An exceptional way to improve as a Spinning® or Indoor Cycling Coach

Video Yourself: one of the best ways to improve as a Spinning® or Indoor Cycling Coach

When I applied to become a Master Spinning® Instructor back in 1997, one of the requirements in the final stage of the application process was to send in a video of my class. I also had to video myself talking on camera as to why I thought I would be a good Master Instructor. That video experience alone improved my own teaching and speaking skills immensely.

But I have a confession to make. In 2005, I went to California to the Mad Dogg Athletics and Spinning® headquarters to film a video for the Cadence, Resistance and Heart Rate workshop that I had written for Spinning®. The video and workshop was designed to introduce the new cadence meters at the time. Doug Katona and I co-starred in the video. Much of it was done off the bike but we did the cadence drills on the bike.

My confession? To this day, six years later, I have never watched the video! The first few years were because I just didn’t want to. I dunno, I guess those were my own self-confidence issues. I have always been my own worst critic. And I knew how hot it was in the studio when we were filming it, and how much I sweated, and how nervous I was. But others have told me it is fine, that I was being overly self-conscious. The last couple of years it is because I simply forgot about it. I still have the DVD of course; maybe it’s time I pull it out and watch it! I might be surprised what I learn.

Presenting at twenty fitness and/or indoor cycling/Spinning® conferences over the past 14 years has given me enough experience to be comfortable in front of large groups, but there is nothing quite like being videoed and then watching that video. My recent experience filming at Cycling Fusion was an eye-opening experience for me. I discovered that I love doing it (that is, once I got over the nervousness, especially for the live feed) but that I still have much to learn about improving my own presentation. After watching these videos, I am convinced that it is one of the best means for indoor cycling instructors to improve their coaching and presentation skills. This is true at every level of experience, from the brand new instructor to someone who’s been teaching since the early Johnny G days, to a Master Instructor.

My very first reaction to my videos was “I’ve got to smile more!” I also realized that I drop my eyes a lot when I am focusing. That isn’t bad in a class situation when I’ve given my students a task to work on and everyone is riding within themselves, but it’s different when you are filming to be viewed on screen. For future videos, I made a mental note to do it less. What an invaluable experience to see how you interact and react with your students, whether you tend to repeat yourself often, or to notice any habits or idiosyncrasies you might like to change about how you ride the bike and how you lead your students.

So here is my challenge for you: video one (or several) of your own classes.

Smart phones create amazing videos these days so that’s really all you need. I recommend using a tripod so you don’t have to have someone hold the camera the entire time. It may also make you less conscious and put you more at ease if someone isn’t standing in front of you during your whole class. On the other hand, having a friend video you allows you to get off the bike and follow you to get your interactions with your students, otherwise you won’t be in the picture. That’s not such a bad thing if you aren’t in the picture for short periods—you will still hear yourself on your microphone.

You may even decide to video several different types of classes. One might be a higher energy training session that requires that you be more engaging employing a louder voice and utilizing more extrinsic motivational cues. The other might be a session that is more mind-body in nature, in which you empower your students on an intrinsic level with a softer voice.

If you are self-conscious, remember that this is just for your benefit to help you grow. You don’t have to share this with anyone but yourself. Watch the video with a notebook and pen so you can take notes. However, make sure to view it with a non-judgmental and caring mindset. Love yourself while you do this! Remind yourself that you are here to learn from your mistakes and improve and grow. Do not be too hard on yourself, simply make a note of what you want to improve, and then create a plan for that improvement.

To be sure, if you know you are being videoed, you may not act like your normal self. You may alter your teaching style and do or say things a little differently. Try to be completely authentic to how you normally teach—remember, the goal is to find ways to improve your coaching! However, if in the process of

Make sure to write down both what you do well and what you would like to change. After the experience, do not expect to make a lot of changes overnight. Allow yourself time to become the coach that you want to become.

Watch your video twice to focus on different things. The first time through, notice the following:

• Your introduction to your profile: Do you have a clear plan? Can everyone understand what it is you want to do?
• Eye contact: do you try to make contact with as many students as possible, or do you tend to only look at a few, such as just the front row? Do you find yourself looking off into space? Or do you stare at the handlebars or just in front of you and rarely make eye contact?
• Do you smile? You don’t need to be smiling constantly, but there is no need to be serious all the time either (this is my own personal goal – to be less serious).
• Hopefully you have a microphone. Do you hear your breath too much in the mic? Is it properly placed in front of your mouth? Are you talking too fast making it difficult to hear with the mic?
• Voice projection and quality: can everyone in the room hear and understand you at all times? Do you slur your words and need to annunciate better? Do you need to slow down your speech as a general rule (irrespective of the microphone )?
• How is the tonal quality of your voice? Is it high pitched? Monotone? Do you add inflection? No matter what pitch we normally talk with, everyone can add variation to his or her voice, which makes your presentation more interesting.
• Do you talk too much? Do you give them time to practice or experience what you’ve asked them to do? What is the longest period of time that passes without you talking?A little unrelated chatting is fine during the warm-up or cool-down, but do you find there is a lot of unnecessary talk that is unrelated to your workout during your class?
• Do you repeat the same cues all the time? Do you need to find different ways to say the same thing?
• Do you interact with your students during class, perhaps motivating them individually? Or do you simply call out directions?
• Do you encourage them to focus inward? How do you do that? Do they do it?
• Do you ever get of the bike?
• How do you handle higher intensity efforts when teaching? Do you do them yourself, or coach your students through it? (Note: It’s OK to occasionally push yourself to the same level as you are asking your students, but how you do it is important. If you’re working so hard you can’t coach them properly, you might have to reconsider).
• How do you introduce a new segment (loop, interval, hill, recovery, etc)? Is it clear? Do you allow them some time to prepare for the next segment or do you tend to spring it on them all at once?
• How do you describe intensity? HR? Perceived Exertion? Is it easy to understand?
• If you use numbers for various elements in your coaching (HR, RPE, resistance, cadence) are they very clearly distinguishable from each other?
• How do you describe resistance? You may think you understand your method, but can everyone else understand what you mean?
• Do you try to introduce too many movements or positions? Have you considered simplifying your profiles so you don’t have as much movement and change? This will manifest itself in your video as a hectic-paced profile, requiring constant direction on your part.
• If you include some physiology in your class, is it too far over everyone’s heads? Or have you gradually educated them so they understand what you are describing?
• Do you give modifications or grant “permission” to not do a hard effort?
• Do you remind them to drink water? Do YOU drink your entire water bottle in class (modeling good behavior)?
• Does your music match your message? Does it adequately describe the terrain of the ride and make you want to do what you were asking your students to do?
• How do you close the class? Did you give them enough time to cool down and drop their heart rates before dismounting?
• Do you “market” your next class, telling them what to expect next time they ride with you?
• Is your cool down adequate? Do you get the heart rate down sufficiently before getting off the bike to stretch?
• How much stretching do you do?

Did I miss some important elements to be aware of as you watch your video? If you can think of other things to watch for, please leave a comment below.

After you’ve watched your video assessing your coaching skills and the delivery of your product, now watch it again but this time focus more on how you ride the bike. Remember, you are modeling good form and your students are watching every move you make. You want to make sure it is the right message that you are sending. It can be a challenging moment of self-awareness but again, nothing but good can come out of this kind of open-minded critique. Watching yourself on video is a great place to learn to sharpen your own eye in assessing good form while also being a great exercise in humility. There are times when you must be able to admit when you need to work on your own form and technique.

These are some of the things to pay attention to as you watch your cycling form and technique:

• Notice your pedal stroke – is it smooth? Do your shoulders bob with each down stroke? If so, you may have too heavy of a down stroke and need to work on the other three phases of the pedal stroke (across the bottom, up the back-side and over the top).
• Are you sitting deep in the saddle, on the widest part of the saddle? Can you pedal quickly without bouncing (at all)?
• When you stand up, are you gently moving side to side without being contrived in your movement? Standing climbs shouldn’t be an overly aggressive movement – is yours controlled, and only as aggressive as it needs to be for the kind of climb you are asking for?
• Can you maintain your smooth pedal stroke out of the saddle without hesitating at the top and bottom of the pedal stroke?
• When standing, look at your knees—are you extending them too much? They should not straighten out when you are standing, ever.
• Are your hips back far enough so that the nose of the saddle touches the back of the legs, but not so far that you are perched over the top of the saddle?
• Do you lean on your hands? Do you bend your elbows too much, bringing your shoulders very close to the handlebars?
• Shoulders: are they always relaxed and away from your ears? Shrugged shoulders is one of the most common form errors with students as well as instructors. Most often, riders are not aware of when it happens. Make sure you are practicing what you preach at all times.
• Watch your knees when seated – for many cyclists, they fall to the outside unintentionally. Are your knees lined up over your toes? 
• Elbows: are yours relaxed and pointing just to the outside of your hips, and not sticking out to the sides?
• Wrists: are yours relaxed, or do you have sharp angles at the wrist? It’s common, but uncomfortable, to have a 90 degree angle in the wrist.
• Are you always riding with a realistic and appropriate cadence for the terrain that you are dictating? Sometimes leg speed can increase when you are not paying attention; does yours?
• Do you look comfortable and confident on the bike?
• Sprinting: do you really know how to do them properly, with the correct amount (i.e. probably more than you think) of resistance, for only 10-30 seconds maximum duration? This movement is mis-taught far too often in indoor cycling classes. Proper sprinting evaluation may require its own video. (In fact, it should require its own continuing education session!)

And finally, after you’ve written down your observations on the past two lists I’ve given you, give yourself an assessment of the entire package. Watch the video several times and ask yourself the following deep and introspective questions about your experience watching your class:

• Are you interesting? Entertaining? Boring? Funny? Annoying? Motivating? Inspiring? Fun? Exciting?
• Would YOU want to take YOUR class? Why or why not?

Write down your experience, write down your strengths and weaknesses, and then write down your goals for improving. Then send me an email and let me know how I can help you! (jennifer@indoorcyclingassociation.com)

Most importantly, enjoy this incredibly helpful and revealing learning experience.