The 6 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Spinning

The sweaty lessons every rider needs to learn.Hey SPYN, this is Eric here (that goofy guy from the studio.) I was speaking to a member the other day after class, and she told me this story: She was here at SPYN class having had recently recovered from a sprained ankle and a broken heart. Up to this point, she had exercised out of obligation, punching in hours at the gym or ticking off miles at the park. Similar to brushing her teeth, working out was a chore she did for her health. Something that you are “supposed to do.”Her co-workers organized an after-work SPYN class about two weeks ago, and even though the idea of pedaling in a dark room with die-hard riders terrified her, she tagged along anyway.The lights dimmed. The music blasted. She felt a weird sensation that she’d never before experienced during exercise: laugh-out-loud joy. Halfway through the class, she was hooked and was literally in tears at the end of the class!Since I heard this story, it reminded me of my first indoor cycling class. The fear, the excitement, the pain (in the legs and in the saddle), and also the pure joy. Since then, I’ve taken hundreds of classes and use my SPYN routine to help me train for numerous half marathons (and a full marathon coming early next year!) These are the things I wish I knew at the get-go—and the sweaty moments that every longtime rider can relate to.1. No one’s judging you.It’s intimidating to go to any new workout class. What if I don’t know the lingo? What the heck is clipping in? Am I wearing the right outfit? Am I really expected to keep up? Don’t get worked up about it, it’s dark inside and everyone’s focused on their own ride. Trust.

2. Fake it ‘til you make it.For the first few classes, it’s hard to keep pace—that’s normal, and still happens when you’re a regular. If you’re struggling, it’s fine to bring your hand down to the resistance knob when your instructor tells you to and…not actually turn it up all the way. You’ll eventually get stronger and crave the challenge. Promise!3. You’ll have a favorite seat in the house.As a shy newbie, I hid in the back row. Superstars or people who feed off the instructor’s energy may perform best in the first row. Do you like to feel the fan more or less? Want to be out of sight? Want to be front and center? It’s a funny thing for me to describe, but I like to sit in the first row. It makes me feel like others in the room are watching me and are feeding off of my energy. It makes me want to ride harder because I feel like I’m helping motivate the others in the room. It’s all up to you! Do you feel like you’re in a fitness rut? Sit in a different section and you’ll get a whole new ride experience.

4. Snack smartly before class.Showing up to class after a heavy meal will make you feel sluggish and gross. But riding on an empty stomach means you’ll run out of steam ASAP. Find what works for you and hits that sweet spot.5. There’s a style out there for you.Maybe you think a certain class style or instructor might be too sappy or too aggressive or too whatever for your tastes. Or perhaps you’re already addicted to a certain class (or time of day). When you try a different class, you might fall in love with a new routine, maybe a different time of day will push you further, maybe you’ll find that you’re a bad-ass power rider or a dancing queen (or king) after all! Either way, sampling different classes, and styles will keep your workouts fresh. You’ve got unlimited rides, take advantage of it!

6. It’s okay to cry.I never understood when friends told me about weeping during a hip opener pose in yoga or hitting that “runners high”. But a curious thing happened when I started riding regularly: I began to recognize—and deal with—feelings I had pushed aside. An intense sprint might tap into anger I didn’t know I had about an earlier meeting, for example, or a certain song or phrase may bring up a sadness I’d ignored. When you’re physically exhausted, you get an emotional release, too. That's probably my favorite part.

New Instructor: David Hernandez

Meet David! He is SPYN's newest instructor and brings an upbeat, fun, and powerful experience to each of his classes. You can SPYN with David every Monday at 9:00 am and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm.

Ray O' Canto Memorial Ride

Raymond Jose O'Canto was a beloved father, husband, baseball fanatic, cyclist, and friend. Join us for special memorial rides led by Shaylyn Lewis at the SPYN Cycle Studio on Saturday 10/26 at 1:00 and 2:00 pm. $25.00 per seat cost for each ride with 100% of it being donated to the family for final expenses. (Donations can also be made without participating by calling the studio.)