 |
|
January 18, 2007
spindance
With the wind blowing hard it didn't seem sensible to ride the tow paths (my preference). Replacing the risk of being blown into the canals by one of being blown into fast moving traffic was not really a choice. While not the same as a 3 hour return trip to a meeting or coffee, a spin class was surely better than nothing.
Spin classes have always seemed to be far more dance than sport. While the individual chooses how much they do, the leader sets the session's shape, choosing pace, movement and style. This is done by taking the group through different exercise profiles to the rhythm of the music that has been selected in advance.
Spin gym
photo (c) Carole Edrich, 2007
In common with others I like to start well before the formal class. About 12 of us were already spinning when we were told that our leader couldn’t make it and that no substitute could be found. We were left with a choice; keep spinning 'solo', join the boxercise class, train with weights or just leave.
My enthusiasm soon waned. Spinning is not like cycling outdoors; there’s no scenery, no unanticipated obstacles and no sense of approaching a goal. Even with music it was quite boring and could have better been done back at home alone, with a book or watching TV.
Spinning’s not cycling. It’s a social activity and time passes faster because the session is led by the person who has crafted the exercise to fit the music. That needs a choreographer, rhythm and a group acting in concert.
spinning
photo (c) Carole Edrich, 2007
Luckily one of our number eventually volunteered. Despite competing with the music (no-one knew how the voice mike worked), Ed had a good sense of rhythm, worked well with the beat (a case of ‘needs must’, I suspect) put a shape to our dance and a rhythm to our pace. His choreography was ambitious for someone with no previous experience but 30 minutes with him passed much faster than the first half-hour with no leader at all.
While chatting in the changing rooms after the class, Eddie agreed that spinning is more like dance and took my theory one step further. While running the London Marathon she found that when she could hear music her steps took its rhythm and the distance passed easily. Out of hearing distance it was harder, she lost the rhythm and felt as if she was running through treacle.
Do professional runners hear music as they go or is their own pace sufficient rhythm in itself? Thus begins the development of another feature. It’ll be fun to work the rest of it out.
 |
 | ||||||||
|
| ||||||||
|
| ||||||||
|
| ||||||||
|
| ||||||||