Spin Indoor Cycle Training
IronOnline Cardio
I was reading how Ivan thinks many forms of cardio are boring and when he came to spinning his "spirit soars." I would love to have my spirit soar while doing cardio (I too find it a bit tedious). So, what is spinning? Michael.
I've been meaning to write more about "Spin" for a while now so will jump in with a little history lesson.
The term "Spin" is a company trademark that's used to describe indoor studio cycling, much the same as we refer to Kleenex when we mean facial tissue of any kind. The original Spin bikes were designed by a racing cyclist named "Johnny G," who rigged this sort of funky unit in his garage for his winter training. Six or seven years ago he designed an instructor-lead group exercise class format which he co-joined with Schwinn to build and sell. (They later had a falling out, which last I heard, was bogged down in the court system.)
Johnny's first generation Spin bike was so superior to a normal stationary bike that it took fire. Serious cyclists lined up for his classes, mostly in the Los Angeles area at the time, and the Spin craze took off. A company called Kaiser built the second generation bikes (using a design that didn't work at all) and hired Karen Voight (a dancer, actually, not a cyclist, but a woman with incredible legs), to tell the world she cycled every day (which worked quite well).
Along came Reebok, a company that was watching the aerobics and step class attendance decrease practically daily, that designed a third indoor studio cycle using a belt system which pretty much falls off whenever you touch it.
Next in line was a Danish manufacturer, a guy named Steen, who designed the first of the new and fantastic bikes called Bodybike, which unfortunately went bankrupt after he and his partner split.
Star Trac then built the current best bike, modeled after the Bodybike, called the V-Bike, Schwinn redesigned their bike and another company from Germany is currently producing the latest bike — a tank called the Eagle, I believe.
The bikes themselves have a wide range of quality issues, mostly found in pedalling smoothness and seat and handle adjustability, both of which can make a huge difference in the pleasure of the ride.
The main problem with using the term "spin" to mean all indoor cycle classes, though, is in the difference in the teaching techniques. Certified cycle instructors go thru at least an 8 hour training program. All of the bike manufacturers have their own training program, designed usually by their cycle "spokesperson."
All of the class formats will give you an incredible workout, but still there are some major differences. Johnny G's Spin classes have more visualization than the others, generally mystical, sometimes even with darkness and candles, and has a cult-like following who's members wouldn't consider taking any other class.
Reebok's cycle classes are more structured, coming from a group exercise mentality, and are attractive to aerobics class enthusiasts. Kaiser's Voight classes were designed with the idea of incorporating resistance training (push aways from the bars, etc), but didn't really gain much of a following and seem to be dwindling in the popularity they had gained by being second to the market.
Bodybike classes were fantastic, designed by a racing cyclist named Joan Wenson, who was also a world aerobic champion and Jay Blahnik who was at the time the IDEA Instructor of the Year. Their theory was sound, but the company folded. StarTrak's V-Bike uses the Precision Cycling Program designed by Jay Blahnik, who trains the instructors using heart rate monitors to show them the exact range to train just under the aerobic thresh hold by using interval training. This is the most scientific and athletic based training on the market, the one I highly favor and that we use in our indoor cycle classes at the World Gym Scotts Valley gym. More info that you bargained for, huh? Laree
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I took advantage of my vay-cay and went to a spin class. WHEW! Just what I needed. I was turning quite pink (normally I am tan, LOL). I can't wait to go again. This was what I needed to get out of my "cardio is boring now" mindset. . You can push the peddles or jiggle—it's your choice! (that's what I said to get me up the hills.) Stella
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Regarding the tail-end numbness issue: If I can "butt in"; there is this blood vessel down there. And it connects to some very personal parts. And bicycle seats cause constriction of said blood vessel causing numbness of certain parts. And said numbness can become permanent. Having felt said numbness in my previous bike riding days I now avoid bicycle seats. Chuck
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My understanding is that sitting on a high performance bicycle seat (as opposed to a big fat Lifecycle seat, for example) *may* cause numbness in men after a long time in the seat, i.e. an hour or longer day rides.
Most indoor cycle classes last 45 minutes, so relative to normal Spin classes, see point two: As we first learn to Spin, we sit deep into the saddle, causing either numbness, pain or annoyance - saddle soreness, if you will. When our instructors first began their bike orientation, they ALL complained and bought biking shorts ($50+ for one pair, in case anyone's considering this — opt for the patience).
When we started the classes, all the participants were griping, but by then the instructors were telling them to relax, it would go away. It appears to take about two weeks of 3-4 classes a week to learn the techniques of riding, which mainly include increasing the resistance on the wheel so that you can move the pressure from the saddle into the legs and then increasing leg strength to handle the workload. The only time we hear this complaint anymore is when we have a new rider; everyone tells him or her to hang in there and it will go away soon. The annoyance goes away, if the rider doesn't go away first. Laree
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Spinning. Calling it aerobics implys riding together with a cadence or the beat of the music. Spinning isn't meant to do that. How often do you see a group of cyclist pedaling together to the beat of a song?
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Well, funny you should say that. Once upon a time I had a second category racing license in the UK. When you see a group of cyclists out training you are not so likely to see everyone pedaling in time. If you see a peloton in a race (the main pack of riders), you probably won't see it either.
But something odd happens in small breaks.
Watch a bike race like the Tour de France, the Giro or a even your local town center criterium and you'll see something *very* orchestrated in a breakaway of 4 or so riders. Their gear selection will be virtually identical, each rider will be through and off, meaning that they'll take the pace for 150 meters then swing off and let the rider behind pick up the pace, while they drift to the back, draft for a while until it's their turn to take the pace again.
When you get in one of these breaks, in your head you start to key from the cadence of the other riders, so it does start to happen in time. Because the gear selection will be the same, and you are attempting to keep a high pace everyone starts to work together like a machine. When you don't work like this, the chasing pack will get you. Sometimes it really does look like everyone is in time to the beat of a song.
Sure the terrain will need to be constant, and everyone needs to be committed in the break, but it's a fascinating thing to watch. I only did 80 mile races, but the pros race over about 120 miles a day, day in, day out. Those guys are tough, mentally and physically. Regards, Nick
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