Day 18: My wheels are spinning, literally and figuratively
Happy Monday!!! So I went to a Flywheel class tonight, and it got me thinking about how finding physical activity that you really enjoy is SO important. On this 360 day journey, fitness is a major aspect of how I am finding balance in this so very insane world we live in. Everything that the 'experts' say is true about exercise. When I am regularly doing it, I feel GREAT and generally have way more energy. I also think, that if you find the right thing, it can be fun, and sometimes even a bit therapeutic.
I went to my first spin class more than 5 years years ago. A good friend had been going to this little boutique studio in DC, BikerBarre and she convinced me to join her one day after work. I dragged my boss with me, and I think we were both asking ourselves what the hell we were doing the whole way to the studio. While I consider myself pretty active, I felt way out of my element. We gave it a try, and the rest is history. I've been taking spin classes almost every week since.
Just like with any other fitness fad, although I am not sure spinning is really a fad.......there are tons of different types. I feel like I've done just about all of them. Big box gym spin classes, check. Dusty small gym in Tampa, FL with busted bikes, check. These days, you can mostly find me at Flywheel if I am going to do a class. Flywheel is pretty competitive. There is a scoreboard where you can put your score up and compete with the rest of the class (I came in first for the women today, NBD) and the instructor tells you how much to turn your torq (resistance) and the range where your RPMs should be. I love it. It is precise. It is exact. You know how much effort you are putting forth, and the music is pretty amazing. On the flip side, I will also go to Soul Cycle on occasion. Think a fun dance party, with life coaches thrown in the mix, and candles and darkness and zen. I also really like Soul Cycle, but am SOOOO uncoordinated and often get lost in the choreography (this is where my friend Skip starts to shake his head....no rhythm!). Soul Cycle is big on finding your inner strength, leaving everything at the door, and setting your intentions for why you are there. The last time I went, I definitely started weeping on the bike as I tried to 'set my intentions'.
So why am I going on about all of this? It goes back to finding fitness that works for you. Soul Cycle is not for everyone and neither is Flywheel. Actually, I know a lot of people who if they hear the words 'Do you want to go to a spin class with me?' would RUN the other way. I'm trying to find more and different fitness activities to keep things interesting this year, so if you have done something that you ABSOLUTELY LOVED, or maybe just thought was kind of fun, LET ME KNOW!!!