Jonathan M
New Member
- Location
- Merseyside
Another vote for gym membership here!
Joined the locall JJB in May, £32.50/month on an NHS corporate membership, and since then have lost over stone in weight, endurance and general cycling strength have increased, this is on a current routine of:
1) Monday spin class of an hour
2) Wednesday spin class or gym warm up, then a routine devised by one of the instructors to look at leg strength, upper body toning, and core stability
3) Saturday long road ride up to 4ish hours.
Every fourth week then a rest week is thrown in, I don't stop completely but intensity is less, and the ride at the weekend would only be a couple of hours.
If weather is truly lousy (like it was in the summer) then saturday's ride will be replaced by a combined spin for an hour,plus the gym routine, giving a couple of hours of mixed exercise.
Somethings that I've observed about spin class, though.
A good spin class isn't about leg speed, it will be based on resistance, and an instructor will not advocate periods of mega fast cadences. Lots of classes will literally be "spinning", and having done the odd session or two with instructors who follow this method, it bears no use to a cyclist IMHO. A good spin class is similar to a well structured turbo routine, for me it has the advantages of having an instructor shouting at me (! only kidding) plus there are nubile lycra clad females all around - spin doesn't seem to be a male "thing".
Personally I don't intend using the gym to bulk up, rather to ensure enough of a mix to enhance the cycling I do - and I have found the core stability exercises have made a great difference to lower back pain which I used to encounter a lot on rides of more than a couple of hours (under when on the mountain bike).
Joined the locall JJB in May, £32.50/month on an NHS corporate membership, and since then have lost over stone in weight, endurance and general cycling strength have increased, this is on a current routine of:
1) Monday spin class of an hour
2) Wednesday spin class or gym warm up, then a routine devised by one of the instructors to look at leg strength, upper body toning, and core stability
3) Saturday long road ride up to 4ish hours.
Every fourth week then a rest week is thrown in, I don't stop completely but intensity is less, and the ride at the weekend would only be a couple of hours.
If weather is truly lousy (like it was in the summer) then saturday's ride will be replaced by a combined spin for an hour,plus the gym routine, giving a couple of hours of mixed exercise.
Somethings that I've observed about spin class, though.
A good spin class isn't about leg speed, it will be based on resistance, and an instructor will not advocate periods of mega fast cadences. Lots of classes will literally be "spinning", and having done the odd session or two with instructors who follow this method, it bears no use to a cyclist IMHO. A good spin class is similar to a well structured turbo routine, for me it has the advantages of having an instructor shouting at me (! only kidding) plus there are nubile lycra clad females all around - spin doesn't seem to be a male "thing".
Personally I don't intend using the gym to bulk up, rather to ensure enough of a mix to enhance the cycling I do - and I have found the core stability exercises have made a great difference to lower back pain which I used to encounter a lot on rides of more than a couple of hours (under when on the mountain bike).
