Spinning Class

Churchill123

So in a nutshell - I am going to be working in London during the week for the foreseeable future but back in the countryside at weekends where I love to get out on my bike..

As I won't have the luxury of getting out on my bike after work like I can do currently, would spinning classes at a gym be a good alternative to keep the legs spinning and not hinder my performance on the bike?

Ta!

ut_och_cykla

Depends a bit what your goals are but it would at least be better than nothing. A good spinning class or two with an instructor that is also a cyclist is prefereable. You dont get a long work out and it doesnt really permit you to follow yoru own training program but IMO its a good complement.

mrc1

If the alternative is no riding then definitely go for it.

I did a personal training qualification a while ago and the teaching around spinning classes (and everything else for that matter) was incredibly poor, so avoid classes where the instructor isn't a cyclist as they will likely have you doing stupid stuff that will cause you knee problems/have no real cycling benefits.

jgsi

There are a set of pedals and they go round.
There ends any similarity between what we regard as cycling and spinning.
Do them but use your own ipod in ears with white noise to drown out the usual guff an instructor might condemn you to for 45 minutes.
I mean 45 minutes of health club spinning is not even worth getting out of bed for...
changed my mind
take your bike and the turbo

phreak

Why not just sit at the back of the class and do your own workout? Sure no one will notice what you're up to, and it'll save you having to do push ups whilst cycling or whatever some instructors get you doing.

vroomvroom

I have used spinning this year to prepare for the annual 4 day tour
2 or 3 classes every week (plus one medium ride each weekend) for the last 3 months

The classes tend to be 45 mins to an hour, I try and start 15 minutes earlier, and aim to absolutely muller myself during the class, also ignore most of the jumping up and down crap, just stay standing etc

It has transformed my riding, taken a much as 12% of my best times (one hour long hill climbs)

Churchill123

Hmmm some pretty mixed reviews here... I think I may try and take the bike with with and buy a turbo :S

It was only a thought as i'll be joining a gym and thought if the classes were available then maybe i'll pop along.

davidof

Why can't you ride in London? I used to commute from the west end to the city and also ride Hyde park in the evenings. Although I've heard the Park has become a bit manic. I was about the only cyclist there back in the day.

markp80

Churchill123 wrote:

Hmmm some pretty mixed reviews here... I think I may try and take the bike with with and buy a turbo :S

It was only a thought as i'll be joining a gym and thought if the classes were available then maybe i'll pop along.

If you can do this combined with TrainerRoad you should see real benefits. I work away Mon-Fri and did this all through winter, and I personally improved a great deal.

Cheers,
MarkP

Churchill123

MarkP80 wrote:

Churchill123 wrote:

Hmmm some pretty mixed reviews here... I think I may try and take the bike with with and buy a turbo :S

It was only a thought as i'll be joining a gym and thought if the classes were available then maybe i'll pop along.

If you can do this combined with TrainerRoad you should see real benefits. I work away Mon-Fri and did this all through winter, and I personally improved a great deal.

Cheers,
MarkP

What's TrainerRoad mate?

barrybridges

I used to be a member of Virgin Active on Oxford Street and would go to their spinning classes at lunchtime.

99% of the time, spinning is nowhere near as useful as actual time on a bike, BUT I will make one exception and say that they had a male instructor at Virgin Active who was very VERY good; clearly a cyclist and his sessions were geared towards that.

I can't remember his name, but maybe give them a call and ask them as he was a longstanding instructor and has been there a while.

Genuinely useful classes, not just 'spin your legs at 130rpm to see which bit of your knee breaks first'.

What I would do is get there 15/30 minutes beforehand if you can, warm up and then push yourself hard in the session; other lardies will generally be suffering.

gpreeves

Churchill123 wrote:

MarkP80 wrote:

Churchill123 wrote:

Hmmm some pretty mixed reviews here... I think I may try and take the bike with with and buy a turbo :S

It was only a thought as i'll be joining a gym and thought if the classes were available then maybe i'll pop along.

If you can do this combined with TrainerRoad you should see real benefits. I work away Mon-Fri and did this all through winter, and I personally improved a great deal.

Cheers,
MarkP

What's TrainerRoad mate?

http://www.trainerroad.com/

It allows you to hook up your bike and turbo to your PC, then provides you with loads of workouts all tailored to your own fitness level (as judged by an initial test).

Used it myself over winter, and would say it is easily better than any spinning class.

saftlad

Very much depends on what the class is. A Spinning class is just one style of indoor riding, there's also Keiser and RPM and of course freestyle. Each are different from the others, so you may find one that suits what you want from the workout.

Our local Virgin club also has some of the Keiser bikes on the gym floor, so you could make your own workout depending on your targets.

As an instructor, i don't like to see people joining my class then doing their own thing. The classes are popular so you would be depriving someone else from joining in. If you want to do your own thing, then why join a class?

jgsi

Reading back on what the OP gets out of his cycling, Spin classes 2 or 3 a week may actually be ok for him.
He is not following any structured plan and does not need any metrics to train by other than a pool of sweat on the gym floor.

nubenotforlong

I am always surprised that spin classes (inc rpm) get such a bad rap...they cannot compare to riding itself, I think we can all agree that, but I get a couple a week in and then stay on the bike and do another 45 mins after....usually when it's raining or dark. (Yes I am a fair weather rider and don't care who knows)

They don't replace riding, but they significantly help me keep fit and keep weight down. I find them better than a turbo, as I am not at home so I am more disciplined and my heart rate monitor says I work harder in spin than on turbo.

The one I use has a cyclist instructor, but I add my own bits in and stay away from the instructors doing silly 'hovers' and getting you up and down all the time.

Tips:Get the bike set up right, check the bike it right, ride it like a bike, extend the class, wear a heart monitor, treat it as interval training and don't let it replace your riding but compliment it.....what harm can it do?

Tony

jgsi

nubenotforlong wrote:

I am always surprised that spin classes (inc rpm) get such a bad rap...they cannot compare to riding itself, I think we can all agree that, but I get a couple a week in and then stay on the bike and do another 45 mins after....usually when it's raining or dark. (Yes I am a fair weather rider and don't care who knows)

They don't replace riding, but they significantly help me keep fit and keep weight down. I find them better than a turbo, as I am not at home so I am more disciplined and my heart rate monitor says I work harder in spin than on turbo.

The one I use has a cyclist instructor, but I add my own bits in and stay away from the instructors doing silly 'hovers' and getting you up and down all the time.

Tips:Get the bike set up right, check the bike it right, ride it like a bike, extend the class, wear a heart monitor, treat it as interval training and don't let it replace your riding but compliment it.....what harm can it do?

Tony

You aint using that turbo properly then.
I am going to put a word in for 'instructors' to back up what someone mentioned... joining a group class and 'doing your own thang' can rightly p1ss some instrctors off... so if thats what you do, just go and jump on a spin bike on the gym floor, on your own.