Sponsor Spotlight: Inspire Fitness

Gabe Rios will make you love Spinning!

On Friday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. we’ll be having our next See Jane Move event. We’re taking a group Spinning class at Inspire Fitness, one of our sponsors for July.

If you’ve caught cycling fever watching the Tour de France, then this class will be perfect for you.

But maybe you’ve never attended a Spinning class because you’ve found them intimidating. Or maybe you prefer dance-based aerobics classes and you think spin will be boring. Well, I’m here to let you know that neither will be the case, especially with spin instructor Gabe Rios at the helm.

Gabe Rios is one of the co-owners of Inspire Fitness and is the scheduled instructor for next Friday’s class. Sure, most spin instructors play music during their classes but Gabe kicks this up a notch with music videos. Also, for Gabe the music videos aren’t just background noise. Whether we’re simulating jumps or climbing a hill, you can bet we’ll be moving to the beat.

So here’s what you can expect if you join us for class on July 19.

You’ll walk into the studio and Gabe will greet you warmly like you’ve come by his house for coffee. But you’ll look around and start to feel a bit uneasy because the other students have fancy cycling shoes. Don’t worry. The Nike, New Balance, or Saucony sneaks you’re wearing are just fine.

Then you’ll see people adjusting the seat and handle bars of the bike, which you have no idea how to do. Don’t freak out. Gabe or someone else on the Inspire Fitness team will help you get set up. Just be sure to arrive early. Also, remember to bring a towel and water.

Class begins.

The beauty of Spinning is that it’s a workout you can really make your own. You can make it as easy or as hard as you want with a simple twist of a knob. Turn it right to increase the resistance (which is the equivalent of making the imaginary hill you’re climbing steeper) or turn to the left if you need to make your ride less challenging. You can also change the intensity of your workout with your speed. And during some parts of the ride we’ll be in a standing position on the pedals and sometimes we’ll be seated (or “in the saddle” as the Spinning nerds call it).

Depending on the type of ride Gabe has planned for the evening, you may do sprints (during which you pedal as fast as you can) and hill climbs (during which you add as much resistance as you can). Gabe also loves jumps — that’s when you move from a seated to a standing position on your bike over and over. I won’t lie to you, this move is tough. But I have to say it’s my favorite. With Gabe’s music pumping I feel like I’m dancing with my bike and so I don’t care about my breathlessness or the sweat dripping from my nose.

Gabe is open to song requests, so if you have any leave them in the comments section of the post. But honestly, Gabe has a way of making you love any song he plays because he gets so into the music. Yes, he will sing along and don’t be surprised if at some point he takes his hands off his handlebars and starts dancing. (Don’t you try this. Remember, ladies, he’s a professional.)

Also don’t be surprised if Gabe plays your favorite 90s grunge song or your favorite hip-hop track from college or that he actually knows the words to that “Bad Boys” song.

From Mark Anthony to Macklemore, Pitbull to Prince, and Janet Jackson to Justin Timberlake, Gabe’s playlist is extensive. Beyonce or Shakira may make an appearance on the screen also to give you some extra motivation as you covet their toned physiques.

When the class is over you will have burned hundreds of calories and your clothes will be drenched, but you’ll feel like you just left a party.

Join us Friday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. for Spinning with Gabe Rios at Inspire Fitness.  Arrive around 5:15 p.m. so you can set up your bike and be sure to bring water and a towel. You do need to pre-register for the class and spaces fill up fast. To sign up, visit InspireFitnessBirmingham.com and scroll through the schedule to find the special #SeeJaneWrite class. Drop-in classes are normally $15 but Gabe is offering us $5 discount. Just use the code seejanemove when you register.