Any spin lovers here?

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Anon2018
Anon2018 Posts: 139 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys -

I go on and off with spin for exercise a lot, but it's absolutely my favorite form of cardio. Back when I was in my early 20's I used to take spin class a few times a week and always found it effective at helping me lose a pound or two.

I've recently gained quite a bit of weight for me (about 15 pounds) and am looking to lose it and I just joined a spin gym. I've gone about 5 times now in the past couple weeks and started tracking my cals I'm looking forward to seeing some results. Personally, I can't run for an hour (or even a half hour!) at a rate that'll burn anywhere near as many calories. And I've tried! I trained for a half marathon a year ago and running never clicked for me. I love to swim, but it's not always feasible, but spin I can absolutely get my *kitten* out of bed for :)

Anyone else love to spin and use it as a tool to help weight loss?

Replies

  • cyndit1
    cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
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    I too love to spin and use it as my cross training for my running. I usually take 2 half hour and 1 hour class a week and also find it exciting and an excellent workout.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    I'm spinning three times a week for about 5 years now.
  • need2belean
    need2belean Posts: 356 Member
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    That's funny. I have tried to enjoying biking but it is just not for me. I'd rather weight lift, or stairmaster, or run, or swim for an hour before cycling. It's boring to me. I wish I liked it. I'm doing another triathlon this weekend but I loathe the bike portion every time.
  • ncsubeachgirl
    ncsubeachgirl Posts: 97 Member
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    Me! It's great!
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
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    Love it! I do 2-3 classes a week.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
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    I take a spin class at the Ymca once a week and I actually hate it. It's torture, but it's such a good calorie burner I keep going back!
  • mizmilner
    mizmilner Posts: 17 Member
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    I take a spin class every morning and I LOVE it! I always leave covered in sweat and smiling!!
  • DananaNanas
    DananaNanas Posts: 665 Member
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    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    I take a spin class at the Ymca once a week and I actually hate it. It's torture, but it's such a good calorie burner I keep going back!

    Same lol, I go to my Y for it too! It hurts my feet :/

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    I spin around the city.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    Lover of both Spin and Marty. You gotta be of a certain age to get it. ;-)
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I have become a recent convert to spinning. Previously, my opinion was that spinning certainly generated lots of sweat, but I was not building the cycling base I was after. So instead of going to a spin studio, I used my road bike and Cycleops trainer at home and followed a Trainerroad base building program while riding indoors. This approach prepared me nicely for early season triathlons.

    This winter, a new studio opened that featured Stages spin bikes with power meters. The studio offers classes of either 50 or 75 minutes long and they all follow the same format. After a warm up, the instructor leads cyclists through exercises to set up individual Threshold Levels for the ride, then participants do intervals at differing levels below, at, ,or above threshold. The bikes power meters can pair via bluetooth with your Garmin or Polar device, and each person's WATTS, RPM"s and speed data is displayed on a bike computer as well as on a big screen behind the instructor. It is very motivating (and competitive) to see all this data on the big screen. Upon finishing the class, an email is sent automatically to each user. It contains a record of the ride: Watts, cadence, calories, etc, and how this ride compared to your previous sessions. That way, you can track improvements in your cycling.

    My tri coach inputs this data into my training file. We are now using the Spin Class as my cycling "speed workout" each week. That allows me to do my lower intensity rides outdoors in summer, or while watching Netflix on my trainer at home.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,759 Member
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    I spin twice a week, and have for around 10 years (even while obese), as cross-training for rowing (my real sport).

    I can get a similar calorie burn per X time period on the water, or a better one on the rowing machine, but I'm a weak character and have trouble pushing myself hard enough often enough on the rowing machine, so spin is particularly important to me in Winter (river's frozen ;) ).

    At my age (61) it's better for my body if I mix things up rather than doing the same thing every day, so spin is a great addition - about the only way other than rowing to get the sustained higher heart rates I'm looking for, since running is out on account of bad knees.

    Love my spin classes - good sweat, good heart rates!

    (I've been pretty active for a long time, so weight loss for me was nearly 100% about eating changes. I don't turn down the extra calories that being active buys me, though! ;) ).
  • canarysal
    canarysal Posts: 118 Member
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    2 x 45 minute spins per week for me, used to be 3 but they changed the timetable. Mostly love it, have odd session when wish I was somewhere else! Hate static bike in the gym, need someone shouting at me. Think its helped my outdoor holiday cycling fitness.

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