Wednesday 29 June 2011

Exercise of the month: Spinning

I made a promise to myself that - like it or not - I would try out a new exercise/activity once a month. May's rock climbing test and June's laser tag are still going strong. But I can't just stop there!

Our local gym runs a specially discounted spinning class for Slimming World members. A fellow slimmer runs it and it is aimed at beginners and those just starting out with exercise.

I'm not sure whether it would have stopped me from going, but I must confess that I didn't know anything about spinning until I arrived at the class last night.

Designed to strengthen muscles in the leg, as well as the heart, Spinning is a real calorie burner. According to the Glamour calculator, I burned 993 calories during the 45 minute session if I count it as moderate or a whopping 1183 calories if it's considered intense. Anyone know the difference?

Either way I truly felt like I was dying for quite a while there! In fact, I must confess that those last seconds of the work out left me in absolute ecstasy as I knew I could get off the very uncomfortable seat.

Spinning is best summed up by two words: saddle and sore.  Apparently this goes with time and can be expected with any type of cycling. There are gel seat covers and even specialist cycling shorts with gel bum pads, but I'm told it can help keep you moving to feel that discomfort.

Suprisingly, I'm not in as much pain as I thought I might have been this morning. I had visions of crawling down the steps, hobbling, etc. Oddly the only bit where I'm aching is my shoulders as my instructor did some upper body work during the session.

So, what's the verdict? I'm perplexed as to why, but I think I will do this again. Anything which makes me feel like that really must be doing me a world of good. Not only in terms of shedding calories, either. Part of this endeavour is getting my heart fit, too, you know!  It's only going to be a once every other week kind of thing, but I think it will make a nice addition to my exercising choices.

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