Many instructors can be paralyzed by the presence of an intimidating student—that student who seems to own the gym or has an air about them that makes them seem unapproachable. You can learn how to better understand and teach them.
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A “glory” is a concept described by John Steinbeck in his famous book East of Eden. I believe a glory can be found in any aspect of our life—including on an indoor bicycle. Can you find mindfulness in indoor cycling? Can you help your students find that magical place where the world drops away and only the glory remains?
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Indoor cycling instructors have to wear different hats at different times. How many hats do you have in your skills closet? And do you know the right time to wear each one? Here are some best practices to employ when trying to educate your students, and links to five additional articles on how to teach your students outside of class time.Read more…
What does the coxswain of the 2012 Olympic rowing team and indoor cycling instructors have in common? Powerful words!Read more…
You know those red boxes where you break the glass to throw the emergency alarm? You need one of those in your instructor toolbox. The reason you need one is the defiant student.Read more…
Sometimes students are just plain difficult. They don’t want to listen. They might even set up a power struggle with you in class. Would a mental checklist help you in these situations?Read more…
We don’t know what students are thinking or what might make them uncomfortable with either our touch or our talk. The #MeToo movement has reminded us that a wrong touch or a wrong comment can feel creepy even if the intention was innocent.
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When you have late students, put your participants’ needs ahead of any inconvenience, imposition, or disrespect that you may feel. Keep the needs of the whole class in mind but don’t punish a student for being late, either directly or indirectly. Read more…
Sometimes what we don’t do is more important than what we do. Sometimes letting go is better than holding on. Sometimes less is more. Learn when not to speak in class so that your words will be all the more powerful when you chose to use them.
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Need some organizational help? Here is a simple model for organizing your class profiles. Advantages: You won’t have to start over each time you write a class. You will be able to create a flow of work from week to week. You will be certain to include holiday and other special event classes. You will even have a place to keep track of those little reminders from class to class. And you won’t have to spend time hunting through your computer for that class you misplaced. Bottom line: less stress. Read more…