Spinning to the beat

Spinning — the latest craze in exercise — has the residents of Bahrain hooked like a butterfly to nectar.

So when I moved to Bahrain recently and heard the term Spinning from all and sundry I decided to put my journalistic curiosity to work. A session of belly dancing and hula-hoops with gyrating movements to a techno beat was what I expected as I walked tentatively into the Bodyline Gym in the residential Budaiya area. But my hopes of a hip-shaking session were dashed when I saw several hi-tech exercise bikes scattered all around the wall-to-wall-mirrored-room with Beyonce blaring from the speakers.
As I introduced myself to the fitness consultant, Dee Carvalho, she told me to get on the bike pronto and she would make the necessary adjustments to it. With her affable personality and her petite appearance, Dee came across as your friendly neighbour, but through the course of the class she barked instructions like an army major training a group of young corporals through a grueling routine.
“I have to make sure that my students don’t injure themselves. If you don’t keep your back straight or elbows in a certain position you are going to cause an injury that will only manifest itself in the long run,” she insisted, “which is why it is extremely important to have a qualified instructor who knows human anatomy.” Dee is originally from Brazil’s bustling city Rio de Janeiro and has her masters’ degree in physical education and fitness from the US.   
Today, over 4,000 instructors worldwide teach spinning in more than 30 countries. But not all programmes are similar: “The basic concept and the technique of spinning is universal but it is up to the instructor to build the intensity and when and how often to introduce the cycling movements during the spinning session,” said Dee. Each session has high-intensity workouts complete with hills, valleys and varying speeds performed to the beat of the music all dictated by the instructor.
“The rhythm of the music sets the pace of each spinning session as you have to match your movements and the pace of the bike to the beat of the music. Actually spinning is like dancing on the bike,” said Dee.
Spinning is great for fitness buffs that lack the coordination for cardiovascular classes with complex choreography. According to the latest research, an average 40-minute spinning workout will burn 500 calories. The amount of calories burned depends on the intensity and duration of the workout. Research results show that spinning can enhance cardiovascular fitness, improve muscle tone and exercise endurance. Spinning works various muscle groups including quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, hips and abdominal muscles.
Spinning is quite popular in Bahrain because it is not difficult to learn and is a great way to stay in shape. Almost all gyms and hotels with health clubs offer a spinning programme to their members. Sobia, a spinning enthusiast said, “Spinning has increased my stamina and body tone. It is great exercise and I’m quite hooked on my three-times-a-week sessions.”
According to Carrie, a senior at the Bahrain school, “Spinning rocks! It’s a great cardio workout and burns fat.”
As for me, I huffed and puffed and tried to keep up with Dee’s pace. One hour on, and the spinner got the best of me and I emerged from the session with a sore gluteus maximus that left me incapacitated for the rest of the week.

Fancy doing a bit of spinning yourself? Dee Carvalho can be contacted at Bodyline Gym on 17793932.
If you can’t get enough exercise turn to page 15 and find out what other new regimens could be heading to our island.