spin-up
03-23-2004, 04:30 PM
Tuesday afternoon... in front of our sportsgym 2 vans have stopped... I watch them, a bit nervous. Me & my big mouth! Just a few weeks ago I went to the Blind Institute to offer to set up a regular spinning class for them. I thought.... peace of cake! I can do this! And they were so exited! This group doesn't get much attention and support from the healthy world, especially not from a sportschool. It made me feel like Santa Claus the good guy bringing a gift. It made me feel SUPER!
Now... I don't feel super anymore - watching 8 blind boys get out of the vans. Slowly... slowly... helped by 5 gymteachers from their school. They look rather helpless, not just blind but disabled in more ways... However wll they get on the bikes? Can I make their expectations come true or will they be disappointed? 1 of the teachers tells me how exited they are, a few couldn't sleep last night. Yeah... that's what I needed... I try to hide my nervosity walking them to the dressingroom. Again... slowly... step by step. The boys are silent. Waiting for the BIG event. Smelling the scents of a REAL sportsgym, hearing new noises, voices. They don't look nervous. The spinningroom is all set up. 8 bikes up front, cards with names on it, teachers behind them, and the last row is for the regular students of this endurance class. Finally, here they are.
They come in, touching, smelling, listening. Yeah this is a spinning bike, can you feel it? Feel how stable it is, here's the seat, the pedals, the steer. You'll be safe. They feel, touch, and carefully, get on. Adjusting goes much easier than I thought. The teachers are great. I instruct on the headset and in 10 minutes everyone is on the bike, ready to ride!
However the first minutes are.. TERRIBLE!! The upper body's go in all directions, no rhythm, no flow, just a struggle to find positions. We help, the music helps, the boys try so hard and then... slowly, they start to understand. They get it!
So here we go. Together with the regulars we go on a rolling hill trip with this diverse group. It feels strange... new.... exiting. Somehow the emotions of the front row spread out through the room. Everyone is silent.... enjoying the ride... impressed because there is something undescribable going on.
I'm off bike, checking, adjusting, not much, it doesn't seem to be neccessary. I see their faces from close, the emotions, they are drinking this up, overwhelmed by the new movement. Just IMAGINE: in their whole life these young men have never had the experience of doing a sport completely by themselves. They are never in control, always dependent, have never relied on their own bodystrength. And now they can! Noone is helping. They are on their own! Cycling alone, going up a small hill, coming down, riding, riding, wind in the face, wind from behind.
They loosen up, faces relax. Rhythm release is not an issue here because they have perfectly natural movements on the bike. They enjoy, laugh, go faster and stronger than they should in endurance zone but I let them. Some are dancing on the bike. We'r all touched by the way these guys are enjoying the ride.
And here's the end of the ride. We slow down, cool down. 1 of the boys is almost in tears, then he yells: 'I have been racing on a racing bike!!' I feel something run down my face and for 1 second I'm happy they can't see. All of us feel like we were in another galaxy, having problems getting back on our feet. Everyone remains silent, impressed, moved.
Of course in every spinning class there is a spiritual aspect. But for me this was the most emotional and beautiful ride I've ever been in. That's why I want to share this with you. Also, in an environment of Peace, Love, Happiness & Balance I hope to convince some of you to also set this up. Maybe you've already been thinking of setting up a spining class for blinds... then I hope this story will be that extra impuls. However.... it's not going to be easy, management may not like it, it's not commercialwise attractive, it's costing you tons of energy. But PLEASE consider it! You'll get so much back. And don't hesitate to contact me if you need help to set this up.
Spinning in the dark lights up your life.
Clarien1@zonnet.nl
Now... I don't feel super anymore - watching 8 blind boys get out of the vans. Slowly... slowly... helped by 5 gymteachers from their school. They look rather helpless, not just blind but disabled in more ways... However wll they get on the bikes? Can I make their expectations come true or will they be disappointed? 1 of the teachers tells me how exited they are, a few couldn't sleep last night. Yeah... that's what I needed... I try to hide my nervosity walking them to the dressingroom. Again... slowly... step by step. The boys are silent. Waiting for the BIG event. Smelling the scents of a REAL sportsgym, hearing new noises, voices. They don't look nervous. The spinningroom is all set up. 8 bikes up front, cards with names on it, teachers behind them, and the last row is for the regular students of this endurance class. Finally, here they are.
They come in, touching, smelling, listening. Yeah this is a spinning bike, can you feel it? Feel how stable it is, here's the seat, the pedals, the steer. You'll be safe. They feel, touch, and carefully, get on. Adjusting goes much easier than I thought. The teachers are great. I instruct on the headset and in 10 minutes everyone is on the bike, ready to ride!
However the first minutes are.. TERRIBLE!! The upper body's go in all directions, no rhythm, no flow, just a struggle to find positions. We help, the music helps, the boys try so hard and then... slowly, they start to understand. They get it!
So here we go. Together with the regulars we go on a rolling hill trip with this diverse group. It feels strange... new.... exiting. Somehow the emotions of the front row spread out through the room. Everyone is silent.... enjoying the ride... impressed because there is something undescribable going on.
I'm off bike, checking, adjusting, not much, it doesn't seem to be neccessary. I see their faces from close, the emotions, they are drinking this up, overwhelmed by the new movement. Just IMAGINE: in their whole life these young men have never had the experience of doing a sport completely by themselves. They are never in control, always dependent, have never relied on their own bodystrength. And now they can! Noone is helping. They are on their own! Cycling alone, going up a small hill, coming down, riding, riding, wind in the face, wind from behind.
They loosen up, faces relax. Rhythm release is not an issue here because they have perfectly natural movements on the bike. They enjoy, laugh, go faster and stronger than they should in endurance zone but I let them. Some are dancing on the bike. We'r all touched by the way these guys are enjoying the ride.
And here's the end of the ride. We slow down, cool down. 1 of the boys is almost in tears, then he yells: 'I have been racing on a racing bike!!' I feel something run down my face and for 1 second I'm happy they can't see. All of us feel like we were in another galaxy, having problems getting back on our feet. Everyone remains silent, impressed, moved.
Of course in every spinning class there is a spiritual aspect. But for me this was the most emotional and beautiful ride I've ever been in. That's why I want to share this with you. Also, in an environment of Peace, Love, Happiness & Balance I hope to convince some of you to also set this up. Maybe you've already been thinking of setting up a spining class for blinds... then I hope this story will be that extra impuls. However.... it's not going to be easy, management may not like it, it's not commercialwise attractive, it's costing you tons of energy. But PLEASE consider it! You'll get so much back. And don't hesitate to contact me if you need help to set this up.
Spinning in the dark lights up your life.
Clarien1@zonnet.nl