ICI/PRO Member and Contributor Barbara Hoots was featured in her local paper the Albany Herald
“From the lighting to the music to the actual cycling, it”™s a total experience. No one wins in a spin class. It”™s not about competition.”
Hoots should know. She took a local spinning class shortly after outdoor enthusiast Johnny Goldberg (“Johnny G”) and his good friend John Baudhuin (who co-founded Mad Dogg Athletics) came up with the concept circa 1992, but her passion wasn”™t ignited until she made several trips to Miami to train under master instructors.
When she fell for spinning, she went all in.
SPINNING A NEW LOOK
“I came back to Albany and asked Tony if he”™d give us some space for a spinning room,” Hoots said. “He had an area that I think had been for women only that he said we could use. I recruited John Medlin, who”™s a phenom with a skill saw, to redesign the room and started negotiating with others who could help with the makeover.
“We redid the whole room – the look, the lighting, the sound system – added a few more bikes and once we found acceptance in the community, we couldn”™t keep people out. Now we have a waiting list for all our classes.”
Powell, who opened Tony”™s 29 years ago this May, has seen every fitness fad and fashion that”™s made the rounds come and go at his popular gym. But he says he”™s never quite seen anything go over the way spinning has since Hoots”™ program evolved into a local craze.
“We”™ve offered spinning here since it started; I think we started with 15 or so bikes,” he said. “It did OK, but once Barbara started teaching and making changes to our spinning room, it”™s just become a phenomenon. It”™s such a unique activity; from the atmosphere of the class to the state-of-the-art sound system, spinning is the total fitness experience.
“Spin classes here have become the hottest ticket in town. If you don”™t get to a class a little early, you”™re not going to get a seat. And we”™re up to 55 bikes.” Read the rest if the story.
You can learn more about Barbara - Spinning Indoor Cycling Studio Design
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Not surprised at all, Barbara – you are a “phenom” in your own right! Congratulations on the great feedback and recognition – you deserve it!
You are amazing Barbara! It’s all about the passion, the fire that spreads and reaches anyone nearby. Keep the fire going Barbara!