Spinning = better MTB riding?

[capnsavem]

my wife takes spinning classes all the time at the gym.

i've done one, and it was a near-death experience.

but... i'm beginning to think i can use these spinning classes to actually improve my trailriding?

who takes spinning classes? and do you notice a marked improvement in your riding?

[BSki]

Good way to increase cardio and decrease leg strength. These classes are at such high intensity, you burn more muscle then you do fat in the 1 hour class.

Ride more in higher gears and push harder.

[sdyeti]

I go to spin once a week. It helps me practice sprinting (I race, so that's an important thing for me).

It's also nice because it's hard for me to find a good place to do speedwork in my neighborhood (I use the MTB Training Program by James Wilson and anaerobic intervals are part of the workout, as well as weights, stability exercises, etc).

Also, it sounds corny, but being in front of a mirror makes me pay attention to my form.

[foofighter]

i notice though as I am starting to push higher gears im feeling it in my knees post ride...so i just have to be careful about not pushing too big a gear

[sdyeti]

If you have a good spin instructor, their classes should not be just spinning at a high cadence for an hour. Our instructor does a lot of hills, lots of big gears, slow cadence, etc. to keep it balanced.

Originally Posted by BSki

Good way to increase cardio and decrease leg strength. These classes are at such high intensity, you burn more muscle then you do fat in the 1 hour class.

Ride more in higher gears and push harder.

[OMR]

I won a lot of races spinning up the mountain, rather than pushing large gears. It will make you faster and your heart and knees will love you for it.

I just don't understand if I like spinning so much, why am I riding a single speed???

[sdyeti]

Check your position. Seat too far forward = sore knees. With your feet level on pedals, your knees should be over your "laces".

Also, sore knees from a hard gear could be using too much quad and pedaling in squares, not circles.

Originally Posted by foofighter

i notice though as I am starting to push higher gears im feeling it in my knees post ride...so i just have to be careful about not pushing too big a gear

[Fired Yo Momma]

My Girlfriend takes spinning classes at 24Hr Fit and she comes back telling how tired she is and hard it was. So she has been asking me take a class with her thinking that I will breeze through the class. It sounds to me that these classes are pretty intense

[sdyeti]

I go to 24Hr Fit, too.

It's easy to cheat by adding less resistance than the instructor has in mind, but if you push it, you will walk away feeling like you got a good workout.

Originally Posted by Fired Yo Momma

My Girlfriend takes spinning classes at 24Hr Fit and she comes back telling how tired she is and hard it was. So she has been asking me take a class with her thinking that I will breeze through the class. It sounds to me that these classes are pretty intense

[PacMan]

I used to go to Spin classes twice a week and I didn't think they were that bad. They helped my MTB'ing a little bit. Then I started SS'ing and haven't done a spin class since.

[foofighter]

Originally Posted by sdyeti

Check your position. Seat too far forward = sore knees. With your feet level on pedals, your knees should be over your "laces".

Also, sore knees from a hard gear could be using too much quad and pedaling in squares, not circles.

thanks i'll have to check my position...but i think you're right about not pedaling in circles.

[allison]

do you want to get faster on fire roads, or be a better singletrack technical climber?

While I agree that it would help your fitness a lot (especially if you don't ride during the week) and probably make you a bit faster, it won't give you technical skills. When Justin and I spent a bunch of time climbing fire roads last winter we lost a bit of technical climbing for a month or so before regaining it

[sdyeti]

The Lee McCormack/B. Lopes book has a whole section about pedaling in smooth circles. It's a lot to take in, but basically, focus on pushing your foot across the top and bottom of your pedal stroke and it should start to smooth out.

Also, neglecting the hamstrings pulling up can be a problem.

Originally Posted by foofighter

thanks i'll have to check my position...but i think you're right about not pedaling in circles.

[northshore]

Funny...I'm going to my first one tonight. Should be interesting.

[sdyeti]

Good points. I think, though, that doing spin helped me on the Goat Camp trail and in Sedona. some of these were singletrack and technical, others were smooth and steep. I think a well-balanced rider should have both skillz.

Originally Posted by allison

do you want to get faster on fire roads, or be a better singletrack technical climber?

While I agree that it would help your fitness a lot (especially if you don't ride during the week) and probably make you a bit faster, it won't give you technical skills. When Justin and I spent a bunch of time climbing fire roads last winter we lost a bit of technical climbing for a month or so before regaining it

Bring a sweat-towel

Originally Posted by northshore

Funny...I'm going to my first one tonight. Should be interesting.

[mp3]

I say mix it into your training.

I used to go to spin class but now I use a stationary ergometer (just a glorified spin bike that has power output data) a couple times a week in the winter. The upside is I can set a really high resistence for a hard workout indoors and I don't have to worry about breathing in alot of cold air and getting a cold like I have in the past when doing intervals outside.

[kanga]

Some friends of mine run Spin Classes and race XC and endurance events. They invited me to join them for a month of sessions while I was staying with them, and I have to say that the workouts were really intense and very helpful. They both race road and mountain. After a month of spinning 3x a week, as well as putting in miles on a real bike, I raced and did much better than I thought I would. It definitely is helpful for fitness and pedal technique, but Allison is correct... no skills benefit. Mix it up with real dirt miles and it's a surprisingly good. If winter ever arrives and we get rained in, I might seek out another spin class...

[jcbikeski]

Originally Posted by foofighter

thanks i'll have to check my position...but i think you're right about not pedaling in circles.

Using too much quad is often related to the seat being too low which also makes doing a full circle harder. Still even with ideal fit and technique you need to slowly build into it or your knees could get injured -- so when they hurt back off back to a spin, do some quad stretches then try again later. Cranking hard off the saddle doesn't seem as hard on my knees.

[foofighter]

Originally Posted by jcbikeski

Using too much quad is often related to the seat being too low which also makes doing a full circle harder. Still even with ideal fit and technique you need to slowly build into it or your knees could get injured -- so when they hurt back off back to a spin, do some quad stretches then try again later. Cranking hard off the saddle doesn't seem as hard on my knees.

ive been forcing myself to get out of the saddle and pedal periodically to change things up so that helps as well. I think i've been just spinning more and only recently have i started to middlering things so that may have somethign to do w/ it.