It wasn't enough that I bent my torso at an unnatural angle all weekend helping Julie get going on her two-wheeler. No, today I went all out and did a spinning class at the gym! Yes, me! No, you are not at the wrong blog, I'm serious. It was very hard work—and I didn't even do most of the hills and the standing-up-in-your-pedals stuff. But I pedaled for the entire 45 minutes without stopping once, and I did increase the resistance and pedal extra fast a few times. I drank a liter of water and sweated it all back out—and then some—but I was very pleased with myself.
After that was the "Club Strength" class that I always do (squats and lunges with weights etc.), but I was going to call it a day and wobble home instead. That is, until the instructor said, "Oh, you should stay. Don't baby yourself!" "I'm not a baby. You are!" "Oh, OK...." So I bowed to her pressure and stayed for a 55-minute weight-training class. Then I went home and collapsed.
Getting out of bed tomorrow is going to be ugly.
You are going to hurt but OMG, you rock!! Spinning is insanely hard. You might want to consider a squishy gel seat cover for your poor tush ;)
Posted by: Rebecca | July 16, 2007 at 03:31 PM
Yes! I said to someone afterward that I finally get the importance of those padded cushy-tushy shorts.
Posted by: Karen | July 16, 2007 at 04:50 PM
I don't have a clear idea of what spinning is, and how it's different from the stationary exercise bicycles of previous years, and why the change in name???
Posted by: MAS | July 16, 2007 at 07:12 PM
Spinning is great!!! People think it's hard because they are watching people who have done it forever. It's different from a stationary bike (in response to the other comment) because the controls are much more precise and you can make minute changes to your tension to make it harder or easier, climbing or sprinting, etc. The whole concept is that it is YOUR class...you make it what you want to. No one is insisting that you go full out at any time. It's really good to do with a heart rate monitor if you want.
My friend Andrea teaches at the Y class I go to in Boca. And my friend Amy teaches kind of in your area...at Wayside...which I think is way outer suburbia to you.
Now, if you and your new two-wheel biker want to get REALLY crazy, you can do the PanMass Challenge like Amy does every year!
Posted by: Di | July 17, 2007 at 07:50 AM
Check out this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinning_%28cycling%29. As far as I can tell, the bikes can be adjusted, and everyone can work at his/her own pace. It's also done in a group setting, and to music, which makes it more fun and inspiring.
Posted by: Karen | July 17, 2007 at 12:47 PM