[RunsInGa]

I'm always looking for new routines and playlists - I would love to see yours!<br><br>
I started spinning in June '07 when my YMCA started offering it and was immediately hooked! Took my certification, and have been teaching for several months now.

 

[theia]

I'm happy to share, but you also might want to check <a href="http://www.pedal-on.com" target="_blank">www.pedal-on.com</a> for great profiles and playlists. You'll get tons of info there!!

 

[RunsInGa]

Well lookie there - that site didn't come up in my google! Thanks!!! <img alt="notworthy.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/notworthy.gif">

 

[theia]

No problem! There's also turnstep.com, but honestly I find the profiles on pedal-on much more useful. <span style="font-size:xx-small;">(I am greekgoddess on both sites.)</span>

 

[sistergoldenhair]

I teach spinning and am certified, but it's been on such a part-time basis (mostly subbing, although I just started a regular class <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> ) that I don't have a lot of profiles. I'd love to check out those links or hear some of your best rides.<br><br>
I think I do have some good playlists! Making the CDs is one of my favorite parts.

 

[theia]

Agreed about making the CDs! <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
I think the simplest profiles are the best. One of my favorites is my 10-Stage Climb. After a nice warmup, we climb for 40 minutes. That's it. No bells and whistles.<br><br>
Each of the ten stages is 4 minutes (hence 40 minutes of climbing). At the beginning of each stage, we add resistance and stand for one minute. After that first minute, we sit back down and keep the added resistance on. So the hill gets gradually steeper and steeper -- 1 minute standing, 3 minutes sitting. Then some flat/speed work at the top of the hill and a cooldown.<br><br>
Depending on the group, I sometimes add some attacks/surges in the later stages of the climb. It really depends on who is there and the energy level of the class that day.<br><br>
I'll have to get the songs when I'm home. I don't remember all of them off the top of my head.<br><br>
Simple but really, really effective.

 

[wyrillco]

I'm hoping to get certified this year!

 

[sistergoldenhair]

Theia, that does sound like a great ride. I'll have to keep that in mind.<br><br>
All of my CDs and proflies are at work right now. I feel like my music is good, but my rides could use more structure. They are all kind of all-terrain, interval rides. Some have more strength, some have less. JohnnyG would not be pleased.<br><br>
One ride I like I planned as a double-loop course, where the first time around is to learn the course and the second time is to attack it.<br><br>
RunsinGa, spinning.com publishes playlists for music ideas: <a href="http://www.spinning.com/page.asp?p_key=DC56B4A3D6E44C139C152E43EBC8D994&ie_key=FAE84E9B89FC4884A8676BF337DF4961" target="_blank">http://www.spinning.com/page.asp?p_k...676BF337DF4961</a>

 

[Terry B.]

Spinning is the oddest activity that I have ever seen.<br><br>
Gyms think of everything.<br><br>
Ride a bike..............inside a room with a lot of other hot, sweaty people........................and pay somebody to come and yell at you.<br><br>
I work out to get away from stuff like that.

 

[sistergoldenhair]

Hi Terry B., sure spinning's not for everyone. Nothing is. Lots of people love the group atmosphere and intense, efficient, low-impact cardio workout.<br><br>
Just FYI, spinning was created by cyclists to stay fit during the off-season. There are strains of group cycling classes that are more like "aerobics on a bike" though.

 

[melistic]

I play really offbeat music. Tribal, trance, something they can't sing along with but has a driving beat so they know exactly where they are headed.<br><br>
The girl that teaches the class on alt. days plays alot of Cher "do you believe in love" and other stuff that makes me laugh. "They are not really spinning to easy listening?" But they do???<br><br>
We are polar opposites on the mic. but............ both classes are full, so there you go

 

[theia]

<b>SGH,</b> when I first started all my profiles were all-terrain/interval as well. Now that I ride outside myself, I do mostly strength profiles but give them optional recovery breaks ("If you need to recover, now's a good time... if you can keep working right now, stay with me..."<img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif">. I also never have them stand for huge periods of time (i.e. entire songs) because I would never stand for more than 30-60 seconds outside. The 10-Stage Climb is actually a lot of standing for me, but I built the profile that way because there's no variety in the movement/terrain for the majority of the class, so I wanted to at least give them some variety in their body positioning and muscles used.<br><br>
Here are the songs for the 10-Stage Climb. I am different from Melistic; I like to put a variety of songs and genres on each CD so hopefully everyone hears something they like. I've been to classes that use more trance/techno, and that works well too... it's just not my style.<br><br>
Mi Corazon - Bajofondo Social Club (warmup)<br>
Life During Wartime - Talking Heads (still warming up, nice flat road)<br>
Time To Start - Blue Man Group (start the hill)<br>
Jingo - Santana<br>
Don't Phunk with My Heart - Black Eyed Peas<br>
Galaxy Bounce - Chemical Brothers<br>
Spitfire - Prodigy<br>
Faster Kill Pussycat - Paul Oakenfold featuring Brittany Murphy<br>
Strict Machine - Goldfrapp<br>
The Pot - Tool<br>
Love and Peace or Else* - U2<br>
So Lonely* - The Police<br>
Serenity - Godsmack (cooldown)<br>
Night Fire Dance - Andreas Vollenweider (stretch)<br><br>
* Love and Peace or Else should be the last song of the climb. The tempo of the song speeds up at the end (last 45 seconds or so), so this is where I'll add a big attack/surge to the finish at the top of the hill.<br><br>
* So Lonely alternates between slow and fast. Depending on the group, I'll usually have them take some of the resistance off the wheel and do either surges during the fast parts or rolling hills.<br><br><br><br>
Another profile I like is an Add It On ride. Super easy. Pick four drills. My most recent one was flat, seated climb, attacks during a seated climb, standing climb (can you tell I like hills???). The class does drill #1 and then recovers. Then drill #1 plus drill #2, then recover. Then 1+2+3, recover. Then 1+2+3+4, recover. Then start to subtract drills (1+2+3, then 1+2, then just 1 again).<br><br>
2 minute flat road<br>
1 minute recovery<br>
2 minute flat + 2 minute seated climb<br>
1 minute recovery<br>
2 minute flat + 2 minute seated climb + 2 attacks during the continued climb<br>
1 minute recovery<br>
2 minute flat + 2 minute seated climb + 2 attacks + 2 minute standing climb<br>
1 minute recovery<br>
2 minute flat + 2 minute seated climb + 2 attacks<br>
1 minute recovery<br>
2 minute flat + 2 minute seated climb<br>
1 minute recovery<br>
2 minute flat<br><br>
Here are the songs I used for that one. You'll see some repetion of songs/artists I love to use in class. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
One Week - Bare Naked Ladies (warmup)<br>
The Adventure - Angels & Airwaves (still warming up, maybe some 1-leg drills)<br>
Hate To Say I Told You So - The Hives (start the profile here)<br>
Full Throttle - Prodigy<br>
Suicide Blonde - INXS<br>
Ladies & Gentlemen - Saliva<br>
Gone Daddy Gone - Gnarls Barkley<br>
Vicarious - Tool<br>
Out of Control - Chemical Brothers<br>
Start! - The Jam<br>
Woman - Wolfmother<br>
I Disappear - The Faint<br>
You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon<br>
Nkomo A Gogo - UB40 (cooldown)<br>
Serenity - Godsmack (stretch)<br><br>
Hope that's useful.

 

[wyrillco]

Like SGH said, this is a great way for people who want to bike year round to do so when the weather isn't cooperative. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
I ride a lot harder in Spin because of an instructor guiding me than I do if I ride my own bike at home on my trainer, that's for sure.

 

[Tithers]

I'm planning on getting certified next month.<br><br>
Question...so-if you do more of a "cycling based spin" IE...long climbs...intervals w cadence over 110, etc...do your class peeps like that ?<br><br>
I hate regular gym spin...IE hops, strengthening arms, etc...I just wanna ride!<br><br>
I go to a kick-ass cycler's spin in ATL...it's a spin gym...really...<br><br>
I was just wondering opinions about the regular spin world...

 

[melistic]

t-girl<br>
I think for the most part they just want to ride, and ride hard.<br>
Most everybody in my classes do not ride outside. But they pretend they are.<br>
I always ask (especially when I'm filling in) "what do we want today?"<br>
I usually get hop (because it's not something I do so sometimes they request it) or an answer like 'she climbed us for an hour yesterday'<br><br>
I do mostly boggs, sprints and hills.(kinda superset).. as long as I kill em they like it.<br>
You do what you like and you'll be most successful. If you want to be death spin chick, then be death spin chic. Those who want to ride in your class or at your time but don't enjoy death spin will just do their own thing anyway.<br>
In the summer's I fill in for the Sat a.m. girl. Which is weird (I ride to class, spin in the black lite for an hour and ride home) Anyway, her class is regulars she's had for years and years. The whole left side of the room pedals slowly round and round. They don't change cadence, they don't change resistance, the don't change zones??? It used to freak me out. I'd tell her "they don't like me, ask somebody else" She said "no, they just do that, every Sat. year in year out" o.k. it still kinda weirds me out. <img alt="huh.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/huh.gif">

 

[wyrillco]

I like to do seated climbing during class, because for me that mimics riding in real life. I almost never get out of the saddle because someone over on MS forum told me it was much easier on your legs to climb sitting.<br><br>
I also like jumps to get my heart rate up. I find that climbing while standing on my spin bike is a relief from seated climbs...

 

[muzicgrl]

I <3 spinning, but currently cannot afford a gym (especially one that offers spinning). I found that the music was the key factor in weather I liked an instructor or not. I personally cannot stand techno or any of that beat based music when I am exercising...it just makes me want to leave. I much prefer pop and rock myself.<br><br>
I dream of someday being a spin instructor.

 

[theia]

I don't do jumps. Ever. In a typical one hour class, I might have them stand for 5-6 minutes total. However, I do give people who are NOT used to riding outside the option to stand whenever they feel they need to, as long as they sit back down as soon as they are able.

 

[divaleh]

Man, I need spin instructors like you guys. Most of the ones here in NYC are Barbie doll women who play nothing but House or Trance music and just try to make it a tough workout. I've only found one instructor who taught in a "training cycle" to get us ready for mock 2 hour road run. Each week (he only taught Sunday mornings) the ride would focus on different things - hill workouts, speed, recovery.

 

[sistergoldenhair]

tithers -- with what organization are you getting certified?<br><br>
From what I can tell there are spin classes that are like "aerobics on a bike," where the object is to "kill" them each time, and then there are cycling-based spin classes which mimic road riding and uses heart rate zones. My certification, Spinning, is more like that, but my participants prefer the "aerobics on a bike."<br><br>
Does anyone else who runs a lot find you cannot get your heart rate up into the target zones on a spin bike? I am lucky to get to 80% for a moment during the most intense point of any given class. I wonder if it's conditioning from running, or if my legs need to learn to push harder? I have a computer on my instructor bike and am staying at recommended cadences.