Check out Michael McCormac's website www.triathloncoach.com for extensive writing about the merits of spinning/trainer cycling, particularly for those athletes who are under time crunches (that describes just about anyone I have ever met).

Paul

The one I teach is good! Wednesdays in Tempe.

I would recommend them. I do one to two classes a week depending on my schedule. I use them when I can't get outside. As someone who is training for triathlons I sometime deviate from what the class is doing. Right now because it is early in the season a resist getting whipout up into prolong high heart rate. I'll save this for later in the season.

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Saddlesore

Depends on certain factors such as instructors qualifications and outlook as well as class size/popularity! Maybe a bit short sided on my part but if the bikes are equipped with clipless pedals or dual sided with one site that allows the use of cycling shoes with clipless pedal cleats but the instructor is going to teach the class wearing tennis shoes - try a different class. Also, many (most) spin instructors do not ride bikes - or may not ride road bikes - consequently that type of instructor may have only taken a weekend instructors class from Johnny G or one of the other 'certification classes and may not possess any kind of cycling background which often times results in the class doing some pretty bizarre workouts (voice of experience).

On the other hand, sometimes instructors with no cycling experience can put you through some of the most intense workouts you have ever experienced. I guess it is all about your perception and whether or not the class meets your expectations and needs. Being a lifel ong roadie, I often forget that I am in the minorty among others in the class in that I spend a good amount of time out on the roads on the bike. Most of the time I end up being disapointed by the content of the class because while living in America's fattest city, the majority of the other particpants will never sit on real bike! Don't get me wrong, I have found a couple non-cycling spin instructors who put on fantastic classes, one of whom even took the plunge and tried her hand at tri and as a result, she now has a better understanding of why I used to roll my eyes at some of the stuff she had class particpants doing!

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¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I've been doing spin on Mondays and Fridays for the past 2 months. I will start by saying that the particular instructors of these classes have absolutely positively zero knowledge of cycling or even endurance training in general. The classes are filled with such nonsense as high-cadence standing bits; parts where people sit-stand-sit-stand-sit-stand every other pedal stroke for 5 minutes; and other craziness. Yet I go anyway -- why?

First, I get there 30 minutes early and just ride the bike at a solid steady-state effort (that's about my attention span for trainer riding). When the class starts, I set up all the way in the back and off to the side. I then do my own structured workout, but I like being in the class because the music is pumping and everybody is doing their thing and working hard and it makes me stay on the bike for an hour. I am a failure at staying on the trainer alone in my garage.

I use a HR monitor and do the main workout sets according to what I need that particular day. Cool down with the group near the end. The 90-minute workout leaves my legs pretty darned worked over -- about like they feel after a tough 3-4 hour outdoor ride.

Anyway, I think spin classes are great but it's important to get the work you need, rather than the work the instructor is doing.

I'll add a qualified yes. Spinning is not aerobics on a bike. Spinning is just riding the bike. The program is designed to mirror a road ride. Ask about the instructors, what they teach, and how. Some get certified but due to their aerobics background and their deep set need to choreograph a class...end up with folks doing ssome godawfully strange things...including some very dumb and dangerous moves.

That said, I teach the program. I teach the mental aspects along with the physical. As a rider, it is all up to you based on your intensity and your level of resistance on the wheel. HRM is strongly recommended. You can get in some incredible workouts to enhance your multisport training in a 45 minute Spinning ride. Go for it....eyes wide open.

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

I concur with others who have said that spin classes can be a useful tool in your training provided you know what you are getting yourself into, i.e. instructors that are not leading the class for the purpose of training cyclists or triathletes. Use the class as motivation to keep yourself going, but do as much of your own thing as you can. Some of the things they do in there have absolutely nothing to do with what you'll do on the open roads---one of my instructors, for example, has the class "balance", or ride with no hands while standing up. Yeah, that will come in...handy.

But like some others, I do these once or twice a week, and when they don't lock the damn room I'll go in ahead of time and just ride for a while and then do the class, either modifying the instructor's commands or ignoring them completely. You'll find out pretty quickly what the instructor's background is even if you don't talk with him/her before class....

In general, while spinning looks like indoor bike riding, my experience in my own as well as other triathlete's is that it is not nearly as good as either outdoor riding or indoor riding on a trainer. Yes, it is something different to do to occupy your bike hours, but not as nearly good as if you rode your trainer.

I reallyt like taking a class with a female instructor with great legs & rear end. So nice to have a good looking instructor. Only thing that makes the class go by real quick is setting up behind a female with a great rear or across from one with a large rack. Keeps me smiling the whole class. This is how I inproved my cycling this past year. How sweet it is. Oh...there was someone in another gym who told me that there was an individual man (old) who was caught after the class sniffing the saddles on the bikes after the class left. Now that is going too far. Looking is one thing but sniffing the seats.....that's out of control. This is my 2 cents on spinning

Smitty

Was it Tibbs?

I would have to agree with the rest, it is sort of what you make of it. Plus, it depends on the instructor. Like the others, I found myself going in and riding with some cycling buddies before spin class would start. I got the same impression most of you did about the class. Most instructors did not come from a cycling background and were teaching the class towards the aerobics side of things. My main training partner was one of the instuctors and his class was not too bad. So on one of our trips to a race, I ask him how do you teach a class when skill levels are so different? His explanation was that he teaches somewhere in the middle, not too hard or easy. Well, that was fine and dandy, but the regulars wanted something harder. So anyways, they hired me to teach the advanced class that I gear towards tri/cycling training. I seem to target my class towards the upper end of who is in class to really push them, and they keep coming back. Hope this helps.

I agree with the others on some issues, if you are on a specific training program for tri's or road biking, you should follow your program and not the class (usually high intensity), etc, in addition, I would prefer my own bike on the trainer or rollers, the spinning bikes have different seat, bars,pedals, angles, etc, etc, etc...train on what you race....If you want a group environment is to get a bunch of buddies in a garage and everyone bring their bikes and trainer, and have some serious sessios..... I found this on the web hope it adds some good info,



Biking Indoors, By Jay Marschall

I do find some negatives when it comes to spinning. First of all the bikes have a very heavy fly wheel, about 30 lbs., when you get pedaling fast the fly wheel carries your crank arms around with a lot of momentum. The result of this is an unnatural firing of the major cycling muscles, (quads) and almost no use of the Hamstrings. If you combine this with fact that you are not training on your bike and that the critical dimension elements are different, your muscles are not being trained specifically for real cycling. It is my contention that this one reasons why the heartrate or intensities during these classes are very high. Spinning classes also use very high rpm levels at times, sometimes as high as 140 rpms. Unless your are training for sprint type cycling events such as track cycling, this type of speed has almost no value.

The other part of spinning I find to be unnatural is the manner in which the instructors organize the intervals. Many times you are told to get up and down from a seated position to an out of the saddle position quickly and numerous times in a row. This is just not done while cycling in the real world and can cause extremely high heartrates.

Although interval training is a proven training method, in Spinning classes most of the intervals are uncontrolled by time and don’t have a measurable system of intensity and recovery. This makes the intervals indiscriminate and without systems of measurement in areas such as Time, Power output, cadence, and heartrate it would be impossible to determine your improvement over time. With the use of a pace clock, cadence references, and heartrate monitors new Spinning formats are being introduced to better suit more cyclists.

In short, the introduction of spinning has increased awareness to cycling and for many it has put a new twist in their workout regiment. It is fun and has taught many new people the benefits of interval training on a bike. It is a harder workout than most people are used to and will do a lot to improve most peoples fitness. On the other hand for the more experienced cyclist, Spinning does not show me enough specific, proven cycling protocol to be your major off-season training method.

I'm not really sure who Jay Marschall is or his qualifications but I would suggest that he tell a complete story. I've been spinning for 5 years and have been an instructor for 2.

The flywheel on the Johnny G spinner is 42 lbs. And what he is saying is true that if left to spin without resistance the bike will force you to move unnaturally. A good instructor will usually have you only spin in this fashon during a cool down at a slow cadence. This type of spinning should really never be done without some resistance on the flywheel to prevent the flywheel from doing all the work. The statement about 140 RPM is ridiculous.

An instructor that sets up a interval class in an unorganized way should be avoided. Intervals are taught to spinning instructors to be done in 1:1 work to rest ratios for beginners or group exercise classes. I have held classes that do 2:1 work to rest for advanced classes and that is almost as far as I would take it in a group class because you never truly know your audience.

I would say this article has some valid points but not a clear picture of spinning in general. Like most anything else it's as good or bad as the individual makes it. I have done a good deal of my winter training on a spinning bike and have had good results in early season activities because of it.

I think if it's a fun class, it definitly fights boredom... For example, I took 4 consecutives spinning classes on saturday morning to get my 4 hours ride in.. the change of instructors, music, different people, cute guys, makes time go by quick. i wouldn't do that all the time, nothing beats your own bike. But sometimes you need different stimulation and that does it for me... I work on my pedal stroke and consistent heart rate...

My knees always start hurting on a spinning bike. What is the Q factor compared to a standard road bike with D/A? Maybe its the 170mm cranks versus 175 that I ride. Maybe its the 3/8 inch seat adjustment that you are limited to. Maybe my pedal stroke sucks. I don't know but I question myself every time I ride a spinning bike, which is an infrequent as possible.

I do the 1-2 times a week if its shitty out. It can be a hard workout but in winter I justb take it easy and spin. But in season its an excellent way to get a tought interval type workout in.

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"Your limits are self imposed"

I have the same problem, but I always assumed it was because I had to use SPD cleats, which have 0 float (I ride Speedplays). I've always wondered if people would look at me funny if I rolled up with a tape measure to set up my bike.

I've done one spin class in my life and I don't think there'll be a second. Freakin hated it.

STAND! SIT! STAND! SIT! STAND! SIT!....lots of psychobabble mumbo jumbo about imagining yourself in a happy place...and the instructor was a real bitch too.

My handlebars dropped in the middle of the class and I nearly knocked out half my teeth and she proceeded to give me a lecture about paying attention when setting up the bike....the damn thing was faulty.

If I absolutely positively have to train indoors its on my trainer with the TV on.

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"A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy."
John Sawhill

I make sure to go only on the mornings that the short, cute, blonde girl is coaching(?). All I need to do is show up and I'll turn the pedals as long as she's turning the pedals.

...one of my instructors, for example, has the class "balance", or ride with no hands while standing up. Yeah, that will come in...handy.

OMG! That is exactly the kind of crap that people connect with Spinning instead of connecting it with the capability of the instructor or the facility for allowing that kind of nonsense. And then you have clubs that claim they offer Spinning when it is nothing but aerobics on a bike, dangerous aerobics on a bike at that.

So far, every example listed in this thread about what folks don't like, references movements or actions that are contrary to the program. Don't knock the program, knock the instructors or clubs which don't have a clue.

Spinning utilizes a very basic foundation of three hand positions and five movements. I get to show my individual technique as an instructor through the design of the ride, choice of music, and how I coach and motivate. It is individual effort in a group setting. Everyone should be using an HRM and they are coached on why it is important, and how that will help ensure that everyone is truly doing their personal ride. And, there is nothing mumbo jumbo about clear and distinct mental focus and awareness. I can't begin to tell you how many people have first hit the zone in one of my classes and have pulled me aside weeks or months later just to talk about it for a bit and how that has affected their approach to fitness and training.

Don't let the screwballs get you any more messed up.

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

I incorporate spinning classes into my winter training program. Last Saturday I did 2 back to back classes for a two hour ride. The key is not to worry about what the instructor wants when they're getting all excited about jumps and standing "runs" on the bike. I just put my head down and hammer and ignore them when that useless stuff is going on. I try to use the spin bike to crank up some heavy resistance that is not available on my trainer so when I get off the bike after a couple of hours of simulated hill climbing my legs are bagged. As long as you don't openly criticize what the instructor is doing they usually leave you alone to do your own thing. At the club I go to I even have one instructor who comes over to me and tells me to do my own thing if his workout is not what I need.

I guess I sort of agree with everything most people are saying but in the end, I don't really care. Spinning can be fun with a good instructor, so if sometimes I don't exactly get a cycling specific workout, I roll with it. It's all good. I guess I like the music, kind of pumps you up.

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berndog
How did we all get sucked into this crazy sport anyway?!!

from my own experience I found a trainer was much more effective. I happen to use the computrainer. The spin classes..as others have pointed out are "taught" often by non road riders...simply instructors with some sort of "training" to teach a spin class. also hard to simulate hill climbing versus flat using the resistance setting on the spin cycle.

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Trying to find ways to pass the time.

My 2 cents. I have been spinning for a little over 3 years and love it. I have experienced almost 25 different instructors over that time. Some good, some horrible, some excellent. Basically you get out of the class what you put in. I agree that most instructors do not ride outside and are usually aerobics instructors looking for a few more hours. Then you get the instructor that believes in what they are doing, the people in the class have energy, and the hour or 1.5 flies by. I have been in spin marathons for 6 hours and couldn't believe how quickly the time went by. The energy in the room, how you are feeling, and what you want out of the experience are what matter.

So as a part time way to get a good work out they are excellent. When the weather turns there is no substitute for time on a real bike but anyone should be able to adapt between a spin bike and tri bike. You all are athletic people capable of adapting to the sport. Get out of spin what you want. Most instructors regognize people that ride outside very quickly. When everyone in the class is doing jumps the roadies are the ones reaching for the tension knob and putting in some extra effort.

Tik

"if you showed up you had better give it your all or go home"

Took a spinning class today with a room full of hotties. My god what legs these women get from cycling/spinning. The instructor had such a great rear end I thought I was in heaven. Love taking these classes.

Smitty