Running V Spin

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StewartEverson

0
Hi folks,

Got my first marathon coming up in March, right now im doing 2 short runs and a long run during the week, the other 2 days i do a spin class so i have 1 rest day. For me right now, this feels ok infact spin seems to have increased my cardio fitness hugely but the question is this....is spin a decent substitute for a running day? i certainly work alot harder when i do a spin class but i fear i may be loosing out somehow. Any advice, comments, queries, suggestions more than welcome!
 
just know that most exercise adaptions are very specific. During spinning you will build up your hearts pumping capacity (you will do this with running too) and this will help in everything cario related. But the muscular metabolic adaptions are more local and specific to the muscles worked. If you want to compete in running, you should mostly run, you need to specialize.
 
What Karky said. Let me add this -- the real benefit from cycling for run training is building endurance. But it's not the zone3/zone4 work you're doing in spin class, it's rides over three hours in z1.

While I am a fan of spin class for "that type" of workout, I don't like to go often while training because all of the days are z3/z4 days. Every day can't be a hard day. Make the easy days easy and the hard days hard. It's through that difference where you'll make your gains.
 
What Karky and Tsi said. I would recommend using the spin class as a "rest day" from running. You can do cardio every day, although not hard cardio every day, but you probably shouldn't/can't run every day.
 
g8r80 said:
What Karky and Tsi said. I would recommend using the spin class as a "rest day" from running. You can do cardio every day, although not hard cardio every day, but you probably shouldn't/can't run every day.
Click to expand...

The subject of this thread has been touched on before. Spinning is a GREAT addition and I just had to pipe up because it hit a personal note.

I was very frustrated with running for a long time. It was a means to an end for me. My running actually didn't improve much at all (for years) until I added spin. Once I was spinning regularly I couldn't believe the difference, not just in cardio and endurance but my core was stronger, my glutes were much stronger, everything just worked better in running and I wasn't achy all the time.

I echo what's already been said before-its a great "alternate" exercise from running that also compliments running. While you shouldn't substitute spin for running frequently-it has been suggested (from Runners World Magazine) that every once in a while you CAN substitute a hard spin or bike workout for a long run.
 
I can spin almost all day...but running slays me. If you need to run far, tune for that specific task. In other words, what they said :)
 
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