My college recently just started holding spin classes and ever since I started I can say nothing but great things. You go to class surrounded by people who want to work hard and are always instructed by great teachers who encourage you throughout the hour spent cycling. Spin pushes you nonstop throughout the class. You are consecutively biking to music where you go through cycles of biking at an average pace, fast pace and slow pace, or the cool-down period.
In spin you go through cycles with different resistances. One is where you will raise the resistance so that the weight on your legs are heavier, acting as if you are biking up a hill. You also do what are called "jumps" where you quickly go from biking sitting down to biking standing up at a lighter resistance. You will also do cycles where you pedal fast and act as if you are going downhill at a moderate to light resistance. All three of these paces/resistance combinations will help to raise your heart rate.
What I really enjoy about spin class is that your able to push yourself at your own pace. You have the option of adding or lowering the resistance on the bike to go at a rate that is comfortable to you. The instructor will suggest when to raise or lower the resistance so that you know how much you should be pushing yourself during certain parts of the class. But everything is really up to you and how much is enough or not enough of a push for your body.
It is also a good break from everyday life. College can get really stressful with classes, exams, projects and extracurriculars. So taking the time out of the day to work out is really important for any college student. Spin class allows you to take that break and take time to yourself to do something good for your body. Biking helps to relieve stress and allows you to focus on something other than schoolwork. The upbeat music in class helps to boost your mood and the instructors always encourages you during class with positive words to keep you pushing harder.
Spin is perfect class for anyone who is looking for a high cardio workout, looking to burn calories or simply just trying to get some good exercise in! I hope this article encourages you to try spin and to continue taking classes to improve your health!