Spinning – Day 53
Bikes and I have a very distrustful relationship, ever since I fell off my bike riding to school when I was 8. Soon after, we moved and wheels were no longer an essential part of my life, so I avoided them up to this present day (aside a family day’s cycling up the cycle trail 10 years ago). So if I’m honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to my Spinning Class at The Retallack Resort.
On paper though, it should be OK. My (now fashionable) Kim Kardashian sized arse would act as a nice cushion on the seat and the bike is stationary in a gym, so there wouldn’t be big lorries to worry about. The only thing which seemed to be an issue would be if I was strapped into a bike and placed in front of a full-length mirror. Luckily, when I got there the bikes were facing a screen, which were simulating a biking experience on various North American roads.
I noted the small, shapely bottoms of my classmates and I smirked to myself at the cushion advantage I clearly had. I mounted my bike and Darren, the instructor, took me through the control pad and showed me where the resistance knob was to control tension. I had a premonition that me and this knob were not going to get on.
We sat on our bikes and started cycling and immediately my bum started to hurt, as I tried to find the most comfortable position. Ouch, that hurts. It really hurts! I carried on and winced through the first song and then the second. I put my towel on my seat to see if that would help. The poor guy behind me must have had a horrible view of my adjustments. I am not going to lie; the first fifteen minutes of the class were some of the longest minutes of my life, as I struggled on.
Thankfully, we then moved onto standing up and peddling. This was much better and I started to feel far happier about life. Darren shouted encouragement and urged us to turn the resistance up either by half or a full rotation to make it harder. At this point, I decided to go Lance Armstrong and started cheating by halving the rotation, which was hollered out to us. If Darren said a full turn, I only turned it half way. Lance would be proud of me.
As the class went on, I found it got easier in terms of my bum and after the initial shock; I managed to get into some sort of rhythm, as I focused on the screen and imagined myself cycling along the roads in Washington State Park. If the class was representative of an actual road race, my classmates would be the ones racing ahead and I would be the one with a basket on the front of my bike, meandering along and looking at the scenery.
Darren’s instructions popped my dream bubble as we “put it in” for the last quarter of an hour. At points, my legs felt jelly-like so I focused on the calorie counter as I gritted my teeth through the sprints. Finally, the warm down came and slowed to a standstill. I dismounted and immediately found I had the John Wayne walk before I shook it out.
The class was tough for me but looking at the physiques of my classmates, it would be worth it. I have recently read about the use of virtual reality in spin classes, where you can pop on a headset and take a ride in space or anywhere in the world. I think I might come back for that class but until that time, I am off to spend the 200 calories I burnt on a hot chocolate in the café. Life is all about balance after all.
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