Spinning: The Fitness Workout That Took America By Storm

What started out as a safe option for bike racing has now evolved into a popular fitness program offered by gyms and health clubs across the United States. Spinning, an indoor cycling fitness routine started by endurance athlete Jonathan Goldberg, has been spreading like wildfire after the class premiered in 1992 in Venice, California. Goldberg, also known as Johnny G, was the vanguard of this indoor cycling movement, when he started indoor cycling in his effort to come up with a program during his training for The Race Across America, one of the longest running enduring cycling race in the world, with the course running from LA to New York. Since night training presented some safety concerns, he devised a program which still involved key aspects in training as if he was outdoors. Together with John Baudhuin, they founded Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc., a company with the trademarked program we now know as Spinning. With the formation of Mad Dogg, Goldberg and Baudhuin made bikes and trained instructors.

Spinning was greatly accepted by the public as any individual can try it out and work within one’s own fitness levels, with heart rates measured prior to the start of the class to determine the goal and fitness level of each participant. Each class is led by an instructor in front of the class, and directs the whole class in routines similar to outdoor biking. Instructors in a Spinning class are very vital in each session, as they provide imperative motivation and enthusiasm for participants to go through such extensive workout. Music together with sprints, jumps, runs and climbs all make up the Spinning session.

So why is Spinning popular? Aside from being a great way to burn off those calories, Spinning is very much beneficial to those who would want to tone and strengthen lower body muscles. The high-energy workout helps work on the individual’s hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, back and hips. A participant can also increase resistance according to their own pace. With Spinning, an individual need not be embarrassed like in other classes when one cannot keep up with the workout. But remember that since Spinning is a great cardiovascular workout, participants must always rehydrate with water, and not get over enthusiastic by riding beyond your fitness level, with the high levels of energy brought by the group.

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