Spin Classes?

I goto spinning classes 5 days a week and doing three 45mins sessions in a row with about 10 minutes
break in between. It has surely improved my leg strength and endurance but I still felt that its
important to get back on real bike once a week to maintain the skills and balancing which stationary
bike doesnt provide. Since there is not meter on the spin classes bike, you need to count your
cadence from time to time to ensure it stills relatively high. I also wear a heart rate monitor to
see if I m working out hard enough too.

Tri Hard

Happyy

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

What do people think of spin classes as a way to improve cycling speed over the winter?

I'm hoping that spin classes will help me get faster since they seem to be pretty good interval
work and the bikes seem pretty close to road bikes. I like the bikes a lot better than the typical
"exercise bikes," and the instructors seem to do a good job of pushing me.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

Spin class effectiveness depends upon who is instructing it and what you decide to do in the class.
It can range from Aerobics on a bike to a very efficient form of interval training. I instruct an
indoor stationary bike class a couple nights a week in San Diego, with 50 bikes. We do max heart
rate classes one night and lactate threshhold classes another. Most people train with heart rate
monitors and we have a swim interval clock in the front of the class. Done right, it works.

Emilio De Soto II 858 453 6672 www.desotosport.com "Quality Triathlon Gear Since 1990"
www.t1wetsuits.com "Triathlon's most innovative wetsuit" Email me for a free catalog

Spin classes are good... but, the only setback can come from going anaerobic when your training
regimen may not call for high intensity-low volume training. In essence, Spin classes work unless
you are training for low intensity-high volume results (i.e., IM/long course triathlons). Speed
improvement as a result of spin classes can be relative - speed vs. endurance.

Joe Moya

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

What do people think of spin classes as a way to improve cycling speed over the winter?

I'm hoping that spin classes will help me get faster since they seem to be pretty good interval
work and the bikes seem pretty close to road bikes. I like the bikes a lot better than the typical
"exercise bikes," and the instructors seem to do a good job of pushing me.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

(jkmsg) said:

Spin classes are good... but, the only setback can come from going anaerobic when your training
regimen may not call for high intensity-low volume training. In essence, Spin classes work unless
you are training for low intensity-high volume results (i.e., IM/long course triathlons). Speed
improvement as a result of spin classes can be relative - speed vs. endurance.

Joe Moya

I've been waffeling on going to a spin class for this reason. This is the time of the year
to be taking it easy or back to working on your base. Seems a high intensity bike workout is
inappropriate for me at this point.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

What do people think of spin classes as a way to improve cycling speed over the winter?

I'm hoping that spin classes will help me get faster since they seem to be pretty good interval
work and the bikes seem pretty close to road bikes. I like the bikes a lot better than the
typical "exercise bikes," and the instructors seem to do a good job of pushing me.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

Also, you need to be careful that your seat is at the proper height on the spin bikes and that you
respect the momentum of the weighted front wheel. In the past, i've pulled hamstrings and knee
ligaments by trying to stop suddenly (or even slowly).

"Harold Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What do people think of spin classes as a way to improve cycling speed over the winter?

I'm hoping that spin classes will help me get faster since they seem to be pretty good interval
work and the bikes seem pretty close to road bikes. I like the bikes a lot better than the typical
"exercise bikes," and the instructors seem to do a good job of pushing me.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

I have issues with the spinbike setup. The crank lengths are too long. The bar height and reach
cannot be adjusted seperately, so I am either low and cramped or stretched out but too high... and
wouldn't you know, the ideal seat height is right inbetween the notches provided.

If you can get the exact geometry of your ride setup on the spinbike, then go for it. If you have
the wrong fit, be careful for you do risk injuries (knees, hips, etc). It is always recommended to
log the miles on the bike you will be racing... I prefer using my bike on a resistance trainer with
a spin video.

Next stop is rollers...

"trihard" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Also, you need to be careful that your seat is at the proper height on the spin bikes and that you
respect the momentum of the weighted front wheel. In the past, i've pulled hamstrings and knee
ligaments by trying to stop suddenly (or even slowly).

"Harold Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What do people think of spin classes as a way to improve cycling speed over the winter?

I'm hoping that spin classes will help me get faster since they seem to be pretty good interval
work and the bikes seem pretty close to road bikes. I like the bikes a lot better than the
typical "exercise bikes," and the instructors seem to do a good job of pushing me.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

In article said:

I have issues with the spinbike setup. The crank lengths are too long. The bar height and reach
cannot be adjusted seperately, so I am either low and cramped or stretched out but too high... and
wouldn't you know, the ideal seat height is right inbetween the notches provided.

The ones in our club allow you to adjust the bar height, reach, seat height, and saddle position
separately, and they don't have "notches," so you can set them anywhere.

Speaking of which, does anyone have a guideline for where to set the saddle position
(forward/backward)?

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

You have complete control over how hard you "ride". Wear a heart rate monitor, you can keep yourself
from going anaerobic.

MK

MJuric wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(jkmsg) said:

Spin classes are good... but, the only setback can come from going anaerobic when your training
regimen may not call for high intensity-low volume training. In essence, Spin classes work unless
you are training for low intensity-high volume results (i.e., IM/long course triathlons). Speed
improvement as a result of spin classes can be relative - speed vs. endurance.

Joe Moya

I've been waffeling on going to a spin class for this reason. This is the time of the year
to be taking it easy or back to working on your base. Seems a high intensity bike workout is
inappropriate for me at this point.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

What do people think of spin classes as a way to improve cycling speed over the winter?

I'm hoping that spin classes will help me get faster since they seem to be pretty good interval
work and the bikes seem pretty close to road bikes. I like the bikes a lot better than the
typical "exercise bikes," and the instructors seem to do a good job of pushing me.

--Harold Buck

"I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."

- Homer J. Simpson

(M Kochanski) said:

You have complete control over how hard you "ride". Wear a heart rate monitor, you can keep
yourself from going anaerobic.

This is very true but the spin classes around here, at least the ones I've seen, are "bent"
towards more intensity shorter intervals. Two minutes at a low HR with 30secs RI doesn't do
much for base building. The other problem is self discipline. It's all to easy to get sucked
into that "group race" mentality adn end up doing a hard workout ratehr than the nice base
building ride you had intentended. It's just easier/safer for me this time of year to throw
the bike on the trainer, pop my favorite movie in and ride away at a nice easy pace. Boring
as hell some times but you can't have everything.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

MK

MJuric wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(jkmsg) said:

Spin classes are good... but, the only setback can come from going anaerobic when your training
regimen may not call for high intensity-low volume training. In essence, Spin classes work
unless you are training for low intensity-high volume results (i.e., IM/long course triathlons).
Speed improvement as a result of spin classes can be relative - speed vs. endurance.

Joe Moya

I've been waffeling on going to a spin class for this reason. This is the time of the year
to be taking it easy or back to working on your base. Seems a high intensity bike workout is
inappropriate for me at this point.

~Matt

Quoted message said:

Harold Buck <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
> What do people think of spin classes as a way to improve cycling speed over the winter?
>
> I'm hoping that spin classes will help me get faster since they seem to be pretty good
> interval work and the bikes seem pretty close to road bikes. I like the bikes a lot better
> than the typical "exercise bikes," and the instructors seem to do a good job of pushing me.
>
> --Harold Buck
>
>
> "I used to rock and roll all night, and party every day. Then it was every other day. . . ."
>
> - Homer J. Simpson

MJuric said:

(M Kochanski) said:

You have complete control over how hard you "ride". Wear a heart rate monitor, you can keep
yourself from going anaerobic.

This is very true but the spin classes around here, at least the ones I've seen, are "bent"
towards more intensity shorter intervals. Two minutes at a low HR with 30secs RI doesn't do
much for base building. The other problem is self discipline. It's all to easy to get sucked
into that "group race" mentality adn end up doing a hard workout ratehr than the nice base
building ride you had intentended.

Matt,

You're right. They aren't good for base training, but I don't think they're intended to be. I look
at them as high intensity, certainly not base.

I want to walk out on rubber legs, leaving a pool of sweat on the floor. <g>

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"