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(This is cross-posted at BlogHer.)

I wasn’t a fan of Spinning when I tried it for the first time about a year and a half ago. I even took the class twice, just to make sure I was giving it a fair chance. I do, however, know exactly why my first attempts ended with such a negative impression. The first mistake was that I went to a class that started at 6am…even though I don’t like exercising in the morning! If I had to, I could probably force myself to walk or jog, but Spinning requires a lot of energy.

The second mistake was that I didn’t eat anything first (I’m not used to eating something as soon as I wake up), so I didn’t have enough fuel in my system to keep me going through such a strenuous workout.

Even though I knew what I’d been doing wrong (and why I spent a lot of time in the class staring at the clock on the wall, hoping the time would go faster), it took me a while to psych myself up enough to give Spinning another try. That’s what a negative first impression will do to you, I suppose.

The turning point came when I found out that the gym I belong to has a recurring monthly class for Spinning newbies, so last weekend I decided to give it another chance. And just like I thought would happen, I discovered that Spinning is a lot better when you’ve eaten something in advance and the class starts later than 6am. (Huh! Who knew?)

I think this Intro to Spinning class is a super idea. It’s a great way to introduce people to a new sport in a low-pressure atmosphere (especially people who might be a little apprehensive about dropping in on a normal class). The classes I took at my previous gym were more like a mad attempt to keep up with the rest of the participants, since everyone else seemed to know what they were doing. I did get help from the instructor when she showed me how to set up my bike, but after that I was on my own.

The intro-class instructor started out by explaining the bike itself and showing us how to adjust the various levers to fit our height (you want to make sure you’re sitting properly on the bike, otherwise you can injure yourself). Then she went over general Spinning terms (instructions we might hear in class), and stuff like proper hand positioning on the handlebars — which will change depending on the stance you’re in (seated, standing, sprinting).

What I liked most about Spinning is how high-energy it is. The music is loud, the instructor will shout instructions and urge you to work harder, and they’ll vary the routine to keep things interesting. Also, you don’t have to worry about keeping up with anyone else — there are a variety of fitness levels in the class and you’re encouraged to work at your own pace. If you can’t rise from the seat and sit down over and over, or if you can’t sprint as long as everyone else, that’s okay. You do as much as you can, and over time, with practice, you’ll get better.

My one complaint was how hot the room was, even though they had a few standing fans circulating air around. I know this is typical for Spinning rooms (they tend to be hot because of all the people inside generating body heat), but I wish they kept the room a little cooler. When I used to get on the elliptical machine on a regular basis, I’d always try to grab a machine that was located near a standing fan so I could point it right at me.

My recommendations:

Make sure to bring a water bottle. It helps if you have one with a pop-top that you can squirt into your mouth, rather than a regular water bottle where you have to screw off the top (there’s also a smaller chance of spilling water all over yourself if you’re trying to drink and pedal at the same time).

Most people bring a small towel. Since the room gets so hot, it’s helpful to periodically wipe away the sweat.

If you’d like to try Spinning but don’t have the option to take a beginner class, it’s a good idea to get to class a few minutes early and ask for help from the instructor to make sure you’re set up properly.

I’m planning to take a normal Spinning class soon, but it’ll most likely have to be on a weekend. My gym offers 6am classes, but I’m obviously not doing that. The other option is 6pm on weekdays, but that wouldn’t work unless I leave work a little early — 6pm is generally the time I get home, and I’d need extra time to change and drive over to the gym.

(Note: if you live in the DC metro area, the Spinning for Beginners class is offered on a monthly basis at Jungles Gym — I went to the location in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. It’s free, open to the public, and you don’t have to sign up in advance. Call the gym for details on the next scheduled class.)

What’s your opinion of Spinning?

Related Reading:

Genkileslie was a little saddle sore after she tried Spinning as part of a boot camp routine at her gym.

Last night I went to my second night of bootcamp. It was so intense. We did spinning and a bunch of other horrible things like lunges and push ups. I have never done spinning before — or should I say I have never spun before? We had to do this stupid “jumps” on the bike — where you stand up and peddle and then sit down and peddle over and over and over and over again. We did a total of 30 min plus the rest of the horrible stuff for 30 min.

Christie at Baby Tea Leaves tried Spinning and really enjoyed it.

I took a spin class and I’m making it my regular Saturday morning gig and there are also spin classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at (ahem) 5:45 in the morning. And I am not a morning person, but I think, hmm. If I can get my workouts out of the way in the morning before my house wakes up, I won’t have to panic about whether or not I’m going to get it in later.

Kikimonster at Taking Chances took a Spinning class — she enjoyed it, even though she was very sore afterward.

The instructor was good at explaining the instructions she shouted out (hover, uphill sprint, etc). And yell she did (funny, she warned me about the yelling too). At first I was a little taken back. This chick is psycho! And then I started to think about Jillian (seriously folks, is there a workout when I don’t think of Ms. Michaels??) and how she yells at her trainees. It is motivating for someone to be shouting at you, because trust me, about 20 minutes in, I wanted to quit. I actually thought about getting off the bike, picking up my water bottle, and walking out. But I didn’t. I stayed.

Joni at Baby For 1 didn’t like Spinning.

Today I made an attempt at a spin class at the gym I belong to. [...] Since I already belong to and pay for the gym the spin class seemed like a good idea.

Its not. I didn’t like it. I hated being told when to go faster, when to increase the tension, and when I got a break. I just wanted to cycle and wanted the instructor to leave me alone. She wouldn’t. I think it was one of the worst hours of my life. I will have to come up with something else.

Maria is a Spinning instructor in Sweden.

Yesterday I had a 45 minutes class for the members at my training centre and today I had a 60 minutes class with the bandy guys… I really love being a spinning instructor!! It’s a hard workout but the adrenaline rush is awesome! If you haven’t tried spinning I REALLY recommend you to do it. The great thing is that everyone chooses their own resistance and therefore an elite cyclist can sit next to an amateur and both’ll get a thoroughly workout in the same class!