# What happens at a spinning class?



## Danny (23 Dec 2009)

I was thinking that if the cold and icy weather continues I should consider going to a spinning class. The problem is that I have absolutely no idea what goes on in one. Could anyone enlighten me on the following:

What makes a spinning class a "class" - is there an instructor who takes you through different routines?

Do you just use the standard exercise bikes you see in most gyms or are there special spinning machines?

What do people wear - gym clothes or cycling gear?

Is it fun and worth doing?


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## Aperitif (23 Dec 2009)

You always come top - of course!


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## threebikesmcginty (23 Dec 2009)

I went to one once, thought I'd show 'em how it's done bike-wise.
It was in a dark studio with a sort of rave music thing going on.
Christ it was hard work - thought I was going to pass out at one point. 
At the end of the lesson I didn't know whether to go home or ring for an ambulance to take me to A&E...


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## upsidedown (23 Dec 2009)

A guy at work who is a very good mountain biker does it, and it creases him.


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## furball (23 Dec 2009)

I don't know if the bikes are more sophisticated elsewhere but where I went spinning they were like exercise bikes. They have butterfly type bars so you can do various exercises involving different combinations of hand positions when standing up on the pedals or when sitting on the saddle. The tension can be adjusted from spinning freely to maximum effort just to make the pedals go round. You are exposed to the most god awfull thumping music and an instructor barks out instructions. Having said that, it's strangely addictive. 
I wouldn't go for the serious cyclist clothes, just wear things that are light weight and wicking. Ordinary trainers will do.
Take a small towel with you and keep it on the bike handlebars- you will need it. Also take a bottle of water.
Classes are always busy in the new year but quieten down after the end of January when the new year resolutions have lost their shine.
The good thing about spinning is that you can go at your own pace, but be careful not to overdo it too soon as you can do damage.
Enjoy!


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## HelenD123 (23 Dec 2009)

I did a half hour class once and it was hell! I didn't think I was that unfit but found it hard. You have to cycle at different cadences and with different resistances, sat and stood up. The bit I found the worst was having to spin as fast as I could and still getting shouted at to go faster!


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## sheddy (23 Dec 2009)

Ask the Govt ?


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## lukesdad (23 Dec 2009)

You spin.


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## youngoldbloke (23 Dec 2009)

furball said:


> I don't know if the bikes are more sophisticated elsewhere but where I went spinning they were like exercise bikes. They have butterfly type bars so you can do various exercises involving different combinations of hand positions when standing up on the pedals or when sitting on the saddle. The tension can be adjusted from spinning freely to maximum effort just to make the pedals go round. You are exposed to the most god awfull thumping music and an instructor barks out instructions. Having said that, it's strangely addictive.
> I wouldn't go for the serious cyclist clothes, just wear things that are light weight and wicking. Ordinary trainers will do.
> Take a small towel with you and keep it on the bike handlebars- you will need it. Also take a bottle of water.
> Classes are always busy in the new year but quieten down after the end of January when the new year resolutions have lost their shine.
> ...



- bikes I have used are more sophisticated than standard gym exercise bikes - bigger range of adjustment allowing set up close to road bike. Fixed wheel. Better saddles too, but still too fat! Wear padded cycling shorts. Personally think the music is great, and really helps. ++1 for the towel and plenty of water. Wicking top too, cotton will just get drenched. Useful to wear a HRM to keep a check. The class I use also warms down with series of stretching exercises on the bike. The gym I use also has 3 spinning bikes available for general use, which I use in preference to the awful wide soft saddle ones.


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## MacB (23 Dec 2009)

would it not be easier, and cheaper in the long run, just to buy your own spinning bike and stick it in the garage?


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## youngoldbloke (23 Dec 2009)

No - not the same at all, need the instructor and the group setting to really work hard - anyway a good spinning bike is going to cost £1000+ ....


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## MacB (23 Dec 2009)

youngoldbloke said:


> No - not the same at all, need the instructor and the group setting to really work hard - anyway a good spinning bike is going to cost £1000+ ....



what's a good spinning bike? I'm being serious I don't know anything about kit like that.


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## lukesdad (23 Dec 2009)

MacB said:


> would it not be easier, and cheaper in the long run, just to buy your own spinning bike and stick it in the garage?



Probably.


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## Danny (23 Dec 2009)

MacB said:


> would it not be easier, and cheaper in the long run, just to buy your own spinning bike and stick it in the garage?


As I haven't tried doing it yet I think that would be premature. And if they really cost £1000+ I would have to go to a weekly class for 5 years before I started saving money.

Besides my garage is too full of bikes and assorted junk to fit anything else.


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## Danny (23 Dec 2009)

And thanks for the useful comments everyone - I reckon I'll give it a go in January.


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## Campfire (23 Dec 2009)

I used to go regularly, 2 or 3 times a week. Then I couldn't go as I had an eye op and had to keep any pressure down, then as I got out of it it was harder to get back. I hadn't done much when someone at work was doing a 12 hr spin for charity. I managed to do 2 hours quite reasonably, just to support her.

The thing is that for normal cycling or even really fast cycling, you don't spin so fast. Neither do you push such a high gear that you do when you spin. That's quite damaging to the knees I think. Also spinning the legs whilst being out of the saddle. 

So I decided not to bother doing it again. Being fair skinned, I found that it took about an hour for the redness in my face to fade!


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## I am Spartacus (24 Dec 2009)

From a professional standpoint, I like my classses to be fair in terms of 'work; and fun in that I do 'try' to insist on as correct road bike technique as possible.
The 'work level' is up to the participant.
If you feel intimidated by the instructor to overreach yourself and suffer in a bad way... find yourself another class or take assertive lessons and take him or her to feck off..
personally I dont mind.
However, as a specific route to riding harder and faster in the real world.... it doesnt cut it...only road miles and road training will do that.
It is a great way to base maintenance and trying out new techniques/cadences etc in a safe environment.
My 2nd advanced class was cancelled last night due to non attendance.. why...?
'cos the silly buggers went out on a club run on Sunday and 4 of them went down hard on the road going up a lane when specifically told to stay on main gritted routes.


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## snowy10 (27 Dec 2009)

Another thing to watchout for-is the spinning bikes have a fixed wheel! It is painful if you forget!


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## just4fun (27 Dec 2009)

I have to agree its much cheaper to buy your own equipment (says i with the gym membership) The spinning classes at my gym vary tremendously between instructors.

The basic format is a 5 minute warm up with no resistance 
then a mix of increased resistance,changes in position from standing and sitting, some sort of upper body push ups, sprints and climbs then a warm down there has been music through out and the instructors try to make it fun and varied.

They are knackering and i have to hold back a bit to get through it but im sure as i do more this will change. Also i got a nasty suprise as the bikes were fixed so i could of been injured are trying to coast after a nasty sprint, i wasnt told they were fixed.

if you do go to classes i would give it a try with a few dif instructors as from my limited exp the instructors style and motivational ability make a substantial diferance


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## youngoldbloke (28 Dec 2009)

Given that my spinning class costs around £3.80 a session*, and an equivalent spinning bike would cost between £750 - £1000, I would have to do around 200 sessions to make my own equipment cost effective - at 1 session a week, say 40 weeks per year, thats about 5 years. I would rather spend the money on the road bike!
OK - travel/parking costs not included, gym membership free - as part of 'exercise on prescription' scheme, and age related concessions, and I don't spin 40 weeks, but use the gym some sessions - but can't see how buying equipment would be cheaper, and would miss the groups/instructors motivation. And think of the cost of the music downloads.


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## SoloRider (28 Dec 2009)

MacB said:


> would it not be easier, and cheaper in the long run, just to buy your own spinning bike and stick it in the garage?


I did just that - bought in the summer when no one is after one and paid £80.

Best thing I have bought in a long time, especially with the weather recently.

I don't have motivation problems and find it way more interesting than the turbo/HRM or Powermeter drudgery. Key is to have an MP3 filled with music on random play and then just keep in time! 

Can do an hour easy this way, on the turbo 10 minutes seemed like a lifetime!


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## cheadle hulme (28 Dec 2009)

Getting a 20 year old fittie in front of you at the spinning class - priceless.

For the Tacx i- Magic, theres Mastercard.



(apologies to women, if the spinning class is any good, blokes will stop this kind of behaviour after about 15 mins)


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## SoloRider (28 Dec 2009)

Granted, but that's where 'visualisation' comes in...


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## cyberknight (29 Dec 2009)

Yup you can pick a half decent one up for a couple hundred , before i got back onto the road i had one in the conservatory and used to 1/2 hour 3-4 times a week .

Sold it when times got tough and couldn't see the point when i commuted .


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## Smudgley (30 Dec 2009)

I love spinning. I'm new to cycling as I only started in September (previously hadn't done any form of excercise for many years) and started cycling to get fit for a challenge I'm doing in Sept 2010. My friend (spinning -mad) encouraged me to go along with her, to get myself fitter and to help loose some weight. I now go 3 times per week and I really enjoy it, although it's hard.

One thing I would say is, find a good class, they really vary a lot as do the instructors, I went once & had my seat set too high, so with every turn of my legs I was stretching my calf muscles, hurt like hell for a few days. I found a class 2 min walk from my house and was keen to go, but the instructor there was awful and no guidance as to when to increase resistance, it was mainly spin as fast as you can for as long as you can, very boring, but I have found a couple of excellent classes, and I love going now, I try to go 3 times per week when I can and in just a few weeks it has certinly helped me get fitter, feel better & loose some weight too.


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## jimboalee (31 Dec 2009)

They don't allow you to grind.....


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## davidg (6 Jan 2010)

I did my first spin class today...was okay. looks like it has clip ins for mountain bike cleats...I was wondering wheather it is worth getting shoes for htis and does anyone have a recommendation? Is it better training?

Am looking to do it once as week as my "short session" for winter..long session will be on proper bike with proper race cleats etc


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## Gooner25 (7 Jan 2010)

Hi,

I try to go spinning at least once a week. It's a hard workout, although you only work as hard as you can. The bikes are slightly different to the normal exercise bikes and have a better set up. The sessions I normally go to last between 30 - 45 mins and the type of music depends on the instructor. There are different sessions that can be done. I normally wear my cycling shorts and a t-shirt with trainers, although I know that some spinning bikes have double sided pedals whish are flat with toe clips on one side and mtb type cleats on the other. There is a lot of information on spinng classes in the latest Cycling Plus magazine or Cycling Active.
Hope this all helps?


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## Ranger (8 Jan 2010)

What happens at a spinning class? 

For me it is usually spent trying to find my 'happy place' where I can detach my brain from the pain my body is suffering


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## Crankarm (9 Jan 2010)

The thought of sitting on some cumbersome exercise bike that loads of others have sweated over doesn't appeal to me. I prefer one my road bikes mounted on my turbo trainer, connected up to my cycling computer, doing my own regime for 30, 45 or 60 mins and listening to the wireless not some awful noise pollution, then afterwards, down loading the data and analysing my performance.


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