Spinning with a bump...

As a keen triathlete heading into another cold Winter and dreading the approaching but inevitable turbo training sessions, I was very excited when my friend e-mailed me news of a new spinning studio opening in Putney. Fantastic – I had always enjoyed Spinning but have an aversion to Gyms as they tend to rip you off and I do most of my training for free in the great Outdoors (running and cycling).
However, almost immediately after hearing this news, I found out I was pregnant. That was going to change things a lot!!! I was determined to stay as active as I could throughout my pregnancy but would obviously be cutting my exercise load significantly.

Having done my research on exercise in pregnancy and talking to my GP, I realised that Spinning and Swimming were going to be the 2 things I could keep doing throughout. The great thing about Spinning is that you can adjust your effort to the zone you want to work in while still taking part in the class and enjoying the group atmosphere (not to mention the extra motivation it provides!). All I had to do is keep an eye on my heart rate, make sure I stayed hydrated and not overheat – which is why I always hog the bike nearest the fan (sorry!). Latest recommendations for exercise in pregnancy is to avoid going above Lactate Threshold so basically, as long as I stayed aerobic and felt good, then there was no reason not to continue.

In the first trimester, I found the Pedal Studio fantastic as it was so icy outdoors, I was really reluctant to ride my bike as risk of falling was just too high. I had a quiet word with my instructors to let them know and they were all really fantastic and supportive. I was a pretty frequent attendee then but I have to admit as the weather got better and the days longer in the second trimester, the call of my bike and the outdoors proved too much and I spent some time riding gently in Richmond Park (and sometimes further afield) while I still could. I managed to keep running until 23 weeks and stopped outdoor cycling at 26 weeks and since then have been at the Pedal Studio 3-4 times a week as and when work schedule allows. As my bump has gotten bigger and bigger, everything has felt like hard work but once I’m on the bike in the studio, I don’t even notice I’m pregnant. Being able to Spin has kept me sane and I plan on keeping going as long as I can fit on the bike (though I will obviously slow down more and more as time goes on).

I would like to say Thanks to Andrew and all the instructors at Pedal Studio for being so friendly, helpful and understanding. (Also Thanks to my fellow Spinners for not laughing as I now have to wear my Husbands training top as nothing else fits!!)
It really makes a difference to have such a great facility on our doorstep and with childcare also available, you can be sure I’ll continue to spin once the bump makes his or her way out into the big bad world!!!