With the weekend forecast set to be sunny and 75, the only logical place for me to spend my Saturday morning was at the gym. While on rare occasion you will find me there, the gym is home to a pastime I sometimes enjoy: spin class.

Spin class really should be considered a sport, maybe even a contact sport. The bikes are packed so tightly together that it is nearly impossible to walk through the rows without entering into someone else’s personal space. Upon entering the class, I immediately bumped into a sweaty man with the claves I’ve always dreamed of calling my own. “This is why I’m here,” I thought to myself, “Those toned calves are well within my reach.” I proceeded to drink a grape concoction of electrolyte drink that my dad surprised me with, then grabbed a towel and found my bike. It took me a good 5 minutes to adjust the seat and handlebars to fit my 5’5” frame, and even though I do it every weekend, I once again struggled to clip my shoes into the pedals.

Susie, the instructor, soon arrived and we started off with light peddling for the warm up. Typically, each instructor brings their own music playlist to help the class follow with the warm-up, steady up-tempo cadences, sprints, climbs, cool-downs, etc. Susie’s playlist featured hits like “Titanium” by David Guetta, “Banging Away” by Chris Knight, and “Jingle in My Jeans” by Dave Stamey. In spin, motivation is directly related to music and it strongly influences how hard you push yourself.

The key to a successful spin session is breathing, hydrating, and knowing your pace. I’ve yet to master the grace of spinning, but I’m working on it. After the class, I dragged myself off the bike, gathered my things, picked up my dignity where I left it at the door, and went to an adjacent room to stretch. With my newfound ability to sweat like never before, and an ache in my rear-end, I convinced myself that next weekend it would be easier. I started spinning originally because my dad went, but I’ve kept coming back because it provides a great workout and it is a fun alternative to other exercise classes.