SPIN Classes (contd)

jgsi

I have 'cut'this from the other thread that became... too weird for the sake of argument

Medders wrote:

JST wrote:

JGSI wrote:

mrwibble wrote:

just do some spinning classes, pure and simple training

No Mr Wibble. spin classes are about the last thing on the agenda to get quicker on a road/tt bike... trust someone who does them professionally and then has to suffer the consequences in a race every week this season.... getting better in the latter but no thanks at all to the former

Interesting, can you expand on the above? I have been going to spinning classes for the last few years, only once a week but then road riding when I can. I don't race. I thought the classes would help with my general cycling fitness. I use an HR monitor and am pretty sure I have it set up well and ride to the correct levels etc. Is it that the classes are too short compared to riding distances on the road?

+1 I would very much like to know the rationale behind this too.

I do a high intensity spin class reasonably regularly and it certainly felt beneficial and it seemed to mirror many forms of interval/spint training. I do feel the benefit may have reached a plateau now though. Also I have never expected it to be any benefit to endurance ofc.

My general point is:
if Spin classes work for you then continue to do them ... as you will know, when your race finishing position or tt time or gold standard sportive times are 'up' there.
However, my classes have to cater for the general fitness population... they would not appreciate 2x 15 minute sessions of full bore 10/20s for instance.
Spin bikes, good as they 'can' be, cannot replicate the riding experience of a road bike.
( I have issueswith godamn studio cycling instructors who moan about my Selle saddle I have put on the instructors bike to get more truth into a spin ride.... you have all seen the fat arssed armchair saddles that most spin bikes have.....)

Spin classes are highly structured (or many would say choregraphed)..but it is my other training ( intervals/weekly racing/1 hard road ride) that has enabled me to be having a decent enough road race season despite being highly time restricted.
But it is all down to your perception of what is valued training and I repeat, if spin classes do it for you... then keep on doing them.

Ollieda

JGSI - assuming you're a fitness instructor and of a good level of fitness then you might be at the level where the technical difference between spin and road outweights the general fitness benefit. For someone not as physically fit then the fitness benefit of spinning will still outweigh the downside of the technical difference.

Medders

thanks JGSI - I understand your point. When I started the classes in December I did notice improvement out on the road almost straight away. I havent noticed any recently but I have kept the classes up to ensure I have a variation in my training (rather than just commuting and long events).

cheers

Bar Shaker

It sounds like JGSI runs the classic BPM style classes which are designed for 14 stone middle aged ladies.

The spin classes I do are run by the wife of a serious club cyclist and always have a good quotient of local racers in there. These are serious spin classes and you can easily sweat 1kg off in an hour.

At the end of the day, if you just sit in the class and churn with almost no resistance, it will do nothing for you. If you are grinding with huge resistance or spending 15 minutes plus out of the saddle, spin classes are excellent interval training. If the weather is rubbish on Sunday mornings, I do two classes, back to back.

Just find a class that suits your fitness level.

Virgin gyms have 3 levels of classes and level 1 falls into the category that JGSI describes. Level 3 is a serious leg workout and 120 minutes of level 3 class on a Sunday morning feels as good a 3 hour club ride.

JST

Thanks for the explanation. I guess at my level any exercise will be of benefit as I am not at your level or competing. I know what you mean about the bikes being far different from road bikes, the big saddles arn't great but the general geometry does seem better than the usual gym exercise bikes. Also they are fixed wheel so feel quite different to pedal than a road bike. Our instructor has at least fitted most of the bikes with one sided spd pedals so you can wear cycling shoes, and he is a very keen cyclist and has competed but I'm not sure at what level. I have never been to any other classes so cannot compare but we do seem to have some pretty harsh workouts although limited on time, but obviously it is down to the individual to make sure they keep turing the dial!!

Edited to add... Our classes our based on 5 heart rate levels 60 - 70% blue, go through on warm up, 70 - 80% green, 80 - 90% orange 90% + red. Or if you have no HRM then each zone has an explanation of how should feel in any given zone. The 'theme' of the class is normally based on a road ride with hills, flats, sprints etc or can be more interval based... Is this how most are run?

Peddle Up!

I do spin (and gym) in the winter and they help keep the fitness level up. During spin, we mash the pedals, get out of the saddle and I always leave a pint or so of sweat on the floor. Actually, I mop it up. :oops:

My only complaint is that we never get to go downhill.

nickyhoward55

I did my first spin class this morning. The instructor said 'is this your first time spinning? You picked a bad day to start!' It was very intensive and ill admit i did feel a little faint toward the end, but i got through it and ive no doubt after a few sessions my fitness will improve and that will make road biking much easier over long distances.

If i was super fit, i would imagine it would do nothing for me. But im not super fit, so its all good

drkawaszelong

i did spin classes weekly for about half a year, i felt my fitness increase, but i was doing other cardio aswell (Rowing and HIIT treadmill)

the only thing that really annoyed me about spin classes were the bikes, i was never able to get into a comfortable position, i'm pretty sure our gym uses teeny 160mm cranks, which made getting the 'getting out of the saddle parts' (i don't know the real term for this) a right nightmare!

but, it did work, so, overall, happy

petemadoc

WTF is a spin class anyways?

Is it like being on a turbo but really on some cack exercise bike with some guy shouting "faster faster go go go" That's what I imagine it is!?

thegreatdivide

PeteMadoc wrote:

WTF is a spin class anyways?

Is it like being on a turbo but really on some cack exercise bike with some guy shouting "faster faster go go go" That's what I imagine it is!?

Pretty much

JST

PeteMadoc wrote:

WTF is a spin class anyways?

Is it like being on a turbo but really on some cack exercise bike with some guy shouting "faster faster go go go" That's what I imagine it is!?

Along those lines but a bit more structured using heart rates etc and mimicking hills and flat sections over a course. Sometimes intervals. TBH they are probably not for the serious cyclist. I started them before I got into cycling properly because I needed to get fitter but found it hard to motivate myself in the gym. With spinning I have paid upfront and booked so I have to go even if I don't feel like it, and find the whole group class thing and our instructor very motivating so end up really going for it every time. Link to website: http://www.indoorgroupcycling.co.uk/

The bikes are better than exercise bikes but a lot simpler with just a knob to turn to increase resistance, you can use spd's if you want but the saddles are mahoosive! They look like this...

There is normally only one row of bikes and the others are along the side and back wall that you can't see...

petemadoc

Sounds like the firey depths of hell itself

Get out and ride

thescouselander

The mrs does spin classes and sometimes I tag along. I do think they're beneficial and I have noticed an increase in speed when I'm riding on the road.

The think I hate is the inertia in the wheel on the bike. When spinning up it feels like the equivalent of weighing about 50 stone on a normal bike. Also its always really hot in the spin studio which means you sweat buckets.

Given the choice I'd rather go out for a ride instead.

carl_p

I do 3 spin classes a week and love it. For some reason I can't seem to replicate the level of commitment, pain, sweat, exhaustion etc etc on my road bike even on shorter intense training rides. Don't feel I need to for the type of cycling that I do, so spin classes play an important part in my fitness regime and definitely help my riding.