Fitness: Torq, the inside track
Stationary cycling is one of the most exhausting exercises you can do
In January, Lance Armstrong, after years of denial, finally admitted to cheating. The superstar cyclist, who won a record seven straight Tours de France, did so with the help of illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
The saddest part? Doping in professional cycling is not uncommon. According to the US Anti-Doping Agency, 80 per cent of Tour de France medallists between 1996 and 2010 also used similar drugs.
As a huge sports fan, news of the widespread cheating in cycling left me disappointed and insulted. But then I took my first class at Hong Kong's first independent spinning studio, Torq Cycle. I now almost want to forgive Armstrong, because I'm typing this the morning after the 50-minute cycling session, and I still can't feel my legs.
"I can't think of another exercise where you work as hard, burn as many calories, but have zero risk of injuries."
I'm joking, of course. There's no excuse for cheating, but spinning - indoor, stationary cycling - is one of the most physically draining exercises around. One of the trainers at Torq is a former professional rugby player and professional muay Thai fighter named Adam Fabbian. Spinning is how he keeps in shape.
"I can't think of another exercise where you work as hard, burn as many calories, but have zero risk of injuries," he says.
Fabbian isn't the only trainer at Torq with an impressive CV. One was a professional gymnast in Canada; another was a championship cheerleader in Florida; the others are either competitive triathletes or certified trainers with degrees. And they're all super fit.
It's no surprise the trainers hold such elite pedigrees, since everything about Torq feels high quality. The lockers uses an electronic lock that requires no key or password, and the shower room feels like one you'd find at a high-end spa.
Then there are the bikes - the latest in the Schwinn Authentic Cycling series. These feature a long list of fancy technical specs, like "magnetic brake system" and "perimeter-weighted flywheels". But all you need to know is that riding it feels exactly like cycling on the streets.