I really love Spinning and love to teach it- what becomes very frustrating at times is when students do things that are just plain WRONG!! You can try to instruct over and over again, but some people really think they know best.

This is an excerpt from the recent Spinning newletter- the FOUNDERS of the SPIN program- if you are a Spinning fanatic- read on, some of these things might be bad habits that you have been taught...

Do What on a Bike?

From push-ups on the handlebars to "isolations," there’s some pretty scary stuff going on out there. And while the intentions behind such movements are certainly good, it’s important to know what movements should not be done on a Spinner® bike and why.

Riding tri style.Why it’s done: You’ve probably seen triathletes riding with their forearms on the handlebars, which makes it seem like is must be OK.Why it shouldn’t be: When you’re riding a road bike, this position is not as potentially harmful because your bike moves. But because the Spinner bike you ride in class can’t move, your body needs to be relaxed enough to dissipate the energy you’re creating. Keeping your back or any part of your body completely still can place excessive tension on the hips, lower back and/or neck.

Dropping the seat.Why it’s done: “Hardcore” instructors have been known to drop the bike’s seat, forcing their students to remain standing.Why it shouldn’t be: Riders must have the ability to go at their own pace and recover, which means that they should always have the option to ride seated. Removing the seat could cause a rider to over-exert or injure themselves.

Stretching on the bike.Why it’s done: It seems like a harmless way to stretch.Why it shouldn’t be: Not everyone is flexible enough to swing a leg up onto the handlebars. And stretching the calves on the pedals could cause students wearing tennis shoes to slip out of the pedals.

Adjusting a student’s resistance.Why it’s done: You’ve all got students who constantly pedal without resistance. It’s natural to want to encourage them, but making adjustments for them is not the way to do it.Why it shouldn’t be: Turning your students’ resistance knob or even quantifying a change in resistance (two turns to the left!) is never a good idea. Not only are instructors unable to judge how much resistance a student can tolerate, but significant differences from one bike to another makes this a dangerous proposition. Try cueing your students using rate of perceived exertion. For those with a fear of resistance, help them overcome misperceptions.

Push-ups, figure eights or other upper body movements Why it’s done: Instructors mistakenly consider such movements effective ways to build core or upper body strength.Why it shouldn’t be: These movements are not safe or effective. There’s insufficient resistance to build strength and the erratic movements can disrupt balance and misalign the body. Save core and upper body conditioning for the weight room.

Riding sans hands.Why it’s done: Instructors may think that riding without hands engages or strengthens the core.Why it shouldn’t be: While it’s OK to ride with no hands at low resistance during warm-ups and cool-downs doing so at other times places excessive pressure on the lower spine and makes it difficult to maintain a smooth pedal stroke. Core conditioning should not be attempted on the bike. Stability ball work, Pilates and yoga are all effective ways to build core strength.

Isolations or “freezing.”Why it’s done: Instructors interpret the burn that accompanies many of these movements as a strengthening or anaerobic workout.Why it shouldn’t be: When the body is held still on a stationary bike, tension is transferred into the joints—especially the knees and lower back—which can lead to injury. Your body must be relaxed enough to soak up energy that has nowhere else to go. Want your students to go anaerobic? Teach a Strength, Race Day or Interval Energy Zone™ ride.Your passion, energy and creativity are all you need to create rut-busting rides that keep students motivated and engaged. There may be just five core movements but with a little imagination, the possibilities are endless.