The 12 Days of Christmas - jSpin Style

Last night I substitute taught at jSpin because Robert had a business meeting. It was our annual Christmas spin.  What a bummer that Robert couldn't be there because it's our most fun class of the year.
 
We have several traditions.  For example, people wear festive attire.  I wore my Oscar the Grouch jersey because it's green, and Oscar looks like a cousin of the Grinch.  I wore a Santa hat, too.  Others wore antlers, jingle bells, and even a tutu.  Additionally, we always have that Southern party staple - cheese straws.  Joel served as this year's elf, walking around and passing the cheese straw plate among the class members.  Last but certainly not least, it's the one class each year when we have adult beverages in our water bottles.  I planned to have vodka and cranberry juice but discovered yesterday morning that Robert and I are out of vodka.  Thus, I substituted coconut rum, which was quite tasty with cranberry juice.  Other class members had beer, various vodka cocktails, or wine.  Louise discovered that our spin bikes are ideally suited to hold a wine glass: 

 The playlist included a bunch of my favorite Christmas music:

·         The 12 Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser (This is a fantastic a capella singing group.  If you haven't heard them, check them out, especially this song.)

·         Carol of the Bells from "A Winter's Solstice IV" by various Windham Hill Artists

·         You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft

·         Hark! The Herald Trumpets Sing by Mannheim Steamroller

·         Santa Train by Patty Loveless

·         A Christmas Song by Jethro Tull

·         Here with Us by Joy Williams

·         Gagliarda by Mannheim Steamroller

·         Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow by Jethro Tull

·         Santa Claus Is Back in Town by Dwight Yoakam

·         Wassail, Wassail by Mannheim Steamroller (When I told the class the name of the song, Lynne asked, “Is there a song called Vodka, Vodka?)

·         Bluegrass, White Snow by Patty Loveless

·         Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt

·         Lo How a Rose E’Er Blooming by Mannheim Steamroller

·         Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel by George Winston

·         Pat a Pan by Mannheim Steamroller

I devised a workout based on the 12 days of Christmas.

On the 12^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...a 12-minute warmup

On the 11^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...11 sets of standing flats; 10 seconds each with 10-second rests between

On the 10^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...10 lords a leaping, i.e. 10 jumps

On the 9^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...9 ladies dancing, i.e., 9 stomps

On the 8^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...8 spin-ups; 15 seconds each with 15-second rests between

On the 7^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...7 swans a swimming. Hold your head completely still while you pedal.  It’s pretty tough to do, and it really works your quads.  10 seconds each with 10-second rests between

On the 6^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...6 geese a laying, i.e., 6 sets of hovering, like you’re laying an egg; 30 seconds each with 30-second rests between

On the 5^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...a 5-minute climb

On the 4^th day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...4 calling birds.  I got 4 volunteers to be calling birds.  Each called out what we would for the next minute for 4 successive minutes, e.g., climb, high cadence, low cadence, etc.

On the 3^rd day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...3 French hens.  This was the highlight of the evening!  I made up a spin move in honor of 3 French hens: high cadence for 30 seconds (running around like a chicken with its head cut off), followed by 30 seconds of flapping our wings and making chicken noises. The class actually did it! Three sets! I had the best seat in the house, looking out at everyone from the instructor’s position.  I love to laugh, and it’s been a while since I had one that good.

On the 2^nd day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...2 turtle doves.  Well, actually more like turtles, i.e., 2 minutes of low cadence

On the 1^st day of Christmas, my spin instructor gave to me...a 1-legged drill with each leg; 30 seconds each leg

We purposely take it easier during our Christmas jSpin due to the festivities, but we actually got a semi-workout this year.  I had fun substitute teaching, but I hope Robert won't have to miss next year's Christmas jSpin class.  He'll definitely have to bring back the chicken.  Merry Christmas!