Slow legs - Spinning

figroll

Hi Folks,

I don't know if i'm imagining this but i cycle on the road a couple of times a week, and commute as well as doing a weekly spinning class (as well as resistance work) - and i notice, especially during the spinning that i REALLY can't spin fast in low gears. Its like my leg reaction is slow and especially with fatigue i really can't get them to hurry up which is a bit of a pre-requisite during a spinning class espcially! :rolleyes:

I've read that its better to cycle in low gears at high cadence but i'd like to find out more about why my legs are so slow (no problem with hills).. but when i spin in low gears i feel like i can't keep up/its not smooth and i have to put more resistance on the wheel otherwise i'm going to get thrown off the d*am thing!

Should i just keep trying the spinning/cycling in easy gears? What is going on physiologically that is different to cycling in hard gears?

Thanks in advance,
Figroll

cowzerp

i used to teach spin and most spin teachers do it wrong, when there going mental fast they use no resistance and free wheel which is dangerous and not even effective as a workout, it feels unnatural to your body so your body does not want to allow it

there is nothing wrong with ya..

metamorphosis

cowzerp wrote: »

i used to teach spin and most spin teachers do it wrong, when there going mental fast they use no resistance and free wheel which is dangerous and not even effective as a workout, it feels unnatural to your body so your body does not want to allow it

there is nothing wrong with ya..

Spot on. 95% of classes iv gone to the instructer is terrible in relation to technique, cueing etc Going that fast the bike is working for you - not your legs. Remember it's about speed and resistance. A sprint does not have to be fast: its about percieved effort. As long as you are pushing against reisitance.

A good trick is to cycle to the beat of the music and adjust your resistance accordingly making sure that it is hard to cycle to the beat but not too hard that you will pass out!!!

figroll

Yeah actually that sounds about right cause i've only recently (month or so)started to go and there was very little in the way of bike setup instruction and i just figured it out myself pretty much.

I've also raised a couple of time my concerns about the bike 'freewheeling' with my legs attached (cause thats how it feels! :P ) and he couldn't really suggest anything so i've just been keeping a bit of resistance on when he says to take it all off.

But i was kindof wondering would the hard gears, and resistance training (squats, lunges, kettlebell work) have built my muscle up a certain way and its just not good at 'endurance' type work anymore? Am i becoming less flexible by not stretching enough and thats slowing me down somewhat too?

Anyway, i'll take all your advise on board and just go with what feels right!

Thanks folks!
Figroll

onimpulse

figroll wrote: »

Yeah actually that sounds about right cause i've only recently (month or so)started to go and there was very little in the way of bike setup instruction and i just figured it out myself pretty much.

I've also raised a couple of time my concerns about the bike 'freewheeling' with my legs attached (cause thats how it feels! :P ) and he couldn't really suggest anything so i've just been keeping a bit of resistance on when he says to take it all off.

But i was kindof wondering would the hard gears, and resistance training (squats, lunges, kettlebell work) have built my muscle up a certain way and its just not good at 'endurance' type work anymore? Am i becoming less flexible by not stretching enough and thats slowing me down somewhat too?

Anyway, i'll take all your advise on board and just go with what feels right!

Thanks folks!
Figroll

If you look at pro cyclists you'll see they are all different as well. Some spin some grind - they all get there though, it depends on the person. Lance Armstrong for example is know for his high cadence (spinning fast) others will have a slower cadence but higher gear. Just depends on the person. You can train yourself to increase your cadence if you want to. I don't do spin classes myself but I cycle a lot & in a race for example it's trying to find a balance between high gears & tired legs or high cadence and lungs & heart under pressure. Everyone strikes their own balance...

flywheel

figroll wrote: »

Hi Folks,

I don't know if i'm imagining this but i cycle on the road a couple of times a week, and commute as well as doing a weekly spinning class (as well as resistance work) - and i notice, especially during the spinning that i REALLY can't spin fast in low gears. Its like my leg reaction is slow and especially with fatigue i really can't get them to hurry up which is a bit of a pre-requisite during a spinning class espcially! :rolleyes:

I've read that its better to cycle in low gears at high cadence but i'd like to find out more about why my legs are so slow (no problem with hills).. but when i spin in low gears i feel like i can't keep up/its not smooth and i have to put more resistance on the wheel otherwise i'm going to get thrown off the d*am thing!

Should i just keep trying the spinning/cycling in easy gears? What is going on physiologically that is different to cycling in hard gears?

Thanks in advance,
Figroll

hi, a key factor is to make sure your bike is set up correctly for you... the instructor should have spent some time with you correctly configuring the saddle height, fore/aft position (using knee in relation to pedal position, not your forearm length) and handlebar height... if you are using a Star Trac Spinner (R) bike here is some specific info on the Bike setup Factsheet [pdf] and Bike Setup Video [link]

cadence ranges are built around the particular move you are doing on the bike, in the Spinning (R) programme the basic moves have the following cadence: flat road work seated, standing, jumps (done correctly) are taught at a cadence of 80-110 RPM; your climbs seated or standing are taught at a cadence of 60-80 RPM... of course there are times when you can work around the threshold of those e.g. getting used to a move like a standing flat, or a last surge/push to the top of a hill in a standing climb, but those ranges give a solid range to work from... you need to use your efficient pedal stroke and appropriate resistance to allow you to get/stay in those cadence ranges... a heart rate monitor properly calibrated can provide some good information when you use it together with a good perception of your exertion level

as has been said above, a lot of Indoor Cycling classes are taught that you go as fast as you can, usually resulting in people being over 110 RPM (and past 120 RPM which is not appropriate for an efficient pedal stroke)... you usually see bouncing in the saddle from the energy generated by the flywheel with legs going too fast and no / ultra low resistance on the bike... good instructors use phrases like: "don't let the bike ride you, stay in control you're riding the bike" 'bouncing' is usually fixed by adding some resistance and also becoming more aware of a smooth efficient pedal stroke, "even a flat road has some resistance"... but ensure you don't load a hill when you want a flat road...

you can do cadence checks by counting the number of times one of your legs passes top dead center (top of pedal stroke, 12 o'clock)... counting for 15 seconds should give you a guide... 15-20 count for 15sec equates to 60-80 RPM (for climbing) 20-27 count for 15sec equates to 80-110 RMP (for flats) - remember just because there is an upper cadence limit doesn't mean you are to be at it all the time - your resistance is there to work on intensity also...

be careful about only following the BPM of the music track... you have to know the instructor has worked on building a class profile and selecting music appropriate to cadence... it isn't all that common... if you're luck enough to have a instructor who does this then the music can be a guide and inspiration, but still be aware that different people can hear different rhythms even in the same song... if every track sounds like hard core techno at crazy BPM no matter what you're being instructed to do on the bike use your own cadence checks... or find a class/instructor who puts the effort into the prep / music selection

being a cyclist i think you may really benefit from Jennifer Sage's eBook, it is a fantastic read (and should be read by anyone teaching Indoor Cycling so that they can learn what Spinning is all about), it's $20 and worth every cent with great advice for cyclists engaging in the Spinning (R) programme to help with their road work:
-> Keeping it Real! [link]

here's some links i posted before with resources that may help with some more background info, the first by Edmund Burke about the science behind the Spinning (R) Programme:

Spinning Program Science (Cycling Efficiency / Pedal Stroke) [PDF]

if you are every asked to do any movements in this don't, as you are a cyclist you need to keep the phrase "If I don't do it on my bike, don't do it in a class", none of the moves outlined here will be of any benefit, and could lead to injury...
'Keep it Safe' (Avoiding contraindicated movements) [PDF]

Here is a more indepth look at those movements to be avoided on Jennifer Sage's blog, she also covers them in the eBook I liked above:
Contraindicated moves... and why...: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

These are the basic movements used in the Spinning (R) programme: Core Movements [PDF]
Also you can check out one of the Master Instructors video's here with lots of examples of how to perform each one effectively...
Josh Taylor (Master Instructor) Video footage [LINK]

Stay hydrated during (and after) the class [PDF].