Indoor spin class will make you feel like you're cycling around the great outdoors
Spinning is a staple gym class, lauded for its calorie expense and toning benefits while loathed for the mundane reality of furiously cycling on the spot.
As someone who endures the ritual of feeling the burn while being roared at as I drown in my own sweat, I find myself in an eternal struggle to appreciate this exhaustive experience.
In saying that, I am a keen cyclist and enjoy a good 50km cycle into the wilderness on a fresh sunny day; unfortunately living in Ireland means the optimum conditions for trekking off into the countryside don’t come around too often.
énergie fitness club may have found the solution to my troubled soul’s lethargic attempt to keep fit, however, by merging all the benefits of a countryside cycle into a 30- minute spin class with some tech- enhanced features.
The good people of énergie fitness club, Citygate, Mahon, have filmed five scenic routes from around the country to display on-screen in spin classes to give the impression you are cycling outside.
Using footage filmed with a drone, and edited to include instructions and a soundtrack, énergie now has spin classes that include picturesque scenery along with a peppy soundtrack.The classes do not need an instructor as all guidelines are shown on screen and participants are encouraged to go at their own pace.
Énergie general manager Paula Lynch explains why they decided to introduce ‘virtual spinning’: “It suits everyone and it is not boring. You do your own workout and you do as much or as little as you want.
“It can help people who may feel intimidated by trying a spinning class.”
Although Paula says the gym is offering the virtual spinning classes as an alternative to the harsher, more full-on version, she recommends people try a spin class at least once before moving on to virtual spinning.
“I recommend doing at least one class with an instructor to ensure you are maintaining the correct posture and to get a feel for the class,” she says.
Having one too many spin classes under my belt I decided I was more than qualified to give virtual spinning a go, so I did. It was an enlightening experience, to say the least.
Firstly, it has to be acknowledged I was slightly hungover when I made my way out to Mahon on a Sunday morning to try out the latest fitness fad to hit the market.
However, after a venti beverage loaded with caffeine, I was ready for the saddle — and this morning it was the Burren that was the road before me.
The 30-minute class was packed with newbies and veterans and I hopped on my bike full on enthusiasm, ready for a show.
The class kicked off well, the scenery was gorgeous, and the weather looked perfect so I was in the mood for a good session.
The instructions were easy to follow and the music was full of beats to match your stride.
The best thing about the class was that I was completely immersed in the activity, there was no shouty instructor to break my train of thought and also the only pace to go at was the one that suited me.
Of course my competitive nature did rear its head to challenge my alcohol- and caffeine-saturated body to match the speed of the elderly man who was going hell for leather on the bike beside me.
At the start I was eager to prove my youth could go toe to toe with his obvious experience, but 15 minutes in I gave up matching his stride and resistance and admitted defeat to his superior athleticism.
It was not my proudest moment.
That aside, it was a very enjoyable class and much calmer than an original spin class.
After the session, which ended all too quickly, I was left feeling peaceful and rejuvenated, which is not how I usually end a spin class.
The moving scenery helps give the impression that you are not just pointlessly cycling, but that you are cycling with a purpose, moving with the terrain. It gives a burst of motivation that keeps the legs going when you least expect it.
The innovative idea was a joint creation of Lynch, the general manager, and fitness manager Cody Constantin who were looking for ways to embrace modern technology in helping reach fitness goals.
The pair drove around Guagane Barra and Sheep’s Head, Co Cork, as well as the Burren, the Ring of Kerry, and Rossbeigh beach, collecting footage on a Phantom 3 advanced drone. The gym is also looking to expand the number of routes they have for virtual spinning classes and offer a number of classes throughout the week as well as offering to turn on the display for anyone who would like to do a class on their own It’s not the great outdoors, but with our weather, it might just do the trick.
energiefitnessclubs.com/cork
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