Tuesday Ten

In honour of my return to the Tuesday evening class, like the prodigal daughter....

Ten Thoughts On Spinning

1. It hurts. It hurts more on the following days, too.

2. It's a pain/pain thing. The seat hurts my bum, so I try and join in with as much of the standing stuff as possible, but that hurts just as much, so I sit back down...&c. &c.

3. It works, quickly. It's a pity, but it does. I mean, not in a week or something - but twice a week for six weeks, and I defy anybody to not notice a difference. Even once a week will help fitness levels.

4. All instructors are not the same. If you have tried spinning and particularly despised it, you might try a different instructor. Makes a huge difference.

5. The music helps. For me, I have to have tracks with a beat I can catch, and it helps if they build to a crescendo. I like 80s rock, personally. Best spinning track ever - Bohemian Rhapsody. I don't like instructors who play one CD from start to finish, or play dance music which has such a fast beat you'd have a coronary trying to pace it (see #4).

6. Everybody in the class has their place. My place, if we were actually riding, would be puffing away at the very back, making everybody else feel better. To my knowledge, I have never once finished an out-of-saddle hill climb. I don't feel bad about it, though.

7. "Put a bit of resistance on" means a quarter turn, maximum. Maybe just an eighth turn if your legs are already heavy. It doesn't mean two complete turns.

8. If the person in front of you seems to be doing really well, but they are bouncing around everywhere, "their doin it rong." Lots of bouncing = no resistance. Of course they can keep up.

9. Please, wear suitable clothing. For more than two years, I have been sat behind a woman who wears the same pair of black leggings every class. And a thong. And I don't know about her underwear choice because it's sticking out over the top - I WISH it were because of that. Please, check your trousers stay opaque when you bend over. And I would recommend big, snug granny pants, for hygiene, if not for comfort.

10. The stretching at the end is the best bit. Stretching always feels better when you've been through hell.


I have been lazy with Tuesday ten since I got back, I know. And weekend FO - I have two FOs to share. And I don't even want to mention One Local Summer - that was an epic fail this year. I must keep up my blogging. My blog is 10 in October! I used to be a lot more frequent with my updates, too. I've improved hugely in the past year, though, so hopefully I will maintain it.