Spinning with science!

Stationary cycling can be full of information with a couple of inexpensive wearables.  The bike you're on doesn't need to be fancy or expensive.  Below are some of the basics you can purchase to have informative data on any bike you ride.  One goes on your shoe, the other goes around your chest; both talk to your phone.  

Before we talk about wearables, let's discuss shoes because they are essential (in my opinion) to a great ride.

Shoes: I highly recommend cycling shoes.  They don't bend and support your entire body weight over the whole foot as opposed to just the ball of your foot.  If I cycle in regular cross trainers, my feet will hurt the next day, guaranteed.  Zero foot pain in a cycle shoe!  You can get them cheap on amazon ($30+), be sure you purchase the ones that support SPD cleats, the two screw ones.  Peloton uses the three hole giant triangular clips and the bikes at GLAC (where I currently teach) are SPD.  Some shoes come with 5 holes to support both types of cleats, those are fine as long as the two holes for the SPD cleats are there.  Have peloton shoes?  Remove the triangular cleats and check to see if you have the two SPD holes, all you need to buy are the cleats. 

Cleat link: https://a.co/d/c4s50Az


The wearables below need bluetooth/ANT+ technology - it's an open source system as opposed to apple and their closed source language; don't get me started.  


AppAny ANT+ workout app will work, but I use Wahoo Fitness.  You can track every ride and really see your improvement over time.  This app is free and works for Apple or Android.

Android Link: Wahoo: Ride, Run, Train - Apps on Google Play

Apple LinkWahoo on the App Store


Cadence sensor: Any cadence (speed you're going) sensor that offers ANT+ tech will work, this one is my fave.  Just zip tie it to your cycle shoe (see note above re: cycling shoes) or your regular shoe.

Cadence sensor link: https://a.co/d/5QKm6lq


Heart Rate Monitor (HRM): Even though most of your watches offer this, the most accurate way to track your heart rate for exercise is a chest strap.  As long as it has the ANT+ technology (like the cadence sensor) it will work.  From lots of experience, simply handwash the strap when it starts to smell and let it airdry; don't put it in the washing machine.  

HRM Linkhttps://a.co/d/fzSPL9Y


**always bring a full water bottle and a towel to each class**

Class Blurb:  If you are apprehensive about taking my class, don't be.  Everybody is at a different physical level, all the bikes are different, all of our stresses are different.  The thing that's the same is everybody's desire to be better, mentally or physically, and that's what class will do.  You'll get better every ride, you'll feel better every ride, and your mental and physical well-being will improve.  If we are doing something you don't feel like doing - don't do it.  That being said, in class I always say let's do what we need, not what we want. 

Be sure your bike is set up properly.  Click here for bike setup directions.  Some of the displays are not calibrated correctly, but with the wearables above and a class or two under your belt, you don't need the display.

Thank you for riding with me, being a spin instructor is my antidepressant and I wouldn't be able to do it without all of you!   

Success!!

Just got this email from a client and I am so proud of her!!  Great work Jamie!!

Hi Dawn,
I'm leaving on my trip tomorrow and just wanted to drop you a quick note. I finally (after almost 2 years at the same place) am making progress!!!! Friday I stepped on the scale 12 pounds down from where I was when I first started meeting with you. I couldn't be happier that results are finally starting to happen. I also feel like I've got a pretty clear plan of attack when I get back home for getting back on track!

Thanks!
Jamie

Powdered Peanut Butter

This stuff rocks! All the flavor and fun of peanut butter but only 45 calories and 1.5 grams of fat for 2 tablespoons! It's just genius!

Creatine Can Help Fight Depression

Neat article from Women's Health Mag:

Creatine isn’t just for muscle men. Turns out, the muscle-building dietary supplement can fight depression in the fairer sex.

A study from three South Korean universities and the University of Utah reports that taking 5 grams of creatine with a daily antidepressant helps women with major depression recover two times faster than those who take the antidepressant alone.

Will creatine help you battle depression? Consider these facts to find out:

What is creatine?
You may know creatine as a supplement used by bodybuilders and athletes to bulk up. However, it’s actually an amino acid that we all produce naturally and take in whenever we eat meat and fish. Our bodies convert creatine to a molecule called phosphocreatine, which is stored in our muscles and brain to help deliver instantaneous energy whenever we need it. Many muscly men take creatine for the energy to train harder and more often.

How does creatine work for depression?
One of the biggest symptoms of depression is mental fatigue. When suffering from depression, even the most routine tasks feel as impossible as getting the colors to line up on a Rubik’s cube. That’s where researchers believe creatine can help. By upping the brain’s levels of energy-revving phosphocreatine, it could help the brain do its job—from figuring out that Rubik’s cube to warding off depression—more easily, says Dr. Perry F. Renshaw, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah medical school and senior author on the study. The effect has only been shown in women, and Renshaw believes female sex hormones are to thank. Still, more research is needed to pinpoint exactly how creatine does the job.

Does creatine improve symptoms of depression when it’s taken without antidepressants?
Tests perform on rats suggest that creatine can fight depression all on its own. “Rats love creatine more than Prozac,” says Renshaw, who believes the heightened levels of energy in the brain help them battle beady-eyed depression. Plus, creatine helps protect neural cells from death. So even if it doesn’t keep you smiling, it can keep you smarter. Previous studies have shown creatine to heighten people’s performance on mental tasks, Renshaw notes.

Will I bulk up from taking creatine?
If you’re taking creatine to reach your fitness goal, you’re probably throwing back 20 to 30 grams of creatine a day. However, the recommended depression-fighting dose is only 5 grams a day, which won’t cause most women to Hulk up. What’s more, creatine was shown to have little to no side effects in women during the study.

Where can I get creatine?
Flavored and unflavored creatine powders are readily available at GNC and other supplement shops. (They’re meant to be mixed with water and drank.) To play it safe for your stomach, take creatine—like any supplement—with a meal, Renshaw suggests. You can also up your creatine intake the ol’ fashioned way: Meat and fish contain high levels of the important amino acid. (There’s one explanation as to why vegetarians have higher rates of depression than their omnivore friends.)

To Jump or Not to Jump?

(from spinning.com)

One of the primary goals of the Spinning® program is to help develop cardiovascular fitness and assist in creating better muscular endurance. And one of the most controversial and least understood movements in the Spinning program is Jumps. Many people believe the movement is unsafe, and cyclists have said that Jumps are an unnecessary movement because they are not performed outdoors on road bikes. However, when using proper technique and form, Jumps are very beneficial.

In many ways, Spinning is similar to weight training. Both require appropriate resistance that is consistently progressed as the participants develop an ability to both attain and sustain proper form. In the weight room, a person will begin an exercise at a lower weight in order to focus on the range of motion so they can fully recruit the targeted muscle groups. Likewise, in a Spinning class, you must begin with lower resistance until the rider has an opportunity to increase their core temperature and prepare both muscle fibers and connective tissues for the training session. Then, as both workouts continue, intensity is added through incremental additions of resistance to keep the muscle groups challenged for the intended period of time (or rep range). But resistance is never progressed to the point that form (range of motion) is compromised. Proper form ensures that muscular intensity is maximized while the stress to joints and connective tissue are minimized.

When appropriate resistance levels are used, riders can transition from seated to standing positions while maintaining their balance over the pedals. Jumps are about rhythmic transitions from a seated position on the wide part of the saddle to a standing position over the tip of the seat. Forward flexion is not increased and (ideally) cadence remains consistent through the transitions. Jumps challenge the body’s ability to adapt quickly to the varied demands of sitting and standing while pushing appropriate resistance loads.

When instructors prompt students to maintain their body alignment, their cadence, and their balance point, Jumps are beneficial to both muscular endurance and cardiovascular development. Excessive joint stress can be avoided by teaching the consistency and fluidity of the movement especially when riders demonstrate overly high cadences or uncontrolled forward momentum when performing the movement.

While it is true that outdoor riding rarely requires a rider to stand and sit down repetitively in a short span of time, Jumps do offer a unique training opportunity to cyclists. Developing an ability to stand and pedal at progressively stronger resistance loads has both cardiovascular and functional benefits. It presents an element of cycling that requires a high level of skill that is difficult to train on the road because of the high intensity it would require. Indoors, a rider can control the intensity, slow the cadence, and work on maintaining proper body alignment as the cardiovascular system continues to get stronger. It is specified training that helps create a stronger overall skill base in a rider who mostly participates outdoors.

Healthy pancakes!

This is a yummy treat that can be taken on the go! Just 1/2 cup-ish of lean muscle meal (any flavored protein powder will work) and some egg whites. Mix well and throw on the griddle just like pancakes. Add a couple sprays of butter and that's it!!