Ever notice how standing affects your heart rate? How long does it take to return to where it was prior to standing (if cadence and resistance/power are the same)? Many riders might not notice the effect on their heart rate, so this eye-opening climbing drill brings it to their attention and teaches them the tricks to bring it back down.Read more…
Have you ever walked into class and just known it was going to be one of those days? At the front of the room sit the fitness warriors, donning serious faces as they set their heart rate monitors and fine-tune their bike setup. At the back of the room a small riot brews. There is tons of chatter, laughter, and a couple of folks whose voices project more than is tolerable. The front row is noticeably annoyed.Read more…
When I am taking a class, it kills me to hear the same cue over and over and over again. If you have ever been in a class in which the instructor only knows how to say “Turn it up” to tell you to add resistance, you know how uncreative and boringRead more…
We first posted this Super Bowl profile from ICA contributor Kala Markel in 2012 and have had so many comments and e-mails about how much fun it is to teach and how much students enjoy it. Now you have TWO great Super Bowl profile options!Read more…
You want a Super Bowl profile to end all Super Bowl profiles? This exhilarating profile will have your riders dreaming of that Super Bowl ring, even if their own teams didn’t make it to the championship game. You will alternate from offense to defense, with different goals each time. Read more…
I don’t usually use all-caps in a headline, but I wanted to get your attention! I play this song almost every year on Martin Luther King’s birthday, and I, or my students, never tire of it. It is a spectacularly beautiful song to use in a cycling class.Read more…
It is 5 minutes before class begins. The last few riders scurry to their bikes. I’m nervous and uncomfortable about my ride, and more specifically, the playlist. As the class starts and the music unfolds, I feel self-conscious and not myself. Only the cool-down can save me now.Read more…
There was an interesting discussion this week on one of the Facebook indoor cycling forums about teaching without music. I thought it could be fun to have a discussion here about teaching without music. Have you ever had a music emergency in which you had to teach your class with no music at all? How did you initially react? How did your riders respond?Read more…
Like many things in the fitness industry, the mantra “no pain, no gain” has been misused and misrepresented. Has the mantra provided trainers and instructors with a license to kill? Has it become a means to an unknowledgeable end? Has the mantra set an unrealistic and unhealthy expectation for its victims?Read more…
Last year’s New Year’s playlist has been updated with new empowering songs of all genres, including quite a few pop and hip-hop songs that your younger audience will enjoy. These songs are based on the themes of change, personal growth, being unstoppable, self-confidence, and setting goals.Read more…