Today we lost Ed King, the guitarist for the iconic southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd. He’s the one whose voice can be heard counting down at the very beginning of their most famous hit, “Sweet Home Alabama.” Here are a few tracks you can sprinkle into your playlists as a tribute to one of the more recognizable southern rock groups in the country.Read more…

In part 1 of our continuing series on how to incorporate longer intervals, I discussed why these intervals are so important and gave six reasons you should teach your class to love these longer efforts, especially if they are used to high-intensity intervals of less than 3 minutes. In part 2 we’ll look at one of the prime reasons longer intervals are so crucial—preparing for FTP testing. I discuss the different kinds of FTP testing, who should and should not take part in the 20-minute test, and what to do instead. Read more…

If you are teaching with power and either regularly conduct 20-minute FTP tests, or want to be able to bring your riders to the point of participating in a field test, it’s essential that you train them to tolerate longer intervals. Shorter HIT intervals are great, but longer intervals should also be a pillar of your training program. This “cruise” interval profile (i.e., longer aerobic intervals) is the perfect template for creating your own intervals of this nature. Read more…

The Ultimate HIIT Profile provides you with the ammunition you will need to guide riders to truly understand perceived exertion for higher intensity riding. Through your coaching you help them to relate each interval with duration and intensity and to make mental notes of what they are feeling. Ask your riders to take what they learn in this profile and apply it to other classes they attend.Read more…

cover songs

Covers are songs performed by an artist other than the one who recorded the original version. This allows instructors to provide music that is familiar yet different. Some renditions are true to the original, some take a totally new approach. Some cross genres. Using covers allows you to expand your own musical tastes where you might not have gone before. Read more…

Are you confused about teaching with power? Have you wondered what power output your riders should achieve in their intervals? Then this profile is for you. I call it the Ultimate HIIT because in addition to estimating FTP, it includes some of the more important durations for intervals so they can be compared to each other. This is very important when teaching both power as well as perceived exertion. I have a feeling you and your riders will love/hate this profile!Read more…

In April, I went to Tucson, Arizona on a cycling vacation. Prior to that trip, my last ride outdoors was 6 months previous, and 100% of my training was indoors. I was still able to ride my bike up a 25-mile mountain. I ascribe my fitness to periodized, targeted training in indoor cycling classes and on my stationary bike at home. Hey guys…this stuff works! Read more…