Stomp!

I made a quick little trip up to NYC this weekend to meet my sister and her boyfriend and to ramble around the city a bit…and, of course, to see Stomp at the Orpheum. 

Have you seen this show?  Have you heard of it?  It is…”a high-energy, percussive symphony, coupled with dance, played entirely on unconventional instruments, such as garbage can lids, buckets, brooms and sticks.  It is a movement , of bodies, objects, sounds-even abstract ideas, made completely original through the use of everyday objects in totally non-traditional ways.”  Bottom line:  Stomp is mind-blowing! Talk about cadence and rhythm and sheer physical strength and endurance!  At one point four of the actors came out on stage with giant metal drums attached to their feet via ski boots.  I have never seen anything so amazing and am pretty sure that my mouth was hanging open in awe the entire time.  At the conclusion of the show I was totally ready to quit my full-time job to join the Stomp cast and start banging away at some trash cans of my own.  I’ve got good rhythm and everyone looked like they were having such a fun time!  

Regardless of my level of exhaustion, the drive home was incredible (well, other than the smoldering VW Beetle on the side of the road and subsequent rubber-necking that followed.)  Seriously though, the ride between DC and NYC is beautiful.  The fall foliage is really incredible.  Reds and oranges and yellows…any shred of denial that I was holding onto was completely obliterated today:  autumn is in full swing! 

Speaking of autumn, with the fall colors (and colder temps) brings bigger Spinning classes.  What a great turnout on Saturday!  Nothing beats a huge Spinning class with fantastic energy.  The profile I used on Saturday is one of my favorites and once again it did not disappoint.     

Saturday’s profile:  3 laps each one includes an approach road, short steep seated and standing climbs, downhills and our favorite stair stepping uphill. 

Use the first lap to get a feel for the ride.  Use lap two and three to challenge your body.  You will get a recovery after each stair step drill.  Our goal is to maintain 80% MHR for the bulk of the class.  An 80% MHR (or feeling comfortably uncomfortable) is going to keep us very aerobic and increase our fat burning levels.  Try to keep recoveries at 75%.  Train yourself to recover while still working.   

WARM UP

Always Something—I Hate Kate (3:36)  Dial in a resistance so you feel the road underneath your feet—as you know we never ride with no resistance, even in the warm up.  Gradually raise your heart rate. 

LOOP #1

Everybody—Goose (2:25)  SEATED FLAT  This is our approach.  Find a moderate resistance and begin to accelerate.  Raise your heart rate to about 75%. 

Non Dairy Creamer—Third Eye Blind (4:26) 

SEATED CLIMB More resistance!  Use the first 1:40 for the seated climb

STANDING CLIMB  (1:40-3:10) Make it a little heavier.  Hands in position 3.  Keep climbing until 3:10.  Don’t forget to maintain great form. 

SEATED FLAT DOWNHILL  (3:10-4:26) This is our downhill.  Decrease the resistance, have a seat.  Let your heart rate come down a little in preparation for our next drill…but not too much, we aren’t going to recover just yet

Danger! High Voltage—Electric Six (3:35)  STAIR STEPS  30 seconds seated climb, 30 seconds run with resistance.  Alternate for the whole song.  This is where the real work is.   

Best of Me—Morningwood (3:03)  DOWNHILL/RECOVER  Use the first 1 minute to ride down the hill….finish the song in a seated flat and recover.  Make this recovery where ever you need it to be for you and your fitness goals. 

LOOP #2

Famous Last Words—My Chemical Romance (4:59)

SEATED CLIMB (0-2:00)   feel your legs respond to the hill

STANDING CLIMB (2:00-3:40)  

SEATED FLAT DOWNHILL (3:40-4:59)  concentrate on not bouncing in the saddle, if you are add a little resistance

Get U Home—Shwayze (3:14)  STAIR STEPS  Seated climb alternating with standing run on chorus (“take me…”)

Chase This Light—Jimmy Eat World (3:27) DOWNHILL/RECOVER  Take 1 min to come off of the hill, then recover where you need it  (or no lower than 75% MHR)

LOOP #3

City—Hollywood Undead (3:34)

SEATED CLIMB (0-1:56)  keep your breathing under contro

STANDING CLIMB (1:56-3:34)  stay committed to the climb

Pickin’ It Up—Hot Hot Heat (2:34)  SEATED FLAT DOWNHILL x1:30, then add a little bit of resistance back on and get ready for our last set of stairs

Silver and Cold—AFI (4:11)  STAIR STEPS  Focus and breathe.  Seated climb alternating with standing run with resistance at the chorus (“nothing….”)  Stop thinking.  Feel the music.  Hear the acceleration in the beat and match it.  Go! 

COOL DOWN

Hey, Soul Sister—Train (3:37)  Keep moving until you get below 65% MHR.  Keep pedaling, keep breathing. 

STRETCHES

Maybe—Ingrid Michaelson (3:13)   

Find the entire playlist on iTunes at Spinning Spincycles 10.24.09