I love spinning. For those of you who don't know, spinning refers to an indoor cycling class. A bunch of stationary bikes are arranged in rows, with knobs that control resistance and fully adjustable seats and handlebars. Lots of people in spandex and yoga pants perch on the tiny, hard, little seats in order to crank out an hour or so of cardio. The calorie burn is amazing, the feeling (or lack thereof) in your lady parts for the first few classes is something you get used to, and the endorphins are fantastic. Spinning has been around for decades, but I just fell in love with it in the past few years. Not that I have always enjoyed it or even wanted to take a spin class...
I tried it once upon a time, in 2005 or so, and I couldn't even make it for the first 10 minutes of the class. My crotch hurt, my heart was about to pump out of my chest, and then the instructor told us to STAND UP while we were on the bike and keep pedaling. The 25 year old me decided that was impossible, so I gracefully flopped off of the bike and went back to my elliptical machine where I tried to avoid all of the former classmates and neighbors and various people from my childhood that were there at the gym with me, wanting to talk, while I just wanted to sweat away some calories and regrets. Oh, La Verne LA Fitness, how I don't miss you.
Fast forward to 2011. I was going through a lot of personal change and challenges, and trying new things was just a part of the norm. I was working with an angel of a therapist, Janice, to deal with my issues. I'm blessed in the regard that my issues are not front page news, and I've not had horribly tragic events in my life, but I still have things that I deal with (or don't deal with) and need to talk about. If you haven't ever seen a therapist, I highly recommend it, just to have someone to sort your brain out with you! Although I will admit, it takes a certain amount of courage to be able to be honest with yourself and take accountability for your actions and inactions and life choices. But anyway, I was working with Janice around three major, interrelated areas in my life: my weight, my relationships, and my depression. I found Janice through one of my best friends, former roommate, college classmate, sorority sister, and former colleague, miss Gabi. Through Gabi, I also found spin, in a way. Gabi had really gotten into spin when we lived together on Allen Ave, and would go to class a few times a week. She'd always ask me if I wanted to join, but I was still freaked out from my prior experience with spinning, and so I avoided that for a few years. I can't remember if Gabi ever did get me in the spin class while she lived in Pasadena, but if she did I blocked it out. But in 2011, I was talking with Janice about spin and how I was scared to try it again, and of course that led me to set a goal to go to my first spin class. I had joined a different gym, abandoning my old standby LA Fitness for a new scene and new energy - Bodies in Motion. It was primarily a boxing gym, with a legitimate boxing ring, rows of heavy bags, but it also had an awesome cycling room, pilates equipment, and an aerobics room with a spring floor. It was an awesome place, and I knew absolutely nobody there. So I really had no excuse to be embarrassed! Which meant I had to conquer my spin fears for once and for all...
My first spinning class was an experience, to be sure. I got there early, and this energetic little jumping bean of energy and happiness was bopping around the room introducing himself to people and asking if they were new, etc. He made his way over to me and introduced himself as Brent, the instructor for the spin class. Brent helped me get my bike set up correctly and when I told him I had never done a spin class before, he told me these very important words, "Focus on yourself, challenge yourself, listen to your body. I'll be giving you instruction and guidance of where you want to be, on a scale from 1-10, but make sure you are on your own scale. You'll hear me tell the class to get up into different positions, don't worry about that right now. Just sit on the bike and get used to the cadence, the rhythm, the motion of your legs and your breathing. Don't compare yourself to the other people in the room, this is your ride and what's important is that you do your best but don't injure yourself." Oh, thank GOD I don't have to stand up!!! Mind you, I probably weighed about 340 pounds at this point in my life, a solid size 22/24. But I got on that bike and pedaled away and really enjoyed the music and the movement and the sweat that just poured out of every gland possible. Brent was encouraging and positive and his energy was infectious. By the end of the class, I was winded and soaked through, but I made it the entire time! I was proud. Until I got off the bike and stood up, and then I was dizzy. I had never fainted before, but I was 99.9999% sure that I was about to faint right then and there. I started seeing stars ping around in my vision, even as it closed like a dark tunnel, and Brent's voice started to sound like we were in a spin class under the sea. I held on to the bike seat for dear life and focused on my breathing - long deep breaths bringing oxygen into my lungs, calmly, one at a time. A million thoughts were running through my head, "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" "If I fall I'll hit my face and bash out some of my teeth and my Mom will be PISSED" "If I fall, will they be able to pick me up? They'll have to move the bikes out in order to get my body out of the room" "I wonder if anyone else has passed out before" "Don't pass out, you fool!" "Those pedals look vicious" Thankfully, my deep breathing saved me and while I didn't do the post-ride stretches with the rest of the class, I didn't pass out and that was really all I cared about. I drank my water and carefully tested out if letting go of the bike seat was a good idea yet. Brent was at the front of the class talking about when he was teaching spin next and also that he was a personal trainer and had a few spots left for new clients. I had talked with Janice about hiring a personal trainer, and was fighting it, but at that moment I knew it was meant to be. Brent ended up working with me for the majority of my weight loss, and was another angel in my life. He had never trained a morbidly obese person before, so he did a lot of research on what to do to prevent injury (and heart attack, if we're being honest). Brent challenged me, he kept me motivated, he made me feel as though anything were possible and that I really could lose this weight. I would see Brent 2-3 times a week in the morning for an hour each session, and then of course at spin class in the evenings. I became a regular at the gym, and even tried kickboxing for the first time (loved it! miss it! want to do kickboxing here in NYC!). Janice helped me deal with emotional and mental baggage, Brent helped me deal with physical baggage, and they were angels in my life who have forever left an impact. I still think of both of them quite often, and I'm forever looking for a spin instructor who is as good as Brent was.
After surviving my first few spin classes, I opted to buy some padded cycling shorts, because my lady parts were really sore (and partially numb). To be honest, I've only worn them maybe twice, because it reminds me of junior high. When you first become a woman, maxi pads are the toiletry of choice, and back in the early 1990s, they didn't have these amazingly thin products that I see advertised on TV today. As if ladies need to see a commercial to remind them to buy that stuff? Whatever. But also, I didn't wear the padded shorts a lot because you really do get used to the seat, and also the more I went to spin class the better I got at spinning and the less I would have to sit in the saddle. Brent also recommended that if I was going to keep spinning, that I get some shoes with cleats so I could clip in and really be able to maximize my workout. So I went to my local bike shop and bought some Bontrager cycling shoes, men's of course, because I have big feet and they didn't have ladies' cycling shoes in the store in my size...
My awesome spin shoes.
I have the smaller, two-point cleats on right now because that's what the bikes at our current gym have. It really just depends on the bikes at your gym, get whatever cleats match with their pedals or just use the cages if you don't have spin shoes yet. But I prefer the three-point cleats because they're more secure. I've already spun right out of the bikes at Crunch, with one leg still attached and whizzing around in a circle as I tried to hit the knob and stop my bike while the other leg dangled off to the side. I narrowly avoided a vicious gash on my delicate shins.
Spinning is definitely one of my favorite ways to exercise, it really gets me sweaty and even my worst ride is burning hundreds of calories. I also have a secret love for dance/trance/dubstep/electronic music, which is often used in spin class. And spinning can really be a cathartic experience as well. I started spinning in early 2011, not long after I had broken up with my long-time boyfriend. It wasn't a nasty breakup, but of course I was emotional and hurt and I listened to a lot of Adele and Sara Bareilles. So when I was in class one day and we were cranking up a hill and a remix came on that was an Adele song, it hit me right in the gut. My face flushed, tears sprung to my eyes, and I got that dimpled, wobbly chin that you get when you're trying not to cry. But then I realized that nobody was looking at me, my face was already beet-red and dripping with sweat and the music was up LOUD, so I just let it all out. I pushed those pedals down with the beat, and bawled my eyes out while I sang along angrily. Talk about physical therapy!
Sweaty after a great ride in Pasadena, earlier this year
Some of my favorite spinning moments have been with one of my BFFs, Jamie. She works near Pasadena and we would meet for a spin/din date. Spinning and then dinner, along with best friend estrogen therapy, talk about a win-win! We were going to spin when Jamie and her husband Tony were visiting for my birthday, but it didn't pan out. Which means she'll just have to visit again so we can spin at my gym here in Brooklyn!
These days, I consider myself a spinning veteran. I like to get there early so I can set my bike up, get my legs going, and really get in the zone mentally. I have pet peeves about spinning, and I laughed my butt off when I saw this post about the different types of indoor cyclists. Especially the Lance Armstrong. WHY do people wear their pro gear to an indoor cycling class?!?! I've encouraged many friends (and Megan) to try spinning, and I will drag anyone around me to class with me. I still find new challenges as I try different instructors - push-ups on the bike, balancing with no hands, different interval challenges, etc. Sometimes I don't go for a couple weeks and when I get back in the saddle I am so happy and excited and I realize how much I miss it! I even went to a spin class on our Christmas cruise last year, and I plan on doing it again this year. Sitting on a tiny bike, pedaling like crazy to music while the boat rocks back and forth on the waves is a particularly interesting challenge, let me tell you.
Tonight, Megan is going to a work event and can't make it home in time for spin class. So I'm going on my own, which I'm totally ok with. One of the things I love most about the gym is that even if I go by myself, I'm not alone. There is guaranteed to be some other person there working on their goals. I really look forward to a great ride, so I better hydrate in anticipation of all the sweat I'm going to generate. Who wants to come with?
Sometimes we get a lil crazy after spinning. Not surprising, I'm sure.
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