Indoor cycling classes are one of the few places where a beginner and an advanced cyclist can both get "on the road" together to enjoy the same experience. Think about it: If Lance Armstrong came into your spin class, you could be seated next to a world-class athlete getting in his workout while you are inches away getting yours. Few other venues will give you such opportunities.
What does this mean? It means that in any cycling fitness class, the opportunity to learn something can change anytime you find yourself next to someone new. Whether you're an advanced cyclist training for triathlon and Ironman, or a first-timer who is just learning how to set up your bike, there's a lesson for all of us in our workout neighbor.
Three Things Beginners Can Learn From Advanced Riders
1) It's okay to take risks.
Don't be afraid to turn up the tension a little bit more than usual on your hills and sprints. If you're doing everything the instructor says and you feel like you could give a little more, add some extra resistance and see what happens. If it feels like too much you can change it back and you've established a new goal to work toward. If it feels good, then you've gained strength and are ready to take your workout to the next level.
2) It's okay to be a little bit uncomfortable.
You know the cliche' - No pain, no gain. Beginners tend to ride at whatever level they need to in order to feel comfortable. This is fine at first, but it will eventually present a "plateau" in your progress and your body will no longer burn calories and build muscle the way it used to. A good workout shouldn't kill you - but it should let you know that it stopped by. Pushing yourself to hold onto an effort that takes you out of the comfort zone for a period of time is a good thing. The body moves past the "comfort plateau" and adapts to harder efforts as your fitness level increases.
3) It's okay to look the part.
You don't need to be a cyclist to look like one! Many cyclists will come to class wearing their bike jerseys and cycling shorts (beginners- you should know those shorts come with a padded area that can help you become acclimated to the unforgiving bike seats!). Wearing cycling gear can help put you in the right frame of mind for your workout and inspire the visualization process as you envision the road throughout class.
Three Things Advanced Riders Can Learn From Beginners
1) You don't have to take everything so seriously!
Advanced riders will have a hard time letting go of their competitive spirit while in class, for a variety of reasons. With all the focus on visualizing the road, most advanced cyclists can easily sync their physical activity with their mental awareness of how the body would feel if they were actually riding outside. Most cyclists don't have the luxury of riding with a personal coach when they're on the road, or music to pace them. Spinning classes offer a nice departure from having to do all the work themselves as they suddenly have an instructor and a bass beat guiding them through each twist and turn. That being said, it's not necessary to MASTER each twist and turn to get an effective workout. Advanced riders should remember that indoor cycling classes are fun and need not be treated like the Tour de France every single time.
2) It's okay to modify the workout.
Just because the instructor is asking you to ride a steep hill, that doesn't mean you have to do it. If you're not in the mood for a hill or you're looking for a less intense workout that day, feel free to modify the workout to fit your needs. Find a quicker beat within the song and strip the resistance back so you can make the hill into an easy flat - or vice versa. Fast songs can easily be made into hills by slowing the pace to the half-time beat and adding resistance in order to pedal at a slower pace.
3) It's okay to join the party.
This goes along with "don't take things so seriously," but it's important enough that I feel it should have its own spot on this list. Part of the fun of a group fitness class is the camaraderie it creates among the members. There is a sense of "team" in a cycling fitness class where everyone is riding in a pack to get from Point A to Point B. Advanced cyclists will put on their game faces and engage in an all-out assault on their imaginary race-day competitors, while Beginners will "Woot!" in enthusiasm while topping off a hill or hammering out a flat. Such enthusiasm is not typically found in a triathlon or cycling race, and certainly not while cycling solo on the road. But in a spinning class, "joining the party" is almost a prerequisite to come in the room.
What does this mean? It means that in any cycling fitness class, the opportunity to learn something can change anytime you find yourself next to someone new. Whether you're an advanced cyclist training for triathlon and Ironman, or a first-timer who is just learning how to set up your bike, there's a lesson for all of us in our workout neighbor.
Three Things Beginners Can Learn From Advanced Riders
1) It's okay to take risks.
Don't be afraid to turn up the tension a little bit more than usual on your hills and sprints. If you're doing everything the instructor says and you feel like you could give a little more, add some extra resistance and see what happens. If it feels like too much you can change it back and you've established a new goal to work toward. If it feels good, then you've gained strength and are ready to take your workout to the next level.
2) It's okay to be a little bit uncomfortable.
You know the cliche' - No pain, no gain. Beginners tend to ride at whatever level they need to in order to feel comfortable. This is fine at first, but it will eventually present a "plateau" in your progress and your body will no longer burn calories and build muscle the way it used to. A good workout shouldn't kill you - but it should let you know that it stopped by. Pushing yourself to hold onto an effort that takes you out of the comfort zone for a period of time is a good thing. The body moves past the "comfort plateau" and adapts to harder efforts as your fitness level increases.
3) It's okay to look the part.
You don't need to be a cyclist to look like one! Many cyclists will come to class wearing their bike jerseys and cycling shorts (beginners- you should know those shorts come with a padded area that can help you become acclimated to the unforgiving bike seats!). Wearing cycling gear can help put you in the right frame of mind for your workout and inspire the visualization process as you envision the road throughout class.
Three Things Advanced Riders Can Learn From Beginners
1) You don't have to take everything so seriously!
Advanced riders will have a hard time letting go of their competitive spirit while in class, for a variety of reasons. With all the focus on visualizing the road, most advanced cyclists can easily sync their physical activity with their mental awareness of how the body would feel if they were actually riding outside. Most cyclists don't have the luxury of riding with a personal coach when they're on the road, or music to pace them. Spinning classes offer a nice departure from having to do all the work themselves as they suddenly have an instructor and a bass beat guiding them through each twist and turn. That being said, it's not necessary to MASTER each twist and turn to get an effective workout. Advanced riders should remember that indoor cycling classes are fun and need not be treated like the Tour de France every single time.
2) It's okay to modify the workout.
Just because the instructor is asking you to ride a steep hill, that doesn't mean you have to do it. If you're not in the mood for a hill or you're looking for a less intense workout that day, feel free to modify the workout to fit your needs. Find a quicker beat within the song and strip the resistance back so you can make the hill into an easy flat - or vice versa. Fast songs can easily be made into hills by slowing the pace to the half-time beat and adding resistance in order to pedal at a slower pace.
3) It's okay to join the party.
This goes along with "don't take things so seriously," but it's important enough that I feel it should have its own spot on this list. Part of the fun of a group fitness class is the camaraderie it creates among the members. There is a sense of "team" in a cycling fitness class where everyone is riding in a pack to get from Point A to Point B. Advanced cyclists will put on their game faces and engage in an all-out assault on their imaginary race-day competitors, while Beginners will "Woot!" in enthusiasm while topping off a hill or hammering out a flat. Such enthusiasm is not typically found in a triathlon or cycling race, and certainly not while cycling solo on the road. But in a spinning class, "joining the party" is almost a prerequisite to come in the room.
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