Most of our classes are
taking two weeks off this month, and many of our Boot Campers may be wondering
what to do with all their free time. The answer is simple: CARDIO, CARDIO,
CARDIO! Many people will count on their
old standbys of walking or running to burn their calories, but why not try
something new?
Group exercise classes are a
great way to rev up your cardiovascular endurance while breaking up the
monotony of an hour on the treadmill or elliptical machine. Today I’m going to
discuss one of my favorite cardio classes: Spin. I have been teaching Spin since 2006
and to this day still find the class entertaining and challenging. The great
thing about the class is that it offers a low-impact, high-intensity workout.
You’re giving your joints a break, but still burning as many calories a 5-mile
run or walk.
Many people who are new to
Spin are intimidated their first time, but please don’t be! Show up to class 15
minutes early and introduce yourself to the instructor. They will assist you
with setting up your bike for the first time. (The bikes can be positioned
differently according to your height.) Another advantage to Spin is that you
can determine your own intensity level. Every bike has its own resistance knob
that you turn to make the pedaling either harder or easier. If you start to
feel too fatigued in the beginning of class, just remove some of the
resistance; if you’re not feeling challenged enough, simply add more
resistance.
For class, you’ll need to
bring plenty of water and a sweat towel. Regular workout clothes are just fine.
Some of the regulars wear special Spin shoes, but these are not necessary for
beginners. What makes Spin classes even
more fun is that they’re set to music. Each instructor has their favorite style
of music they like to play, so you may need to shop around until you find a
leader that shares your taste. I love current music and tend to play songs from
the top 40 charts. I also love Michael Jackson and usually play one of his
songs in every class. However, other instructors may like 80’s music and play a
lot of older tunes. If you like the playlist, it’s more than okay to ask the
instructor for a copy. (I always bring a few extra to hand out after
class.)
Hickam Air Force Base offers
several Spin classes. (View the schedule here.) I teach the Saturday 8:30 am class and am always there early to help
out beginners!
I hope you’ll try out a Spin
class this month. Remember, changing up your cardio routine brings more balance
to your body and usually a higher calorie burn. If you always do the same cardio routine your body will become
accustomed to the repetitive motions and actually expend less energy, giving
you subpar results. So change it up and do something new. You’ll never
regret burning more calories!
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