(WFN) I had just joined a gym for the first time ever and I was a little apprehensive about what to do and how to work my way around the facility when I ran into one of the staff near (believe it or not) the water cooler. She was a petite blonde with a winning smile and a body that looked from up close to be as hard as a diamond.I explained to her that I hadn’t been in a gym since college and that I was unfamiliar with some of the machines (I hadn’t gone through my session orientation yet) and feeling a bit intimidated.
After showing me around the club a bit she suggested I come to her Spinning class. “Isn’t that what Gandhi used to do with string?” was my witty retort. Spinning, as I was to learn, is a special high-intensity group activity done on a stationary bicycle. Frankly, it didn’t sound exactly like what I was going for but this instructor definitely had a winning way about her and I agreed to come to the class that evening. And so it was that my life was about to change!
I’ve enjoyed bicycling in the past and I figured that Spinning would be a nice casual, energetic way to warm up before my “real” workout. Man-oh-man, was I in for a surprise. If you want to challenge yourself, get the heart pumping, lose weight and get fit while having a ton of fun then you’ve got to get yourself into a Spin class and get yourself pumping! Bring plenty of water because you’re really going to sweat!
Since sometime in the 1980′s, Spinning has become a popular way to get fit and stay fit for men and women in fitness clubs and health spas around the country. First thing you find out is that the Spinning bike is set up a bit differently than what you may have ridden before. Basically it is built to resemble the experience of riding outdoors, with different settings to approximate changes in speed and terrain through resistance, special handlebars and adjustable seating to ensure the best posture. Each person in the class is encouraged to set their own goals as far as the intensity of the workout.
My instructor, Diane, made sure that everyone was set and introduced the new people to the group. Facing the class on her own Spinning bike, she explained that she would be taking us on a one hour routine that would simulate hill climbs, sprints and interval training. Most of the regulars had their own heart rate monitors and those of us who didn’t were able to use one supplied by the gym. As she explained, the purpose was to set our goals according to our individual heart rate. Each person could choose their own goals for the session. Some participants can maintain a moderate, aerobic intensity level, while others can drive their heart rates higher.
As we began the session we all started to crank it up until the entire room seemed to be riding at the same tempo. And then Diane cranked up the music and away we went.In the first few minutes I was feeling good and I was noticing the burn in my thighs, hammys and even my hips. The workout was sensational for the lower part of my body but also for my upper torso. Diane, shouting encouragement and leading the way, took us up the first hill and that’s when I thought I was going to die! “Hey, this is hard’ I screamed to her. She laughed, turned up the music a notch and off we went into the hills. I was breathing hard and kept looking at my heart monitor, impressed by the quality of the workout.
Aside from the muscle strengthening and toning benefits, Spinning is a great aerobic exercise, burning between 400-600 calories in a typical 40 minute session. The group was a good mix of men and women, experienced and novice Spinners and just about everyone was groovin’ to the up-tempo, energetic music mix. The more experienced Spinners had shoes with toe clips and the rest of used straps to keep our feet on the pedal and apply pressure on the upstroke. D iane left her bike to go up to each individual to make sure they were in good position and getting the most benefit from the class. And she encouraged everyone to keep drinking water during the ride.
After the 6th hill, several “jumps”‘ and a couple of intense sprints we began to head into our cool down. I realized that I had not only had the best workout I’d done in years but I’d probably never had as much fun getting exercise.
I Spin at least 3 times a week now and mix it in with the rest of my workout routine. It’s definitely the most enjoyable part of my fitness routine. I’ve tried all the Spinning instructors at my gym, including one who actually rode in the Olympics, and they are all a little different in their approach (and music selection) but I always enjoy it most when Diane is there to push me along. She’s an outstanding instructor and really knows how to get us motivated and moving. I guess you could say she had me at hello!