For the past three years, indoor cycling aka spinning has been a huge part of my life. My job at Cycle Rhythm involves recruiting, evaluating and assessing our instructors as well as maintaining our studio equipment. I’ve got high standards and I’ve learned a great deal about what separates an average class from an amazing class.
Indoor cycling has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, both in boutique fitness studios and big box gyms. There seems to be a new studio opening in London on an almost monthly basis. I try to keep up with changes in the industry and ensure Cycle Rhythm is ahead of the game, by checking out what our competitors are offering. Last week, I was invited down to the newly renovated Fitness First at Fenchurch Street to take part in one of their spin classes.
What makes a great spin class?
Bikes
The average member of the public might not have an opinion of the choice of bikes, however I’m an indoor cycling geek so I was curious to see what Fitness First had chosen to equip their new studio with. It turned out to be Star Trac Spinner Blade cycles, which I must admit I’m not a huge fan of. The resistance is controlled by a dial and there is no console to display data making them feel outdated in today’s market. Chain-driven bikes can also feel clunky if not properly maintained.
Bike Set-Up
Proper bike set-up is essential to maximise your experience of the class and avoid injury. Too often I see people riding with their saddles too low or without the handles securely tightened. It’s part of the instructors role to ensure that both beginners and experienced riders are set up correctly before the class starts. Instructors should also run through the main hand positions and body positions which they will use during class.
Studio sound and lighting
The sound system and lighting concept in a fitness studio really work together to create the whole experience. At Fitness First, they’ve gone for a pared-down approach with coloured light bars along one wall. The opposite wall is lined with mirrors to reflect the light around the room. The sound quality was great and music volume was appropriate.
Technology
Part of the Cycle Rhythm experience is about monitoring and tracking performance metrics, which are displayed on a screen at the front of the room. The approach at Fitness First is much more low-tech, with no use of data either on the bikes or on screen. Personally, I find that the use of technology really enhances a cycling class in terms of motivating me to ride harder.
Instructor- Appearance
Does the instructor look the part? Are they wearing appropriate clothing and cycling shoes? Are they clean and presentable? I found it strange that the instructor at Fitness First wore a long-sleeved top throughout the ride. It gave the impression that she was cold and therefore not working up a sweat, which in turn makes an impression on the class participants.
Instructor- Motivation and Personality
An engaging and energetic personality really goes a long way when leading a spin class. Being an instructor is about coaching and motivating the class- their enthusiasm effects the overall atmosphere of the room. There is nothing worse than being taught by an instructor who is simply ‘going through the motions’ without any passion.
Class Structure
Every spin class should begin with an introduction. The workout should have a clear structure and purpose which is communicated to the participants at the beginning. Will the focus be on sprints or hill climbing? How long will each interval last? There should always be a defined warm-up, main workout and cool-down. I notice that a lot of instructors tend to launch straight into a sprint without properly warming up the participants, which can lead to injury.
Music
The beat of the music sets the mood for the class and playlists should reflect the profile of the workout. Music is obviously a very subjective choice and it’s impossible to please everyone’s tastes. No matter the choice of genre, it’s important to ride in time to the beat of the music, adjusting your speed and body position accordingly.
Stretching
One of my personal bugbears is when an instructor stands on the pedals to stretch calves and hamstrings. It damages the pedals as they were not designed to be used in that way. Always dismount the bike before stretching. Stretches should target the main muscle groups used during the class.
Upper body workouts
Edited to add… One of my biggest no-no’s is movements like press-ups or the use of hand-weights whilst cycling. These exercises are ineffective and potentially dangerous. Upper body workouts have no place in the cycle studio. Thankfully, Fitness First opted not to include these in their classes, and it’s something you’ll never see at Cycle Rhythm.
All photos credit: Ben Kapur
What makes a spin class great for you? Anything you like to see (or not see) in a class?
What an informative post! I’m not a member of a gym so I’ve done few spin classes recently but I have just signed up for a 3 month trial where I swim so as soon as I’ve done my first spin class there I’m going to come back to you to tell you all about it lol
I have done a few at my local gym and find it a real challenge! #fitnessfriday
I loved the class and the energies filling the room. I thought Rachel did a really good job and the music was great for the spinning workout. Thanks so much for coming along.
Caz | Style Lingua
Thanks for the invitation. Come to a Cycle Rhythm class if you are ever in the area.
For me the music makes the class. I like variation in a class as well – some instructors focus on all climbing or all sprinting and I like a mix of both. Hate stopping for weights. Hate more when instructors don’t stay on their bike and walk around and turn resistance up or down as everyone is at a different level of fitness. Biggest bug bear though is people who go to spin class with no intention of putting in effort and spend the whole class chatting! I’ve tried lots of bikes and agree those with info displayed is much better and the levers to select gearing as opposed to the dials.
Agree! Instructors must never touch the resistance at Cycle Rhythm- that’s a rule that doesn’t get broken!
It’s totally music – riding to the beat in particular – and instructor enthusiasm and energy for me. I want to get off my bike in protest when the music hasn’t been planned or thought about in any way, and there’s an instructor flicking through songs asking what you’d like to hear next!! And if the instructor isn’t getting you all in the zone, it’s a no no from me again!
Totally agree!