Are spin classes dangerous?

Ask around: everyone's heard a horror story (or been involved in one) of crazy trainers pushing you to the brink of death in a mad cycling frenzy. I'd always been too scared to try it, but I decided it was time to see if I could tame this fitness beast.

I arrive at Sydney's Spin City Health Club for my lesson. My first impression of my trainer, Michael Moore (no, not the American political activist; I don't think he would last long in a spin class) is that he's clearly a man who's done it a few times. "Are you nervous?" he asks me. "Of course not," I reply, but my nervous laugh gives me away. There's a quick rundown on how to set up and use the bike, and what to do in an emergency, and then I'm on the bike, ready for action. "Okay, let's get some blood pumping through our legs," Michael shouts as he climbs aboard his bike. In my mind this means a nice gentle start. Oh no. It's full throttle from the beginning. After one minute I know this is going to be a workout I won't forget in a hurry.

Faster and faster I go and I'm sure this bike, which is securely fastened to the ground, is about to take off. It's possible, I tell myself. Next we're standing up on the bike and pedalling. After a few minutes my quads are starting to feel the burn. "Okay, let's turn the dial," Michael orders the group, which means the bike becomes harder to pedal. We're given a countdown, and at the end we return to a seated position to pedal as fast as possible again. Strangely, I'm enjoying it. I could easily vomit right now, but I'm weirdly exhilarated by the experience.

The music is loud and Michael is really shouting, but it's inspirational, it's motivational and it's making me hang in there and go harder. "Your friends are gaining on you, they're about to overtake you, the end is in sight, you are not going to relinquish your lead," he shouts and it becomes a psychological battle as much as a physical one. I close my eyes and pedal as hard as my body will let me. We turn the dial up again and now my quads are on fire.

The workout continues with a variety of fast sprints, hard climbs, faster sprints, harder climbs and psychological barrier breaking. By the end I am absolutely shattered. Make no mistake: I have been pushed to my absolute limit. And then some.

"How was that?" Michael asks me as I concentrate on standing upright without falling over. "I feel like I might die, but that was really good," I reply. I'm smiling on the bus ride home, because despite all the hard work, I've never felt so refreshed and energised. Would I do it again? Strangely, I think I just might.

The spin on spin

• Fear nothing. "Just give it a go - don't be afraid," spin instructor Michael Moore says. "People get intimidated because they're told it's so hard, but you have control over what you actually do in the class."
• Guzzle kilojoules. "There's no class with as high an intensity as a spin class," Michael says. "People get up to 185 beats per minute and you don't want people going any higher than that." And there's definitely a pay-off, with an average of 1670 to 2000 kilojoules burned off in a 45-minute session.
• Set your limits. "Spin classes are great for cardio fitness, but some people do too many classes. You shouldn't be doing three such classes in a week - it's too much for your body," Michael says. "Also, it shouldn't be your only form of exercise. It's great for weight loss as part of a balanced exercise program and for muscle definition in your legs - they'll change shape but not get bigger."
• Come one, come all. The misconception about spin classes is that they're for fitness enthusiasts only, but most people can participate. "You will push as hard as you want to," Michael says. "I can try and motivate people to go an extra five per cent, but it is up the individual."
• Join in. Spin classes are a permanent fixture in gyms across the country. At some places you can pay a one-off fee for a class without being a member.
• Watch the pennies. If you're already a member of a gym there's usually no extra charge for a spin class. Sure, you can buy a stationary bike and do it at home, but the beauty of spin class is its motivational support.