By:
On:
In: Free Articles, Instructor Issues & growth, New Instructors
With: 7 Comments

Shirin arrived to the studio and started getting ready for the 90-minute class, as students were beginning to file in. She turns on the stereo, and….nothing. No sound. No music. No mic. They did everything they could to try to figure it out. To no avail. Class was about to start and Shirin had to make a decision. What followed was a momentous experience that all of her students will remember for a long time. You want to hear about this, you might get some pointers on engaging your students when faced with an obstacle!Read more…

By:
On:
In: Coaching and Cueing, Free Articles, New Instructors
With: 4 Comments

As an indoor cycling instructor, I believe your job is to lead your students to greater fitness, provide motivation and inspiration, educate them, and have fun in the process. In fulfilling these obligations, you want to have a mix of the elements listed in this article in your quiver of classes. These aren’t energy zones or specific types of profiles, rather they could be what is stated as an objective (or sub-objective) for your profile.Read more…

By:
On:
In: Class Profiles
With: 12 Comments

This interactive and fun profile has a Matrix theme, in which the second half of the profile you allow your students to select the intervals via their choice of a Red Pill or a Blue Pill. This is one of those profiles you can do again and again, using a few different songs each time, and every single time it will come out different. I’m quite sure this will become one of your go-to profiles!Read more…

By:
On:
In: Coaching and Cueing, Free Articles, Instructor Issues & growth
With: 2 Comments

After three weeks being out of commission, I’m slowly getting back to teaching my Tues/Thur 6am class, the end of a 12-week periodized program. Since the information and coaching is very specific and is based on what was done in the previous weeks, I had no one who I could trust to sub for me. (Yup, really!) But I do have very understanding and wonderful students who cared more about my recovery than their class! So today was my second day back, teaching off the bike. My husband remarked these past two classes were the best he’s ever seen me teach, because I was focusing so much on my students. Here’s what I said and did, plus my latest field-test playlist, which I loved!Read more…

By:
On:
In: Class Profiles
With: 6 Comments

This is Part 2 of the revamped field testing articles. This one is the actual coaching of the field test. I’ve amended some of the cues to help you coach your students better through this grueling but very important assessment. Also, I’ve completely redone my playlist, and have provided tips on what kind of music to use, as well as a suggested list of over 60 additional songs to use in your field tests!Read more…

By:
On:
In: Class Profiles
With: 4 Comments

This is a re-write and re-recording of a past Audio Master Class on field testing. I have updated the information and reduced the options to the simpler 20-minute field test rather than include the more confusing options of 8-minute vs 20-minute field tests. For less fit or new students, I still recommend the Talk Test. This first post is the physiology and explanation, how to explain it to your students, and what to do with the numbers once you’ve done the testing. This will be followed up with a complete written and recording of a 20-minute field test Audio Master Class with coaching and cueing ideas and a completely new playlist.Read more…

By:
On:
In: Ask the Expert, Biomechanics, Cadence, Power, Physiology, Heart Rate & RPE
With: 1 Comment

Moritz asked an excellent question in the comments of the recent Lactate Threshold Field Test post about why I suggest a higher cadence flat instead of a faster hill climb for field testing. You’re going to learn the important reasons why a faster cadence is preferred for a field test, but you’ll also learn that there is a time and a place for a fast uphill time trial! Learn here why, when and how!Read more…