and recovery, their idea being just work to collapse rather than allow enough recovery to extend beyond the "collapse" point. Also it is great when you have a spin instructor who is musically-minded and can coordinate the workout with the music.

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