You Can Call Me "Badass"
Last night, I finally overcame my fear and went to my very first spinning class. Cody convinced me to go with him...and it truly wasn't as horrible as I'd imagined...
Meaning I managed not to have a coronary aneurysm halfway through the class.
Apparently spinning classes are quite popular at the Y because there was a line at the door 15 minutes before the class even started (to the point where I expected people to start throwing 'bows in an attempt to get a bike). We waited in an anxious herd for the previous class to finish up and then proceeded to stampede into the room like refugees at a Red Cross food tent.
I found my perfectly placed bike (halfway towards the back, against the far left wall, out of the instructor's eye sight) and laughed out loud when I discovered that the damn thing actually had foot clips. I'm sorry, but if you're hardcore enough to CLIP YOURSELF IN to your exercise bike...you need to just buy some colorful spandex, find an outdoor bike lane and stop annoying me with your lame-ness.
But the fun and games were over the moment Marcus-the-drill-sergeant walked in the room. To paint you a clear picture, I'll start off by saying that ONE of his legs was bigger around than my waist. And he was outfitted in head-to-toe Tour de France style spandex...with a Britney Spears head mic.
Everything started out easy enough. We were trucking along at a light resistance when all of the sudden he started screaming at us to get out of the saddle, turn up the resistance and peddle through our calf burn at a constant 105 RPM.
I swear I wanted to shoot him. Especially since he kept this up for 45 minutes straight. And made us go longer because someone cracked a smile.
But when the class FINALLY ended, I felt an incredible sense of pride (that I hadn't died). And that Cody was as equally sweaty and red-faced (if not sweatier) as me. And talk about some exercise-induced endorphins! I was thrumming with them. So, crazy as it sounds, I'm thinking about going back next week. Because it's the best workout I've had in a long time (and it can only get easier from here). Who knows, I just might turn into quite the spinning enthusiast...
Just promise me that if you EVER see me in padded spandex shorts and bicycle clips, you'll give me three swift punches in the throat.
Meaning I managed not to have a coronary aneurysm halfway through the class.
Apparently spinning classes are quite popular at the Y because there was a line at the door 15 minutes before the class even started (to the point where I expected people to start throwing 'bows in an attempt to get a bike). We waited in an anxious herd for the previous class to finish up and then proceeded to stampede into the room like refugees at a Red Cross food tent.
I found my perfectly placed bike (halfway towards the back, against the far left wall, out of the instructor's eye sight) and laughed out loud when I discovered that the damn thing actually had foot clips. I'm sorry, but if you're hardcore enough to CLIP YOURSELF IN to your exercise bike...you need to just buy some colorful spandex, find an outdoor bike lane and stop annoying me with your lame-ness.
But the fun and games were over the moment Marcus-the-drill-sergeant walked in the room. To paint you a clear picture, I'll start off by saying that ONE of his legs was bigger around than my waist. And he was outfitted in head-to-toe Tour de France style spandex...with a Britney Spears head mic.
Everything started out easy enough. We were trucking along at a light resistance when all of the sudden he started screaming at us to get out of the saddle, turn up the resistance and peddle through our calf burn at a constant 105 RPM.
I swear I wanted to shoot him. Especially since he kept this up for 45 minutes straight. And made us go longer because someone cracked a smile.
But when the class FINALLY ended, I felt an incredible sense of pride (that I hadn't died). And that Cody was as equally sweaty and red-faced (if not sweatier) as me. And talk about some exercise-induced endorphins! I was thrumming with them. So, crazy as it sounds, I'm thinking about going back next week. Because it's the best workout I've had in a long time (and it can only get easier from here). Who knows, I just might turn into quite the spinning enthusiast...
Just promise me that if you EVER see me in padded spandex shorts and bicycle clips, you'll give me three swift punches in the throat.
posted by Rachel at 9:55 AM
2 Comments:
Well, I take spinning twice a week downtown at the Y and the instructors there are not nearly as spin-Nazi-like as the one you talk about.
As for the clipping in thing. Actually, from what I hear, it is supposed to help you work your muscles in your legs more effectively. And a lot of outdoor bikers use the spinning class as an opportunity to train for outdoor races or events. So, I don't see anything wrong with the clips.
Now, wearing Spandex..yeah, really no one needs to that ever.
And the downtown Y's spin classes are at least a bit better in that you have to sign up for them. So that way you know you're in or out and it's not a Wild Kingdom special trying to get a bike.
And they can be fun....as I said downtown we have fun, but part of that is the instructors. And we're having a spin class social this Thursday night...
Clipping in to the pedals allows you to pull the pedals upward, in addition to be able to push them downward. It helps you generate a lot more power, go faster, and probably makes you expend more energy as well.
At least that's what Dustin says. I don't cycle, cause I could never wear that retarded aerodynamic helmet.
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