The best thing I can say about my morning so far is… is that I did not throw up or pass out.

No, I’m not pregnant. I took my first spinning class today.

It was led by a DRILL SERGEANT named Tiffany (of course). I did ALMOST pass out, and ALMOST barf, and yes, I was the one in class that the instructor had to “take care of.” I seriously thought I would have to go home and vomit for several hours.

But you know what? I didn’t. I hung in there, followed Tiffany’s instructions (that bitch!) and didn’t get sick.

Of course, I still can’t stand up or walk. To get from The Dungeons of Hell (what I now lovingly call the Cycling Room) to the locker room, I had to kind of bounce from one thing I could grab onto to another. I now know why all the soap dishes in the showers have been savagely ripped off the wall – hanging on to the soap dish was the only way I could remain standing in the shower. I kind of leaned on things to get ready, and when I just now tried to stand up from my chair… well, it was not pretty.

So the reason I’m sending you this note is twofold:

One. DO NOT TAKE A SPINNING CLASS. Everyone in the class is really fit and skinny (that is weird – I wonder why that is?? Hmm…)

Two. YOU MUST FORCE ME TO GO TO ANOTHER SPINNING CLASS. I am told (by a NICE skinny woman in the class) that Barbara (not Tiffany, that bitch!), the other instructor, spends a lot of time working with beginners, and that I should take her class on Monday-Wednesday-Friday.

I have committed myself to trying it two more times. Monday is the “Training Wheels” class (isn’t that cute…), but I’m also going to go to Barbara’s class on Wednesday (if I can walk by then) or Friday.

I blew the whole thing off on Monday, and apparently this is my penance. So now I am enlisting you to just email me tomorrow morning to ask me if I worked out.

Did I mention all this happened at 5:30 am??? HUH??? Did I mention that??

Okay, so that is the deal. I can tell you for sure that getting up and working out early has been one of the best things I have ever done for myself – I have soooo much more energy all day long – and this is my attempt at bumping it up a notch (maybe 50...).

Can you help keep me going? In spite of Tiffany (that bitch!)?

Thanks for allowing me to mildly profane.

Leigh

Hi Leigh,

First, congratulations on going that first time.  The first time is always hardest, especially when the difficulty is more than you’re used to or able to handle.  It took real courage to stay in when you felt like you were ill, and I commend you for that.

Next, keep in mind that not all classes are designed for beginners.  It sounds like this drill-instructor was aiming her class at people who were already experienced spinners.  Don’t despair!  If you still like the idea of spinning, find a class aimed at beginners (perhaps the one with Barbara?), where you can go at your own pace.  A good instructor understands the capability of his or her students and works with them, not against them.

Don’t try to do everything at once, either!  Pushing your body too hard, too fast, is just asking for problems.  You may get discouraged, or you may injure yourself.  You can gradually build up your endurance, strength, and fitness over time—there’s no need to push yourself too hard at the beginning!  Go as far as you can, then stop.  You’ll find out that you can go a bit further tomorrow!

Finally, figure out if spinning is right for you.  There are thousands of ways to move your body.  Spinning might not be your thing.  Consider team sports, martial arts, dance, hiking, swimming, or anything else that gets you exciting.  Remember, it’s all about moving!  (Not about dreading the movement!)

I hope this helps you brush yourself off and get back on track.  Please do keep sharing your experiences with us!

Cheers,
Julie