what is spinning?

Forgive the newbie - dumb questions. What exactly is spinning? I hear people going to a 'spinning class'? Thanks

 

It is a usually a class of people ridding stationary bikes lead by an instructor

Spinning sounds trendy, but this has been around for awhile

 

Spinning is also a counter point to mashing. A style of riding where one maintains a high cadence for a particular speed rather than at a lower cadence requiring greater force (mashing).

The advantage of spinning is that it induces less stress on the joints and less fatigue on the muscle. It's also permits quick acceleration should there be a need.

The payback on spinning is that it taxes the cardiorespiratory reserve in exchange for the above benefits. Overall, spinning is considered to be desirable for most cyclists.