Free Fitness Week: Spin

When my alarm rangat6:30 a.m.the morning after Lawnparties, I can’t exactly say that I was eager to jump out of bed for a7 a.m.spin class. But as an injured cross-country runner, I have been spending my fair share of time on a bike, alone with my thoughts, Netflix and a puddle of sweat. I have been craving camaraderie in my workouts — and what better place to find it than Campus Rec’s free fitness week at Dillon Gymnasium.

I have been to spin classes before but had never ventured to one at Dillon. Mainly scared away by the price, I was eager to try something new. A unique thing about spinning is each instructor’s influence on the experience — for better or worse. I have had some of my best spin workouts led by a 65-year-old woman with more energy than I thought possible. I have been to some of the worst spin classes with an instructor, a male around 30, who chose to show movie trailers for a large portion of class. Needless to say, I was curious to see what I would find on campus.

I walked into class and was greeted by Megan, our energetic and very pregnant instructor dressed in a bright pink shirt. Megan introduced herself to everyone and offered to help first-timers set up their bike. She explained what everything meant on the small computers attached to the handlebars — RPMs (revolutions per minute), watts, etc.

At the start of the workout, Megan listed the types of spin classes that Dillon offers: endurance, strength and interval. Endurance classes focus on building aerobic endurance. Strength workouts involve climbing and descending “hills” through gradual increases and decreases in resistance. Interval workouts consist of short bursts of high intensity.

Megan spent a third of the class in each zone to give a preview of what they involve. She explained which portion we were on, what was next and how much time was left in each section — which, trust me, is crucial information on the toughest hill climbs and intervals. And she kept us going with upbeat music, an essential part of spin workouts.

Spinning is a unique group fitness opportunity because it is specific to the individual. Even though everyone is led through the same workout, you have total control over your own effort and resistance. For people who are nervous about attending a group class or feel intimidated by others’ athletic prowess, spin is perfect. No one “falls behind” and the workout is as hard or easy as you want. Megan would give an RPM to aim for, but she emphasized that it could mean a different resistance level for everyone.

Overall, it was a great workout. But I have to say it — how can you NOT feel a bit bad about yourself when a pregnant woman is shouting orders, kicking your butt and simultaneously working very hard herself? I was impressed — and, better yet, I am seriously considering buying a punch card. Looking forward (well, sort of) to class at 7 a.m. tomorrow.