Question: Will You Love or Hate The Spin Bike?

Spin classes are ok, just to keep from imploding in front of the TV on the trainer.

I actually trained for two different 24 hour races almost solely with spinning classes (out of necessity, not by choice). True, my technical skills blew but my legs held up pretty well. Does it compare to the real thing? Of course not. But it's better than another donut. A lot depends on the class, the instructor and the music played. The class I went to had the plus of being in a room painted all black, lit only by black lights.

And: Sweaty businessmen? Nope. I was the only guy in there.

Oh, it does help if you talk to instructor beforehand to see if it's alright with them if you do your own thing at times. I found that a)I wasn't at all thrilled with repeatedly hopping up and down on a seat for "jumps" and b)needed a bit more steady-state work (i.e. long seated or standing pulls, rather than changing several times per song).

Ray, I like what you're saying here. Instructor conversations are important. I wonder if you could've convinced your trainer to help you with 24-hour training. I could imagine a longer class with heavy gear spinning.

I'm with you on the jumping, hoping around.

So, any else ever talked to an instructor telling him/her to focus on the day's session because of your upcoming event?

PS: in Durango the spin classes have a line to get in them! Can you please it. We call it the revmasters classes.

Walker T

Off the road, on the mind...

Actually, since the class was only an hour long (and since there was no class immediately afterwards), the instructors allowed me to just keep on going. I pulled out the iPod and kept at it. One time I did take back to back classes, however. That was actually sufficient.

Cool. But would you ever ask a trainer to alter his/her instruction to "pretend" and "talk to" the idea and course of a 24-hour race?

Walker T

Off the road, on the mind...

No. I try to honor their position within the class. I might have a lot more miles/races in my legs, but I find I get a lot farther with people when I show respect their positions. Plus, in almost all instances, those instructors have gone through some type of training classes to do what they do. I may stay seated (or remain standing) while they're doing one thing or another, but I don't ask them to modify their entire course to suit me. I have on numerous ocassions for several instructors provided mix CDs with workout ideas (climb here, intervals there...), to varying degrees of success.

One of the plusses with spinning is that it allows you to 'ride' with people who are of differing abilities. I control how much of a workout I get by controlling my intensity (by altering cadence, resistance, etc.), but that soccer mom or business suit is still going to be right next to me. Sometimes that provides a nice social benefit that you don't get when you'd otherwise be busting out the road/base miles.

Very cool! Thanks for your input...

Walker T

Off the road, on the mind...