Community

Dear RPMers,

I've just learned that I might be moving to an area that has no RPM within a reasonable radius. This disturbs me; I've been doing RPM for more than two years now and cannot imagine life without it. 

I've never done a regular spinning class, nor have I taken any of the branded cycling classes at other gyms. I might have to join a 24-Hour Fitness or LA Fitness, both of which seem to offer analogs of RPM. Has anyone taken 24Cycle or any of the other proprietary classes? I'm hoping to learn how they compare to RPM. The idea of freestyle classes scares me because I am so used to the structure and format of RPM. Are these other classes structured at all?

I also see classes such as Turbo Kick that seem a bit like BodyCombat, which I also love, but again, fear is the mind-killer.

If anyone has any insights, I'd be most grateful. It would help to know what specific class at what gym brand you're referring to. Many thanks in advance--

Gabe 

---

Francie doesn't like coffee ice cream.

I'm unable to answer your question, though I hope that you find something that works for you should you move.  I too cannot imagine my life without RPM!

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE!!

But maybe you can adapt some of the principles of RPM chorey to a spin class when you select your music. However, I have had many former "spin" participants that tell me RPM barely resembles a spin class (RPM being the better of the 2).

Good luck.

---

Robert - Certified RPM instructor & BODYPUMP enthusiast - LIVE TO RIDE, RIDE TO LIVE! (Don't feed the monster!)

I've done a variety of spin classes in addition to RPM ... some good, some not. One in particular stood out, being a very tough class with graduated intensity. It was a great way to build endurance and complemented BP well. Pity the instructor was head-hunted to brighter and better things, as is often the way.

So, much of it depends on the instructor, especially with a freestyle class. You may have to suck it and see. If you're lucky you'll find a gem and be set.

Otherwise, there's no harm in trying to interest those gyms in taking on RPM. Never know unless you try.

---

---

Recently published - my review of BodyPump 73 is available on my blog at:
http://rickinoz.com/2010/03/07/bodypump-73-review

---

The forum member "pipera" is not a Les Mills Instructor, though his posts, signature and profile will falsely claim otherwise.

Since he has been economical with the truth on his profile, read the real facts here.

---

I taught 24 cycle before RPM.  It's not even close, and the training was 3 hours, 1 of which was the ride.  Not kidding.  They say it's branded, but you'll find that every instructor teaches it differently.  I have 10 or 12 rides of 24 cycle music and when I sub there (which is not often) I teach using thier music, but I've noticed that you can take the instrutor out of RPM but you can't take RPM out of the instructor.  Eventhough I use thier profiles, I teach it much like an RPM class...I just can't turn off the training and expierences I've had as an RPM instructor.  Just my 2 cents!

Shanna

---

LesMills IS life!!

I am Spin certified, and teach my cycle classes using that training under the "freestyle cycle" banner. We have RPM at our club, and I attend those as a participant as well. I think RPM allows you the comfort of knowing that the class will be the same no matter where you go - as LM classes are MOST excellent. However, that being said, as a Spin instructor I find that RPM-ers come to and love my classes as well. I suggest you take some time and sample as many options as you can. When it comes to freestyle cycle, instructors are all over the board in quality. We have instructors at my gym that are not RPM or Spin certified - I have no idea what certs they have (if any) and I've sat thru their classes once, and vowed never to go back. A lot of how happy you will be will depend on the instructor. If the instructor is knowledgeable, passionate, personable, and has a PLAN for the workout, you'll enjoy it. Let us know how you do!

 Turbo KICK? vs COMBAT? Now there's whole other can of worms....

---

Certified Body Combat and Body Pump instructor, Spin certified cycle instructor, Certified Personal Trainer.

I have never taken a BodyCombat class, but I am a Turbo Kick instructor and I think you will find that it is quite challenging.  Turbo Kick is pre-choreagraphed like the Les Mills programs.  The sections of a TK class are as follows:  Warm Up, Punches, Kicks, Punches and Kicks, Turbo section (about 4 min of pure cardio insanity), recovery, finale, finesse, legs, abs, and cool down.

 I hope this helps!

I'm a Spinning instructor, and I have to say it varies. Because the instructor has full control over the format, you might get a class where you just sit and ride for 45 minutes, or lots of long climbs, or something more interval based like RPM. I tend to mix it up, one class might be more RPMish and the next one I'll do an endurance based ride (members complain it's boring but if you really push the fat burning aspects of endurance, they come around)

I would say give Spinning a try - go to a few classes to get a taste for the different styles. Even if you don't like one instructor's class the first time, give it a few goes because they might be like me and mix up the classes week to week. In fact you might find it refreshing to see that there is another format other than warm up/pace track/hills/mixed terrain/intervals/speedwork/mountain/cooldown/stretch. And there is a lot of benefit in holding the same move for a long period, while RPM constantly makes you get up, down, speed up, down which is great if you have ADD but sometimes it's ok to just sit and RIDE!

I'm a participant. Started RPM sinse June. Before I did a freestyle spin of 90 min class ( special cardio calss). Brilliant class with Anna in Riverside (Northwood). the best spin ever. hard work.... It took me a few months to adjust to RPM: to many breaks and not hard enougth at least for me. So I do myself 45 min just before class in the studio then RPM 45min .

Hope you will be lucky and get very good spin instructor.

zolushok:

RPM: to many breaks and not hard enougth at least for me. So I do myself 45 min just before class in the studio then RPM 45min .

There is a 90 min RPM format (have a look on this forum for details). No harm in suggesting it as an option to your instructor.

It's a good alternative to the standard RPM class and I'd be surprised if you were the only person at your gym who would be interested.

---

---

Recently published - my review of BodyPump 73 is available on my blog at:
http://rickinoz.com/2010/03/07/bodypump-73-review

---

The forum member "pipera" is not a Les Mills Instructor, though his posts, signature and profile will falsely claim otherwise.

Since he has been economical with the truth on his profile, read the real facts here.

---

gabewaggoner:

If anyone has any insights, I'd be most grateful. It would help to know what specific class at what gym brand you're referring to. Many thanks in advance--

Gabe 

Try Johnny G Spinning @ spinning dot com they have a workout on a bike you can order from them and do at home on your own bike.

Cheers! 

---

Coming soon a new concept no one has ever done before and it has been in the planning for the past 4 years.

Check out the Latest 1/4 Releases at: Tracklist Central!

Check my profile the truth is out there - X-Files :)

Check out my Training Fitness and Exercise and Higher - University Vocational and Educational Qualifications Here!



From love and the gift of eternal joy comes peace and love!

Cheers :)

too many breaks and not hard enough at least for me.

 Too many breaks as in what? In between tracks? A proper Rpm session should have no more than a few seconds in-between tracks, any more and your instructor is not doing it right. Remember it's "hit play and go."

 The "hard enough" part is subjective. Are you adding enough resistance?  The workout you gain from it is mostly based on you, all we can do as instructors is guide you through.

Now if it's purely a result of not having enough length time to the classes than I apologize. I teach a back to back class on the weekends so I can see where you might be coming from.

To answer the O.P. There is no substitute. Prior to becoming an instructor I took spin classes, and too many a time were the workouts inconsistent, and if the instructor was having a bad day then their track selections would reflect that.

 

RPM isn't perfect and yes the music selection isn't always the best (RPM 45 track 7 I'm looking at you!) but in terms of consistency there is none other. 

 

 

I would suggest you just go to a gym and ride a class (any format). Then ask the instructor to walk you through the profile they used - what was the overall objective, and the individual objectives of various tracks. Ask them what other types of profiles they use.

If they struggle for an answer, sound less than convincing or have to get back to you on it, then keep looking. Otherwise, I'd say stick with them and if you like their style and music, then you'll be fine.

It might help to see if there is an exercise equiptment hire place near by. You can hire a spin bike and do it at home. That's what I did, I just do the old ones that I know but it's still a great workout.

I've seen both sides of the fence, here's what I think-

I was introduced to RPM at a gym I recently left.  ( I won't saw where, but its atomic number is 79.)  One of the main reasons I stayed at that ^&*(&^% place was RPM and other Les Mills programs.  The quality of RPM at that particular facility has been discussed in these forums, but I was happy with it.

The new gym ( I won't say where, but its named after a big city on the west coast of NA) doesn't have a structured, Les Mills type system.  Instructor quality seems good, as I am exhausted after 60 min, but I do miss the RPM structure.  An instructor at the new place, for example, will have the class out of the seat for at lest half the class, the next will want a majority high resistance class.  No one has the recovery tracks with the trancy music, which I find very cool.   

Music selection is pretty mundane.  Rock people will play classic rock, jazz people will play beat heavy jazz, same for Top 40, hip-hop, etc.  No one is breaking out of the comfort zones of what they know.

That said, I won't go back.  The new facility is a dream in comparison.  The showers even have hot water.  To summarize, I think that best case is RPM with well trained instructors.  Worst case is anything with bad instructors.

Hope this rant was informative, or at least amusing.

E.