Much like a fine wine, a well-crafted indoor cycling class is the result of expertise, experimentation, and careful refinement. The consumer—in this case, the student in cycling class—may or may not understand the science behind it—they only know this is their favorite instructor, the one who consistently delivers an incredible experience.Read more…
Aisha asked me, how much cueing is too much? No one likes an instructor who talks non-stop, but we’ve also been in classes where not enough good cueing is given and the class seems to be at a loss on what to do or how hard to go. Here are 9 things to consider when doing a self-analysis on whether you are talking too much (or enough) in your classes.Read more…
Incorporating longer intervals of 5 to 20 minutes into your cycling classes can unlock a higher level of fitness, but many instructors are reluctant to introduce them. In part 1 of this four-part series, we’ll address why longer intervals are crucial for building endurance, strength, and mental toughness. Plus, we’ll explore how to overcome the common resistance and help your riders love these powerful training efforts.Read more…
This year, I want to challenge you to reach new heights in your coaching. This may mean moving out of your own comfort zone. It’s something we ask of our riders all the time; how about ourselves? What can we do to push ourselves, to take risks, to put ourselves out there in front of our students and announce to the world that we aren’t afraid of growth?Read more…
We’ve all heard the adage “No Pain, No Gain,” and the reasons it’s a myth. But we also hear that it’s not possible to really succeed or improve performance unless you learn to suffer at your chosen sport. So what is it? Where is the line drawn? And how should indoor cycling instructors coach? Should we never use words like “suffering” in our coaching?Read more…
Using visualization and imagery coaching techniques to inspire your students allows you to connect with your students on a much deeper level. Part 1 discusses the immense power of using visualization. Part 2 will provide colorful examples of expanding your coaching language. Parts 3–7 will give specific cues for flats, climbs, high-intensity efforts, and warm-up and cool-down. You will never run out of things to say again!Read more…
In the midst of the craziness we currently find ourselves, why not an entire playlist about things that make you happy? I put some of my favorite happy songs into a profile of three rounds of fast flats to climbs. I also recorded a virtual version of this ride—enjoy! Read more…
One of our more popular series on ICA is a set of articles with various strategies for inspiring your students up long climbs. The series was called Strategy for Strength, and is one of the favorites we’ve done on ICA. One of the strategies was to inspire students to come up with a mantra that they repeat over and over to themselves as they climb. Of course, mantras aren’t just for climbing. I was inspired recently to come up with some for sustained tempo pace.Read more…
In part 4 of this series I gave you critical information about how to cue resistance so that students find the amount of load or gear they need to meet the goals you set for that segment of your profile. In part 5, we manipulate the variables of that vital equation. I also give you 7 drills that you can use to create your own awareness exercises, solidifying the concept in your riders’ minds.
In part 4 of this series, I get to the meat of cueing resistance in a way that encourages students to find the gear they need to meet the goals you set for that segment of your profile. You coach this by teaching them the most vital equation they’ll learn in your classes. Read more…