For years I have been avoiding spinning. The idea of spending 45 minutes to an hour on a bike, while an instructor yelled motivating slogans at me was not appealing. I had done a spin class once approximately seven years ago and I recall counting down the minutes until it was over. That kind of torture was something that I had no interest in reliving.
I have a very good friend that was looking to restart his fitness journey. He was considering doing a spin class and I recommended he find a gym that offered classes as a part of his membership.
He was not ready to do that, and instead found a business close to our houses that offered spin classes and other fitness classes. He asked if I would consider going with him to provide moral support. To be honest, I did not think he would actually schedule the class, so I said yes. A few weeks later, he scheduled the class and we were set to go.
The class was scheduled for 6AM on a Monday. I don’t know why that was so difficult for me. For the past two years, I have gotten up between 5 and 5:15AM to go to the gym, but that was not for class. Working out on my own is much different than having to be “present” at a class. In addition, because this was a new experience to me, there was some apprehension about doing this class. I also was nervous about being an inspiration for my friend. I really wanted him to like it, because he was so excited and I knew that this was an opportunity for him to really get back on track.
We arrived at the studio a few minutes before the start of the class. Because I am Collin Gehl, and I attract crazy things, I was on the “wrong” bike, and had to switch to another cycle just as class was starting. Once I was in the proper place, I was able to concentrate on the class, and I really enjoyed it.
The mix of music and images (this class had a video screen) helped keep me interested. The workout itself was great. I had been incorporating bike riding into my workouts for the past six months, but I had not done the different positions (seated, standing, etc). More importantly, my friend loved it! He stayed on track throughout the entire workout and signed up for another class.
Once I had some time to decompress and stretch (and stretch and stretch), I decided that I wanted to incorporate spin classes into my workout. It was a great way to get my heart rate up and I felt fantastic. Because I am trying to reduce mass (I built quite a bit of muscle during the last quarter of 2014), spinning can be a fun new way to do cardio. Running on the treadmill and the elliptical are starting to get a bit boring and I think my body is not responding the way it used to.
I have to give my friend credit. While, I initially was doing a favor for him, this experience truly positively affected me. A big THANK YOU to him!
What about you? Have you ever tried something new on your fitness journey that you surprisingly enjoyed? Did it change your perspective on your workout? Is there something you’d like to try that you haven’t yet?
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