Does anyone spin? I have a spin bike at home and the sad thing is I have had it for about 3 years but have used it maybe 3 times. I really want to get into the habit of using it regularly because it cost a good amount of change. I find it to look fun but it is tiring also (but what exercise isn't). I need to lose 75lbs and get my PCOS under control. I like the fact that I can workout from home because I prefer to be at home versus a gym so that is a plus. Any tips on how to keep it up and stay motivated? Also have you lost any weight spinning alone? Thanks

I am in your shoes.I haven't had my bike as long but have used it less.I bought a couple of spin dvds on Amazon but have yet to use them.When I used to spin at the gym I burned 800 calories an hour.

Have you ever taken a spin class? I'd look into trying a class with other people before you embark on your solo project. I know you specifically said you want to work out at home, and I hear you, but I think a group thing or two could set you up to do the rest on your own.

For one thing, you'll get fitted to the bike properly by an experienced instructor, and that's critical. You don't want to mess up your knees.

Then also you'll learn all the moves & the options you have when you have a spin bike, as opposed to a regular stationary bike.

And you'll learn how to mix it up, by changing positions, so you can time yourself in your own routine.

Biking was one of my primary ways of losing weight, and it's one of the three ways that I do cardio now. (Elliptical, arc trainer, spin.) I take spin classes four days a week.

I was shy about joining a class, so I biked alone on a regular stationary bike for nearly 16 months before trying a spin class. Can you say boring? Now I prefer the spin class. The class members & the music motivate me, and also I push myself much harder than I would if I were alone. And I have made some new friends through the class. And the confidence that I gained made me take other classes at the gym, too.

Peddling alone on the stationary bike is nearly my idea of punishment. A lot of work, but going nowhere, that's what I think. I do not mean to be demotivational, just to warn you that it gets old fast. I can only do it if I have lots of other stimulation: That is, something to look at, like TV with the sound off, and the most excellent tunes that I can find on my iPod, frequently refreshed. Make sure your eyes & ears are occupied, otherwise you'll pedal, pedal, pedal, then look at the timer, and realize that only about four minutes have passed. I hate that feeling. Passionately.

The benefits are mostly to my leg muscles: I can walk all day long in the city like you wouldn't believe.

Spin is a awesome workout. its challenging but worth it I take it from time to time at the gym I attend! Go for it

RE: spinning and weightloss---- its hard to lose weight on exercise alone, period, regardless of whether its spin, or walking or swimming... diet is key.
if you get your diet in check (ie; a caloric deficit) then it wont matter what exercise you do... youll lose fat!
people like to say diet is 80%, exercise is 20%, but in my opinion, and experience, soley where FAT LOSS is concerned, diet is EVRYTHING. 100%. You can spin till youre blue in the face, but if you are eating too much food, you wont lose fat, period..... you can undo ALL the calories you burned on your bike one day by getting a latte at starbux, or having a cookie a co-worker offers you...... its THAT easy

I agree with saef. I loved my spinning class when I took it. It was super motivational and my instructor was great in teaching me how to hold my body to prevent injury and how to adjust my bike.

I would really recommend a class.

I agree with Saef too. I can't imagine doing it solo. I would find it deadly boring. It's the class atmosphere that keeps me going and actually WANTING to come back.

Maybe there are spin videos? I don't know. It seems to me you would need a good solid base on what to do before trying it on your own. It's not just sitting and "spinning". A good spin workout uses jumps, hills, intervals, sprints, runs, standing, sitting, etc.

I just started a spin class at the gym my husband trains at and I love it. Whereas I found it very very difficult to motivate myself to exercise on my own and to increase intensity on my own, I find that having the company of classmates actually inspires me to exercise harder and more consistently than my efforts to do so alone. I had a very hard time motivating myself to stick to anything, but this seemed to help me. I find spin really tough and I can't imagine trying to motivate myself to just a video because it would be so isolating. Also, an added bonus of being part of a group is that you have a way of gauging your body along a spectrum. The women and men in my spin class are all very fit, as they also study kickboxing and other martial arts and pole dancing. It's a small class, but I found that it was actually pretty encouraging. I used to go to my university gym and feel terrible about myself, but something about being in a small group is actually really great for encouragement. I am less likely to feel bad about my image and more likely to work harder at changing it when I see how hard others are working just to maintain their own, it seems. Anyway, each person is different, of course, but I never expected to feel comfortable in such a class and actually found that it was far far more motivating than doing it on my own. I suppose if you didn't want to take a class, I would just suggest finding a an accountability method to help you stick to it and be willing to amp up the energy at appropriate times. Good luck!

I really like spinning and think it could be a great exercise choice for you, coshun. I think one thing that's really important with spinning is music. If you have music playing that you really love and want to keep in beat with, then I think you're more motivated to stay on the bike for a workout. Maybe start with four of your favorite songs? Then after a week or so add another song? And, as motivation, if you get on the bike 4 or 5 times in a week, then you could buy yourself the next great song to add to your playlist.

You can totally spin at home- I spin on my own. But, you must have already gone to some classes to make sure you are doing it right. Get some good songs and let your amount of sweat be your guide.

I have been spinning 3-4 times a week since Septemeber and I am quite addicted. Get spinning shoes and a gel seat.

I LOVE SPINNING!! I was always scared or too shy to take the class, it looked so intense..but the first day I got on that bike it was love at first sight! I look forward to it everyday, and I love the music! I wouldn't probably push myself as hard at home...but when the guy next to you..who is 20 years older than you and hes still going when you want to sit down..it really does keep you going. I have to agree with the others..I would try a class then do it at home, so you know how to do it. Good luck

I just started spinning too! It's crazy-fun, time flies and you leave drenched in sweat. Plus, it makes you feel like superwoman!

Maybe if you have a spin bike at home and don't want to go to a class, you can look for spinning workouts to listen to on an ipod.

These look kinda dorky, but maybe something like this http://www.itrain.com/program/iCYCLE/

I started going to spinning classes again recently. It's not my favourite version of cardio but I think it is a LOT of cardio in a fairly short amount of time. Some classes bore me out of my mind, others are better. Music is critical.
Right now, I have an issue with a knee (not to mention other parts of my body) and I quickly found out that lunges and squats with weights are a no-no for the time being. So I am planning to stick with spinning.

Question for saef: Is spinning good for one's glutes, too?

I"m another spin-class regular and normally do it about twice a week. I think finding a good instructor makes a big difference too (luckily there's loads of gyms with loads of classes near me so i can pick and choose)

Agree with saef too that i can't think of anything worse than doing it on my own at home. I hate stationary bikes unless i'm in a spin class, and there i love it!

It doesn't make sense.

Anyway, the moral of the story is do whatever you enjoy doing, and what suits one person doesn't suit another.

Tomato, based on how I feel after class, I think that mostly, spinning works your quads & calves. But there is one move we do, in which we drop very low over the handle bars, that definitely engages my glutes. I think once my shoulders reach the same level as my hips & my center of gravity shifts, I have to rely on weight in my heels, hamstrings & glutes more than in the rest of the workout.

In general, I think that really punishingly high resistance on the elliptical, and pushing down with my heels, has probably had more of an effect on my butt. My boo-tay is not my favorite body part, though, and could use more work. I am not a Brazilian butt-lift video model, that's for sure.