Spin/Cycle

Highlight for the week, and one of my personal favorites, spin class. If you want a high intensity workout with loud music and lots of energy I definitely recommend trying out a spin class. For those who haven't ever been to spin class or even seen inside a spin room let me lay out a mental picture for you. At first sight it is a room full of stationary spin bikes, anywhere from 20-50. All the bikes are facing towards the front of the room. One, sometimes two, bikes are facing the 20-50 spin bikes; these are for the instructor.

Setting up the bike

You start by adjusting the bike. Ask the instructor to help set up you with this. Adjust the seat height as well as how close or far away you are from your handle bars. Also adjust the height of the handle bars. In the center of the handle bars and right below the top where you put your hands, there is a knob the turns; this controls the resistance of the bike. Resistance meaning how hard or easy it is to pedal. Once you are situated, get on the bike and get comfortable because this is where you will be for the next 50-60 min!

The Workout

The class will start off with a warm-up which consists of continually pedaling while the instructor leads you in upper body stretches that last about 5 minutes (arms, upper back, neck). Next the main part of the work-out. This changes everyday depending on what the instructor plans. Here of some examples of what to expect. Intervals: short sprints lasting anywhere from10 sec to 1 minute. It could also mean short time segments with high resistance, all of which are repeated multiple times. Hills: starting with low resistance and slowly increasing the resistance over a period of time. This could go on for 15-25 minutes depending on the day. Standing: this is where the resistance is turned up either a little or quite a bit. Holding on to the handle bars you stand while pedaling. This can be done as short intervals, where you rotate between standing and sitting, or for a long period of time.

Helpful Tips

Believe it or not there are things that you can do wrong with riding a bike. These few tips will allow for an enjoyable workout with out the pain.

First, while pedaling make sure your knees are pointing straight ahead, not turned in or out. When resistance is high there is a tendency to not pay attention to what your knees are doing. Knees pointing in or out can cause pain, so keep those knees straight and pointing in front of you.

Second, keep your back straight and your shoulders down. This means your whole back, from lower to upper. No hunching over, no rounded backs and no arching in the back. This will help alleviate lower back pain. Keep those shoulders down, don't bring stress to a new part of the body, let your legs do all the work during your spin workout.

Third, your quads are stronger muscles than your calves, so lets use them. When pedaling keep your foot flat on the pedals, no pointed toes. Flat as you pedal forward and heel down as you come back up. A good visual is act like you are scraping dog poop off the bottom of your shoe, heel down and pull up. Better utilizing your quad muscles will help your legs sustain a longer workout. Bigger muscles, such as your quads, will allow for more energy.

Fourth, allow your elbows to be slightly bent. This will take any added pressure off of your arms as well as allow for continual circulation to your arms.

Fifth, when doing sprints if your butt is bouncing up and down off the seat then your resistance isn't high enough. Be in control of the bike and your body. While sitting you should feel very stable and not out of control.

Finally, DRINK LOTS OF WATER!! Bring a water bottle and don't forget to drink through out the entire workout. During aerobic exercise your body needs 8 ounces every 15-25 minutes.