Monday, February 10, 2014

Tough class!

So I managed to get up for this morning's 6am class - even arriving with probably 10 minutes to spare.  Beats frantically trying to get your bike set up as they're trying to get everyone warming up :)

Before the class the instructor came across and introduced himself. I accidentally said I'd done about 3 classes, which is wrong, I've done more like 6-7.  He explained that it would be a high intensity class and if I couldn't hit or maintain the zone to drop the fan number back and still try for the zone/speed..  I was still half asleep so this was a little offputting.

During the first track I was already struggling.  It was like a mid-high number, maintaining a high (for me) speed.   I felt bad as I was often 2 or more fan numbers lower than what he'd said and/or 5-10 rpm below what he was asking for but often I was working at zone 5 (out of 7) so figured I was still working hard. I even hit 120 RPM on the last track at the very end as I knew we were done.  He had said that with the 5-6 hot days that hydration levels probably wouldn't be great.  Given I'd had 3 (small) glasses of sparkling the night before - I'm guessing my hydration really wasn't great :)

The stretching afterwards was painful but good.  The instructor had encouraged us to roll out the legs (on the bikes) and stretch to help minimise lactic acid.  I think that's working as I haven't really had any DOMS apart from when climbing stairs or squatting down - then I notice my legs.  He asked how I found the class afterwards - I told him it was just as well he'd given me the warning as I struggled big time.  He explained that the group had been building since early December so everyone else was pretty regular. But said that after 4 sessions people were generally hitting his targets.  Hopefully that's 4 classes of his.  Not 4 classes in general! :)  My friend was using the right fan setting but was often 5-10 rpm below what he was saying so it wasn't just me.

Calories were lower today but higher fat burning percentage.


Saturday, February 8, 2014

Cycling week 2

The studio is now on a full timetable and has open ride sessions. They have also installed crx straps for combo cycle/crx classes.

5/2 I was supposed to get up for a 6am class but after being awake from 2-5am I turned off my alarm and opted for a few hours sleep. I had decided I could maybe go to the afternoon class after work but wasn't overly committed. Told my work buddy that I was talking myself out of going so she countered my two excuses so off I went, making it in plenty of time. This was a green jersey class which was supposed to have more speed tracks but still seemed a good balanced class even though I wasn't quite hitting the rpm targets in some of the tracks. It was a warm day and I'd already gotten warm from riding my scooter there. It definitely helps having a workout buddy to give you that nudge when you need it.


6/2 was another afternoon class (as my work buddy was doing a morning release so I figured I'd do what she was signed up for). Was something like 36 degrees so the studio was really hit. There's 3 fans set up but no air con. The instructor was offering to do water bottle refills during the class which I took advantage of! One person ended up being unable to complete the class due to the heat. She would peddle and then just stop so the instructor told her to just head off and stretch. It was a real struggle with the heat!! At least we were being told to back off the pace/effort if we were feeling woozy, etc.. I had forgotten about a work group meeting followed by drinks - so had passed drinking cider and an hours non working time to work and then go to the class. Crazy!! Yellow class.


8/2 my Saturday morning class with Brooke (who I used to work with). She meanly adjusted my fan a few times to bump up the effort (not really ;)).  This time is was a green 40 minutes and 20 minutes of trx. We split into two groups and alternated between mat work and the trx cable work. Including planks, side planks, push ups, bridge alternating legs, and on the cables - hip flexor stretches, pull-ups, side plank type pull up and single leg squats. They need to lower the trx cables in order to do more core work as they were installed too high. They were also saying that when there wasn't a session on you could come in and also use the trx stuff.

I stayed for a coffee and toasted sandwich so had forgotten to turn off my hrm straight away.

They're offering a limited number of $30 a week memberships including a daily coffee. So if I continue I'll be aiming to do at least 2 classes a week if not 3. My work buddy is going almost daily although she has been cycling for awhile. But I think having rest days are useful as my legs felt tired on Thursday night when I'd already cycled on Wednesday. But maybe I'm a bit of a wuss :)

http://www.artofcycling.com.au

Art of Cycling


So it looks like 2014 will be the year of cycling. I started my month long trial on the Australia Day weekend largely because that's when someone at work was starting their trial too. It helps knowing someone else is going to the same classes!


Art of Cycling is a new specialised studio in Yarraville. All the staff are friendly. There is a cafe section at the front, the cycle room, and an area for stretching and foam rolling. They also have toilets, change rooms and showers.



 The bikes are watt bikes which mean they measure the force on each leg and displays it as a graph. You want an oval shape but often it looks like a peanut or figure 8 when you're pushing more than you're pulling. You also get a zone card for your level of fitness. Certain tracks you're aiming for a certain rpm, other times you need to work in certain zones where you are aiming for a certain watt (power) target range. Often you're so focused on hitting the numbers you don't notice how long the class is going for. 


After 45-50mins you head into the next room for stretching and foam rolling. I swear I have as much sweat dripping off me as when I was doing Bikram yoga. Their motto is to get fitter faster so each class is tough (though you can to at your own pace if you're struggling with the track). They have an online booking system so you can lock in your spot in the class in advance.

The cafe is open in the mornings and if you felt like it you could just drop in for a coffee, breakfast, snack and a bit of a stretch.  Their mochas are awesome :) a reward for working my butt off!

25/1 Saturday - polka dot class, based on hills and slower, power based cycling
(No hrm photo as my battery had gone flat!)
 
27/1 Monday - public holiday so took advantage of it to go to the 9:30am class. A yellow - mixed class.

29/1 Wednesday - polka dot class
 This is how the studio looks before 6am.


1/2 Saturday - polka dot class


http://www.artofcycling.com.au