Spinning

[Tw1nkle]

Hiya!!!
I did a 'spinning' class a few years ago, and one was enough!!!!
But now I really do need to lose weight, and as I remember how hard sspinning was, maybe I should give it another go!!!

Does anyone know if I can use a normal exercise bike, or should I really have one designed for 'spinning'?

Thanks!

Any exercise will help you lose weight when done in conjunction with a healthy eating plan. So be it walking, dancing, cycling, spinning, jogging, rowing, gardening, hula hooping (anything at all that gets you moving!) or using a normal exercise bike... it'll aid your weight loss.

Spinning classes do get easier the more you do so if you feel you need the 'discipline' of booking a class and then feeling obliged to go then give the spinning another try. Otherwise as long as you have an exercise bike with variable resistance you will be doing something similar.

spinning bikes and exercise bikes are completely different. The spinning bike will have cages for yourfeet but also it is freewheeling so the pedals will keep moving even if you stop AND it is designed for you to stand up on itwhere an exercise bike isn't. But either spinning of cycling with a healthy diet will aid weight loss anyway

Not sure you can recreate a spin class on an exercise bike! Its not just the bike thats different its the being in the class as motivation....

'Spinning' is a class where you are directed (i.e. 'shouted at') on how fast you go, how hard and for how long. It's a popular class because it really pushes you - it can be very masochistic.

If you were just going to sit on your own on a bike and try to replicate the experience I think it would be extremely tough to do it accurately or push yourself enough.

This is bye the bye - bottom line is you really should not (never mind about could not) go from zero exercise to pushing yourself as hard as one does in a spinning class. Spinning classes are really only for when you're already fairly fit: you could risk injury at worst, and at best you would suffer from demotivation from your own poor performance.

As the wise lady says above - find exercise you enjoy and build up your fitness.

x posts foreveronadiet

Undertone - completely agree!

undertone that really isn't true. Spinning is great because it's for EVERYONE regardless of fitness. As although the instructor is there to motivate and get the most of you and provide options so you can to work at your own level and still get a workout! Or at least a good instructor should. So i wouldnt let having a poor fitness level put you off!

As Melliebobs says, it is suitable for all levels of fitness. A good instructor will tell you at the beginning to do as much as you can and if you need the resistance lower or if you can't ride standing for as long so be it... the key thing is to keep your legs moving and try.

Providing you have the GP's ok to exercise then it is suitable for al levels of fitness. Some gym's have beginners classes and others may do a 45 minute session with 15 minutes of abs exercises on the floor at the end.

And ok, you can't replicate the spinning class on an exercise bike at home or in the gym, but by making your own mix tape with songs of varying speed and rythym you can do something not dissimilar by using the variable resistance. On a good exercise bike, you certainly can stand and cycle.

Disagree with Undertone re spinning only being for fairly fit people - I used to be a spinning fanatic and most gyms do easy/medium/hard classes. Even within a class, you can take it easier at some stages, and a good instructor will tell you where.

Agree with Undertone re not being able to replicate a spin class outside of a spin class. I have NEVER sweated more than in a spin class, ever. You can recreate the music/bike etc but the sheer amount of work they bully out of you, I don't think so.

Always suggest people try a few classes before saying never again - it is masochistic and you end up loving it.