Get Fit With a Spinning Class Now!

It Left My Head Spinning
I can’t recall the exact thought that was going through my head the morning I decided to get up and head to my gym for an exercise spinning class I’d never taken before; maybe I was feeling adventurous and must have thought that exploring unknown territory sounded good to me on this particular day. When I get down to brass tacks, I suppose it’s not even the ‘why’ behind the whole thing that is important; the fact that I had heard so many of my friends and co-workers talk about what a great ‘spinning class’ they had and how rejuvenated they felt afterward, perhaps made me want to be one of the cool kids too. There were a few things going into a spinning class that I knew for sure; it was a given that I’d be on a bike. That was cool. I’m fine with that; been riding them since I was 4. I knew it was instructor-led, obviously, which is one of the things that attracted me to the class; there was no way I’d abandon ship after just 10 minutes or so like I tend to do when I’m sitting in the gym on a recumbent bike pedaling and pedaling, but going nowhere fast. In a nutshell, I think I expected it to be motivational biking; someone to distract me from the fact that I am doing a very repetitive motion but never actually going anywhere. Boy was I to be proven wrong!

First of all, for those considering starting a spinning class, or those not familiar, you ARE in fact, on a stationary bike and there is a motivational instructor to lead the class through a series of exercises that work the major muscle groups and muscles you probably didn’t know you had as well. Even if you have bad knees and think biking will be tough on them, there are ways you can adjust the bike, seat and resistance (ask your instructor for help prior to class time) where any affects should be minimal, if at all. The spinning classes are generally accompanied by some real loud, fast music, so if you’re not a lover of some heavier rock or even some metal, there may be a ‘slower’ class that incorporates music more your speed, as well as slower motions. There’s a lot of standing up, sitting down, hovering over your seat and altering your resistance levels, so be prepared to move around much more than you may first think.
So in I walk, already breathless from running from parking lot to gym, up the stairs to the spinning class room, thinking I was late. I purposely chose a bike against the back wall so no one had to face the possibility of watching me fall off the bike or suffer some unfortunate accident; let’s face it; if it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen to me. It’s 9:15am and Metallica is blaring from the speakers in the darkened room (why they typically keep it dark in spinning classes, I’ll never know since the experience is anything but soothing…) Now I’m on my bike, behind an attractive woman in her 60’s (maybe even 70’s but she was so fit it’s hard to say), thinking I can probably keep up with her and she looks like she knows what she’s doing. She helps me adjust my bike height and then says “you think you’re ready for this?” and gives me a wink. Oh no, I’m thinking this can’t be good.
The instructor came in shortly thereafter, with the happy, springing jog of a high school cheerleader, clapping her hands and asking us if we’re ready to Psycho Cycle. Psycho Cycle? (whimper…) guess I didn’t read the NAME of the class… just that it was a spinning class. Darn. There’s no turning back now. All the bikes are full and we’re told to start pedaling for warm-ups. Let me just say here and now that the ‘warm-up’ was what I would have felt comfortable pedaling the whole time, and I have very muscular legs. Soon, the music transitions to a techno beat and we’re pedaling our hearts out, told to increase the resistance. Then we’re pedaling while standing up for 6 turns around, then down for 6 turns around, then up and down every 3rd rotation, then before I know it, it’s up a rotation, down a rotation and had I not been the one doing the work, I would have thought I was on some crazy amusement park ride. Next came ‘hovering’, being back far enough so your bottom is hovering just over the seat of the bike; the more you lean back, the more you feel it. This was described as one of the more difficult spinning class exercises, but I actually found it quite easy; guess all that work on the quad machines and strengthening my hamstrings has served me well.

Now for the ‘psycho’ part… (thank goodness it was optional) we had to pedal like mad for 3 minutes on a high resistance, then jump off our bikes, sprint a lap around the indoor track (which is just outside the doorway), stop in the hallway and do 10 jumping jacks followed by 10 squat thrusts, then 3 more minutes back on the back, run, jump, squat, ride… you get the idea. Yeah, whoever names the spinning classes knew what they were doing with that one! I tried the full regimen once and barely made it back to my bike. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot to mention, the 70ish woman in front of me? Barely breaking a sweat and doing the whole thing like an Olympian in full makeup.
I have to say, the one hour really DID fly by, the instructor kept things interesting, the music was really great and although I got an intense work out, I will definitely go back again for another ‘psycho’ Spinning class adventure.

** For those of you that are experts on spinning, please feel free to comment about other important  facts such as equipment, etc, in order to help those of us who are just thinking about starting spinning.

Jiu-Jitsu and Weightloss, a Great Combination

Are you envious of the people at the gym working out that come across as if it’s so effortless they’re addicted? Well have I got some news for you, you can be one of them. Brazilian jiu-jitsu for weight loss is said to be addictive, and a workout that results in weight loss. Yes, that’s right; you can be addicted to weight loss.

 

I have learned that if there is one thing that society has in common, it is the issue of weight. Let me be as precise as possible, the issue of weight is never being too skinny, only too heavy. How many times have you heard yourself or someone else say “I look heavy”, “I feel heavy”, “I am heavy”? Now, here is where you disconnect your self from the rest of the whining yet do zilch people in our society. You do something about it, go out and get addicted to weight loss and Brazilian jiu-jitsu can help.

 

If you have ever seen a Samurai warrior movie you already know what jiu-jitsu looks like since that is, after all its origin. It is an ancient martial art which consists of punches, throws, kicks, and weapons. At the same time as grappling and ground fighting, commit to memory that leverage is one of the key techniques in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Practice makes perfect, and in order to be addicted to jiu-jitsu for weight loss you have to know the exact techniques.

 

Here is a modest plan you may want to follow to keep from becoming too addicted, but to ensure you are the right amount addicted. Try starting out with Brazilian jiu-jitsu 3-4 times a week and circuit training 2-3 times. If what you want to say at the end of this goal is “I look skinny”, “I feel fat”, “I am Skinny”, then I would also advocate throwing in running at least 2 times a week to start.

 

Let me be as precise as possible once again, you are not going to get the results you want within 2 weeks, nor without a suitable diet. The devil on your shoulder is going to have to reject laziness, Oreo’s and cupcakes. And the Angel in your head is going to have to say yes to protein. Fish, chicken, steak, vegetables, and baked potatoes should be on the top of your grocery shopping list from now on. For the sweet toothed, rice cakes and peanut butter is your new desert. Jiu-Jitsu alone is not the answer, but part of an overall plan.

 

I said you could be addicted to weight loss, I never said it would be effortless. It takes perseverance and aspiration. Jiu-jitsu for weight loss can not only turn out to be addictive in terms of weight loss, but also in terms of self defense. There is an old jiu-jitsu practice that puts your mind in a tranquil state where personal, emotional, or physical limitations are no longer present. Through jiu-jitsu you will see that it is the power in the mind that overpowers, not the body.