Yesterday I took my first spinning class.  Well, it wasn’t really my first spinning class.  It’s just the first spinning class that I’ve taken one in a couple of years.

I re-joined the gym last week and am on my quest to get in better shape.  I knew things were going downhill when a 4 minute run in place made my muscles hurt. I had spent way too much time in front of the computer and its time for a change.

Survived and Revived

I know for a fact that spinning classes can be challenging.  Usually, the worst part of the first class is getting your rear end acclimated to the seat.  Most people love it when the instructor says, “…and UP…”  You’ll do anything to get up off of that blasted bike seat.

Well, this time, I was shocked and surprised.  I sailed through my first class feeling great.  As a matter of fact, I took a 45-minute class (instead of the 60-minute class) and the instructor went over her allotted time and I was able to keep up enthusiastically.

What I Did Different This Time

I think there were four factors that helped me to survive my first spinning class:

1. I remembered to bring my gel bike seat.
2. I ate a couple of hands full of peanuts before class (protein to maintain my energy level)
3. Drank a glass of Green Vibrance before class.  One glass of Green Vibrance won’t do much, but I’ve been taking it regularly over the past few months. In the past, I’ve found that Green Vibrance helps with endurance and muscle fatigue.
4. Remembered my fitness level.  In other words, I didn’t crank the bike tension up to the max just because I was feeling good. I’ll do that gradually over the next few months.

Post Spinning Recovery

I’m giving my rear end a two to three-day break.  It will probably need one additional day’s rest because I’ll be spending my day today sitting on gym bleachers watching my daughter’s competition (too many hours on hard gym bleachers is almost as bad as taking a spinning class).

If you’re thinking of taking a spinning class, read this “How to” on Surviving Your First Spinning Class.   Once you make it through the first one, you’re either hooked for life or you never want to see a bike again.  😉