SPIN CLASS

Are they a worthwhile path towards fitness and fat loss?

Or are they nothing more than a glorified sweat session, guaranteed to leave you spinning your wheels…

Well, let’s dive into this question which, as always, is more nuanced than it is simple...

And a quick history lesson on me – I delivered spin classes for over 10 years as part of my role at a commercial gym.

I’m absolutely on the inside track of the spin class experience

And to say it was a big love of mine is definitely…inaccurate.

To be honest, I dreaded every time I had to deliver a spin class. Not least of all because it was time I would have rather put into a workout of my choosing, but also because the experience of delivering the class itself was variable and made better or worse by the people attending it.

There was never an experience quite as exhilarating as going through the mechanics of how to set up your bike, and get the most out of the colour-coded workout system the spin class used to guide intensity and output…

…Only to have someone burst into the class, ten minutes late, and exasperatingly request yet another rundown of how the system works (when you’re already deep into the 2nd or 3rd track!) More often than not, requiring that I dismount and disrupt the flow for everyone else.

To this day, these instances raise a wry smile and are amongst my most treasured memories. 

But my fingers were crossed writing the previous sentence…

(and ps: technically you aren’t allowed to grant access to people arriving that late to any kind of class, but this type of explanation never goes down well and often results in complaints. And the gym I worked at was frankly terrible at handling this)

With that being said, the extra cardio was fun and being able to curate the class around my own music was a big bonus.

I did also get to interact with members I may never have crossed paths with...

...and pick up a few women I may never have spoken to otherwise also - definitely one silver-lining.

Spin obviously has utility for building fitness, burning calories and helping to establish a supportive, inclusive community that is mostly accessible regardless of fitness level.

But! The extent of this effect is dependant upon a few factors, and the more reliant you are on spin for these effects the less effective it will be.

Let me explain…

The more time you dedicate to cardio-only in the gym (or anywhere) the quicker diminishing returns will come.

This is true for any form of cardio, but especially for spin.

Why?

Because in a world where most of us are sat down perpetually: whether in front of the TV, at desks, or during the commute and cars.

To then saddle up for your preferred cardio – also sitting down – is only going to keep your physique in first gear.

So, are you ready for a more challenging track?

Any cardio routine – absolutely any – needs to be paired at least some form of resistance training.

And the reason is simple.

Cardio is teaching your body to surrender tissue for energy (assuming most people relying on spin are somewhat concerned with weight loss)

Without resistance training signalling to your body that, wait a minute, we NEED this carbohydrate-sucking, metabolically active tissue on your frame…

…then your metabolism is only going to dwindle to the point where your spin class is not only less effective, but not even going to make you look toned.

And you’re STILL sitting down.

Tut fucking tut.

But wait! Am I saying that spin classes are bad and to never do them?

This isn’t what I’m saying – despite the sitting down jibes.

Because spin classes can still be very effective for you, and a great addition to your routine, as long it’s balanced with a level of resistance training to keep your metabolism high and extending the true potential of your body.

Context matters, which is the point of this post and why I mentioned nuance in the beginning – even solely resistance training is ineffective without the right level of extra activity, dietary adherence and recovery protocols.

The most important thing is that your routine is well-flourished, and you don’t rely on one single tool or activity.

And from my 15 years in the industry believe me, people DO!

So, no need to give up your spin class.

Why not even do two?

But don’t let it be the only thing you do.

Because you’ll keep your results idling away and the effort you need to put in simply won’t change.

And if you are doing spin…

Please, for fuck sake, turn up at the time the class is due to start!

For a spin class to be as effective as it can be you should at least have the time to do all of it.

Class dismissed!