In part 1 of Teaching to a Variety of Different Abilities, we discussed the four different categories that differentiate your riders. Here are seven tips to get you thinking about teaching more effectively to a mixed class.Read more…
The very simplicity of indoor cycling means that classes are often filled with participants who have a wide variety of fitness levels, skill levels, experience, and goals. This presents challenges for instructors who strive to be both attentive to each, yet mindful of all. Instructors may wonder if they’re able to give equal attention to all of the riders, or if that is even necessary. Subbing a class or teaching a regular class with an influx of new riders (typical in the new year) is a balancing act. Fortunately, these challenges come with opportunities for all instructors to up their game in coaching to varied abilities. Read more…
In the final minutes of 2014, I found myself in a loud room full of total strangers, except for my family, seated next to a 72-year-old woman. We scooted closer to each other on the crowded L-shaped couch and leaned in for an unexpected conversation, at the top of our lungs, yet still under the din of the partygoers.Read more…
The holiday season is here, and with it comes the ebb and flow of rider attendance and the highs and lows of holiday stress. Are you prepared for the additional demands on your time around your regular teaching schedule? Here are a few tips for managing the stress before it manages you and affects how you deliver your cycling classes.Read more…
When it comes to cueing in the cycling studio, there are two distinct paths instructors can take: telling and asking. Both have their place and both are paired nicely with showing, or demonstrating. Cori explains how incorporating questions into your cueing can elicit more effort toward the goal and ownership in the outcome from your riders.Read more…
One of the many benefits to teaching indoor cycling is that it designed to be a multi-level class requiring little coordination and choreography. While we’re not looking for military precision in unified movement and intensity, there are often unspoken expectations that the instructor has for the riders. When a rider, or the entire group of riders, strays too far, it can become distracting. In this article, Cori Parks suggests a simple approach to classroom management.Read more…
When is the last time you did something you had never ever tried that was so far outside your comfort zone that you considered backing out at the last moment? Nothing connects you to your new rider’s mindset like actually doing something new yourself. Here are a few things to keep in mind when teaching new riders.Read more…
While instructors most often lead adults in group exercise classes, we also share many parallels with teachers of children. Check out Rita Pierson’s TED Talk, “Every Kid Needs a Champion,” to see how she prioritizes personal connection or relationship over all else when helping children succeed. You’ll find some great ideas to bring into the cycling studio.Read more…
You’ve heard the saying ” You can’t pour from an empty cup,” but how do we refill it? In today’s article we walk you through learning to identify stressors, thinking about your options, and creating a plan for self-care. It all begins with you and doing what’s best for you.Read more…
Cori Parks pens an open letter to all indoor cycling studios asking them to put safety before popularity. Read more…