Week 18 of my comfort zone challenge, I decided to take seat onto a bike, and do a bit of spinning.

As a good way to train for my London to Brighton bike ride coming up, I thought spinning would be a good challenge. I applied online for GlowBike in Brighton, and took up the session with no real idea of what spinning was like. My mum told me I would love it, and the a couple of colleagues left me with the message, to just stay at my level and take water (I ignored both and regretted both, especially the water!)

I’m not great with exercise, I tend to do as little as I can get away with, just to get me by. I’m brilliant for paying my monthly gym membership and not being seen in months, and when I am seen I’m in the jacuzzi.

GlowBike was a place I hadn’t been to before, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t know anyone there. The glow of the place was quite clear, there was glitter and fake diamonds everywhere. Even the hair dryer in the mens changing room was full of glitter. There was quite a camp feel to the place, but not sure what I expected in Kemp Town in Brighton. I was professionally welcomed and dealt with brilliantly as I went to the beginner session.

Once we were all set up, Tam, our instructor started to talk us through what was going to happen. 20 of us, all different abilities, would start to ride to some disco music, alongside strobe lighting and orders from Tam. As the song would ‘drop’, we would sprint, and as the song started to get slower, we would up the resistance and ride slower. Having ridden a bike in the gym, it’s safe to say this session worked me out harder than any gym session. People around you and music make you give it your all. I definitely felt like a guy that had no clue at points, as the experienced women around me, made it look easy.

We then went onto the floor beside, for floor exercises. Tam told beginners to pick up the pink weights. Of course, by the time I got to pick weights, there were no pink weights left. No problem, I’m a strong bloke.

Yeah, I’m not strong. I did well to make myself look like an idiot with the weights. I had to put them down at points because my whole body felt like jelly. This was a real workout, and for a guy that hasn’t done any real workout for months, I felt the effects. My Gluts (arse) were in pain the next day, I could barely walk.

What must be said, I hate working out, and this was a good way to do so. Everyone loves music, and the effect it has on you keeps you going. On my little training plan for the London to Brighton bike ride, I will definitely incorporate spinning.