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Archive for the ‘Spinning’ Category

Spinning Instructor Street Cred

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

I have been feeling antsy about publishing a new blog post ASAP. I have since moved on past the bad news last week and feel like it is bad karma to leave my blog with the last post on top and I’m looking forward to pushing it further down the page.  What can I say? I just don’t do the depressed, angry and bitter thing very well. I was busting my brain to try and think of some new blog-worthy topics, until spin class tonight.

(I was interviewed for a story on Boston’s NPR affiliate, WBUR for a story on all the layoffs today. It should air this Friday, if you want to hear it, email me and I’ll send you a link if they put it online.)

With some extra time yesterday, I made a new spin mix that I was looking forward to testing out in class last night. Despite only two people showing up to class (even though every single treadmill was taken), I still rocked it and started out really hard. The two people in class were regulars and already pretty fit and I knew that they could take it.

That was until the girl started dropping off of the sprint sets and just slowly pedaling along.

Now there are some instructors that get really peeved when the class breaks away from the routine, but as long as you aren’t taking away from the energy of the class, or standing when everyone is sitting right up in the front row, I don’t really care. I was just surprised that this girl was bowing out.

All of a sudden, she grabs her stomach, stops pedaling, and gives me the hand across the throat “no more” sign. As she grabs her towel and water bottle and heads towards the door while I continue on leading class, she lets it fly. But unfortunately she doesn’t make it to the bathroom or nearest trash can.

no-puking

I help her out the door, dodging the splattered puke on my way, and was left sitting there wondering WTF to do next. Not wanting to continue on class while the room fills with the stink of sweat and puke, I decide to call it a day and have the guy at the front desk mop it up. Heck, I was just glad that I didn’t have to do it!

I asked the other guy left in class if I should take it personally that someone puked  25 minutes into my new workout and music mix, but he assured me that I should take it as a matter of pride and consider it as official spinning class street cred.

HELLS YEAH!

So if anyone wants a fun, fast workout that may make you puke your brains out, let me know. ;-)

I just hope that she isn’t too embarrassed and never comes back. But she is pretty hardcore for sticking it out so long, so I’m sure I’ll see her again.

    run-puke-run-crazy-single

Tags: , , , | Posted in Spinning | No Comments »

Annual Flood of the Resolutioners

Monday, January 5th, 2009

It happens every year. The “resolutioners”, as I have now named them them, make heathy resolutions they know they won’t keep, and pack the gym and hog all the treamills (at least until February when they return to the couch).

Since today was the first full week of 2009, just like clockwork, it happened again. One of my coworkers even tweeted, dreading the flood of the resolutioners at the gym tonight. You can definitely tell who the regulars are by the dirty looks they are flashing all the strangers who are stealing all the treadmills.

I’m usually really optimistic and I love seeing people take ownership over their health, but I’m fully prepared to see them all disappear back to wherever they came from  in a few weeks.

I especially love seeing new people join my spin class, but I was glad to see that all of my regulars planned ahead  and grabbed all the spin bikes before any resolutioners stole their spots. I’m not some spinning elitist, but there is something to be said about taking care of the people that take care of you. They even saved me a bike so that I didn’t have to teach off the bike! I love my spin peeps. They treat me so good (even when I show up at the eleventh hour).

So for all you peeps reading this (you aren’t a resolutioner, even if your offseason hasn’t started yet, don’t worry), hold tight. Try not to give too many dirty looks, and maybe try to take one of the resolutioners under your wing. Maybe you can find yourself a new workout buddy to help you out when you need some extra motivation later on this year.

Tags: , | Posted in Cycling, Spinning | 7 Comments »

Fall Spinning Workout: Race Simulation

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008

Now that I’ve been an a real bona-fide spinning instructor for a year not, and have leeched a few killer workout mixes from Bree Wee, I feel like I’ve finally gotten a whole lot more comfortable making my own workouts. I have even been having a lot of fun making new ones.

With a little help with from my twitter friends for some new songs, here is my latest workout that I designed. It is a “race simulation” workout, so it has an extra long and easy warmup, but then a kick-ass 40 minute pain fest, staying above about 80% of your max for the the majority of the workout.

I tested it out on my class tonight and it seemed to go over pretty well. I saw a lot of pain in some faces. :-)

At the end of the warmup I even had the class stop pedaling, the only time ever durring a spin class, to burst  out of the “gate” to give it more of a race feel, which was pretty fun.

Enjoy!

Warmup
Smashing Pumpkins – Cupid De Lock               Easy Spin – Warmup – 60%
After the Fire – Der Mommissar                        4x :30 sprint @ 75% with :30 rest  1:00 soft pedal
Race Start
Muse – Map of the Problematique                     2x :60 @ 85% w/ :60 rest
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Hard to concentrate     4 x (:30 seated climb – :30 standing climb)
Foo FIghters – Breakout                                    3x (:15 rest :45 sprint) @ 80%
Speed Up                                                          3x (:30 rest :30 sprint) @ 90%
Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American                    :60 standing climb :60 rest :60 standing climb
Britney Spears – Break the Ice                            3 x (:30 easy, :30 medium :30 hard)
Third Eye Blind – Tattoo of the Sun                   1:30 flat – :60 running – 1:30 flat
Imogen Heap – Whatever                                  1:30 sprint – :45 rest – 1:30 sprint
Finger Eleven – Paralyzer                                  climb – :30 sit – 1:00 stand – :30 sit – 1:30 stand
Black Eyed Peas – Anxiety                                :60 sprint – :30 rest 1:30 sprint
Arcade Fire – Keep the car running                   5 x :20 sprints all out – :20 rest
Race End
Cool Down
John Mayer – Gravity                                        3x (:30 sprint @ 75% – :60 rest)
The one that you love                                     Cool Down
Incubus – Aqueous Transmission                      Stretch – Clean Up

Tags: , | Posted in Cycling, Spinning, Triathlon | No Comments »

Spin Class Flyers

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

So it is official. Summer is here and attendance at my spin class has gotten pretty depressing since most of my core group rides outside and has given up on spinning for the summer.

I figure the very least I could do for the one driven girl who consistently shows up is to recruit some new faces to keep her company during my class. I was going to make some fliers around the gym with stupid/funny sayings to see who I could convince to join me. Here are some of the ones I came up with  so far. Vote for your favorite or let me know if you’ve got your own.

  1. Spinning – Because we both know you didn’t order a salad for lunch
  2. Tuesday Night Spin Class – Because sitting in a pool of your own sweat has never been so fun
  3. Come spinning, Tuesdays at 7:30 – It won’t give you a big ass
  4. OFF LIMITS – Tuesday Night Spin Class – You probably can’t handle it, so don’t even try.

Tags: | Posted in Spinning | No Comments »

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