I need the input or advice of all cyclists or participants of spinning classes....?

i took my first spinning class tuesday and im still VERY sore from the seat (actually have little bruises on my behind and the backs of my thighs. i dont want to give up the class because i really liked it but i was in such pain that i couldnt walk yesterday morning :( what brand or type of seat cover or padded shorts can u suggest because i need serious tushie protection

p.s also the seat on my bike was very high and i had to climb onto the frame to get on the seat but my instructor said it was the correct height because my knee wasnt locking out when i pedaled. are the seats supposed to be that high up? thank you for any advice or input

everytime my butt hurt i would either get out of the sadle or squirm to try to get comfy (didnt happen) is that why it hurts? i thought moving around would keep one area from getting killed and kind of relieve some of the pain..guess i was wrong..my poor bum :(

That'll happen. It takes a while for the butt to toughen up if you haven't been in the saddle for awhile. Most of us feel a little bit of that every spring, even if we've been putting in our trainer time in the basement.

Seat covers won't help, because they only make the seat wider and result in more friction. Friction is your enemy.

Just about any standard padded cycle shorts WILL help.

Seat height might have contributed to the problem. It should be high enough that your leg is almost straight, but not so high that your hips rock while pedaling (that would mean you're grinding your naughty bits into the saddle!). You can't always tell if its right by yourself. Your instructor should have stood behind you to watch your hips. The determining factor here is flexibility of your hamstrings. Most people end up with just a slight kneebend on the downstroke. Some of the less flexible require more of a bend.
----

Note to Carlos: The spinning classes I've been to involve a lot of position change, including out of the saddle. Its not really like normal cycling.

Hi The seat is supposed to be high enough that your legs are nearly fully extended at the bottom of the stroke. Go to a cycle shop and buy some cycling shorts. You wear these without underwear and there are no seams and they are padded and they wick the sweat away. Seat pads make it worse. The rest is just stick with it and you will get used to it. Keep up the good work.

It is kind of normal. do not get discouraged.
Get a good set of shorts, check the ones in my store. You can also put a little vaseline in your behind and that will also help lube and reduce friction. The reason for it all is friction, so try not to jump and move once in the saddle. stay almost still on it and just pedal in circular movement, but do not bounce. that is a beginner's mistake
carlos
http://www.bikingthings.com

Your butt will be sore for the first couple of rides, but you will get used to it after awhile. I wear Pearlizumi bike shorts with lots of great padding. Are there any other instructors who you could ask about your seat height if you're unsure about it? From what I've been told by instructors at my gym, the seat is normally about hipbone high, when you're standing on the floor, but then it may need to be tweaked once you're on the bike. If it feels too high, drop it down a notch & see how that feels. You have control over your seat height! The pain is worth it, and shouldn't be bad at all after several rides. Just watch out...the classes can be very addictive!

Sore butts are better than knee problems. Listen to your instructor about saddle height.

Scoot back so that you're not sitting on the horn of the saddle. A weighted string hanging from your knee should touch the middle of the pedal.

Get some bike shorts and wear them without underwear. Mountain bike shorts are more modest.

Ride a regular exercise bike 1 or 2 days between spin classes. Spin classes alone are too anaerobic.

If you don't ride for 2 weeks, prepare to be saddle sore again!