by: Zoey Workman

Do you want to go to a workout class that feels like a giant dance party? Then try a spin class. You will get the best cardio in 45 minutes because you are working out your entire body. You might be asking yourself, what exactly is a spin class? It is a high-intensity indoor cycling workout that is on a stationary bike, meaning your legs are always moving. There is a resistance knob that allows your increase the intensity and how heavy you are pedaling (Alex Morris). The goal is to ride to the beat of the music and follow the instructor’s choreography. The class starts out by doing a warmup in the saddle, the seat, with no resistance. During this warmup the instructor can have you do a variety of things such as arm presses or just have your arms on the handlebars. Once the warmup is done, the intensity is about to go up. You will be in the saddle, then out, hoovering over the seat all while doing some type of arm choreography. However, the best part about spin is that you are going at your own pace and comfort level. It can be intimidating being around other people who are on beat but, everyone starts somewhere. The benefits? You will be drenched in sweat from: doing intense cardio, increasing resistance to push yourself to pedal with more force, and do an arm tract such as bicep curls with weights.  The best thing is that it is not a competition or a race with anyone else, but you can compete with yourself within each class.

HOW TO RIDE:

• You will need the proper shoes (you can’t use your regular tennis shoes because must get clipped into the bike, therefore the spin shoes have cleats in them)
• To adjust your seat to the proper height, have it match up next to your hip bone.
• The next thing you will do is clip onto the bike. You will need to press down the ball of your foot on the pedal until you hear a click. It will take some practice to get your feet clipped in at first but, with help from the spin instructor, you will be in good hands.
• Next you will need to adjust the handlebars (you do not want to be so close to them because you are not going to get a good stretch)
• You are ready to ride! Don’t forget to bring water and towels are provided (you are going to need it!)
• References

  Morris, A. (2022, February 16). What is spin class? Retrieved March 31, 2022, from                 https://www.fitboot.com/what-is-spin-class/

  Spin Classes Images – Browse 4,785 Stock Photos, Vectors, and Video | Adobe Stock

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lboyd6

Assistant Professor, Kinesiology and Health Studies department