By Julia Aimers, Head Coach of Team Triumph Triathlon Club
Not all spin classes are created equal. However, if you choose the right one you can reap some great fitness benefits that are guaranteed to transfer to your early season triathlon bike fitness.
You do not have to own an indoor trainer to keep or improve your bike fitness over the winter months. If you choose the right spinning class you can not only maintain your previous year's fitness but improve upon it. I have been teaching spinning for over 25 years. I use it exclusively for my winter bike fitness. Our classes are designed with the triathlete in mind using watts, gaging perceived exertion and heart rate. Before you sign up for a class here are some things to keep in mind.
Just For You
In the end, knowledge is power. The more data your instructor can give you to rate your intensity then the more you will know about when to push your watts and RPM’s and when to back off. It is impossible for an instructor to meet the goals of every individual in the class, so it is up to you to get what you need from each class. If you are not sure what type of training you should be doing, then ask the instructor or better yet, hire a coach.
Julia Aimers is the Head Coach and Founder ofTeam Triumph Triathlon Club established in the year 2000, in Ottawa, Canada. She has coached beginner triathletes to Kona qualifying athletes
A year ago I could only tread water and had not run since childhood. With the amazing Virtual Olympic course, support, guidance, and tips from of all the folks at Team Triumph I've ended the season with my first Olympic distance triathlon under my belt and am hooked! Really looking forward to the 2025 season and even to the hard work over the winter to prepare. Karen Houle
I wanted to let you know that the Perth triathlon was a great experience, I somehow placed third in my age group! What a supportive group of participants (including Team Triumph athletes), cheering bystanders and volunteers.
Thanks to your swim lessons, I learned the technical basics and gained confidence to get back in the pool after decades. And it was really special doing this with Ann Laidlaw, my bestie for many years. We did a couple of additional swims with Kevin and Team Triumph people, also a great way to continue learning and practicing good technical form.
I will continue with lane swimming and who knows, maybe there's another triathlon in my future!
I love the accountability and the structure of the Virtual 70.3 Half Ironman training program. I don't think I would have gotten this far without the program. The accountability is huge for me!
Deborah Jackman