My Thoughts On Spinning

I have been spinning 2-3 times per week for the last year or so I thought it's

about time I shared my opinion of it. For those of you who are unfamiliar with

the concept of spinning - it's basically an instructor led indoor cycling session

that last around 45 minutes.

Let me start off by saying that I think spinning is great - whether you are a

cyclist or not but it does depend on the instructor. I have had around 6 or 7

different instructors and they all offer a slightly different style of training.

Some classes are basically fitness on a bike, some are more focused towards

actual cycling. It's best to try a number of different classes to see which ones

focus on the areas that you want to focus on. Some instructors tend to do the

same routine every week (with some minor variations) whereas others have a set of

workouts, focusing on hill training then endurance etc etc.

For me personally, the best thing about spinning is it's convenience. I have an

office job so in the winter I rarely get the chance to cycle on a weekday,

although I do occasionally commute to work. Because spinning is 45 mins long it

is easy to fit it into my lunch break. Spinning is never going to be as good as

actually getting on your bike and cycling but it is the next best thing if done

on a regular basis. There are some real benefits to spinning...

Hill climbing

Most classes incorporate a simulation of hill climbing - this is great training

although it is slightly easier than climbing on a real bike because you don't

have to balance on the bike (which does take some energy) - the only thing that

moves are the pedals.

Fixed wheel riding

Most spinning bikes are fixed wheel, in the sense that if you stop pedalling the

pedals continue to rotate (until the friction kicks in). Fixed wheel riding is a

great way to improve your pedalling efficiency. I recently got a fixed wheel bike

as a winter trainer and the practice on the spinning bikes really helped me get

my head around the concept. If you are scared of riding a fixed on the road then

spinning is a great substitution.

Active Recovery

Most spinning classes are hard and fast (although, you are in control of the

'gearing' so you can adjust it to meet your abilities). They have minimal

recovery time in between intervals and some instructors even go straight from a

sprint into a hill climb. This feels horrible at the time but it's a great way to

teach your body how to recover on the go.

Speed

The thing about cycling on the road is that you have to pace yourself to some

degree because at the end of the day; the only way to get home is to pedal. With

spinning; if you exhaust yourself, all you have to do is fall off the bike and

crawl to the shower. This means that during the sprint stages (or any stage

really) you can really go for it. Our spinning bikes have time trial style

handlebars which really allows me to simulate a time trial scenario.

Calorie burning

If weight loss is an issue for you, definitely give spinning a go. I generally

burn around 600 calories in 45 minutes. I have burned up to 710 calories in one

45 minute session before. You can't say fairer than that. The great thing about

spinning is that anyone can try it. Our class has a real range of abilities and

body shapes, from cyclists to plump old ladies. The effort is relative to the

individual, so there is no need to be scared about giving it a go - you will get

through it.

Flogging

Let's face it, we all need to be pushed beyond our limits from time to time.

There is nothing like a shouty instructor to get you moving. As I say, this

varies from instructor to instructor but they all have 'ways of motivating you'.

I really think spinning is worth a go. It's a great way to train especially if

you can only spare an hour a day. It's all indoor so the weather is not an issue,

and there is something about mass participation being more interesting than doing

a solitary session on a turbo trainer. Most spinning bikes take SPD cleats so if

you've got a pair of SPD shoes you can even show up looking like a pro ;)