| Last night I took a class at Body Cycle Studio on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. The class was led by Jessica Sullivan @ 5:30pm. I'm generally hot & cold on spinning - I've taken some amazing classes, but I've taken some pretty boring ones too. It's definitely the type of class that is highly dependent on the instructor and the music! So, I decided to try a class out at Body Cycle - first ride free, so you can't go wrong, right? You have to sign up through their online system (something that's becoming increasingly popular with the rise of boutique fitness studios), which is a little annoying, but WAY better than showing up and not getting into the class. Plus, they have a mobile app, which makes it a little bit easier. Wednesdays are my non-teaching days, so after looking at the schedule, the 5:30pm class was best for me (the 6:30pm, class, taught by Shoshana was waitlist only). |  |
the Body Cycle studio - lots of bikes!
I got to class about 15 minutes early and the employees there were SUPER friendly and SUPER nice. My cousin Sarah even got a free ride for bringing a friend for the first time, and Russ, the owner, helped us all get set up on a bike. I liked that the resistance on the bikes was digital and numbered, so there was no guessing about your effort level (you know, that ambiguous "half a turn increase"). Jess, the instructor came in right on time and we were off!
| Now, I've maybe taken about 25 spinning classes in my life, so I am by no means an expert, but it was BY FAR the TOUGHEST spinning class I have ever taken. I'll be honest, for most of the class I was struggling to keep up with the resistance level and RPM that was suggested. And the jumps with the claps - definitely a point when I just wanted to stop. But you know what? I loved it! Even if I had to constantly use that voice in my head to yell at myself ("you've run TWO marathons, certainly you can get up to 115 RPM for just 20 more seconds"). |  |
 Jackie, Sarah and I AFTER class - can you SEE our sweat? | I was probably only about half-way through the class before I ran out of dry spots on my towel to wipe my sweat - and I LOVE to sweat. The music was awesome too! My only complaint is that I like when the music and the suggested RPMs go together - it's so much easier for me to hit a certain RPM when I can just go along with the music. But, I know you can't do that AND do varying sprint intervals, so I guess you have to pick and choose. I was happy to report that with a little warming up before class officially started, I hit a little over 20 miles on the bike! |
I'm now determined to go back to that class and really hit all of those RPMs! (I'm also super intrigued by the 6:30pm class - the people taking that class were stalking the bikes like vultures, anxious to get started on their ride!) But I can't get over how CHALLENGING the class was for me. I am constantly challenging myself with lifting weights with P90x and Les Mills Pump, seeing how fast I can run and trying not to take breaks in Insanity, Asylum and T25, and I'm always seeing improvements. It just goes to show how much your body can get "used" to a specific workout, even if you're constantly challenging yourself. I'm sure someone who does spinning 5 times/week would feel challenged by a workout that I am comfortable doing, if it's one that I do all the time. Many running coaches would advise you to cross train, not only to build muscle and prevent injury, but also to improve your fitness level. Whether you're a runner, training for a race or you just want to get in better shape, cross training and keeping variety in your workouts is SO important. Varying your workout routine not only prevents boredom (and perhaps the likeliness to skip a workout), but it also helps avoiding or delaying a plateau in workout performance and training results. It can also help you complete a challenging workout without just increasing your time/reps. At some point, you're going to run out of time!
ACE fitness reports on a study performed by exercise scientists at the University of Florida. This research showed that individuals who modified their workouts every two weeks over an eight-week period appeared to enjoy their workouts more and were more inclined to stick with their exercise programs when compared to individuals who followed the same workout regimens week after week. Varying your exercise routine can also help you stay physically challenged. Many of the body's physiological systems (e.g., the muscular system) adapt to an exercise program within approximately six to eight weeks. If you do not modify your exercise routine, you reach a plateau because your body has adapted to the repetitive training stimulus. So, how can you keep your workouts varied? If you're a runner, try incorporating some intervals into your run. You can also cross train with exercises such as spinning and swimming to provide your body with a new challenge. If you're resistance training, try changing the order in which you complete each exercises. When you fatigue the muscles in a new pattern, you're introducing a new stimulus to your body. Also, try incorporating kettlebells and stability balls into your typical dumbbell routine. Or, as in my case - just try something completely new! Even extremely fit people can be challenged when trying something new!
How can you add variety to your fitness routine? What is something you've been wanting to try?
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