Tom Scotto weighs in on a question about setting up the handlebar position on the bike.An ICA member asked about using the arm to determine the distance between the seat and the handlebars: Hi Jennifer, I’ve been a spin instructor for a bunch of years now and I keep seeingRead more…
A member left an excellent question on the discussion page for the interview with Danielle Foster about calories burned. She wondered if you put your accurate information in your heart rate monitor, why isn’t the calories burned correct. This is such an excellent question I thought I’d expand on itRead more…
I received this question from Amy: can you do a field test if you only have a 40-minute time slot? What are some things to consider? I give a short review of the 8-minute field test and some suggestions for validating field tested (or talk tested) thresholds. This should helpRead more…
ICA member Kristen read in a book about cycling that suggested some serious maneuvers indoors to “mimic” the position of riding a bike outside up a steep hill. I conferred with fellow cyclists and Master Instructors Tom Scotto and Jennifer Klau, two people who know a whole lot about bothRead more…
You’ve decided to conduct a field test and teach your students about threshold-based training. You’ve been training for awhile with the new heart rate numbers, and you’re about to do your first re-test. Now what? How do you interpret the results? How do you answer your students’ questions? What ifRead more…
Katie asked if this move was contraindicated. It is something that you might see in certain types of cycling races, such as track cycling. It requires huge amounts of power output, and hence, a potential enormous strain on the joints and musculature that is involved in turning the pedals. WeRead more…
This week’s Ask the Expert is about the foot position during the pedal stroke. Does the toe push down, or does the heel push down? Both Tom Scotto and Jennifer Sage provide advice on how to cue a proper foot position with your students. ICA member Dan asked a greatRead more…
If you have bikes with gears, have you ever had a student ask you “What gear should I be in” even after you’ve explained the terrain, cadence and intensity? You know they shouldn’t ride at a specific gear, but how do you explain it to them? The answer also applies to cueing a specific wattage…Read more…
This is a great question about teaching a short, high-intensity class. This format can also be combined with other types of workouts, such as Cycling plus yoga, pilates, core or weight workouts (off the bike of course)! But for short HIT sessions on the bike, there are some things youRead more…
ICA Member Nancy is confused about the Spinning® Strength Energy Zone and how to define it and teach it: should it be ALL climbing? I have two answers – one from the former Spinning® MI and one from the reformed Master Instructor! 😉 Believe it or not, this was a confusion I encountered over 12 years of teaching Spinning® Orientations. It’s time to clear it up… . . .Read more…