Spinning is Haute

Spinning is Haute

Lance Armstrong has to be doing something right. This celebrity athlete has won the battle against cancer, been awarded countless top awards, pedaled his way to win the Tour de France seven times, and through this, he has made cycling cool. Over the past few years indoor cycling, better known as spinning, has become the cardiovascular workout of choice for many. You can see the likes of Julia Roberts, Hilary Swank, and Will Ferrell putting the petal to the metal in classes all around Hollywood.

When curiosity finally got the best of me, I decided to give it a whirl and it was with some apprehension that I am now a convert. You see, I am a daily fixture at my local Equinox and often times find myself pretending I am anywhere but on the treadmill. For years, I was a competitive figure skater and have found it difficult to find an equally stimulating workout that fulfills my cardio junkie needs. So one day, I decided to join all the cool kids and book myself a bike. I will warn you it can be intimidating, these die-hard fans are there 30 minutes early just to get their specific bikes. Make sure you do not choose one of those bikes because it is the same thing as sitting in the quarterback’s seat in science class in high school. Once we were granted entry to the class, the great music and upbeat instructor took me to a place of calorie burning heaven where I have never been before. My fear of other people’s sweat flying about in the room disappeared and I was in it to win it. Here I come shapely legs and ripped core! The best part was in 40 minutes I could burn up to 500+ calories, which is music to my ears. That is pretty amazing for a quick workout.

If I have still not convinced you to give it a go because you have the million-dollar excuse of not having enough time, I have the million-dollar solution, iTrain. Through this site you can go and simply download a workout based upon your needs and abilities. Courtney Cox and Sarah Silverman are fans and use it when they are traveling. Lucky for you, there are now no excuses allowed. Spinning is your friend. Try it, you will like it.

Until next time my friends, visit www.raylenebartolacci.com. To health and wellness, Salute.

Editor’s Note:

For our Miami readers, Sports Club/LA at the Four Seasons is hosting a special fundraising spin class on Friday, Feb. 19, with proceeds going to support St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Bidding for a bike reservation for the two-hour session began just more than one week ago, with bids starting at $15. Call 305.533.1199 or stop by in person at 1441 Brickell Ave. before 8 p.m. tomorrow to get in on the spinning fun.

If you can’t make the Friday night fundraising fitness fiesta, the REV class on Monday nights, which runs from 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 is also a haute ticket. Call ahead to reserve your bike.

For David Barton enthusiasts, the Gansevoort location is home to Barton Biking. This class, a favorite of Editorial Director Stephanie Wilson, combines a workout with weights with the cardiovascular spinning exercises.

In New York, SoulCycle has been known to be a favorite of former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton. And Ruth Zuckerman’s Fly Wheel is also earning quite a few nods as one of the hautest spin studios in the city.

Finally, if you’re an exercise junkie in San Fran, Union Square’s Sports Club/LA is the place to be for VIP residents.