What To Expect In Your First Spin Class
Prepare to sweat.
by CAROLINE DELISLE ★ FEBRUARY 20, 2020
Yep, that’s right. The trend that took over LA has expanded into a worldwide obsession that even Syracuse cannot ignore.
Spin classes like SoulCycle are the newest fitness fad that everyone is talking about. Group fitness classes may seem intimidating, but in the lull of winter, they can be a great way to meet new people and get yourself moving! To help, we’ve gathered some ideas to give you a glimpse of what you’ll find in a spin class.
Bikes will be set up in rows all facing the front of the room where the instructor will be riding. This minimizes people’s ability to look at one another and compare their own ride to others’. Your instructor will be facing the riders so that they can give you critiques on form and other helpful tips throughout the class. They will also be doing the routines with you so you will have a professional example of how to perform any and all moves and positions!
Hill simulations are a great way to really feel the burn in your quads and glutes. The slow, steady pace of a climb combined with a high resistance is when your body really starts burning fat reserves. During a climb, your instructor may have you up your resistance gradually over the course of a song, or they might tell you to jack it up all at once and just push through the pain. Either way, hills will leave your legs shaky at the end of the workout, but you’ll feel great!
Sprints are when you’ll be getting your heart rate up and really start to break a sweat. They can vary from just 15 seconds of high intensity to a full minute of higher RPMs (rotations per minute). Typically instructors will pick songs with higher tempos to help motivate their cyclists to pick up their pace.
Spin classes can extend beyond just a leg workout. A huge component of cycling is balance and core-engagement. From pushups to cross-body reaches, spin classes will incorporate core and upper body moves that will engage your whole body and leave you feeling toned from shoulders to calves. You’ll wake up the next morning with sore abs without even realizing you worked them!
Something that really sets cycling classes apart from other workouts is their variety. No two classes are identical: every instructor has a unique style of teaching and classes are always being mixed up with new music and routines to keep it fresh and fun. If you’re someone who gets bored lifting the same weights or running on the same treadmill, give spin classes a try! They’re a fun and engaging way to get your daily exercise in without making your workout feel like a redundant chore.
A variety of spin classes are offered at the Barnes Center at the Arch! They provide a great environment to get comfortable on a spin bike before going all-out in a Soul Cycle class. Give Cycle Cardio and Tone a try on Sunday 4:00-4:50 p.m., Tuesday 6:00-6:50 p.m., or Friday 8:00-8:50 a.m.!
Now that you know what to expect, you’ll be ready to take on whatever the instructor throws at you. Remember it’s all about feeling good and trying your best. You got this!