Hello and welcome to Spinning Music! Guest blogger Darcy here…also known as SpinCycles. For as long as I can remember, I have incorporated fitness into my life. I think the first workout video I used religiously was Cindy Crawford’s Shape Your Body Workout….circa 1992 and on VHS, of course! I quietly, but quickly, turned my parent’s basement into my own personal work-out studio. Living in a small mid-western town did not provide many gym options, so I had to create my own. Workout videos finally progressed into real live group exercise classes thanks to breaking out of the small town & attending college in Chicago. Step aerobics, and high low were staples, but for me, it was Spinning that made the most impact, as well as the one I kept returning to time and time again. The pumping music, dark room, me + a bike; I just couldn’t get enough. Spinning became an essential aspect to my workout routine.
It wasn’t until a few years ago I successfully transitioned from a face in the crowed to the one who is facing the crowd motivating my gym members to give me just a little more effort. Currently you can find me teaching at a variety of Washington Sports Club locations in the DC-Metro Area, and of course on my blog at www.spincycles.wordpress.com.
I think music plays a huge role in a successful Spinning profile and I love searching for music to add to my playlist. Generally, I am partial to the alt-rock/pop genre, but I try to mix it up (I know people can only hear so much Green Day & Weezer!) The bottom line is that I’m always searching for the perfect song. You know…the one that within the first few notes instantly stirs up an emotion, your heart rate quickens just a tiny bit, and you know you can push on a bit longer. I bet you are thinking of one right now!
This profile does not disappoint in either music selection or action…it’s all about the intervals & enjoying our after burn (i.e. Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). Here’s the playlist and breakdown: You are going to work very hard in this class, elevate your heart rate, push yourself out of your comfort zone for 4-5 minutes…but after each push you’ll be rewarded with a 1-2minute recovery. Every time! I promise.
WARM UP
Nothing to Worry About (Jocko for Teddybears Remix) – Peter Bjorn and John (5:18): Take time for a really good warm up today. Start with light resistance. Progressively add every minute.
INTERVAL #1
Who Do You Love? – Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (4:15): Flat road. Your gear might be just fine from the warm up, but if it’s too thick, just drop a little…just a little, remember to hit it hard, a recovery is right on the other side (besides, we’ve just begun…toughen up!) Start out of the saddle for 1 minute to raise the heart rate, seated fast pace 1 minute (keep the HR up), stand for 1 minute, finish seated.
Battery Run – Thomas Newman (1:14): Recover. Don’t let your heart rate drop below 65% of max (we want to recover around 65-70% of MHR)
INTERVAL #2
Boys Wanna Be Her – Peaches (3:56): Begin in a standing climb for about 1 minute. Then the stair steps start! 30 seconds alternating between standing and sitting. Keep the cadence to match the beat. Oh yeah, that smoke you’re smelling…it’s your legs…on fire!
Go Go Go – John Murphy (2:11): Recover at 65-70% MHR
INTERVAL #3
Medicate – AFI (4:21): Medium resistance/find a moderate effort out of the saddle. Start with a standing flat…but I want it fast. Jump on the chorus (“medicate, you and me…”) The song slows around 2:33, slow the standing run to a jog. Remember to keep good control during your jumps. If you have knee problems, or jumping is uncomfortable, turn the jumps into speed surges.
Was in der Zeitung Steht – d.o.c.h.! (1:56): Recover at 65-70% MHR
INTERVAL #4
Blood on My Hands – The Used (3:18): Heavy, hard, challenging, tough resistance. Standing climb (hands in position 3 of course.) Speed surges on the chorus (“there’s blood on my hands…”)
Check – Goose (1:38): Recover.
INTERVAL #5
But Tonight We Dance – Rise Against (2:48): Find a moderate resistance out of the saddle and jog…run on the chorus. Hands are in position 2, weight is balanced over the center of the bike. Make your legs work for you.
Since that was a short song, you get a two-for in this interval. Here we go….
Hurry Up Let’s Go – Shout Out Louds (2:19): Keep that resistance knob right where it is. Have a seat. I’m going to ask you for a faster cadence with little tiny speed surges on the chorus (i.e. when the music speeds up.) Earn your break!
Safari Beach – Goose (2:20): Hello recovery, we missed you!
INTERVAL #6 also known as the FINAL INTERVAL! (please hold your applause until the end)
You Can’t Always Get What You Want (Soulwax Remix) – The Rolling Stones (6:07): This is all you….one last climb, make it your own. It can be a seated climb, a standing climb, or a combination of both. All I ask is that you dial up the resistance every minute….again, it’s your choice how steep to make the climb. Your ride, your mountain, just CLIMB!
Meet Me on the Equinox – Death Cab for Cutie (3:44): Recover & cool down.
What a Day (2008) – Greg Laswell (5:09): Stretch, breath, pat yourself on the back ‘cause you made it!
Yay for intervals…burn fat burn!
– Darcy
Thanks, Darcy! Each of these songs or mixes was new to me and I really enjoyed checking them out on iTunes. I think my favourite is Nothing to Worry About for its juicy warmup energy. I really liked how you found short recovery tunes to balance each interval. Can’t wait to try this one.
I noticed that many of your choices are from TV or film soundtracks (Battery Run from Jarhead, Boys Wanna Be Her from The L Word, Go Go Go from 28 Weeks Later, Hurry Up Let’s Go from Good Luck Chuck, Meet Me on the Equinox from Twilight: New Moon).
Darcy made an iMix for this playlist called Cynthia’s Spin Mix – SpinCycles Style. Check it out on iTunes here.
May 23 is my two year blogiversary. Yes, it’s true – SpinningMusic is two years old tomorrow. It’s grown from a wee blog averaging 150 views a day in year one to more than 1,000 views a day now, and a total of more than 380,000 views since it launched. It’s not like a cyclist to be happy with traffic, but this traffic, I like. My favourite thing about the blog is the community that’s grown up around it – I so enjoy hearing and learning from you.
Our next guest post is from Aquagirl. Look for it on June 1. Happy spinning!
Hi everyone;
I live in istanbul, Turkey. I started to spinnin two mounths ago and I like so much. Nowadays, I am looking for new musics so, I found your blog. That’s realy good, I read many post in here. After that I learned that spinnig is a lifestyle. There are a lot of good play list, I like most of them. But, I have a little problem. I don’t found some song’s mixed version. They are too different from original versions. How can I fond them. ( I know my english is not prety good, I make basic sentences :):) )
Hi Onur! Welcome to the blog. Your English is great. I found all of Darcy’s remixes for this playlist on iTunes. To find them, try searching the song name, plus some words from the title of the remix.
Beth Ann uses a site called e-music.com for extended remixes. Youtube often has remixes – you can listen and decide whether to look for the MP3 online.
Take care,
Cynthia
Darcy that’s excellent! I love it all! I love the interval format that you use, I’ve never heard of it before for spin but it looks excellent. The short breaks in between would encourage riders to give it 120% for the intervals. Thanks for posting!
Beth Ann,
One of the step instructors at my gym goes on several free vacations a year (cruises and all inclusives) just by agreeing to teach a class each day. I’ve been meaning to look into it for spinning. I don’t think many resorts have spin, but cruises do – it would be so cool to get a free vacation for doing what I’d want to be doing anyway.
Darcy-I also like the song by Peaches; “I’ll Take You On”. I use it to climb WALLS and for leg drills. Thanks for the great post, I’m going to be downloading this ride soon.
Special thanks to everyone who posts. When I’m in a “designers-block,” I can always come to this website and get the creative juices flowing.
I going overseas soon and the ship I’m cruising on has SPIN classes–I’ll see if I can’t score some new music and ideas for all of us.
Someone asked about “theme” rides. I base by themes off of the type of terrain I”m riding that day and try to give a good mix of music genres.
One more thought: I loved LALA.com as the music downloaded right into mp3 format, and was .89 a song. Know that itunes bought them out, they are closing the website. What other websites do you use? Thanks everyone and ride on!
Darcy – thanks. That looks different and fun. I’ll give it a try.