By Chris Toby
Rotunda ReporterThrough the years I have been at Longwood, I admittedly have not taken advantage of the extensive fitness center we have on campus here. I much preferred to run or bike around town for my exercise. As a senior who may soon be paying for a gym membership, I am regretting my hesitance to take advantage of the opportunities Campus Recreation offers students.
So, to make up for lost time, I have decided to take at least one session of each of the nearly twenty fitness classes the gym offers. They offer everything from total body conditioning to stress managing flexibility training. I thought I would start with a class that might be an easier transition into the gym setting by taking a spin class.
For most of my college career, my bike has been my primary mode of transportation. I can't bring myself to pay the annual $250 for a parking pass, and I hate hunting for parking spaces. Over the summer, I went on a long distance bicycle trip, so I figured a stationary bike might be my forte. I may have underestimated the demands of Angie's Spin Class.
Angie Elgin, the Spin instructor, is a junior biology major at Longwood. "This type of exercise makes me feel absolutely awesome about myself," Angie said, "and I hope that my class helps others to feel the same way."
When I showed up to her class, I was a little intimidated. Most of the other participants were already loosening up on the bikes, and I was the only guy. I snuck my way on to one of the last bikes only to find a contraption that was absolutely foreign to me.
I have spent time on computer managed workout bikes, but these had no computers, no iPod hook up, no magazine ledge ... all amenities I had grown used to. They had a three point foot harness and unfamiliar methods of adjusting your seat. I was not paying attention when Elgin gave us an overview of the bikes. "I know bikes," I thought. I soon grew to regret that arrogance.
She turned the lights out (riding in the dark is just something you do in spin class) and we started the workout with a warm-up ride to "This Is War" by Smile Empty Soul. Then we did a sprint to "Scottie Doesn't Know" by Lustra. I knew there would be music, but I thought Justin Timberlake and Ke$ha would dominate the playlist. I started to wonder why more guys didn't do this; lots of girls and good music!
My original expectations were proven true with the next song as we did a climb, to Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie." This was what I had feared: me in a class with more than 20 girls pedaling to Shakira. I just hoped none of my fraternity brothers walked by the floor to ceiling wall of windows which look into the Spin room. I'd never live that down. This song proved problematic for more than the blow to my masculinity. It was our first climb, which is when you spend the majority of the song pedaling off your seat.
As I mentioned, I ignored Elgin's instructions when she explained how to properly adjust the bike to your height. When you are climbing, you need to be able to pull up on the pedals as well as push down. When trying to do that with insecure foot-straps, keeping my balance was a near impossibility.
I decided to get off the bike and make those adjustments but forgot what she warned us about dismounting the bikes. To dismount you have to press a red knob to help the wheel stop. Since it is a weighted wheel if you just stop pedaling it will keep spinning and your feet, which were under your control as you pedaled, are now at the mercy of the 40-pound spinning wheel. I stopped, and since I was out of my seat, the force of the pedals threw me face first into the handle bars.
I tried to play it off, but I am pretty sure that, with full mirrors on the other side of the class, there was no hiding. I made the adjustments I needed to make to the foot-straps and got back on the bike, with my face a little sore and my ego bruised. I wouldn't forget that again! I felt a little better about this incident after talking to one of the other participants after the class. Marrie Williams, a senior art major, assured me it takes a little time to learn. She said, "Learning how the bike operates was definitely pretty intense. The resistance knob and everything takes some time getting used to."
It was her first time as well and it was nice to have another beginner to relate to. "It's a really hard workout," said Mia Hamilton, a junior education major. "The first time is the worst. I've been doing it for almost a year though and I wouldn't think about missing a class."
I will have to take her word on that, because after my bruises heal it will be a long time before I get back onto a stationary bike. I enjoyed the class but if I am pedaling as hard as Angie forced us to, I want to be going somewhere.
