Spin Class Training For Outdoor Cycling
I took my first spin class in 2001. I remember having really sore hamstrings after my first class. I have used spinning as a crosstraining workout to supplement my running, since then. I began doing a few triathlons a year around the same time. Spin class helped keep my legs in “cycling shape”.
In 2003 I signed up for an endurance duathlon at Pacific Crest, in Bend Oregon. My friend, Bucky talked me into it. I saw her at the St Paddy’s Dash in Seattle in March of that year, she signed up for the Pacific Crest Endurance Duathon in June. She and her husband, who is an elite runner, live in Arizona, and I love seeing them whenever they are in Seattle. Bucky went to the UW with my husband, Phil. We’ve known each other for over 20 years. Bucky and I have been through a lot together. We have trained together, ran lots of races together. She inspires me to do crazy things.
The Endurance Duathlon definitely, qualified as a crazy thing! I signed up for 2 reasons, one was to do something fun with my friend, the other reason was to get the experience of training. The endurance duathlon is basically a half ironman without the swim. As a personal trainer, I thought the experience of training would be very educational and help me with my cyclist clients.
At the time, I had never ridden farther than about 15 miles on my bike. I had only done sprint distance triathlons, and lots of half marathons and marathons. The bike course was about 60 miles up and over Mt Bachelor and the half marathon was around Sun River Resort, in Bend.
I put together a training plan to prepare me for the event. I did spin class a couple of times per week and got in at least one longer ride on the weekend. The running part was pretty easy for me, I had just come off doing the Napa Valley Marathon, so I just held onto my running endurance by doing 10 milers every other weekend. I mapped out some organized rides to prepare for the bike portion. I did the 7 Hills of Kirkland, The Skagit Valley Classic, 60 miler. I thought I was going to die, until I switched the seat out on my bike for one designed for women.
Then came race day….. Everything was fine, good weather, I felt adequately trained. I had a light breakfast, packed all my sports drink boxes and gu. I was ready to go. The bike portion went really well, I finished when I expected to finish, around 3:30, for a ride that starts at 4,200 ft and climbs to 4,700 ft. Remember Seattle is at sea level, so the elevation change was significant for me. After that things went down hill. I wish I had been running down hill! The temperatures soared to 95 degrees. Lots of people dropped out of the race. I immediately felt the effects of the heat when I got off the bike. My quads and hamstrings cramped up so much, that I wasn’t sure if I could walk or run. I shuffled through the mile markers and met up with my friend around mile 7. We hobbled in together, doing the run/walk method. I ended up coming in a little over 6 hours. The endurance duathlon was the hardest thing I have ever done. It was harder than any marathon or 204 mile bike ride(STP) I have done since then.
In retrospect, I felt very prepared for the bike portion. I think spin class really helped. I remember the spin class instructors pointers about form. I felt strong. I was also adequately trained for running the half marathon. I felt, that I fueled properly. I think it was the heat and the elevation that made it so difficult.
I became certified as an “Indoor Cycling Instructor” in 2005. Whether you want to use spin class as tough cardiovascular workout, for crosstraining, or to help keep you in cycling shape, spin class will benefit you. Women typically burn between 400-500 calories per work out. Men usually burn between 600-800 calories per work out. This is not a bad way to get in shape!
Although I got a late start, I’ve been a serious runner since 1994. I ran my first marathon in 1995 on my 30th Birthday. It’s been my goal to run the Boston Marathon since then. I missed qualifying by 12 minutes that year. I needed to run 3:40 and ran 3:52. Running in the most prestigious marathon, is the ultimate for most runners. The fact that you have to qualify, only fueled my competitive juices.
Over the next 9 years I ran 6 more marathons. I love running so much that I became a 
5 comments:
I didn’t realise that you were one of the people from the FRONT of the class . . . so here’s a question for you as a spin class instructor:
Do instructors generally run with less resistance? With only one exception at my local gym, the instructors barely seem to break into a sweat during a 45 minute session, leading be to believe that they’re either super human . . . or secretly slacking off. Which is it?
I personally don’t take it easy in class. Some instructors do though. The people who are teaching 10 classes a week, probably just don’t have it to give. Plus, the point is to provide a quality work out for the class. Good instructors will get off the bike to make sure people are set up properly and using good form.
One of the challenges I’ve had is getting some of the women in class to put resistance on the bike. They want to put in lots of miles. What they don’t realize is that the resistance is making them stronger and increasing their lean body mass, which translates to a faster metabolic rate.
Stay away from spin classes if you want to improve your competitive cycling. If you do not care about power, technique, or track/road specific fitness—knock yourself out.
If you want to IMPROVE your cycling, pedal effeciency, breathing, power, muscle development—-do this instead:
Go outside. Get arm & leg warmers and ride 4-5 days per week. A 73 inch rollout or lower.
Ride a fixed gear bike once or twice a week. (1-2 hours tops)
use a 73 inch or lower rollout gearing.
On your 10-speed road bike just ride in one gear (eg: 53/17) steady tempo for 3-5 hours twice a week. Do not shift—-torque up hills, rollout cadnce on the desecents.
Do SFRs (slow frequency repeats) twice per week for 20-60 minutes. Over geared for 3-6 minutes on, 3 minutes off, building up to five efforts of 10 minutes. Take a easy week every fourth week.
Add in some interval sessions (sctructured instensity) as your fitness grows.
Do a group ride at least once a week. Vary the pace, jump, put you nose into the wind, mix it up. Learn to ride wheels, remain calm and have fun. Learn to corner and descend safely.
Spin classes will make you slow and atrophy your legs. The lack of resistance and magneto assist is counter productive and mostly pointless. Actual cycling is 100% different than a rigorous spin class. Avoid a bad habit.
Many experts in the fitness industry disagree that spin classes “make you slow and atrophy your legs”. If you are losing muscle it’s probably because you aren’t putting enough resistance on the bike. Believe me you can load the resistance on to increase leg strength. I am sure people slack off in class and don’t get an optimal work out because of it. If you are hard core, you can get a great work out from a quality spin class. Not all classes are the same. Check some of the higher end clubs for better instructors.
I haven’t ridden a fixed gear bike, but I imagine it’s good for building strength.
Have you heard of Johnny G? He was a competitive cyclist, who created the spin bike, based on outdoor cycling.
Check this site if you want to know more.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53946
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