Spinning for beginners - all the gear, no idea?

[HomerPigeon]

I have done 3 spin classes now. Previously my exercise regime was rather sporadic, as I'm not a fan of the gym and only like running in nice weather! My fitness level is OK(ish - I can run for 30 mins at about 9 minute miles without stopping).

I need to know how to get the best out of spinning because each of the 3 classes I've been to has been quite different. The first one, almost all of it was out of the saddle and the music was quite uplifting dance (Faithless sort of stuff).

The second one was sort of drum and bass music with mostly in the saddle work, occasional hills where you could rise to position 3, and the instructor kept talking about how your heart rate should be 75% and your RPM should be about 65 (or whatever) - as I don't have a heart rate monitor or anything to measure the RPM of the bike, I wondered how I could really ensure I was pitching my effort to the right level.

The third one was more Queen and Rod Stewart type music, a mix of seated and positions 2/3. Also some talk of heart rate and RPM.

Most people at these classes seemed to know each other well, like a club, and most had the clippy shoes and all the gear.

I like spinning (I think) and would like to get the most out of it. Do I need to get a heart rate monitor? How do you measure your RPM? Do I need the clippy shoes? And how do I break into the class cliques??!

I have done loads of spinning and never had a heart rate monitor or clippy shoes I love it and still get excited scared just before the class starts.

I mix my classes up - some focus on endurance but mostly I go for trying to push myself with a mixture of resistance and speed. I change the tempo and my seating/standing position regularly. Any half decent instructor should be telling what to do. The best classes are really full on all the time.

If you find it the least bit easy then you need to turn up your resistance. . I am literally dripping with sweat after every class.

I used to go to a class where a lot of the women wore complete matching cycling outfits PLUS cycling caps .

There were several men in full cycling club matchy-matchy regalia in tonight's class IHaveA! The women were mostly quite low key in comparison (but still had the shoes)

So in your classes, do the instructors talk about heart rate etc or not? If so, do you just ignore?

Yes they do talk about heart rate and they occasionally get us to feel our pulse but its not a big thing. I guess it depends how you are motivated. I used to have an instructor that used to push us incredibly hard. He used to keep asking us to crank up the speed or resistance but there was something about his style that made me work harder than with other instructors. It sounds a bit evangelical but as long as I end up with thighs of steel I don't care

Once spinning class I used to go to when I lived overseas had The Tour De France projected across a whole wall so it felt like you were cycling alongside if you used a LOT of imagination

Whilst I don't use the clippy shoes I do use the toe straps.
I don't think heart rate monitors are very expensive so maybe you could try and see if they work for you.

I would try a few different instructors if you can and see which class works for you.