Actually, spinning is a pretty tame form of exercise compared to other options in the workout areas of a health club. Spinning consists of getting your favorite reading material, then jumping on a stationery bicycle that has swept-back, racing handlebars, pedals with show clips and usually an uncomfortable though adjustable bike seat. You then start pedaling with other pedalers in the comfort of a user-friendly, well-lit, air-conditioned spinning room.

The result is a custom-designed workout that is supposed to simulate an outdoor bicycle ride and give you all the benefits of an intense cardio-vascular exercise. Or at least that’s the intention. Because of the nature of these co-ed spinning classes, there’s a feeling you have to keep pace with the others and to maintain their degree of intensity. As a result you sometimes go beyond your limits-- and these workouts can become a little too intense.
Spinning, or any other form of exercise for that matter, can be too intense and overly demanding on the heart if not done properly. It’s how the “done properly” is defined that leaves spinners spinning. Ask ten physical fitness instructors what “done properly” means to them and you may get ten different answers. The consensus is that people vary so much in reaching their aerobic needs through the activity of spinning that it’s just impossible to generalize. What’s a good set of numbers of heart rates for a younger person may not be good for senior citizens.

Many trainers use standard heart rate computations in determining aerobic capacities— but they may not be suitable for everyone. A more accurate way to determine one's comfort zone is to work with the resting heart rate (RHR), although it too is based on a formula that may not apply to everyone— but at least it’s a conservative and relatively safe estimation. Just using the number 220, minus the person’s age in years, equates to a better representation of one's aerobic capacity.

A more accurate calculation would directly measure the amount of oxygen consumed during the workout. But not many spinning rooms would have this somewhat sophisticated oxygen-measuring apparatus.  So, the basic “220 formula” is used.  The whole thing looks like this: (220 minus the person’s age in years) minus the Resting Heart Rate multiplied by the Exercise Intensity plus the Resting Heart Rate.  So, for example, a 45-year old man with a RHR of 52 beats per minute could work within the 65 to 85% of maximum heart rate range of between 133 - 160 beats per minute and be in a perfectly safe and comfortable zone.

Of course, for those who aren’t rocket scientists, or don’t carry a calculator with them-- there’s a much easier way.  Use a built-in heart rate monitor. It’s easy to use, reliable and does all the figuring-out for you. Many spinning classes offer bicycles that are already equipped with heart rate monitors, so find out in advance whether your gym has this gear. The spinning class is here to exercise your body, not your mind—we’ll take that up in another class.

by Bruce Heath, DnC
Your Health and Medical Consultant