Spinning Guide?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sure , but how do you measure each person's workout?
You can't, they control the resistance.

There's these new-fangled inventions called "heartrate monitors".

yeah, but are you saying that everyone in spin class uses one?
I think my experience in spinning class has tainted my opinion. The emphasis
seemed to be on drinking water..standing climbs.."making your own hill"
No one had monitors...we didn't talk about applying force in the full range of
motion..it was just kind of an aerobics class.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

20-30 miles per day Mon-Weds-Fri
50 miles each Sat and Sun
Rest tues & thurs
Other non-bicycle training also.

Sounds like a mileage log, not a training log.

I'm proud of the work i've done.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What was your training last week, Chris Neary?

Tuesday & Thursday: 1 hour interval workout @ spin class (peak loading @ 80%
of max heartrate)
Friday: 2 hours fast paceline ride on tandem
Saturday: 3.5 hour group ride, mix of easy paceline, hard paceline in
rolling terrain, and a 1800' 10% climb (pretty much maxed out or beyond
maxed out the entire time on the climb - it was a poor choice to do it)

That sounds the kind of riding I want in my future..

Quoted message said:

Today: 2 hour recovery ride

Current goals (in order of importance):
1) Retain existing fitness (I'm doing a lot of traveling these days, which
throws a real wrench in my routines)
2) Rebuild flat speed and climbing strength to previous levels
3) Build endurance

Quoted message said:

I never said I was Lance Armstrong, I'm just trying to work
my way into higher mileage rides

We had 1/2 a dozen folks in our spin class use it as a tool for training for
their first completions of the Death Ride (in conjunction with a bunch of
on-bike time also, no doubt). Pretty solid data point, IMHO.

As I've stated before, an advantage of spin classes (for me) is the ability
to train to failure without finding myself blown up 30 miles from home.
Stationary trainers of all flavors are good for this, but it is difficult to
do properly on the bike. Many people (who may or may not include you) pile
on a lot of "junk miles" and receive little or no benefit. When I go home
from a spin class I *know* I have not wasted my time.

What's a junk mile exacty?
Coasting for 20 seconds or something?
I seem to read about a lot of folks stopping all the time for a break, drinking
gallons of water on relatively short rides...needing food., peeing every 20
minutes and so on.
I ewat beforehand and only need a large water bottle for my 50 milers.

Quoted message said:

If what you're doing is working for you - GREAT!
But I'd be wary of thinking your choice is the only valid one.

Chris Neary

Point taken...your spin experience seems much more interesting than mine was.
I was thinking about buying rollers for my "indoor spinning" I have also read
some good posts about riding fixed gear for learning great pedalstroking and
spinning.
I just got back from the 50 miler a bit ago..feeling great and stronger all the
time., have a good one.

Quoted message said:

At this level of use of the spin class, how do you handle the
different geometry and fit of a 'spin class bike' vs your road bike?
Would it not train slightly different muscles? Or do you happen to
find they are completely compatible, and/or similar 'rides'?

My club has the Lemond bikes
(http://www.lemondfitness.com/products/revmaster/), which have really good
adjustment features. I can get the measurements "close enough" for an hour
class. If I was spending a longer period on the bike I might notice any
differences more readily.

I place the highest emphasis on the saddle to crank relationship, so I doubt
there is a significant difference in muscles working on the Lemond vs. my
real bike.

Our old club had crappy bikes which were a pain to properly adjust and the
tension adjustments were hit-or-miss. The Lemonds are soooo much better.

I would bet the primary benefit of spin for me is cardio, which is
insensitive to position.

Any strength gain is frosting on the cake. I do weights in the winter -
that's when I see my big strength improvements.

There is no doubt a spin bike feels different from a real bike with a
freewheel - though it is quite similar to my fixed gear.

Chris Neary
[email hidden]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

Quoted message said:

yeah, but are you saying that everyone in spin class uses one?

No, I'd guess about 50% in mine, but the instructors categorize the effort
they are looking for to help people get in the ballpark.

The serious folks in class either have one or have enough experience to
judge the effort desired.

Quoted message said:

I think my experience in spinning class has tainted my opinion. The emphasis
seemed to be on drinking water..standing climbs.

There is a *huge* variation in instructor competence.

Before I left my old club, they only had one instructor who basically yelled
at the class and did a lot of the stuff you mention.

My new club has 4 instructors who vary from competent to excellent (IMHO). A
big factor undoubted is the new club is pretty picky about the
qualifications of the instructors they use.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As I've stated before, an advantage of spin classes (for me) is the ability
to train to failure without finding myself blown up 30 miles from home.
Stationary trainers of all flavors are good for this, but it is difficult to
do properly on the bike. Many people (who may or may not include you) pile
on a lot of "junk miles" and receive little or no benefit. When I go home
from a spin class I *know* I have not wasted my time.

What's a junk mile exacty?

I'm not a qualified trainer or anything, so I'll probably mangle the
explanation, but to improve one must stress the body and then allow it to
repair itself - stronger than it was before.

To do this, typically one stresses the body through hard efforts (often
intervals). Conversely, recovery rides must be easy enough to promote
rebuilding.

Many riders put in miles at too high an effort to promote recovery, but not
hard enough to adequately stress the body to promote improvement - hence,
"junk miles".

A big weakness of mine is getting sucked into riding harder than I should on
my recovery rides - not something to be proud of.

This whole "stress/recovery" business is likely more important for improving
strength and speed rather than endurance - so it may not be applicable to
your goals.

Quoted message said:

I ewat beforehand and only need a large water bottle for my 50 milers.

Again, there is a big variation in what people need.

I must pay a lot of attention to proper nutrition and especially hydration
or I can get myself in huge trouble.

OTOH, I used to ride with big track-sprinter type who would only carry one
water bottle regardless of the ride length and never had problem.

Chris Neary
[email hidden]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

In article <[email hidden]>,

Chris Neary said:

Quoted message said:

What's a junk mile exacty?

I'm not a qualified trainer or anything, so I'll probably mangle the
explanation, but to improve one must stress the body and then allow it to
repair itself - stronger than it was before.

To do this, typically one stresses the body through hard efforts (often
intervals). Conversely, recovery rides must be easy enough to promote
rebuilding.

This sounds like what the Cycling Performance Tips site
(http://www.cptips.com/ovrtrng.htm) describes as 'overreaching',
as distinguished from overtraining.

Incidentally, for anyone who's interested, the same site has an
explanatory blurb about spin classes at
http://www.cptips.com/stacyc.htm#spn

cheers,
Tom

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