Africa
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Joburg
South Africa
Greatest AfricansAfricaEducationJoburgSouth AfricaGreatest Africans
You will find them in the big city gyms and in the smallest garage in the Free State - Spinning® classes! And the same faces that started the journey at the beginning of Spinning® in this country (15 years +) are STILL on the very same bike in the very same corner! It’s like a drug, a ‘happy hormone’ release, cause they keep coming back for more!
What is the secret behind this training modality to have such an eternal lifespan? Many other ‘new fitness fads’ finish off earlier than what they started. When the public finds their special instructor that provides them with a real Spinning® experience, they will stand behind him/her with support and regular attendance.
This special training modality came to life when, Johnny G. (Goldberg), from Johannesburg, South Africa, created this phenomenal way of recreating the road indoors. A swimmer turned body builder, turned triathlete, turned ultra distance cyclist, Goldberg was no stranger to the rigors of competition. He designed the first stationary bike used for group stationary cycling; he called it the
“Yellow Beast” in 1987. His creation was revolutionary as it promotes riding a bike as an indoor activity, without any electronic components, on an ergonomically designed bike. The Johnny G stationary bike was also the first piece of cardio equipment to offer a water bottle holder. The bottled water industry benefited tremendously from this innovation. It was a simple thing, but it was a huge thing. Very soon thereafter treadmills, stair machines, and other cardiovascular pieces of equipment evolved with a built-in place to hold a water bottle.
The introduction of a real bike crank arm made for a very different ride on a stationary bike. All of a sudden you could stand while you rode. Ever tried to ride in the standing position on a Lifecycle?
The other cool thing about the use of the real crank was the ability to change out the pedals to clip-less ones. The pedal companies and the shoe companies were in heaven over this innovation. It turned a seasonal business into a year long business. Sales of padded shorts and jerseys also increased, along with pedal wrenches and allen keys.
Until Johnny G. started pushing the use of heart rate monitors in classes, the sales of monitors were very marginal. Once the Johnny G Program classes exploded, health clubs began to incorporate the use of heart rate training. Incredible!
Spinning® classes brought a total new population now to the gym. The guys with no rhythm or coordination, the professional athlete for cross training, the overweight population that achieved unbelievable results and also the stressed individual that just needs the sanity of being on a bike with great music and lots of energy around him while getting a dopamine release.
Johnny G’s philosophy on the use of music in classes was a blessing to our ears! Finally a class that used music at its regular speed. Not only did our ear for music expand, but our attitude towards it exploded. We were no longer trapped in the box of beats per minute with 8 counts. As our maturity developed, so did our acceptance of various genres of music, our attentiveness to the sounds in a song, and the applicability of lyrics in the music. We learned more about rhythm, tempo, and timing. People learned that cardio exercise can actually be very enjoyable and that you do not have to merely go ride on the road – in actual fact, Spinning® makes you stronger and provides you with the preparation for the races.
Many hybrid programs made their way over the years but none of them can use the registered trademarked study material or parts thereof. One of the total unique qualities of a real Spinning® experience, is the visualization option provided to individuals. The secret of Spinning® trained instructors is their ability to provide individuals with the necessary tools to connect mind and body while busy with a high end cardiovascular workout. That is one of the trademarked secrets that will bring these hardened Spinners® back year after year. Internal motivation lasts much longer than externally motivated goals. Participants can choose to simply come and do mental offloading or have the top end heart rate ride of the week. A well qualified Spinning® instructor is able to motivate individuals to give themselves the best they can for that moment – not just push the class to see how much sweat can be accumulated on the floor or to follow external devices.
“Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity.”
-Lao Tzu
To Be the Champion You Deserve to Be!
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