My very first spin class

Since a few of you were wondering about spin, I figured I’d make a full post about it. Disclaimer: this was my experience. Take it for what it’s worth.

I showed up extremely nervous, but relaxed a bit when I realized everyone else there was a newbie, too!  The staff was really helpful and the instructor helped me fix my bike. Once the class got going, it was high energy and a workout you won't soon forget; Or at least my butt hasn't.

From the moment I was just sitting on the bike, before we had even started, my butt hurt. Like a lot. That should've been the first red flag. I was hoping that sometime during class, I'd get used to it or my butt would go numb; something besides excruciating pain. Unfortunately, that never happened and, not gonna lie, there were definitely moments where I cried. Luckily, the lights are off so no one can really see what’s going on and the music is so loud, no one can hear your soft cries. 

This really upset me because I wanted to enjoy the workout, but I couldn’t. All I could focus on was literally the pain in my butt and trying to get it to stop. I don't know about you, but I like feeling sore in the muscles I used during the workout; feeling like my butt is black and blue and on fire? Not so much my idea of a good time. I could feel each blood vessel pop and as the bruises were forming.

I was terrible at this stuff. My core strength kind of sucks and little did I know that seems to be a big factor in spin class. There was a lot of standing on the bike, which I don't think was set up correctly because my knees kept hitting the handlebars. I could barely get off the bike, so I just pedaled as hard as I could without puking. Being in the front row didn't help matters either. I felt bad that I couldn't keep up and I was directly in front of the instructor. I was not feeling good about myself at all and that's not really how I like to feel when I'm working out. (for the record this instructor was super encouraging and even told me I did a great job after class. Thanks for lying ;)

There are many different ways of encouraging and a fine line between that and pushing too far. I’m a fan of the lighthearted yoga and Zumba encouragement. I do better in those environments. High intensity spin classes or Crossfit don’t really seem fall into those categories, which is why I’m sure I stayed clear of them in the past. But hey! Gotta try new things every once and awhile, right? I also feel like if I were stronger, I’d feel differently, but who knows? For now, high pressure and intense workouts like that are not my cup of tea. I also don't think there is anything wrong with that. Everyone’s different. I’d like to stick to things that make me feel good. Bruises on my butt do not make me feel good.

I'm not ruling out that I'll ever do it again, but definitely not until I've completely forgotten what a pain in the ass it is, pun definitely intended. So, it's safe to say I won't be signing up for a triathlon anytime soon and probably will need to sit on ice for the rest of the week.

I also want to stress, just because this wasn't my jam, doesn't mean it won't be yours. I totally encourage you to go and try a class. How are you going to know what you like until you try it? If I hadn’t tried Zumba, I never would've known how much fun cardio could be! Fred, who actually is a fan of this torture, mentioned on my last post that the key is finding a teacher you like that plays music you enjoy and will keep you focused. Personally, I’m ok with never figuring that out and I’m sure my butt will thank me.

How do you feel about spin?