“If you can do spinning, you can do anything! I swear to god!” Milana Morozova, a junior fitness instructor at the Rec Center, shouted this at our crowd of sweaty faces during one of my first spin classes. I’ve never heard something so true.
Spinning class is an effective and extremely fun way to workout. A good intense workout can burn hundreds of calories while toning muscles throughout your body and creating legs that can rival that of Carrie Underwood.
The atmosphere of a spin class is an extremely empowering environment, something I had yet to experience in a group fitness class. The rush of endorphins paired with an enthusiastic instructor and some loud Chris Brown throwbacks forces you to get the most out of your workout.
The best part of taking a spin class is you’re guaranteed an awesome workout every time, no matter the instructor. I like to take about three to four spin classes a week and each time I get a slightly different experience. Each instructor has a different routine, music playlist, and fitness mantra to keep things fresh and exciting. Some of the instructors even give their classes an occasional theme, making your workout seem more like a dance party with twenty sweaty strangers rather than a chore.
Excuses are your enemy when it comes to any work out. You can do it, so long as you believe you can do it. A large aspect of spinning is the ability to utilize the “mind over matter” mentality. Within the hour or hour and a half of intense cardio training, you might feel like your legs are about to fall off. But, I can guarantee when you get off the bike at the end of the workout, your legs will still be attached and your body will be thanking you. Not to mention, the psychological benefit of conquering a workout you might never have imagined attempting is an amazing feeling. If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.
I can understand the anxiety of committing to a new workout, but there’s no need to be intimidated! Everyone has to start somewhere in their fitness journey. Whether you’ve been hitting Wings over Amherst instead of the gym, or you’re a fitness junkie, spinning doesn’t discriminate. There’s a huge variety of fitness levels in a spinning class; it is by no means a room full of Jillian Michaels. We all struggle through it together! You got this! It’s only a bike.
Now go sign up for a spin class, Collegiettes! But, I’m warning you, it’s addictive.