Took my 1st Spin Class Tonight. . .

PrettyGirlLost

. . .I think I saw Jesus.

Seriously, at one point I thought I was going to die, but that passed and it was a lot of fun.

I just need those special padded bike shorts, but I'd like to do more classes.

sarahufl

I always feel miserable during the class, but it really is a great workout

onefootinthebayou

Great! 

Welcome to the club.  I'm hooked and after a 2 year hiatus, @lacqueredlover has gotten me back on the horse.  

I for sure recommend the shorts as well as getting your own shoes if you think you'll stick with it.  Shimano makes a comfortable one.  

It's the one "sport" or workout I've done where the instructor can really make a difference.  I enjoy the classes that are more focused on actual cycling workouts but some may prefer the other kind (that I call "dancing on a bike") with moves like push-ups, weight-lifting, jumps, etc.  To each their own, I recommend trying a few different instructors/class types if those options are available to you.

Either way, nice job.  

RebeccaFlower

Your lady bits are going to hurt tomorrow, but you'll get used to it! 

PrettyGirlLost

My lady bits already hurt since I broke em in a horseback riding accident a few years back! But it will be ok.

lacqueredlover

Honestly after spinning for about a month I stopped using the gel seat and dont' need the bike shorts at all (and I spin 3-4 days a week.)  You just have to get your parts used to it, and don't forget to sit your butt back and not your lady bits on the bike!

southernbelle0915

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

ashley8918

southernbelle0915 said:

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

Seconded!

So, maybe i'm an idiot, but what does spin class even entail? It cant be just doing your thang on a stationary bike, right? That sounds like something that doesn't require an instructor. Are there, like, moves and stuff? 

sarahufl

ashley8918 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

Seconded!

So, maybe i'm an idiot, but what does spin class even entail? It cant be just doing your thang on a stationary bike, right? That sounds like something that doesn't require an instructor. Are there, like, moves and stuff? 

Obviously since you are on a stationary bike and not a real one, you can't have the natural variations in hills, inclines, etc. So the instructor basically tells you to adjust the resistance on the bike to simulate hills. So you do so many minutes on "flat ground" then a "steep hill" followed by maybe a "smaller hill". They also play music and bark orders at you.

Frankly, I couldn't get through a spin class without being coaxed along or basically being shamed for slowing down in front of 30 people. That shit is hard.

southernbelle0915

ashley8918 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

Seconded!

So, maybe i'm an idiot, but what does spin class even entail? It cant be just doing your thang on a stationary bike, right? That sounds like something that doesn't require an instructor. Are there, like, moves and stuff? 

So I've only been a couple of times. (And FTR, I do not like to ride bikes because of ass and bit pain. And no, I do not not want "to get used to it".)

But basically you're in a room with a bunch of bikes all lined up facing the front of a classroom. The instructor's bike is front and center facing the class. There's a big screen behind him/her. Music pumping, video of roads/trails behind him/her. The instructor tells you to be at a certain RPM level and a certain resistance level which changes throughout the class. You sit on a seat that's not much larger than a thong. This was my experience. I am not dying to go back.

ETF - "RPM"

PrettyGirlLost

lacqueredlover said:

Honestly after spinning for about a month I stopped using the gel seat and dont' need the bike shorts at all (and I spin 3-4 days a week.)  You just have to get your parts used to it, and don't forget to sit your butt back and not your lady bits on the bike!

Because my symphysis is already fractured, I should probably stick with the gel shorts to prevent further damage.

And you guys might want to as well. . .the orthopedic trauma surgeon I saw said this was a common injury for cyclists.

BTW, I did not flick sweat on anyone!!!

peachy13

I spin 2-3 times a week and love it! I remember that first class though. Sore groinery and stiff legs for almost a week. It goes away though and doesn't come back if you stick with it. You'll be back in no time! Have fun!

lacqueredlover

Yay for no sweat flicking!

I took a Dave Matthews Band themed class last night.  IT was hilarious.  And the resistance was SO high the whole time and we did a lot of "hills."  My quads are not amused with me today.

ashley8918

sarahufl said:

ashley8918 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

Seconded!

So, maybe i'm an idiot, but what does spin class even entail? It cant be just doing your thang on a stationary bike, right? That sounds like something that doesn't require an instructor. Are there, like, moves and stuff? 

Obviously since you are on a stationary bike and not a real one, you can't have the natural variations in hills, inclines, etc. So the instructor basically tells you to adjust the resistance on the bike to simulate hills. So you do so many minutes on "flat ground" then a "steep hill" followed by maybe a "smaller hill". They also play music and bark orders at you.

Frankly, I couldn't get through a spin class without being coaxed along or basically being shamed for slowing down in front of 30 people. That shit is hard.

Oh, this makes sense. I was envisioning a bunch of people just silently biking in the same room, and the instructor being all "Good job! Good spinning! You go, Glen Coco!"

sarahufl

ashley8918 said:

sarahufl said:

ashley8918 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

Seconded!

So, maybe i'm an idiot, but what does spin class even entail? It cant be just doing your thang on a stationary bike, right? That sounds like something that doesn't require an instructor. Are there, like, moves and stuff? 

Obviously since you are on a stationary bike and not a real one, you can't have the natural variations in hills, inclines, etc. So the instructor basically tells you to adjust the resistance on the bike to simulate hills. So you do so many minutes on "flat ground" then a "steep hill" followed by maybe a "smaller hill". They also play music and bark orders at you.

Frankly, I couldn't get through a spin class without being coaxed along or basically being shamed for slowing down in front of 30 people. That shit is hard.

Oh, this makes sense. I was envisioning a bunch of people just silently biking in the same room, and the instructor being all "Good job! Good spinning! You go, Glen Coco!"

No, that isn't how it goes at all. It's more like "TURN THE RESISTANCE UP SO HIGH YOU CAN'T MOVE YOUR LEGS! NOW GO! GO!"

And I silently die inside.

lacqueredlover

I'm trying to find a video from one of my classes to show you because they live stream the videos to people who have the bikes in their home.  It's all sorts of craziness.  I was super skeptical about it before I went because I also thought I'd just be on a bike, breaking my lady bits and spinning away but the instructors switch up resistance, rpm's, arm moves, standing up, sitting down, it's seriously a killer!

climbingsingle

Awesome! I love spin. I take about 3-4 classes per week. My favorite instructor has us do upper body stuff during classes too, which is great.  

redoryx

Love love LOVE spinning.

First class I ever went to was the morning of my sister's wedding, one of the BMs convinced me. I thought I was going to die but it was amazing. Then a new studio opened right near my apartment a few months later and I've been a regular ever since. I got certified last summer but just after things got SUPER busy and I haven't had a chance to pursue that yet but hopefully soon I'll be teaching.

KatieinBkln

sarahufl said:

southernbelle0915 said:

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

Seconded!

So, maybe i'm an idiot, but what does spin class even entail? It cant be just doing your thang on a stationary bike, right? That sounds like something that doesn't require an instructor. Are there, like, moves and stuff? 

Obviously since you are on a stationary bike and not a real one, you can't have the natural variations in hills, inclines, etc. So the instructor basically tells you to adjust the resistance on the bike to simulate hills. So you do so many minutes on "flat ground" then a "steep hill" followed by maybe a "smaller hill". They also play music and bark orders at you.

Frankly, I couldn't get through a spin class without being coaxed along or basically being shamed for slowing down in front of 30 people. That shit is hard.


YUP.

I am deeply suspicious of people who don't look like they are praying for death (as I am sure I do).

Did a class for the first time in a couple weeks on Sunday. I'm so out of shape from basically doing nothing but PT on my injured shoulder for the past month. I thought that I might actually pass out if I kept up the pace the instructor was insisting on.

PrettyGirlLost

sarahufl said:

ashley8918 said:

southernbelle0915 said:

My condolences to your ass and your bits today....

Seconded!

So, maybe i'm an idiot, but what does spin class even entail? It cant be just doing your thang on a stationary bike, right? That sounds like something that doesn't require an instructor. Are there, like, moves and stuff? 

Obviously since you are on a stationary bike and not a real one, you can't have the natural variations in hills, inclines, etc. So the instructor basically tells you to adjust the resistance on the bike to simulate hills. So you do so many minutes on "flat ground" then a "steep hill" followed by maybe a "smaller hill". They also play music and bark orders at you.

Frankly, I couldn't get through a spin class without being coaxed along or basically being shamed for slowing down in front of 30 people. That shit is hard.

Oh I couldn't keep up with everyone the whole time either. I knew if I wanted to be able to walk out of there I had to slow down or reduce resistance if it was getting to be too much. I just made sure to keep my heart rate at 145+ at all times.

I also didn't realize the class was an hour and I usually only do 30mins of cardio! But I enjoyed it more than working on the elliptical, and the instructor and other participants were very welcoming and encouraging, so I'm going to keep with it for a bit.

I plan on trying out Piyo, Zumba, hip hop, and yoga too. I also would like to do Pilates. . .did it in college and loved it.

lovemesomemonster

You spin ladies are bad asses! I remember my first class in college, after season our coaches told us that instead of conditioning in the gym we had to take a spinning class one day, deep water class, ans some others. We walked in there together thinking we were basically getting the week off. When our instructor took off her sweats we all looked at each other in fear, 20+hrs of gymnastics a week did NOT prepare us for the terror that was spinning. She knew we were all athletes and I'm pretty sure her goal was DEATH.

Kahlyla

lacqueredlover said:

I'm trying to find a video from one of my classes to show you because they live stream the videos to people who have the bikes in their home.  It's all sorts of craziness.  I was super skeptical about it before I went because I also thought I'd just be on a bike, breaking my lady bits and spinning away but the instructors switch up resistance, rpm's, arm moves, standing up, sitting down, it's seriously a killer!

Now that is interesting. We have a spinning bike in our guest room/gym-thing but we haven't used it as much since doing the treadmill desks. Which I'm fine with, lol. But even when we were using it, we were fairly passive on it. Getting actual instruction would definitely be a motivating factor, though.

JennyColada

I've been doing a spin class a couple of times a week for a few weeks (I skipped last week because I was sick...and paid for that in today's class!). I really enjoy it, it's fun and challanging.

VulgarGirl

For, longer then is socially acceptable, I thought spinning class was people in a room spinning around.

KatieinBkln

MagicInk said:

For, longer then is socially acceptable, I thought spinning class was people in a room spinning around.

I thought it had to do with crafts, so I avoided it for two reasons.

JennyColada

MagicInk said:

For, longer then is socially acceptable, I thought spinning class was people in a room spinning around.

I thought it was like a hoola-hoop exercise thing.

VulgarGirl

MagicInk said:

For, longer then is socially acceptable, I thought spinning class was people in a room spinning around.

I thought it was like a hoola-hoop exercise thing.

That'd be awesome. Is that a thing? That should be a thing.

ETA: It's a thing

https://youtu.be/DkCY-noepZk

kaitlynmichelle

I thought for the longest time it was to do with spinning wheels. When I clued in, I was pretty humiliated it took me so long.

A friend wanted me to go with her and I thought oh no I have so many crafts on the go already!

redoryx

Anyone watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt? There's an episode where she goes to a spinning class and it's so absurd but so on point, I could not stop laughing. 

kaitlynmichelle

I binge watched that show. Amazing.

climbingsingle

While we're on the topic of spin...

One of my favorite spin classes is on Tuesday night, taught by Lisa. Two weeks ago, Lisa told the gym she was too busy and needed to drop the class. They brought in a new instructor, Debbie. Last night was the first time I took her class. And holy shit, it was the worst ever. I have NEVER wanted to walk out of a class until last night. 

The music was awful. It was like she downloaded some generic work out dance mix. But really, that was the least of her issues. 

She was downright mean and bossy. I get that she wants people to have the right form, but you don't need to scream at them. At one point, she stopped the class to lecture people about form. And it wasn't nice or friendly. It was mean and nasty. I was seriously in shock. I've never had an instructor behave like that before. I mean, fuck, we're at a spin class at the gym. We're not training for the fucking Olympics. 

So, I'm pretty disappointed. This class works perfectly into my schedule. I don't know if I should just suffer through her miserable attitude, because I did get a get workout. UGH.