Enjoy this fun and entertaining guest post from former Big Sky Simsbury Team Member Jessie Lubka.
Spinning, Soul Cycle, Cycling, whatever you call it, this form of high intensity exercise has swept the nation. Whether you do it by yourself or do it with friends, this workout is going to make you sweat from places you didn’t know had sweat glands.
I’ve wanted to try it since I started working at Big Sky, but I was always hesitant to do so. I didn’t want the regulars to look down on me or judge me for not knowing what to do. I also didn’t want to be in a room full of people twice and three times my age and be the weakest in the class. I had always told myself “if a 60-year-old woman can do it, so can I” but I wasn’t too sure!
So finally, I woke up on Saturday morning, got ready for the gym, and was out the door at 8:45am, ready to attend my first class at 9:00am sharp. To my surprise the instructor was a little bit older than I had expected and the class was filled to capacity, but thankfully everyone was extremely welcoming.
(Find class schedules for all Big Sky locations HERE!)
I could already feel myself starting to sweat just looking at the bike. First, I had to adjust the seat, which I didn’t know how to do. Then I had to move the handle bars, which I also was clueless about. And finally, after looking around at everyone else I thought, “why does everyone have towels? You can’t possibly sweat that much.” Well, I was sorely mistaken.
The music started playing and instructor began to peddle faster and faster. I’m pretty sure the first song was ‘Barracuda’ by Heart, not what I was expecting. We started sitting down, but ultimately ended up in a squat position while still peddling. Up and down, up and down, for the whole 3.5 minute song.
9:50 am: I am sweating from my ears, eyebrows, and elbows. Who even thought sweat could come from your elbows! “Alright great class, let’s stretch it out.” Was this Jesus’ voice? Am I dead? Is it over? Salvation! My first spin class had finally come to an end. My legs were Jell-O, my thighs burning, and my butt was sore from that concrete seat. I took one look at myself in the mirror and my heart skipped a beat. If you’ve ever seen Shrek, you know what an ogre looks like. That was me. My hair was curled from my perspiration, face beet red, and I had really dark circles around my armpits (Pro Tip: don’t wear grey to spin class).
To describe my overall workout I wouldn’t use the word fun or refreshing. I can’t even say I felt good because who feels good when they are saturated with sweat? I did feel like I had accomplished something. And I felt like I definitely burned off the donuts I had for dessert last night.
Overall, spinning, cycling, or riding, whatever you call it was an awesome work out! Will I be back? Yes, after the feeling in my legs comes back. Would I recommend it to people who hate running (like me)? 100% yes. 60 minutes of riding a bike may sound like a walk in the park, but soon after trying it, you’ll realize that the phrase “it’s like riding a bike” isn’t in terms of spinning.
Thanks for sharing your experience Jessie!
We’re glad you made it through class and we look forward to hearing about your next new experience at Big Sky!
If you’re ready to try something new like Jessie did, CLICK HERE for class schedules!