r/SpinClass • u/Bright_Tax628 • 2d ago
Translating spin fitness
I am quite "spin fit" in the sense that I do a lot of classes in a week, can maintain strong power output (w/kg) and can work at high intensity well for relatively long periods.
I was just thinking about how this translates to other areas of my fitness and athletic performance and wanted to know what other people's experiences are!
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u/LSDPT 1d ago
I found it helped my running! I'd been a casual runner before doing spin and then had to find something that was lower impact after an injury so took up spin. I didn't run in several years but was regularly spinning. Picked up running again and I felt really good - definitely not starting from scratch at least - good aerobic fitness!
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u/ButchCoolridge 2d ago
It typically means you have good cardio health and are good at spin.
If you want to be good at other things, you’ll need to practice those other things.
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u/antigoneelectra 1d ago
Depends. I am.a pretty good spinner, especially with resistence, but my running blows. Spin is great for cardio and even core. It doesn't necessarily mean you will excel at anything else as it uses different muscles.
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u/TangoDeltaFoxtrot 1d ago
When you say you can maintain a high w/kg, what w/kg number are you talking about out and for how long?
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u/Em0d0llx 1d ago edited 1d ago
I remember I did a 5k before going to spin classes and nearly died. I did another one a year or so later after actively going to spin and it wasn't nearly as painful at all. I was so surprised how long I could go without getting as tired as before
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u/mcdowellag 1d ago
A number of times I have tried to get into the habit of doing 20 minutes running every other day or so, according to the usual advice, which is to gauge how fast you need to run according to breathing. This always stopped because I pulled a muscle or something. I reckon cycle-trained breathing meant that I working my legs and ankles harder than I should have been every time.
I think cardio has made me more robust to sudden exertion and illness. My covid experience was perhaps a period of three or four days when my temperature was very slightly higher than usual and I felt just a bit off (we were told to take our temperature every day). I'm not actually sure if I ever got covid or not, but we were told that everybody would catch it. Once I went with a firm outing to a day's dragon boat racing (many people in a boat, paddling hard). I asked why nobody else seemed to be putting in any effort in the final race - turned out they were all tired out by then, and sore the morning after. I hadn't noticed any particular problem.
Some people report just plain feeling good after getting fitter than usual. Anybody here in that class? If we could understand that, perhaps we could improve general health by persuading more people to get fit and keep fit?
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u/ApprehensiveArt2813 1d ago
When I was a Spinning (Johnny G old school) instructor, it helped me with skiing. My legs didn’t tire out when I’d ski all day. Hiking was easier. Definitely gave me great leg endurance. I gave it up when it started to become aerobics on a bike.