Here are a few tips to make your first Spinning classes a little more comfortable.

(1).  Gear Up.  Make sure you were comfortable clothing.  You can use padded shorts that will make it more comfortable to ride on the saddle.  Some gyms even have gel pads that you can put on the bike.  Also, it is very important that you wear a good pair of tennis shoes.  As you become more comfortable on the bike and gain more experience, you can buy spinning shoes that will increase the efficiency of your ride.  Be sure to bring a towel and water!!

(2).  Arrive early to setup your bike.  Talk to your instructor and inform him/her that this is your first class and ask for help to setup your bike.  You can also setup your bike yourself by following a couple of simple steps.  Stand next to the bike and lift up your knee until it is as high as your hip.  Now move the saddle height up until it reaches the height of the leg you are lifting.  Get on the bike and slowly pedal to ensure that your knee joint is not locked out and is soft at the bottom of the pedal stroke (when your foot is close to the floor).  Take a note of your bike settings so that the next time you will have a quicker setup.

(3).  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  It is very important that during your workout you continuously drink water to keep yourself hydrated.  Spinning is a challenging workout that will make you sweat a lot, and you need to stay hydrated to perform!

(4).  Feel your position and stay relaxed.  Relax your shoulders and lighten your grip on the handlebars.  Push with your heels down when pedaling, but try to keep an intuitive and simple movement– don’t try to hard but instead just let yourself go with the flow.  Be sure to not open your knees too far out or pull them toward one another.  Keep your abs engaged while pedaling.

(5).  Be patient and listen to your body.  The first few classes you may feel a little awkward and weak, especially when riding out of the saddle.  Try not to go too fast, but instead watch your form and stay at a pace you can comfortably continue riding.  Be patient!  if you cannot ride out of the saddle, don’t worry!  You will get there.  It is also very important that you have enough resistance on your bike when riding out of the saddle to prevent injury to your knees.

(6).  Try it again!  Try different classes with different instructors until you find one with the style and music to fit your taste; this will help keep you motivated.

(7).  Enjoy!