Missy Elliot isn’t the only one that likes to sing about freaks or getting freaky. I’ve collected over 100 songs around this theme of freaks and geeks, from Superfreak to Freakshow so you can have some freakin’ fun! Read more…
In this profile you will set the stage with four intervals that reach into the VO2 max range. The final three intervals will be selected through audience interaction and a cruel twist of fate, what I call the “Matrix choice.” Be ready to ask your riders to make the choice of remaining in the blissful ignorance of illusion or embracing the painful truth of reality.Read more…
This is a fun profile that has always been a big hit whenever I’ve used it. It is predominantly aerobic but brings riders to threshold on the second loop and briefly over threshold on the final loop.Read more…
Bill Pierce’s challenging profile “Strong Start or Fast Finish” is a series of intervals that either start off “very hard” and slightly back off to “hard,” or start off “hard” and build to “very hard.” We got a great question asking whether this was too much time spent in Zone 5. This article should clarify how much time a rider should be able to spend above threshold. Hint: The answer is it depends!Read more…
Here are three more sample warm-ups for five more profiles. Two of the warm-ups can be used for challenging high-intensity VO2 max or anaerobic capacity training sessions. One is an example of how you might design your warm-up for a loop profile consisting of repeated laps of the same terrain. Read more…
As we begin to understand how posture and mechanics have on overall health and injury prevention, body alignment is becoming a more discussed topic in fitness. There are several different approaches to alignment so let’s begin by defining what proper alignment looks like. Later, we will explore deviations and ultimately expand on some things you, as the instructor, can do to help your riders.Read more…
Part 5 gives you four more warm-ups, this time for profiles that include threshold intervals of varying lengths, field tests, and time trials. Not all warm-ups are created equal—what you do to warm up depends on the intensity and makeup of your workout.Read more…
In part 2 of my Facebook Live training series on “Why Cadence Matters,” I discuss whether rpm is a valid method of determining intensity. I then provide the pros and cons of dictating a specific cadence in your classes, providing many examples on both sides. I then get on the bike to demonstrate some cadence drills and coaching cues to go along with them.Read more…
In part 4 of this series on warming up, you’ll get the first four of eleven sample warm-ups to go with thirteen completely different profiles. This segment covers warm-ups for endurance profiles of varying lengths, cruise intervals, and epic climbs.Read more…
Share your excitement of the Tour de France with your students using this quick profile of stage 19. There is an early breakaway but the “heads of state” will let them go because there is no one of importance in the break. But rest assured—that doesn’t mean the peloton won’t hunt them down in the second half—get ready for some drama! The playlist should knock your polka-dot socks off!Read more…