Virgin Spin

I went to my first official spin class tonight. It was definitely interesting!
The music was extremely varied I liked almost all of the tunes and had a hard time trying not to sing along with some of them. I wasn't quite sure at first how you could make Coldplay work for a spin class but this instructor had his means. Here's the playlist as I remember it (some gaps due to poor memory and to poor title/artist recognition on my part)

A Sorta Fairytale by Tori Amos
Yellow by Coldplay
Give me one reason by Tracy Chapman (One of my all time favorite songs)
Taking it to the streets
Crazy in Love by Beyonce
Dirt Off Your Shoulders by JZ
Some heavy/alternative song
Too Legit by MC Hammer
Another ColdPlay Song
She talks to angels (I know this isn't the title but I cannot remember title or artist on this one)

We spent 98% of the time out of the saddle. Ouch!
Everything was done in the dark with blacklights and the instructor promoted keeping cadence with the music. So those slow songs which should have been "easy" were grueling because you had resistance cranked and were rocking back and forth like the pros. (Yeah okay I felt like Lance, but only for about two seconds)

So I am grooving along to the first three songs trying really hard not to sing along. Keeping the tempo and watching my legs as I rock from left to right. Then taking it to the streets comes on and I am like WTF, oh well go with the flow. So I think we are speeding up good I will get to ride back in my saddle. NOPE! We are now out of the saddle and pumping along to Beyonce and Jay-Z. HOLY CRAP. I am not good at keeping this fast cadence while out of the saddle. I am trying to hold my own and I am watching the instructor. This is when I notice, and you should have seen my jaw drop, that not only is he crushing along out of the seat with this high cadence, he is actually jamming to the beat up top too! Yes he is actually getting groovy with his bad self, shoulders dipping in time with the music, and this is when I feel like I still have a long way to go!

I manage to stay out of the saddle most of the way with a few breathers for Gatorade.

MC Hammer comes on and we get a respite! We are back in the saddle with high cadence and then comes the upper body workout! Yep we start doing tricep pushups on the bike for the rest of the song. Holy Crud! I am gonna feel those in the pool tomorrow!

We grind out the last 2 songs out of the saddle and with extremely high resistance. At one point I felt like there was no way I could turn the resistance up anymore and the lights flicker. Holy crud, did I do that with my mind? The lights come back on and Ed makes us focus in and finish strong together.

We spun it out and then stretched as a class. Very good workout. Unfortunately it sounds like he was a replacement for the regular Wed teacher but maybe next week I won't have to be out of the saddle the whole workout! ;) I will try to have fun with this whole spinning thing until I can get outside.

Well you all know Bolder uses the run after the bike to get out the lactic acid. My theory though is that you can't get me on that damn bike unless you promise me a kick ass run afterwards. And there's nothing more that this runner enjoys than kicking those bad ass cyclists butts in the home stretch of the run! So to keep my run legs fresh I did a quick mile on the tread after the spin and called it a night.

17 comments:

qcmier said...

Your spin class sounded like a riot. My coach has been doing trainer rides for serious cyclists for a a few years now. We sometimes laugh at the normal spin classes. I am going to put up the workout on my blog later tonight. You'll see a difference.

Backofpack said...

Yowza! That sounds like quite a workout.

Dave said...

Spin and saddle? I have no idea what these are but they sound a bit naughty. God, please, tell me their naughty.

Legs and Wings said...

Music is a great motivator. The ol' bottom will feel tender the next time you touch the saddle...have fun!

The Black Crowes sing that song you couldn't remember.

CJ said...

Spining is lots of fun isn't it!!!! Brings back memories - I'll go back to the classes after the marathon.

Cycling Under The Influence said...

Awesome job. I go to spin classes regularly, and I have my favorite spin instructors. In our YMCA, we have "spin snobs" who will only go if a certain person is teaching.

Did you have on cycling shoes (clipped in)? All of our spin bikes have spd's and cages on the back side. I have found that the spd's really help.

Janet Edwards said...

Is is weird to say, that that sounds like a fun class! I do like the atmosphere of group workouts and the music that is thrown at you. I have never did a spin class (they don't have them at my gym) but they do sound like something I would enjoy.

:) said...

Sounds like a party!

Trisaratops said...

Great workout!

I like to hit those once in a while for a little variety! You're right, it's amazing how some of the music is NOT what you'd pick to pump you up, but for some reason it just works!

Anne said...

Of all the blog posts on first spinning classes, I like your description best. It's almost got me thinking I should do it too, especially if the playlist is similar to the one you had.

Papa Louie said...

You have the same attitude as me when it comes to the run part where I get to kick butt of all the bikers and swimmers that left me behind. Nice workout!

Bolder said...

ha! bring it on!!

that's ok, i know you are just giddy from the excitement of concentrated bike'ness.

it's all about the bike. you'll be thankin' me after Steelhead.

but, a short run after a ride is absolutely the way to go... and sersly, new spin instructor required -- that music sucked. only thing worse was when Spence talked about a whole class of Elton John!

A. M. Mericsko said...

your title leaves alot to the imagination! lol!

Cliff said...

What a weird video u got.

That's a wild spin class. I taken those before last year. No strobe lights, no heavy beats. Sweated a bucket though

Scott said...

Spinning sounds so cool but very hard. I'd love to try it sometime and there is a really cool new studio within walking distance of my apartment.

I am going to play 9465 in the weekend lottery... I just know it's a lucky number.

onepinkfuzzy said...

ho-ly shiza! that sounds like one incredible spin class!!! and then you ran afterwards?! Whew! that's awesome.

Rae said...

Great job with the spin class! It sounds like a ton of fun.