So, let’s break this one down from the very beginning of the video. Forgive me if you’ve heard any of this from me before, but I do want to address the specifics of this particular video. And there are some “new” ones to address in this video.
I’m developing a new 1-10 scale, rating the following for each of the movements or techniques: effectiveness (how well it does what that movement purports to achieve); functional benefit (as in is it functionally helpful for anything you may do in any activity, on or off the bike); danger (injury proneness); silliness (lol). The first two you want to be as high as possible (9-10 would be highly effective, highly functional), and the second two you want to be as low as possible (like zero would be preferable).
1. Crunches with back extensions from the saddle. First the backbend part: I need to go to a chiropractor just from watching this. The danger she is presenting to her students is beyond belief. Taking such a high risk as this places this into the major liability category. I’m baffled – do club owners not care that their liability is being challenged? It’s their pocketbooks. I mean, instructors don’t make any money, so who would be the one the rider with the slipped disc goes after? Personal trainers (good ones) would never EVER consider having their clients lean back like this when the body is not stabilized (and most wouldn’t do it even if they are stabilized, because it serves no purpose and the risk is too high). But why is it acceptable on a Spin bike? This is where the fitness industry is whacked – there is no standardization, no accountability, no professional requirements for group fitness instructors. No reputable indoor cycling certification program, NONE OF THEM, would either teach or condone any of these moves.
Scale: see #2 since it’s combined with that movement.
2. The oblique crunch. Where in any exercise physiology book, or personal training certification, would they teach you to do a crunch of any kind while sitting upright? They wouldn’t. Why? Because that is not the way the abdominal muscles get strong. They must contract AGAINST a resistance, and usually, the resistance is moving away from gravity – as in doing a crunch while laying on the floor opposing gravity. Personal trainers know this, I guess some cycling instructors do not.
Effectiveness: zero. Functional benefit: zero. Danger: 10 (due to added back bend – the actual “crunch” is more ineffective and silly than dangerous, although many students end up pulling their neck down). Silliness: off the scale.
3. High cadence standing movement (at :20). Leg speed is way too fast with insufficient resistance. People are bobbing all over the place. I could prove it to them if I could put power meters on the bikes. Slower cadence with higher resistance would actually mean MORE power output which means MORE calories burned, while at the same time actually doing something to strengthen the legs. There are no strength benefits to spinning the legs as fast as in this video, because it’s the flywheel turning the pedals, not the legs. Also, by not having resistance, rider’s hips and spine are unsupported at such a high cadence, potentially injuring the low back. There’s a whole lot of spinal jiggling going on by people without the body strength or skill to be jiggled like that.
Effectiveness: 4/10. Functional benefit 1/10. Danger:7/10 Silliness: 5/10.
4. Hip thrusts while pedaling like a hamster on crack (at :24): Add this to the unsupported uncontrolled cadence, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. One wrong move, one moment of distraction by a rider and they ain’t coming back. Ever.
Effectiveness: zero. Functional Benefit: zero. Danger: 9/10. Silliness 10/10.
5. Boxing (at :29). Um, no.
Just so you know, standing up and trying to balance while you are pedaling does not teach you balance, and it does not work the core. Have you ever heard of functional training?
Effectiveness: 1/10. Functional Benefit: zero. Danger: 6/10 (not from the “boxing” but from losing balance or slipping off the bike). Silliness: 10/10.
6. Pushups. One word: why? Do a pushup at your desk while sitting upright and you’ll have the answer to that question. They.Do.Not.Do.Anything. Except of course, get in the way of proper pedaling, proper mechanics, and effective breathing. The back is at risk, especially when done that fast, but you’re more likely to smack your teeth into the handlebars. It’s actually more silly than dangerous.
Effectiveness: 0/10. Functional benefit: 0/10. Danger: 5/10. Silliness: 9/10.
7. Hand behind the back (at :32). Again, I have to ask why? It doesn’t teach balance, it doesn’t work the core, and it detracts from proper anything on the bike.
Effectiveness: 0/10. Functional benefit: 0/10. Danger 2/10. Silliness: 9/10
8. Arms swings to a standing position (at :36). Imagine doing that on a real bike? OK, these people haven’t ridden a bike since their tricycles. So imagine throwing your hands a little too hard, and losing control of where your hips go (easy to do when the legs are whirring around like a weedwacker at 120X a minute). The feet can so easily come out of the pedals (so few students wear shoes that clip in and most do not tighten the toe clips).
And please tell me how is this going to improve your fitness? Anyone? Buehler?
Effectiveness: 1/10. Functional benefit: 1/10. Danger 8/10. Silliness: 10/10.
9. Humping movement at :40. Huh? I had to go back and watch that several times because I was so incredulous. I wish I could hear what she is cueing because I can only imagine her say “hump the bike”! See her spine? With an unsupported movement like this while the legs are spinning that fast, the spine curling fore and aft like a cat, she should be charged with attempted bodily harm of her students.
Scale – everything off the charts.
I find a class like this to be such a travesty, because she is a very cute and obviously charismatic instructor. And I bet her students love her. Can you imagine what she (and her students) could achieve if she trained them properly? She’d be off the charts (in a good way).
EDIT Oct 31: This woman, doing all these dangerous contraindicated
moves, apparently has a kinesiology degree from Cal State
Northridge! Now that’s a stunning endorsement of their kinesiology
department…. that or she has completely eschewed all the knowledge she
learned of how the body works and moves. Or, she barely passed her
exams.
That is my commitment and mark my words, it's getting stronger and bolder. The tsunami is just beginning. Get it or be left behind.
