Your Thoughts on Spin Classes

i used to go to a fantastic class where the trainer was just a machine.. he used to DJ the music and do the lights (strobe and stuff) all while spinning mega-fast and shouting instructions at everyone. it was awesome!

apart from that i think it helps leg strength (a lot), speed and your pedalstroke - to get better power throught the cycle... and if you get a good class then its great fun with good element of competition and camaradarie... plus its a great cardio workout.

my .02!

I am also a fan of spin class. I tend to be a "visualizer" though and my instructor is very good at talking us up hills, racing on flats, etc. I would think not everyone would like this though. For me, spinning class has helped me focus on increasing my cadence (which has definitely transferred to my outside riding) and I ride longer and harder than I would just by myself. There are no numbers for me to concentrate on (or obsess over) and that works for me - I like just concentrating on what my body can handle that day. On rainy, cold days like we have here today, it is a great workout option for me!

Spinning helped keep my sanity throughout the winter when I couldn't get on the bike outside! It's a great way to work on pedal stroke, cadence and breathing. I attended 3-4 classes a week with different instructors whose classes varied from visualzation to cadence concentration to hill climbing. I found it to be a great way to keep the legs in shape over the winter without being bored to tears on an exercise bike in the cardio room!

Hello and welcome!!

Spinning is a fantastic complement to road riding, especially when weather is marginal. Due to my insane travel schedule for work, I use spin classes for the bulk of my cycling training. They really work well for your pedal stroke and technique. In many ways they are better per hour than road riding since you are pushing a 35 - 45 lb flywheel, without coasting. Try that on your road bike! Of course, be sure to find a good instructor who focuses on pedal technique and HR zone training.

Best of luck

Doug

I think they're great classes. My legs were extremely strong and the endurance I had was unbelievable. I could feel the difference in the pool when swimming. My stronger legs made a world of difference.

Mike

Wow i can finally comment on something on here....(i've never done a tri so i usually just read and learn) but yeh i've been doing spin classes for about 4 or 5 months now and i love it...it works you so hard but you are having fun while you do it! I prefer a teacher thats up there and just yells and pushes you...i know of one's that just kind of sit up there quietly and worry about their own workout...they also blare music which makes me usually want to push harder...its fast hard music so you always want to go along with it! I would recommend spin class for anybody

I took my first spin class last Sunday, and thought it was great. I rode the bike Saturday, then after the masters swim on Sunday morning at the gym, I noticed there was a spin class 30 minutes later. The class format was all intervals - lots of cruise intervals and hills, which are tough to get enough of here in Dallas. I am going back this week.

Bro-

What's your opinion between Spinnin Clases and using a Bike Trainer.

I'm a little afraid of the injuries in the spinning classes because of the bikes, specially about the fitting, pedals etc... I'm used to my bike setup, and changing to a different bike, with toe clip pedals (because the spinning bikes only have shimano and toe clip pedals, no look).

I want to hear about people that have a bike trainer and attended to spinnin clases. Experiences, It's Better, Worse, harder, easier, etc...

Hi Charlie,

I am a long-time roadie, and have been spinning now for 6 years - injury free. I have ridden a wide variety of spin bikes/pedal combinations. Some bikes seem to fit better than others, but given that most classes do not last longer than 1 hour it never causes a problem. I too ride on look pedals. I bought an entry-level shimano shoe and equipped it with SPD cleats. They are my dedicated spinning shoes and I never show up at class to find that I forgot my shoes! Even if the bikes are toe-clip only, I recommend getting the cycling shoe, as they don't flex when you pedal.

About 18 months ago, I bought a fluid trainer and several Spinervals videos. The fluid trainers in my opinion have the best "road feel" of any trainer (outside of the computrainer of which I have no experience). The only way I will ride indoors on a trainer is with the Spinervals videos. They are a great addition/change of pace from spinning, but I do really like the camraderie of the spin classes. Give the spin classes a shot, and if after a few weeks you don't like it, then go the trainer route. Each are beneficial in their own way, and certainly would complement each other.

You can check out the spinervals at http://www.spinervals.com