Spinning

backinexile

Going for long spins at the weekend, however cannot get out during the week.

Are spinning classes any use as training for the bike?

shaka

Im Spinning twice a week with the club , good for sweating the turkey out of you but not as good as the turbo or getting out on the road.

Fitter guys in club are finding it harder than some of the less fit guys , skinny fellas who use high cadence are struggling when it comes to turning up the dial and making the resistance very hard, lack strenght and two of the lads are finding it very beneficial.

backinexile

Thanks, I was worried that it would have no real cycling benefit.

mahoo

i find them great for getting the cardio vascual fitness back after a lazy christmas.. really notice the benefits on the hills after a few weeks of spin classes... Classes vary a lot between instructors. some focus on high resistance, endurance exercises and others focus on max efforts/ interval training.

A bit of an aside, but did anyone see that horizon program about fitness last night? worth checking out. one scary statistic was that genetically 20% of people are basically immune to exercise!! they get no improvement in their cardio vascular fitness from exercise (handy excuse next time you're struggling on a spin - 'its my genes'). . Also interestingly there was a research project that showed doing 3 x 20 second maximum efforts, 3 times a week improved your fitness the same as regular gym goers. So 12 minutes exercise a month is all you really need! :-)