Spinning- my experience, my hobby

SPINNING

Spinning is my hobby of choice and I enjoy it.

There, I’ve said it, its “OUT” now. When I say the above to people they look at me like I have just said I like to eat scabby babies in my spare time!

I get that spinning isn’t a class that everyone enjoys, but come on, its not the worst thing that I could be doing right?

I do enjoy hearing people’s thoughts and comments on the class, especially of those that tried it once. “I couldn’t sit down comfortably for a week” “I was in bits for days after it” “I thought I was gonna vomit, so I walked out”  "It's soooo hard" When I questioned these further, I found that the majority of these people decided to try these classes randomly, as in hadn’t exercised before it, didn’t know what was involved and never went back again. So it was the start and the end of their experience with spinning, which made it a bad and negative experience!

This makes me sad because I feel like they’re missing out. Of course I’m being biased because it is something that I now enjoy. But I didn’t at the start, in fact I’d go as far as to say that the thoughts of a spinning class used to fill me with dread!! I had seen spinning classes in action when I was joined a gym about 4 years ago and thought it was an odd looking sport. I’d heard “horror” stories (like the above) and thought, no way, it ain’t for me.

When I joined a personal training gym in March 2010 it was part of the course that you attend at least one spinning class a week, and as those are the rules and rules must be obeyed (heehee) off I trotted, and it was tough, the seat was too small for my bum-bum, I couldn’t keep up with the class, my trackie bottoms got caught in the pedals, I ran out of water, I hadn’t brought a towel (rookie mistake) it was a long hour and the following day everything ached from my eyeballs to my toe nails!!! Ok a slight exaggeration, but you see where I’m going with this?

So the following week for my second class I was more prepared towel, big water bottle, short bottoms and I got through it, the music helped I found, yes it was as tough as the previous week, but because I kinda knew what to expect and I was a little more prepared, I got though it. I was sore the following day but not as bad as it had been the week previous.

Do you see where I’m going with this? Each time I went it got a little bit easier and more bearable, I got to know which trainers would be tougher than others, who had the better music and before I knew it, I was spinning up to 3 times a week and enjoying it, almost looking forward to going, because when you left you were sweaty and stinky yes, but I also felt like I’d achieved something. Before I realized it I was spinning at an advanced level. ME? Who’d puked during my first ever session..
 

I have been spinning on and off since then. Its great because it’s a hobby, it gets me out of the house, I feel like I achieve something in that hour (pat myself on the back) I can justify all my expensive gym clothes when I do attend classes and also most of the classes in my area are pay as you go, so there’s no commitment, although I do pencil in my spin classes like they’re an appointment that I can’t miss.

Why I’m writing this? Well I went to my first spin class of this year last Wednesday. After a 3 week Christmas break and a bough of the vomiting bug and a fecking head cold!! And it was not good or pretty. 10 minutes into the class it was like I’d never been on a bike EVER! That’s what brought the above memory flying back to me!!

I sweated and panted my way through that class, I almost fainted off my bike (thanks god my feet were strapped in) and yes I did puke in my mouth! Not pretty! It was scary to think that I could become that unfit in such a short period of time! But then I thought of what I had done during my break? And the answer was nothing! And I wasn’t feeling the better for it.

So I had my second spinning class of the year last night, and it was tough, but not as bad as last weeks, today I went for a walk on my lunch to stretch my aching muscles and its kinda helped.
I’m learning slowing the do’s and don’t of spinning.
The main one for me is DON”T GIVE UP.

Spinning number 3 is booked for tomorrow night! Wish me luck… eeek