The friend I told about his birthday managed to tell everyone else, so he was getting lots of well wishes and some jokes all morning. He says he’ll get me back some how…
Two Spin Classes In One Day
I hadn’t planned on this post, but something interesting came up this morning. I was walking into my favorite Tuesday morning spin class when I passed my gym’s fitness manager. She teaches the spin class I often go to on Thursdays, and we’ve become friends through chatting before and after class.
She recently injured her ankle, so I stopped to ask her how she was doing. She’s all better and teaching again, which is great. Then she asked me to go to her spin class tonight at 6pm.
She said she’s a little worried about the momentum of her classes and having people continue to show up regularly, especially since she’s been out of commission for a few weeks. As fitness manager, she pays careful attention to the energy level of the classes and how many people attend, and she said it would be really great if I could go tonight.
I told her that I might be able to change up my routine to start going at night in the future, to which she casually replied, “Or you could just go twice.”
I was kind of caught of guard. I had no intentions or need to do two spin classes in one day, but her excitement and genuine request was making me reconsider.
A Refreshing Attitude
To be honest, it was incredibly refreshing. She wasn’t over thinking it. I think a byproduct of reading fitness blogs is starting to judge how much someone is working out, if they have an exercise addiction, if they are making unhealthy decisions, etc. We do this based on just the glimpse of their life that they share. Yet, outside this blogging community, working out can be purely something that’s fun and good for you. No judgment or worries required.
I want stress that she was not suggesting I do something harmful or unhealthy. She did tell me that doing two intense strength workouts a day would not be a good idea, but that since spin is cardio and I could adjust the level at which I’m working, it’d be a good way for me to build up my endurance while helping her out. After all, plenty of people training for triathlons, marathons, and other fitness goals do 90+ minutes of cardio regularly. There are even scheduled spin classes that last 2 hours at some gyms!
She sees me almost every day. She knows my fitness level and sees that I’m at a healthy weight. She knows I really enjoy spin class since I’m usually the one smiling and singing along. She had no apparent reason to question whether or not taking two spin classes would be a problem. If I had the time and energy for it, why not?
Granted, she had know way to tell if I had some personal issue that would make this a bad idea. She was leaving that up to my discretion. As an adult I would have to make that call on my own.
Thankfully I don’t, but I still don’t know if I’m going to do it. I have some things to get done this afternoon, but I’m definitely tempted to go and hopefully make her day.
So what do you think? Is doing two spin classes in one day crazy, or is it no big deal?
If you feel up to and want to, go for it
I find this a really interesting thing to touch on. Often when I’m at the gym, I will see someone taking back-to-back spin classes and my first thought is that they have some sort of a disorder. Similarly, my friend recently got married and would do two-a-day workouts a few times a week, which really concerned me, but didn’t seem to worry anyone else. I find that I do the same thing with eating – a girl I used to be close with would always say “Oh, I can’t eat when I’m drinking” when we would day drink, and I would go nuts over it!
I think that because I previously had an eating disorder, I am quick to assume that others may have similar issues… kindof how they say that the things that bother us the most in other people are things that we are dealing with, too. Probably also why so many of your readers are so quick to judge you
Anyways, I think that everything you do is a matter of personal judgment. You will know what is too much!
Maybe the previously injured fitness manager at a gym who is trying to drum up business (“She said she’s a little worried about the momentum of her classes and having people continue to show up regularly”) isn’t the best person to be taking advice from.
Unless you’re looking for an excuse to over-exercise. I bet two spin classes in one day would burn a heap of calories.
im pretty jealous that you fit in 2 spin classes– ugh, office jobs suck on that front! i say if you feel like it, go for it! it’s only when it becomes an “i have to do this” when it becomes a problem.
Clare,
Here is my honest opinion. I think that anyone who has suffered from any kind of eating disorder involving extremes with food (either restricting heavily/anorexia or the opposite — bingeing/compulsively overeating, both of which you’ve said you have experienced) should stay away from anything overly excessive even if you have innocuous intentions. I think once in a blue moon something like this is fine, but I still wouldn’t quite see the point and I don’t think “helping out an instructor” is a justifiable reason to do something so excessive at all. I have experienced bingeing and restricting as well, and I found that to truly re-calibrate and rebuild my relationship with food, I had to start over with everything, including exercise. It was like exercise was this other variable that helped to mess up my relationship with food even more, and once I got a handle on food again WITHOUT exercise, I could slowly incorporate it back in my life, in a NON excessive way. I’m sure you’ll make the best decision for you since it seems like you’ve come a long way. I would advise against it though.
Mallory
I think it depends on the person for sure. For some people who center their lives around food and exercise, have an exercise compulsion, and who hardly take any rest days or don’t eat enough for their excessive exercise, then yes two spin classes seems crazy and even disordered in a way. Yet for a person who got convinced by their friend, takes rest days often, could take week off from exercise when life gets busy without feeling guilty , eats a handful of m&ms without over thinking it, and doesn’t normally exercise for hours a day or as much as a professional athlete, then two spin classes once in a while seems fine, but sadly I haven’t found a blog written by anyone like that…
A few weeks ago, I did my normal morning run and later that day, found out that a new running friend wanted to run that night. I haven’t run twice in one day in FOREVER and it was really a great feeling to do it. Immediately, I got a friend’s negative feedback worrying I was going to become addicted. I haven’t run twice in one day since, but it was a nice change of pace. I run marathons and ultras, but running twice a day is what makes me crazy?!
I often work out twice a day because I do barre classes regularly since I’m a teacher, but I still like to get in a “traditional” cardio session 4 times a week. That means barre in the morning and cardio at night. It only amounts to about 90 minutes of working out total (which is what most people would do if they didn’t split it up anyway) so I don’t consider it anything excessive. I do know a lot of people who think it is excessive and obsessive, but I know the scale has stayed the same and working out after a long day of sitting at my desk is sometimes exactly what I need to finish the day. When I was training for my marathon I also did two cardio sessions a day occasionally. Like you said, I think this is something a lot of people do (splitting up their workouts for time) but in the “blog” world its viewed in a completely different way because people judge the “whole picture” which really isn’t accurate to begin with. Like someone else said, I think the problem is really when it becomes “working out once isn’t good enough I have to go longer harder and more times” rather than just an enjoyable activity.
If someone has the time and motivation why not? At some point your life will be far too busy. You shouldn’t be ashamed of working out twice in one day. If you enjoy it, go for it!
She didn’t have any reason to question why 2 spin classes would be negative, but you do. You have had issues in the past that make you vulnerable. You have an audience to consider. You have your body to honor. So *why not* one, and only one, spin class? Your wisdom and experience are more refreshing than our spin intructor’s naïveté.
I wouldn’t say two spin classes in a day are no big deal… but I also think itz totally doable!
Not like a daily thing, but randomly, especially if you’re kind of laying low otherwise… like not running and swimming and weight lifting and yoga-ing too! haha have fun with it! you are in great shape and can handle it!
I enjoy working out. I don’t think there’s a problem with doubles UNLESS it’s becoming an unhealthy addiction. If it was up to me, I’d go to zumba 4 times a day and squeeze a few runs in between because I ENJOY it. If you’re the same way, which it sounds like you are, then I see nothing wrong with it. Especially since you’re friends with the instructor!
I think you are way over-thinking it! If you feel like working out twice in one day, go for. But if your body says no, listen to it. Take advantage to this time while you have it!
I work the front desk and instruct at a local spin studio and there are a handful of girls/women who come in twice a day. Honestly, I cannot HELP but worry about them. I especially worry about the high school girls who come in before AND after school. As a personal trainer I really don’t agree with it. I understand doing two types of workouts in one day.. aka running or lifting in the AM and then hitting up a yoga class at night (if you are fueling properly).. but two of the same types of workouts is just overkill. There is no point and it’s dangerous. Sure, spin class is low impact on the muscles, but two in one day is just unnecessary, especially for someone with a disordered past. I also agree that the instructor was just trying to get students in by having you attend a second class.. which I feel is not very responsible on her part to get students to attend no matter the circumstance. Just be careful, and EAT. With the current battle you are facing against under fueling and then overcompensating with binges, I think that attending two classes is dangerous. However, you know yourself best.. I would just recommend to consider these points. I’ll end my rant now.
Great comment
Go for it – I did it all the time and loved it! Enjoy
If you feel good, GO! It’s not like you’re spinning 2 hours per day, every single day. You make an awesome point about not over-thinking exercise. Just listen to your body!
This is advice that my sports medicine doctor gave me while training for a half marathon. He said that we need to train up the time, so not only practice running the distance, but get our heart used to working the length of time we were going to race. So, he said, occasionally it would be a good thing to work out that length of time, and if i have to break it up before and after work, that would be ok. Just a thought to add into the comment section…
Although I personally don’t have any desire to do two workouts in one day (it forces me either to shower twice or be gross for part of the day), I think doing two classes in one day isn’t a terrible idea. Exercise should make you feel good inside and out, so keeping that in mind is important for anyone wanting to up the intensity of their exercise program. And fueling properly is necessary as well! So I’d say if you’re keeping track of how you’re feeling and what you’re eating, go for it.
Well, spin instructors do it all the time, but we’re crazy
The biggest draw back for two a days for me is having to take two showers!
I’ve had to teach back to back spin a handful of times when subbing, and it’s definitely tough, but doable. I hadn’t thought about the issues others brought up about the dangers of it, the example is sets, high school girls who work out before and after school… all great points.
eh I think its kind of excessive. I have worked out twice in one day but its always been a form of strength training or pilates AND a cardio workout like spinning. I think the point about training is valid but with that you would also be eating for all that exercise and if you arnt really training for anything it just seems kind of unnecessary. you should do whats right for you not what would make the class better! You dont work for the gym, she does! (not being rude or snarky, tone is so hard in writing!) Just my opinion.
I agree with the people who said they don’t like to because they don’t like to shower twice in one day – that’s so me as well! I don’t think you should worry about what “your audience” will think and if you feel like spinning again with a cool instructor then go for it. Obviously it’s not going to be an every day thing and I’m sure you would eat enough to make up for the extra calories burned so why not? I hope you will let us know whether you went or not! Also, thanks for opening yourself up on here about this topic – you could have very easily just not mentioned it! It was interesting to see what people said!
All pro athletes work out at least twice a day – there’s nothing unhealthy about it as long as you’re changing your fuelling to ensure you’re keeping up with what you’re burning and you don’t start to get structural pain (knees, backs, etc.) Go watch a documentary on Rich Froning and tell me that he’s not healthy, because he can outdo the above average person in virtually any type of fitness event.
Everyone makes a personal choice as to how much they want to be active and it’s nobody’s business what choice you are making. On both sides (“people work out too much” or “people don’t move enough”) there is judgement that is rooted in personal opinion that shouldn’t be expressed.
A lot of people take back-to-back spinning classes (which is why instructors can’t use the same playlist twice in a row) and some gyms also offer spin classes that are up to twice as long as a typical class. Some people just really and truly LOVE spinning so they do doubles, others want to burn more calories and of course there are people with body image issues or disorders. I think it is extremely important for anyone exercising even slightly excessively to step back and examine their motivations, but doing a double every now and then is totally fine.
Clare- every monday am I go to my crossfit class and every monday night I go to my husband’s martial arts class. I do crossfit 6 days a week and I usually lift before class on Saturdays or Sundays. However, the difference is that I eat…like A LOT! I honestly rarely feel tired (except for the fact that I don’t get 8 hours of sleep) but if my body did feel tired or drained, I would take a rest day. I don’t schedule rest days because I just take them as I need them and I vary my workouts so much that my body is cool with it. Like yesterday we did a cardio wod but today we did strength training. Do what makes you happy but make sure you are properly fueling for those workouts!
That’s great!! It’s nice to hear from people that don’t follow the “standard” rules but listen to their bodies and do what makes them happy.
I get where you’re coming from on this post – why do some of us pay close attention to exactly how much we work out while others don’t think twice about it. I think whether or not someone should or shouldn’t work out twice a day depends completely on that person’s mind set and health. If someone goes to 2 classes a day because it’s fun and they are physically fit enough to do it and eat plenty to do it, then that’s perfectly fine. If someone is doing it and restricting calories and breaking down their body from it, then that’s completely different. Clearly you just want to go because you want to make her happy, and there’s no problem with that!
Hi Clare- I’m so pleased to have found your blog; I’m loving going through your archives- you touch upon many great topics, this one included. About taking two spin classes, 1. I think it’s very nice of you to even consider doing it for your friend, and 2. I reckon you should give it a go, and if your body doesn’t respond well, stop. It all comes down to listening to what your body’s saying; It’s the best decision-maker. Good luck!
I don’t think it’s a big deal – monotonous, yes. However, if you have to question whether it’s a big deal, maybe it is for you considering what you know about yourself. That being said, no one else can make that detemination but you. I know personally I work out to make myself happy, so I wouldn’t do it just to make someone else’s day – I’d just maybe try to rearrange my workout the next time to take her class.
As someone with an ed and exercise addiction I don’t see a problem with 2 classes in a day. If you’re smart enough to have down time in between and fuel well I don’t think it’s bad