Feel the burn and the beat. Spinning instructors always play the best music in class. The experience makes you feel like you can conquer anything.
Image by Beverly Cromer via Flickr/CreativeCommons.
By Chanda Temple
Sometimes it takes an oldie but goodie memory to push you to keep exercising. I wrote this in July 2011. Publishing for the first time today on #MotivationMonday.
In 2010, my friend Cherie Fields had just started teaching a spinning class. She was so excited about her new endeavor that she invited her friends to try the class. However, I was reluctant.
Me: “Unh-uh. I’ve tried spinning before. I didn’t like it.”
Cherie: “Well, you haven’t taken my class.”
Me: “Umm, I’ll think about it.”
The reason I was so down on spinning was because when I tried it with another instructor a few years ago, the bike was hard to pedal, the seat was uncomfortable and it hurt my behind. Twenty minutes into the class, I stopped.
Always the cheerful promoter, Cherie returned in 2011 with another pitch. I was still a nonbeliever.
But after realizing I had been sedentary about a month, I decided to give it a go, again. I packed my padded biking shorts, which I had bought from the last time I tried spinning, and told Cherie I’d be in her next class.
I arrived early, not sure of what to expect. The fitness studio was cool and dimly lit with an overhead neon light. It was nice.
A smiling Cherie was ready to show me and several newcomers the ropes. She told us how to adjust our seat height, work the pedals and the bike’s resistance and how to hold the handlebars. She told us that as we pedaled, we should try to think of some place nice, such as a country road or something. (She said visualization is an important part of spinning because it helps keep people focused on something other than the bike or being in a gym.)
Cherie Fields credits Iron Tribe Fitness training in making her a stronger spinning class instructor in 2012. Her regulars called her “a beast” when she taught the class. “They would often say, ‘She looks real sweet but don’t let her fool you. She’s a beast,’ ’’ Cherie recalls.
The first song she played was a favorite of mine: the Jacksons’ “Can You Feel It.”
And, yes, I did.
Fifteen minutes into the class, my legs started to feel like jelly. I was thinking, “What’s happening?”
But, I pushed on. Cherie told the newbies that it was OK if we couldn’t keep up with her. She told us to go at our own pace. That made me feel better. I didn’t feel like such a wimp as I stayed seated and pedaled at my own speed. Meanwhile, folks around me were popping up and down and pedaling so fast, I thought they’d ride right out of the room.
As I continued to pedal, I wasn’t sure if I’d be back. It was hard. And, yes, my bottom did start to hurt a little. I wasn’t thinking of pedaling on a country road. All I could see was the wall in front of me and wondered when would this class end.
But 45 minutes into the 60-minute class, DJ Khaled’s song, “All I Do is Win,” came pumping through the speakers. I felt a burst of energy and started to sing along in my head. I felt like I could do anything.
Lyric: “All I do is win, win, win, no matter what.”
As the beats flowed, I popped up and down on my bike. I even tightened the resistance a bit. I increased my pedaling. It was invigorating. I liked it.
It hit me. The class wasn’t just about Cherie calling out instructions to good music. It was also about inspiration and education. Cherie reminded people to stay hydrated, saying that they need to drink 40 ounces of water for every 40 minutes of spinning. She also said that spinning, depending on a number of factors including the person’s weight, can burn more than 500 calories in a 40-minute workout. I loved hearing that.
“I like spinning because it is very exciting. The music, the energy and the pace keep me interested more than any other form of exercise that I’ve ever done,” Cherie said. ” It’s gotten me in great shape physically and it has inspired me to eat healthier. But most importantly, it’s inspired me to help other people with their fitness goals.’’
One spinner had lost 40 pounds after starting spinning in 2010.
I left the class on an exercise high. The next day, I woke up a little sore. But, it wasn’t enough to keep me from returning to Cherie’s class. When I went back, I started to see that country road in my mind, one that I hope will lead to a healthier me.
NOTE: In October 2011, Cherie Fields added Iron Tribe to her fitness routine. It made her an even stronger spinning instructor. She became so strong that the regulars in her spinning class called her “a beast.” In 2013, she moved to Huntersville, N.C. to open an Iron Tribe franchise there. Although she no longer teaches spinning, she continues to inspire people to live healthier lives through exercise and healthful eating.
Her commitment to fitness is why she’s today’s #MotivationMonday profile. Follow her on Twitter at @cheriefields.
Chanda Temple worked as a reporter for 20 years before becoming a public relations professional. She blogs about being better in business and careers, working out and more at http://www.chandatemplewrites.com. Follow her on Twitter at @chandatemple.