I had often heard people talk about how tough a spin class can be. I had even heard hardcore spinning addicts talk about pushing through the pain barrier to burn an insane number of calories in one session. The blaring music and the possibility to laugh in the face of half my daily calorie intake in 45 mad minutes was very appealing…….but the thought of bobbing up and down on my pedals at speeds nearing the leading Tour de France peleton racing downhill terrified me, and so it was that I decided to stick with my leisurely, early morning constitutional as my exercise!

Last week however, that all changed….when a Mum at school convinced me to sign up for a spin class at school (Yes – our lovely school offers spin classes after drop off twice a week for parents!). Not long after agreeing to try it out, my What’s App pinged to alert me to the fact I had been added to the group ‘Spinners’. I chuckled to myself at the group’s name as ‘spinner’ translates as ‘mad/crazy/nutter’ in German, and that is exactly how I used to view spin enthusiasts, and what I thought about myself for signing up!!! Alas, there was no going back now!!!

One of two virgin spinners in the class that day, I was nervous as I watched other Mums attend to their bikes’ saddles and handlebars, as if they were fine tuning a high performance car. The instructor bounded in, her voice filled with infectious energy. Her lovely baby bump was obvious, and I admit I did think I should be able to keep up with a pregnant lady…..

How wrong was I?????!!!!

I had broken into a sweat by the time we had finished the warm up! As I dabbed my brow, I furtively scanned the room to see if anyone else looked like their flushed faces my combust, like mine felt it was going to!! No puffing. No panting. Just focused faces waiting for the next instruction. It wasn’t just my beetroot red, sweaty face I was worried about! The wise words of advice from a lovely friend echoed in my head ‘try to get a a bike with a cushioned saddle’. Feeling slightly violated on the narrow racing bike saddle, I willed the energetic instructor to end the bruising discomfort, and order us into a standing position!

Relief was granted at the same as Kylie’s ‘Spinning Around’ pumped out through the music system. This made me smile. It was around this point that I realised why spinning and loud music make such good partners; not only does the music drown out the cries of aching, burning muscles, it keeps you going, distracting you from the fact you are doing high intensity exercise!

Even though I proved less than graceful when making the transition from saddle to pedals and back down again, I enjoyed the switching up of the routine. Indeed as the music slowed to Boyz to Men’s appropriately titled ‘End of the Road’ I felt quite smug to think I had dropped the kids to school, burned some extra calories, and released a bunch of endorophins – and all by 9am!

The following day endoprhins were replaced with agonising, post exercise muscle ache; with each step a burning reminder of how tough spinning is! Will I go back? My head says ‘yes’, but I am not sure my thighs would ever forgive me!!