Do you use a spinning class for training?
What’s the reason you would spin instead of ride? weather, daylight, lunch hour training.
is there something that you wish you had at your local spinning studio that is not available?
The main disadvantage of the spinning sessions is that they don’t provide a way to objectively assess your progrss. There are no powermeters on the spin bikes.
The main disadvantage of the spinning sessions is that they don’t provide a way to objectively assess your progrss. There are no powermeters on the spin bikes.
Ah, not true! There is a new spin bike which does. I saw it at the bike shop Saturday and will be doing a once/week training session beginning in January.
http://www.triathloncoach.com/m2revolution/
clm
Weather definitely.
As for the trainer I can not go over 20 minutes without being bored to tears.
With spinning I schedule extra time around classes.
For example:
Saturday:
7 - 8:15am spin alone
8:15 - 9:15 spin class
9:15 - 10:20 spin alone
3 hours 20 minutes
Sunday:
7 - 8:00am spin alone
8 - 9:00 spin class
9 - 9:15 spin between classes
9:15 - 10:45 “roadie” spin class
3 hours 40 minutes
7 hour weekend
I could never do large blocks of “alone” time on a spin bike.
The other nice thing is as soon as I finish I can do a transition run on the track upstairs. I can also swim before or after and the whirlpool is easily accessible.
As soon as the weather gets nice I avoid spin like the plague!
Cycleops makes a trainer with a Powertap inside. PT3000 I believe the name is. I’ve got a couple of clients with them and they love them. Usually my athletes only use spin classes in place of training if they are traveling, short on time, or the weather is bad. Otherwise, it’s more benificial to be outside on the road.
Chris
Now that it’s dark outside when I get to work AND when i get home I’ve been doing spin classes on Mondays and Wednesdays and riding my road bike on the weekends. The reason I don’t like the spin class is because a lot of the stuff our instructor has us do really doesn’t fit my style of riding, but I think it’s better than doing nothing.
The main disadvantage of the spinning sessions is that they don’t provide a way to objectively assess your progrss. There are no powermeters on the spin bikes.
BUT you can use an HRM on as spin bike! I dont have a power meter on my bike so it doesnt matter to me.
I believe Cycleops has one, but you generally don’t see them at spin classes.
I try to do the same for the same reasons, but only for 2 hours at the most. I usually get to class about an hour to 1/2hr early do some resistance training and then do the spin class.
But lately Ive been skipping spinning for a performance cycling class on a computrainer. I feel like and assume it will be better.
I enjoy spinning because it’s a great way to get a great interval session in without the distraction of traffic.
I teach six classes per week so the benefit of some extra cash while subjecting everybody to some tortuous training is priceless. Plus we expend 900-1000 Kcals /class = lots of refueling requirements, which is an added bonus this time of year.
I’ll spin on occassion and do back to back or sometimes three classes - during winter only. I can’t stand the indoor trainer for more than an hour or hour and a half and its hard to get outside and ride midweek with the job.
What I wish the gym had are instrucors that actually know how to ride a bike, although the bouncing around like a yo yo is kind of amusing.
Q: Do you use a spinning class for training?
A: used to, but have a computrainer at home now which is generally more convenient.
Q: What’s the reason you would spin instead of ride? weather, daylight, lunch hour training.
A: michelle, the spinning instructor
Q: is there something that you wish you had at your local spinning studio that is not available?
A: michelle, the spinning instructor
I do two or three spin classes a week, 45 minute classes, with 15 or so minutes before and after (total time 60-70 minutes each). The usual reason is accessibility and sceduling (lunchtime workouts usually).
Yes. Agree that the trainer is best alternate to road, but if good instructor is a nice alternative. Also, if you travel for work (other than a pro triathlete) often can find some classes. I was in Warsaw last week and went to a class. Don’t speak Polish, but no problem following the class. Great instructor, great workout, and fun experience to do something with different groups of people. For me I just have to use this in addition to rather than substitution for road or trainer work. Also, at lunch the local gyms tend to offer this as an option as well.
Yes, now since it gets dark at 5:30pm and I don’t like the cold weather.
3 times a week now, I like the instructors at my gym, they are all about keeping HR down and building endurance. They are unlike what I’ve heard from others where their’s try to work the heck out of them.
jaretj
I did a lot of spinning before I got my bike. As others have said, spin before class… through class… after class. My gym does a 2 hr class a couple of times a year as a challenge to people who, on their own, would probably never work out for that long! I like it because I have company 
Reason: not having a bike, weather, daylight, and to make $ (I teach them!)
Something I wish we had: a window in the spinning room would make me so happy. We do have blacklights, that’s nice every once in awhile
Better to build endurance outside. Do spinning for interval work. The key is the music and never do the same workout twice. Pain is just weakness leaving the body!
Why do you think it’s better to build endurance outside?
So what you are saying is that I should ride on the dark and wet roads with the evening traffic.
jaretj
No, not at all. Since the average spinning class is only 1 hr long, use it as a quality interval workout and bike outside on the weekend when you can go longer and easier during the off season.