By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N.
I’ve been going to spinning classes for about 10 years. I have to admit, I am more of a lover of aerobic exercise rather than weight training. Yes, I do weight train but I need to force myself to do it. Yeah, yeah, I know I should know better as a health professional but…I am just telling you the truth.
I just recently joined the YMCA after years of belonging to another fitness center. It was cheaper and 15 minutes closer to my home. I typically run and bike outdoors but in the winter I like to go to spinning classes rather than bike in the cold. When I saw the class called Pump n’ Pedal on the schedule, I couldn’t wait to take the class. The class definition is: cycling with resistance training combined in one session – what more could you ask for?
The instructor, Nancy Moody, was excellent! Seeing her was like a blast from the past! About 8 years ago, Kentuckiana HealthFitness Magazine, one of the magazines I used to publish, did a feature story on her. Nancy, a very fit and health conscious woman all of her life, found out she had colon cancer. Now, she boasts she has been cancer free for 10 years & counting. She looked great & her encouragement during the class & her music was exceptional.
Nancy brought in a cart which was loaded with an assortment of bands of all colors and hand-held weights from 5 pounds to 10 pounds. After class participants picked up their tubes and weights, we mounted our bikes & the fun began (and work). The class was 75 minutes.
After 30 minutes of spinning, we got off the bike and used exercise tubing to work the muscles in our shoulders and arms. I had a band that the level of difficulty was too high for me so I struggled. Mental note: Bring my own tubing for the next class. Back on the bike, more spinning then back to more, then off the bike again for more resistance training with the bands. Back on the bike, more spinning then off the bike using hand held weight. We did some exercises on the bike which help to strengthen our abs but no actual crunches were part of the workout.
I always wear my heart rate monitor when I exercise. It’s very rewarding for me to hit a button and discover I burned 650 calories during the class. Yippee!
The question I have right now is Will I be able to walk or run tomorrow or Wednesday or Will I be able to even lift my arms over my head. I’ll let you know in 2 days or so, that’s when the soreness really sets in!
Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N, is a registered dietitian who has been teaching healthy lifestyles to consumers for over 35+ years.
