5 Things Spinning Has Taught Me

I’ve been teaching spin for over a decade now. I’ve guided literally thousands of people, in dark sweaty spin rooms, across continents, to find the best version of themselves on a bike. Without question, that spin bike is my happy place. It’s seen me through many different seasons of my life. Sure, it’s a great form of low impact exercise, ticks all the cardio boxes and is generally just a ton o’ fun, but it’s always been deeper than that for me. 

Here are the top 5 things Spinning taught me:

How to surrender

A lot of workouts, whether you’re doing them alone or in a group, require you to really concentrate, you’re counting reps, you’re conscious of the amount of space you have or the people around you. With spin, I allow myself to surrender. It’s the one place I truly allow myself to zone out, get lost in the rhythm and just fully immerse myself in the experience. 

That you can bring your emotions to the bike

There’s no question that exercise is great for our mental health. I find with other types of workouts I do, while yes, it benefits my mental health, sometimes that particular form of movement might be serving as somewhat of a distraction too. With spin though, you can fully bring your emotions to the bike. Something about that heady cocktail of loud music, endorphins and pushing yourself really brings your emotions to the surface – especially if all of that hits just as a song that really speaks to you plays. 

I’ve seen countless people cry in spin classes I’ve taught and they are always so grateful for it afterwards. The class gave them a space to feel and release whatever they needed to, that they might not have found lifting weights on a crowded gym floor. 

The feels are always welcome on the bike! 

That numbers don’t matter

I know, I know. Tracking every element of our waking moments is the norm these days, but spin is a place where you can forget the numbers and just be. Just vibe. Just experience. I don’t care about my RPM or total distance or any other number. Being present and guided in a good class, I know I’m working hard and giving my body what it needs. And sometimes it just needs the enjoyment of a ride, over whatever metrics it produced. 

Every track is a new opportunity

I’ve often had times in rides where I’m struggling and getting frustrated with myself. Perhaps I can’t quite stay out of the saddle on that crazy fast beat for long enough, or my technique is off or this resistance on this track is so heavy and I’m feeling deflated. But then the next track starts and I realise, I have a whole new opportunity, to start again, to adjust my energy, to see where that next three minutes will take me. This is something that has definitely carried over into how I conduct my day-to-day life; not getting too stuck in a particular moment, allowing myself a ‘do-over’ or restart whenever I need. 

How to be confident

I have felt my confidence increase over time as an instructor, as I’ve become more assured in my riding ability and the way I coach, naturally. But in seeing my riders become more confident too, that’s the ultimate assurance that what you’re doing is working. I see the power of those bikes every day. I see what they bring out in people. I see people start hesitant but finish strong. When you gradually see and feel your ability improve over time, of course you have a bit more pep in your step! And without question, that carries over into every other element of your life. 

As I say all the time in class; it’s more than a bike, it’s a life lesson.

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