I'm spinning around

I'm sitting on the sofa in my PJs relaxing and resting after my earlier antics. Tonight, as part of my latest idea to try new things, I took part in a spinning class.

It's madness, I've belonged to my gym for over six years, with an enviable membership rate and classes are included. Tonight was the first time I've ever done a class!

As you know I've recently got back into horse riding as a hobby and decided to try new things and stop worrying. I've considered spinning before, but been unsure if it would be too tough, could I keep up?

In order to give me a bit of a confidence boost my man got dragged along. I was feeling pretty confident until a colleague (who used to be in fitness) told me it was hard to keep up with the instructor when she was training to teach it, my boyfriend reminded me to tell them I'm asthmatic and I woke with aching muscles from last night's workout DVD session.

Regardless, off we went into the spinning studio upstairs in our gym, armed with a towel, water and of course my asthma pump. I timidly approached our instructor and let her know we were new. She was lovely, coming over to show us how the bikes worked and what position to get in. In addition she advised to take it at our own pace for our first time and sit down when we needed.

After a short while we began. This workout works you hard. Even the initial warm ups had me pretty breathless. I took our instructor's advice and turned the resistance dial up to suit me and not quite to the level advised at all times.

I thought I'd be nervous about certain elements, such as standing up on the bikes, but was pleased to find I actually felt rather safe and secure on the machine.

I've seen other people come out of the spinning studios before and they are always dripping with sweat. I knew it was going to be hard.

Only part way in I was dripping with sweat, my hands at times couldn't grip the handlebars they were so soaked and I my heart was pumping so hard I thought it might burst through my chest.

We pedalled super fast, pushed through as we made the resistance really high, we stood and pedalled, did push up arms and pedalled, leaned down and pedalled, did ab work and lots more.

Forty five minutes of very hard work, where I know I eased a tad before the end as I was starting to feel so nauseous. Admittedly I did sit down a couple of times and didn't crank up my resistance quite as high, but for my first time I was pretty pleased with myself.

Going once with my man has also given me the confidence to know I could go on my own and that others in the class are not judgemental monsters!

So there you go, a second new experience and I survived. Let's see how I feel in the morning.

Right now I am very sleepy and full up after a brief visit to Nandos for a post workout feeding. Now to think of the next thing I'm going to brave and try out...