Winning with Spinning in New Hyde Park

Imagine getting the workout of cycling through a city marathon, speeding toward the finish line of a race or peddling up hills in the Tour de France, all without ever leaving the gym.

Spinning® classes provide a calorie-burning stationary bike riding experience with a high-energy atmosphere designed to motivate each rider toward achieving their personal fitness goals. And while the roads you may ride on are simulated, the results are real.

According to the official website of the trademarked bikes and workout, with “over 35,000 facilities and millions of club members” involved with Spinning® to date, it has become the single most popular indoor cycling program in the world.

Jennifer Meighan, coordinator and Spin® instructor at on Jericho Turnpike, has been teaching spinning since 1998. Physically and emotionally, she says, “I wouldn’t be who I am today without spinning in my life.”

During classes, different ride scenarios are created from fast and intense race-day rides to high resistance heavy climbs. The resistance levels are increased or decreased by turning a dial on the bicycle.

“Spinning is as intense as the rider wants it to be; that is the beauty of it,” Meighan says, adding, “you can adjust the level of the workout to suit your needs.”

Depending on the length and type of class, spinning can burn anywhere from 400 to 600 calories. Meighan’s classes typically run about 45 minutes with an average caloric burn of around 500.

The emotional rewards are just as great. Meighan describes Spinning® as being just as mental as it is physical.

“I feel emotionally connected to my physical self, which allows me to feel a sense of calm and balance,” Meighan says. "It is very personal, yet you feel very connected to the riders around you.”

A close attention to music selection and setting the mood in the room helps classes to feel comfortable, have fun and be fully immersed in their travels.

For Meighan, “The atmosphere is everything.” To enhance the often-packed, 20 bicycle Spinning® room at Twin Park, “the lights are dimmed, the music is loud and the people know where they are going because I explain the ride beforehand.”

Fitness Director and Spin instructor Jeneanne Louis of agrees that music is an important aspect of the workout.

“If you’re doing heavy climbing, you want a slower paced song," she said. "You can feel the music; it goes slower to go along with that heavy climb…Sprinting and racing gets a faster paced song; that motivates you to push harder.”

Similarly to Twin Park, LA Fitness has a vast Spin® schedule, offering several classes throughout every day, all week long.

Louis adds that the benefits of Spinning® go beyond being a fat-burning workout.

"I love it because not only do you get the cardio workout, you get the strengthening and toning because of the resistance," Louis said.

Being a low-impact exercise, Spinning® is a popular choice for most age groups with participants ranging from teenagers to senior citizens.  To get the most out of the workout, it is recommended that you spin two to three days a week.

Spinning® Classes in the New Hyde Park area:

 Twin Park Fitness:

15 Jericho Turnpike

(516) 326-7867

• Cycling schedule on Twin Park website: www.twinparkfitness.com
• $10 for nonmembers, $1 per class for members

LA Fitness

1111 Marcus Avenue

(516) 355-2302

• Day pass is $20 for nonmembers