Spinning On Speed (not to be confused with spinning while on speed)

Whew, today’s ride flew by so fast that I was thinking, if spinning was a person, today he was hopped-up on amphetamines! (though later he would come to his senses & return to his Narconon program**)  In all seriousness though, the class really did feel like it was over in the blink of an eye, before I knew it there was a considerable puddle of sweat under my bike and we only had 3 more working songs left…then it was 10:45am and it was all over. 

Here’s the pulse pounding playlist:

1. No You Girls by Franz Ferdinand Warm up with a seated flat.    

2. Here It Goes by Ok Go  We kick off the ride strong by jumping during the chorus.  It goes like this: seated flat, jump on the chorus, increase resistance to a standing run, jump on the chorus, increase resistance & move to hand position 3/climb.

3. Tear You Apart by She Wants Revenge (Clean Version)  Start in a seated climb, progressively adding resistance until you cannot…move…the…pedals…anymore…unless….you…stand up.  Finish in a standing climb.

4. Whoa Oh! By Forever the Sickest Kids Keep the resistance heavy from the previous song, it’s time for jumps on a hill.  I used the chorus as the vocal cue to start jumping. 

5. All The Small Things by Blink 182  According to the band’s website, it looks like the rumors of a reunion are true (excuse me while I wipe away the small tear of joy I shed while confirming that little piece of gossip.)

 Medium resistance, bring it to a standing jog.  Sit & speed up your cadence during “na na na na” (the chorus.)

6. Spaceman by The Killers  I love this song!  Who am I kidding, I love this entire album…but the video for Spaceman is a little odd.  Really Brandon, did you really think a red spandex unitard with football shoulder pads and feathers attached would be a good look for you?  Really?   

Hands in position 3, start at the top of the hill, drop the resistance a bit to stand (hands in position 2) and run on the chorus.

7. Say Aha by Santogold  Try to maintain a steady cadence throughout the entire song.  Alternate between heavy seated flat, to light standing run, to heavy standing run, and back to heavy seated flat.  I think I used 15 to 30 second intervals for this drill.

8. Counting Down the Hours by Pharmacists & Ted Leo  Super song suggestion from Heather…thank you!!  Take a 45 second recovery, and then start to pick up the pace.  We have another set of jumps to knock out.  Jump on the chorus and really pick up the pace in-between. 

9. Tomorrow by Ladytron  This is the first of two climbing songs.  Stay seated for the entire song, increasing resistance every 30 seconds.  When your legs start to burn, hold the resistance & the pace for the rest of the song….move right into the next one.

10. Lights and Sounds by Yellowcard  Stand up!  Your legs are probably screaming at you…let them scream.  Hands in position 3, maintain good form and have your cadence follow the speed of the music. 

11. The ’59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem  Time for the fast-faster drill.  Progressively add resistance & drill this in all 3 body & hand positions.

12. Bouncing Off the Walls by Sugarcult  Jump for the entire song.  (What?!?!?  The whole song?  Don’t worry by the time you get into it there’s less than 2 minutes to go).  Rider’s choice of resistance, but there must be enough on the bike to have control of the flywheel.  Vary the speed of the jumps to match the music. 

13. Helena (So Long & Goodnight) by My Chemical Romance  The last working song;  it’s finally here.  Start with a standing run, about ½ way through the song the tempo slows.  Intensify the resistance and stay in a nice heavy climb until the end. 

14. Wait by Go Set Go Cool down in a seated flat with light resistance.

15. Say by John Mayer Stretch your legs off the bike. 

 Find this playlist on iTunes iMixes under Spincycles 2.21.09!

**By the way, I don’t condone, nor am I mocking drug use.  I am merely personifying the frenzied pace of today’s ride.  Enjoy the metaphor!