Hit my first spin session on Thursday night - wow! I've never known 60 minutes to fly by so fast. Dark room, fast music, wild lazers and buckets of sweat from 19 spinners under the Boadicaen command of the disarmingly lovely Bridgette. I was amazed at how well I did, (almost) keeping up with the maniacal 'Bridge' as she attempted to melt her state-of-the-art spin bike through sheer brutal leg-power.
The highlight was without doubt the introduction (after around 45 minutes of increased-tempo thrashing interspersed with high-resistance hill-climbing) of Zorba The Greek, a piece of music best known for its steadily increasing tempo, revived in recent times as the soundtrack to the climax of Guy Ritchie's ultra-violent Cockney Gangsterfest, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.
Groans filled the room as the penny dropped, and some of the regulars exchanged shiny-faced knowing glances. With resistance set at maximum (or as much as we could bear) we were invited to stand and ride in time with the music. Inevitably Zorba worked his merciless magic; one by one we dropped into our saddles, legs thrashing madly, sweat flying as we fought like demons to keep pace with the music. As I lay slumped over the handlebars, sucking air for all I was worth as my legs continued to absent-mindedly turn the pedals at an ever-decreasing rate, I was minded to think on Zorba's warning to his employer.
"Man is a brute. If you're cruel to him, he respects and fears you. If you're kind to him, he plucks your eyes out."
I certainly have a new-found respect for 'Bridge'.
That said, it was ... wonderful. Low-impact, endorphin-releasing and terrific fun. Despite the pain - standing up and pedalling hard is as un-natural a feeling as I've encountered in recent times - by the end I was grinning like a fool, hungry for more. Mmmm ... feel the burn! There may be something to this S&M lark you know.
I'll be back.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
