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Monday, October 22, 2007

Looking Like a Doofus in Spinning Class

I'm loving spinning classes. Originally I was going to wait until the holidays to give myself a gift of biking shoes that lock into the clipless pedals on the bike. Basically there are two ways, as far as I know and I am by no means any expert, to use the pedals in spin class. One way is to get bike shoes that have cleats in them (and I'll admit that I was confused when I first heard the term because I pictured soccer cleats), that lock into the bike's pedals. If you flip the pedals the other way (at least at my gym) the pedal has a harness so that you can strap your shoes in. I really didn't know anything about spinning before I took the first class so I was surprised by how much you really do need to be attached to the pedal. There is a lot of hard pedaling, not to mention standing up and pedaling that goes on, and the last thing you want is your feet slipping around on the pedal.

I could never get the pedal harness quite tight enough with my gym shoes, so this weekend I went out to get bike shoes. Plus I had also read on-line and then confirmed with a friend who teaches spinning that bike shoes with cleats make your workout more efficient and reduces the chance of knee problems (think slipping around on the pedals). Basically they work like ski bindings in that you just step down on the pedal and the cleat locks into the pedal. I read on-line that the best thing you can do is just not to think about it because if you focus on clipping your shoe into the pedal, you probably won't get it in. Again, similar to a ski binding.

There was another teeny tiny reason why I had originally planned on holding off on getting the shoes. This is weird, but I have this thing with working out and sports where I don't want to look like a poser. I'm sure you're confused. I tried to explain this to the Big Giraffe last night, and I could tell he was trying not to make fun of me. I would rather look like an idiot in all the wrong workout clothing than in the proper clothing because I feel like at least in the improper clothing it's obvious that I'm new. In fact, despite the fact that I was a competitive swimmer through college, when I got back into swimming a couple years ago, it took me a while before I would get a gym bag, good flip flops etc. Of course I had a Speedo swim suit, but I used a small purple soft suitcase (O.K. I'm totally blushing just thinking about it!) until I had been swimming for a couple of months. I felt like I had "earned" it. Clearly I have issues! Keep this in mind when you read the next part, unless you've decided I'm a nutcase and to abandon reading.

I was quite pleased when my shoes locked in the pedals on the first try this morning. I tried to look nonchalant, as if I would not have expected anything else. I give credit not to my on-line reading, but the fact that I was half asleep and thus was not thinking much about anything, much less how to clip into the pedals. All seemed fine until I started to pedal. I just couldn't get any part of me to feel comfortable no matter what I did and yes this includes a most personal area as well. I felt like a 100 year old lady on the bike. I began to sweat and now it wasn't just from pedaling, but also from the thought that I had 50 minutes to feel like this. I chalked it up to still being sore from Saturday and made a mental note to allow more space between classes.

The class was really small, and I could tell that everyone else was a hardcore spinner. I was trying really hard not to draw attention to myself. Perhaps I should have applied the lesson of not thinking about it to my behavior, because of course everyone noticed that I was sitting really awkwardly. In fact, it was so noticeable that the instructor unclipped her shoes from her bike and walked over to me in the middle of cycling to see what was going on. Of course everyone looked to see where she was going. She took a minute to assess the situation and said that nothing was jumping out at her as being wrong. I was using all the same settings in terms of height, seat, and handle position that I had been using all along. I mentioned that I felt really awkward and I thought that maybe I was just stiff. Than in passing I said that I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to having a good workout with my new shoes.
It turns out that was it. Apparently, switching to biking shoes can sometimes alter the settings. She adjusted the seat for me and all was well. Except that I still felt like a total moron, particularly because I needed to pedal standing up (which we do frequently in the class) when no one else was standing up so that she could move the seat for me. The class had kept on cycling the whole time at the original cadence or pace that she set, but obviously they couldn't move on with the workout until she had clipped back into her bike.

You know how I had been so proud of myself that I clipped in right away on the first try? I admit to thinking that it was not hard at all. My on-line research paid off. I had saved myself from looking like a complete doofus! Yeah, that would be until towards the end of the workout after we had been pedaling with just one leg and I couldn't get the free foot back into the pedal.

Idiotic moments aside, I still loved the class and particularly my new shoes.


A. Elliot's Lesson Learned: When you change your shoes, you need to change your position in spinning class, or risk looking like a doofus.

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posted by Alex Elliot @ 8:01 PM   10 comments
10 Comments:

  • At 10/22/2007 10:04 PM, Blogger super des said…

    Alex, you are adorable.

    But I know what you mean about the "poser" thing. I do that too, for some reason.

     

  • At 10/23/2007 6:39 AM, Blogger Cori@SAHMbles said…

    Oh poor you! You must be in a hard core class, I work out at the Y and some people have shoes and others don't there's a whole mix of people.

    On day you'll no longer be the newbie and some one will come in with all the wrong clothes ...

    :)

     

  • At 10/23/2007 8:11 AM, Anonymous pinks & Blues Girls said…

    Oh gosh, we are so much alike! I was nodding my head the whole time like, "Yup, that's what I'd be thinking, too!" And I HATE being the center of attention and an instructor has to single me out. I am so glad you were still able to have a good class!

    Jane, Pinks & Blues

     

  • At 10/23/2007 8:37 AM, Blogger Jodi said…

    I love spinning, but it does take a while to get the hang of it. It is the only thing that takes weight off om.

    Oh, and I just got the shoes. I've been spinning for 7 years.

     

  • At 10/23/2007 9:43 AM, Blogger BOSSY said…

    Why does Spin Class sound like an amusement ride?

     

  • At 10/23/2007 2:57 PM, Blogger Trenches of Mommyhood said…

    I quit Golds last year after going to spin classes there twice a week. Your post made me miss it--except of course, for the discomfort in the crochital area...

     

  • At 10/23/2007 3:20 PM, Blogger Chantelle said…

    Your take on work out clothing makes perfect sense to me. I used to kinda subconsciously do the same thing with step aerobics. I loved the class, but some of those people took it so seriously. May have to give spin a try when I get back into a good gym routine.

     

  • At 10/23/2007 4:56 PM, Anonymous Suzanne said…

    Oh, and that is exactly why I do NOT, under any circumstances, do group classes. (Except for a punk rock jump rope class that I went to and a hula hoop class. Those are ones I can handle very well and not make a fool of myself.) When I first joined a gym, I also felt super self-conscious and wore ridiculous clothes. I so get you. :)

     

  • At 10/23/2007 8:08 PM, Blogger Heather said…

    I had no idea that spinning could be so complicated!

     

  • At 10/27/2007 3:37 PM, Blogger CableGirl said…

    ok, this post totally cracks me up. You are so funny about the poser thing, but I totally hear you. although, I'm a little disdainful of biking gear in general, and the guys who take it so seriously that they shave their legs really freak me out. lol


    So, having said that, let me just offer up some kudos to you for doing spinning in the first place. It can be so hard to get yourself go workout especially when you feel awkward doing it. You're already so much further than most people just for the fact that you're doing it at all. Congrats.

     
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Name:Alex Elliot
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About Me:Professional Mom of two cats, a dog, an ant farm, and oh yeah...two boys: a 6 year old and a 3 year old. Also found in my house is my husband who is known on this blog as The Big Giraffe.
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