-
Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.
Anyone spin?
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
I have a spin bike and don't tend to use it in the summer but love it to fill in the gap in my fitness routine during the winter.
If you haven't already, you should take a spin class or get a dvd with a routine on it so you can get the idea to get the most out of it.
I wouldn't go back to a traditional excercise bike for anything. Spin bikes rule!
What kind did you snag?
If you haven't already, you should take a spin class or get a dvd with a routine on it so you can get the idea to get the most out of it.
I wouldn't go back to a traditional excercise bike for anything. Spin bikes rule!
What kind did you snag?
Ski Spirit
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I used to go to spin class all the time and loved it especially when the I liked the music selections. The classes tend to focus on strength/hill climbing or intervals/endurance. Never tried it on my own but if I did I would probably get a dvd routine. I just got some workout (Pilates and Yoga) dvds and really like them a lot.
hp72
Diva in Training
I did spin classes once or twice a week last winter and it made a huge difference in my conditioning. We did a late season trip to Whistler and my goal for a few months was to lose weight and get in KA shape for the trip. The spin classes did the trick! I love the group atmosphere with the loud music. It really gets me going.
:D 
I don't spin, but from what I've seen at my gym, it's a stationary bike that can be very challenging! It's funny because I can ski all day when I'm in shape, love to dance, hike, and can get through pretty tough circuit training and yoga classes, but I think I would last about 5 minutes in a spin class before I would poop out. Anyone else feel like there are sports or activities that you just couldn't do no matter how in shape you were?
tradygirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I do my own spinning workouts a lot. For me the key is putting together a good playlist. In the spinning world, it's all about RPM (or beats per minute) since it's really motivating and fun to pedal to the rhythm of a song. You don't want any song with a beat-per-minute less than 60 or higher than 100 (too low - you can't keep a smooth pedal stroke, too high - you tend to start bouncing in the seat).
Songs with 80-100 bpm - good for sprints and higher-end aerobic intervals/steady state
Songs with 70-80 bpm - good for "jump" work (getting in and out of the seat), long climbs at moderate resistance
Songs with 60-70 bpm - good for high resistance climbs, working out of the seat
Mix it up however you like. Sometimes I'll do a 45 minute climb. Other times I'll do one song of intervals, one song of climbing, etc. Some days it's just a steady-state hour.
Look online - there's lots of instructors that post playlists and workouts. Going to a few classes or DVD workouts can give you a feel on how to create your own stuff.
Songs with 80-100 bpm - good for sprints and higher-end aerobic intervals/steady state
Songs with 70-80 bpm - good for "jump" work (getting in and out of the seat), long climbs at moderate resistance
Songs with 60-70 bpm - good for high resistance climbs, working out of the seat
Mix it up however you like. Sometimes I'll do a 45 minute climb. Other times I'll do one song of intervals, one song of climbing, etc. Some days it's just a steady-state hour.
Look online - there's lots of instructors that post playlists and workouts. Going to a few classes or DVD workouts can give you a feel on how to create your own stuff.
bklyn
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I could easily spin for hours in the gym and still be very challenged on my bike outside at the same RPM. It seems I use more energy balancing the bike.
If I've been riding often and go to a spin class, it's as if I'm not getting a workout.
Anyone else experience this?
If I've been riding often and go to a spin class, it's as if I'm not getting a workout.
Anyone else experience this?
If I crank up the resistance enough, I get a great workout spinning. If it's low - I don't get much out of it. And I know that when I did a bunch of spinning at moderatly high resistance while standing - when I went out on my singlespeed this spring, I was climbing better than I ever had before on a real bike.
You just have to build up to higher resistance though or it can bother your knees if you jump up too fast.
As posted earlier in this thread, I do spin in the winter frequently and have a Johnny G spin bike at home that I use in the summer when my bike rides get rained out.
As much as I hate to admit it, I don't push myself on my bike at home as I do when I'm in a class.
As much as I hate to admit it, I don't push myself on my bike at home as I do when I'm in a class.
tradygirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's the flywheel effect. Pedaling is easier (once you get up to speed)on a spinning bike because of the momentum of the heavy wheel. The downside is that you don't get the exact same pedaling forces you get on a real bike, but the upside is that it's a much more fluid and natural movement that seems to be better on the joints.
bklyn
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
SkiBikeSwim
Diva in Training
I spin a lot during winter when it's dark outside early. There are a bazillion workouts you can do that will not only build leg strength and endurance, but cardio fitness as well. Intervals are the best way to stay focused and get the most out of your time. Try warming up for 10 minutes and then switch it into a hard gear and do a hard effort for 4 minutes, rest by spinning easy for 1 min, then do 4 X 1 hard effort, 3 X 2min hard effort, 2 X 3 hard effort, 4 X 1 min hard effort all with 1 minute easy spin. Cool down and breathe! This is 60 minutes or less.
geargrrl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I really want my own bike. I used to do classes at the gym, but I am sick of having to get there an hour early to sign up for a bike: first come first serve. I can't convince them to let me use the bike with my ipod. It has to be a class or nothing.
Yeah, there's a 5:30 am class too but I can't get my sorry a** out of bed, I like my sleep too much.
gg
Yeah, there's a 5:30 am class too but I can't get my sorry a** out of bed, I like my sleep too much.
gg
I use my road bike with a stationary trainer that cost under $200. This works best for me because I'm an avid cyclist during the summer and as such, have a position (seat height, handlebar and saddle position) that have been worked out down to the millimeter. I wouldn't want to spend a lot of time cycling in another position and working those muscles differently.
On the up-side, whether spinning or working out on a stationary trainer or outside on a bike, these are all great for strengthening those quads and thus helping to stabilize our knees. It's a great way to prevent injury on skies.
My $.02!
Icy
On the up-side, whether spinning or working out on a stationary trainer or outside on a bike, these are all great for strengthening those quads and thus helping to stabilize our knees. It's a great way to prevent injury on skies.
My $.02!
Icy
alaski
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have a bike trainer too, and I love it. It's a lot harder of a workout than a spinning bike, that's for sure. It's also nice to have it at home so I can do cardio there during the long winter months instead of having to spend hours every day at the gym.
I do have a hard time finding that optimum cycling position while on the trainer, though, and I don't have that problem when cycling on trails (I'm a mountain biker).
I do have a hard time finding that optimum cycling position while on the trainer, though, and I don't have that problem when cycling on trails (I'm a mountain biker).
This is kind of funny -- and is analogous to one of the most common comments on this forum: have you had a bike fit?! Very important for your outdoor riding and once you have your "template", you can adjust your position for workouts on the trainer. You're a little too far away for me to recommend anyone but check with a bike shop and see if know of a bike fitter who can help you out.
I've been in spinning classes where the teacher had my heart rate going higher for longer than I would have on my own, inside (nothing like being outside!) but then I bought some "Spinervals" DVDs for my trainer work and those definitely do the trick. I guess it would be harder to imitate a mountain bike course than a road bike course while on a trainer, though (watch out for that virtual tree!!). At least you can still work on intervals and aerobic base. Have you tried any of the Spinervals DVDs? Another forum for you would be the TeamEstrogen women (primarily) cyclists discussion forum. Great, great bunch of cycling gals there - the SkiDivas easily match those women in athleticism, enthusiasm, and love of hard work and good fun outside while braving the elements. And - btw - the great apparel and other products sold the TeamEstrogen.com site are for many kinds of female athletes (though mainly cyclists and triathletes). Happy pedaling!
I've been in spinning classes where the teacher had my heart rate going higher for longer than I would have on my own, inside (nothing like being outside!) but then I bought some "Spinervals" DVDs for my trainer work and those definitely do the trick. I guess it would be harder to imitate a mountain bike course than a road bike course while on a trainer, though (watch out for that virtual tree!!). At least you can still work on intervals and aerobic base. Have you tried any of the Spinervals DVDs? Another forum for you would be the TeamEstrogen women (primarily) cyclists discussion forum. Great, great bunch of cycling gals there - the SkiDivas easily match those women in athleticism, enthusiasm, and love of hard work and good fun outside while braving the elements. And - btw - the great apparel and other products sold the TeamEstrogen.com site are for many kinds of female athletes (though mainly cyclists and triathletes). Happy pedaling!
