Fits do Fitness Class Reviews: Surge Cycling

I recently asked for recommendations on good spin studios in the Minneapolis area and my friend Christie came through for me!

She suggested that I join her at Surge Cycling. She used to be really into spin when she lived in NYC and she said she was happy to find Surge Cycling when she came to Minneapolis as it offered a similar class as to what she was used to.

I joined her last Sunday for the 9 am 45-minute Surge Circuit. I liked it so much that I joined her again this week!

I used to be really into spin classes myself, in college and then right afterwards when I was going to the Firm. But other than the Flywheel class I took a few years ago in Chicago, I hadn’t been to a good spin class in quite some time. Surge Cycling reignited that old love of spin in me!

It is also a great option for runners dealing with injury as its low-impact. If you’re not injured, it’s still great cross training.
Last week the teacher was Vanessa and this week it was Maria. Both were great; motivational without being over-the-top with great tunes and cues for the different parts of the workout. Both teachers varied the class with different drills that really got your heart pumping. In just 45 minutes, I felt like I got a serious cardio (and a bit of strength) workout.

The studio is very clean and nice. They have sweat towels available for you, as well as cold towels for when you’re done with the class. Everyone was very welcoming when I arrived and the teachers were helpful with setting up my bike before class.

The bikes at Surge Cycling have gears numbered 1-25. This info is listed on a small computer screen on each bike, as well as your RPM’s. The instructor will give you a range for each drill for both gears and RPM’s, i.e. 19 would be tough hill climb, 5 would be a sprint.
The Experience: Part of the fun of a good spin class (in my opinion) is the lights, the music, i.e. the club-like feel. It’s as though you’re not working out, but partaking in a fun dance party on the bike…except you ARE working out. Spin classes are indeed a great workout!
The Right Fit?
You should wear tight-fitting bike shorts or leggings and a tank. It’s a little chilly in the room when you first arrive, but you’ll be breaking a sweat pretty quickly, so wear a sweat-wicking tank or tee. Bring a water bottle. I used to own my own spin shoes, but I can’t find them anywhere, so I had to pay $3 each time to rent a pair. However, I learned today that Surge Cycling will give you two free classes if you bring in your receipt to show that you purchased spin shoes. Sweet!

Cost: Your first class is only $9.50. After my first class, I was offered 3 classes for $40- not a bad deal. After those 3 classes are up, I would consider a 5 or 10 pack, bringing the classes down to $17.80 or $16.80 each respectively.

Where: Surge Cycling has two studios, one in St. Louis Park by the West End (where I went) and one in Maple Grove (waaaayy too far for this girl!) The St. Louis Park studio is conveniently located for a lot of different parts of the Twin Cities off Highway 100.

Classes offered:
I have only taken the Surge Circuit class, but the studio offers a variety of other types of classes:

Surge Circuit: the flagship class- low impact, high-intensity!
Surge Jolt: Wake your mind, body, and spirit up with our Surge Circuit flagship ride at 6 am!
Warrior Ride: this class simulates riding positions/terrain used in outdoor cycling. Expect fast sprints, steep climbs and train with watts. Watts are a unit of measurement used in cycling to measure your power output.
Surge Sculpt: An intense 45 minute cardio and strength class; utilizing two-pound hand weights, adding some targeted strength moves for your arms, chest, back, and shoulders, which transforms your ride into a total-body workout.
Hip Hop or Crunk Cycle: Similar to the regular spin class, but with only hip hop or crunk music- Fun!
Tabata Cycle: Tabata drills consist of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of recovery. On the bike, this plays out as 8 20-second sprints with light to moderate resistance. This ride also includes rolling hills – 20 seconds super steep, 10 seconds more moderate resistance, and so on for the 8 rounds.

Calories burned in an average 45 minute spin class: It seems that most sources say between 400 and 600 calories, depending on personal effort. When I enter my data into this calculator, it says I burned 375 calories.

Other useful articles:
Why Runners Need Spinning
Could Spinning be the best cross-training for runners?
Spinning for Runners- 4 Reasons why its the best cross training for runners

Thanks to Christie for the referral to Surge Cycling!