'Spinning' Fitness Craze Takes Over Charlestown Retirement Community

A new fitness craze known as ‘Spinning’ has taken over Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville and residents are not about to stop anytime soon.

Spinning consists of multiple exercise bikes arranged in a circle where riders spin the pedals simultaneously to motivating music. An instructor with a headset sits atop a lead bike, giving instructions and making the class fun.

Spinning classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8-8:30 a.m. in the new Fitness Center in Charlestown Square on the Catonsville campus. 

“Spinning can be a great way to get the workout our residents  have been looking for—burning calories and keeping muscles in shape—especially during the off-season,” said Teresa Reymann, the wellness manager for Charlestown. “It is an effective workout.”

The intensity of the workout is influenced by the following: cadence or pedal rate, resistance of the bike's flywheel, which can be continually adjusted throughout the class to make pedaling easier or more difficult, and by the riders’ body positions, as they either pedal from a seated position, or rise from the saddle.

Spinning classes are done with various light and music settings to create an energized atmosphere. Instructors guide participants through workout phases. Warm-up, steady up-tempo cadences, sprints, climbs, and cool-downs comprise each workout. Residents can control the resistance on their bikes to make the pedaling as easy or difficult as they choose. Constant adjustment is normal

“All the residents need are workout clothes, a towel (to wipe their faces) and a water bottle,” said Reymann.