25+ years of running started catching up with my lumbar spine last year, so it was time to vary up the workout repertoire. Enter Leslee Blatnikoff’s RealRyderRevolution spinning studio in Birmingham, MI. I’ve added 2-3 weekly spins to my routine, and it’s simply an awesome, addictive ride. I chatted with Leslee about why riding feels so good and makes you feel so kick-ass.
“I’ve been spinning for about 13 years, and I’ve been an instructor for eight. I was teaching at a couple of local gyms and then I went to the Hamptons with my family, and my cousin took me to a spinning studio and I thought, ‘we’ve got to do this.'” For Leslee, what makes a class great is the music. “I’m a music freak and very passionate about my playlist. I really believe that music makes your workout, and I think that’s why people love my classes, the energy is just exciting.”
Also unique about RealRyder are the bikes themselves. They tilt and move with your body, offering what the website describes as spinning taken to the next level: “a TOTAL body workout allowing you to turn, lean, steer, race, climb, and strengthen your core while generating an increased calorie burn like never before.” Indeed, Leslee estimates 700-1,000 calories per class.
Anyone 12 or older can ride, and Leslee says her students range from beginners to Red Wings. “Each class you can go at your own pace, I have students at every level.” And though spinning can improve your performance on a road bike, Leslee says the majority of her students just want a great cardio workout and the added benefit of upper body and core work that these unique bikes provide.
I don’t mean to sound like an ad, but I love this workout—there’s nothing quite like it.
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