COLUMN: Class provides exercise and entertainment
During my sophomore year in high school, my cross-country coach taught a spin class. She made us go to every Monday instead of going on a run – something about cross training and how spinning made us run faster. I really liked spinning, or at least I thought I did.
Last week I decided to try it again. Within the first, oh, I don’t know, 30 seconds, I thought I was going to die: like, fall off the bike and crack my head open. Okay, it wasn’t that bad, but the spinning class is probably the hardest workout I have done in months.
The spin instructor, Isela Phelps, said spinning gives you a good workout in a short amount of time.
“You can go as hard as you feel like going or as easy as you feel like going,” she said. “You are the boss of that bike.”
I totally rocked my time on my bike, but something else Phelps said rang true.
“There is tons of inspiration just from being in a class,” she said. “You have other people there that will push you, especially if you come regularly.”
I don’t attend spin class regularly, but being in that one class showed me how much the people around you can be a motivator. Maybe it was just because I’m a little too competitive for my own good, but when I was looking around and I could see other girls turning their knobs up a couple of turns, I had to one up them and turn mine up even more. This may be the cause of my near death during the class.
“It’s a good workout, it’s good cardio, it’s good music,” said Angeline Wairegi, a third year chemistry grad student who attended the spinning class.
Wairegi said there really isn’t a lot to spinning, which is true. It’s a simple way to get a dang good workout.
Isela also told us to earn our spandex. Through the course of the workout, I really felt like I worked hard enough to earn my spandex, even if it did practically kill me.
Speaking of spandex, lets talk about what to wear to workout. I personally work out in spandex and a t-shirt, but depending on the activity you are doing, you might want to wear something different. I would not recommend wearing the aforementioned spandex and t-shirt to go out swimming, nor would I recommend running in a swimsuit.
Although workout clothing can run a little on the more expensive side, it is so worth it, especially when it comes to the shoes you wear. The cheap running shoes will never help you – they will only hurt you. So when you are trying to find running shoes, go to the experts – they know what they’re talking about. I personally prefer the Mizuno Wave Elixir 6, but I’ve made the switch to a pair of Brooks Ravenna 4. We’ll see how that goes – but go to the pros for good shoes. Never settle for something that comes out of a Walmart or Payless.
When it comes to activities such as running, personal trainer Jake Saunders recommends wearing loose, comfortable clothing.
“Some people like running in yoga pants, some people like the short shorts. It just depends on what you feel comfortable in,” he said.
So when you go to workout, wear something you feel comfortable in and please wear something other people will feel comfortable seeing you in. I’ve seen too many men work out in white spandex before, and to those men: Please, never do it again.