OK so I'm in terrible cycling shape and marginal run shape, but getting back into it (M45-49). This morning I'm at spinning class at the Y on a Kaiser spinning bike that has a watts display. Now, I'm embarrassed about how low my watts are so I won't mention the actual number, but the question isn't really related to the actual number anyway.
So the workout focuses pretty much entirely on your wattage. Sets of intervals where you ride 1 minute at your starting wattage then you DOUBLE that wattage for 10 seconds. Working up to 2 minutes at a higher wattage then double that wattage for 20 seconds. The last set the instructor talked about "riding the rivet" to get a little extra power if you needed it. So I slid forward in the saddle, dropped down into an aero position, and behold, my base wattage increased by 20 watts at the same perceived exertion. Could have done without my thighs hitting my belly though....
Hopefully, the watts calculations on a Kaiser spinning bike are way off, otherwise I suck. The bike doesn't ask for your weight, don't know if your weight figures into the watts calculation though. So that's question 1. Question 2 is, by sliding forward in the saddle and dropping down as if I were on aerobars would that really increase my power output that much?
Thanks,
George
btw, the instructor was pulling 280 watts 2 minutes/560 watts for 20 seconds (times 5), and still talking pretty normally thruout the workout.
I miss YaHey
So the workout focuses pretty much entirely on your wattage. Sets of intervals where you ride 1 minute at your starting wattage then you DOUBLE that wattage for 10 seconds. Working up to 2 minutes at a higher wattage then double that wattage for 20 seconds. The last set the instructor talked about "riding the rivet" to get a little extra power if you needed it. So I slid forward in the saddle, dropped down into an aero position, and behold, my base wattage increased by 20 watts at the same perceived exertion. Could have done without my thighs hitting my belly though....
Hopefully, the watts calculations on a Kaiser spinning bike are way off, otherwise I suck. The bike doesn't ask for your weight, don't know if your weight figures into the watts calculation though. So that's question 1. Question 2 is, by sliding forward in the saddle and dropping down as if I were on aerobars would that really increase my power output that much?
Thanks,
George
btw, the instructor was pulling 280 watts 2 minutes/560 watts for 20 seconds (times 5), and still talking pretty normally thruout the workout.
I miss YaHey