A comment on my ICA Facebook page got me thinking that perhaps the FREE articles on ICA aren’t as evident as they should be. So I would like to highlight these articles and their wide ranging topics so you can see what you might have missed. These articles and interviews are just as educational and insightful as the premium articles, and you are free to share them with all the instructors you know. And don’t forget that articles on the Sage Advice Blog are always available to anyone at anytime, many of them hitting on very important topics for indoor cycling instructors.Read more…

Gene Nacey has been exploring the floor of the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association annual trade show and gives us an update. He says that what has transpired in the last two years is nothing less than astounding. It’s like everyone got their invitation to the technology party at the same time, but they all couldn’t decide if they wanted to go or not. Well, seems like this party is finally getting started. And Cycling Fusion has been leading the way!Read more…

Guest Instructor Juliet Underill presents her epic ride The Guru in the Mountains. Per Juliet’s request, we are making this available to all instructors, as a free offering. This ride not only is a very special journey ride, but Juliet gives tips for instructors teaching a ride like this for the first time, how to overcome the jitters of stepping outside of your comfort zone…Read more…

FREE AUDIO! Everyone has heard that stress has negative effects on the body, but do you know how much? Do you know how to tell if it’s affecting you or how to mitigate it? In this interview with Dr. Jennifer Klau, she shares some valuable tips with you, not only as an active person, but how you as an instructor can help your very active students assess and manage their own stress. Dr. Klau’s dissertation was on the subject of stress, so she knows a thing or two about it! . . .Read more…

This week’s article on wearing your superhero cape in the indoor cycling room has generated some great stories by instructors. I want to share one of these successful stories with everyone to inspire you to do the same if you are confronted with rude or challenging students. When Chuck took over a class, he was faced with a student who sarcastically said, “There’s a new sheriff in town!” Read how Chuck took ownership of the class; there is now a waiting list to get in! Read more…

You have this timeless classic Spinning song, don’t you? I hope that every indoor cycling instructor on earth has this song! (If not, this is a FREE post, so every instructor SHOULD have it!) Tomorrow is the day we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, and if you’re lucky enough to teach on Monday, you can play this song. I’m not teaching until Wednesday and will play it then. But this song is not limited to just MLK Day. It inspires ANYTIME you hear it! No words are necessary, just close your eyes and climb.Read more…

Dr. Haley Perlus has launched a new e-book called How to Lose Those Last 10 Pounds. But this isn’t a typical diet or exercise book; in fact, it’s neither of those. Dr. Haley takes the approach she uses with her elite athletes who need to focus on their goals, and applies them to weight loss. After reading the book, I am convinced that these techniques will apply to just about ANYTHING you want to commit yourself to, but simply need a little mental training assistance to get there. Instructors, this book will help you help your students achieve success!Read more…

FREE ARTICLE Two weeks ago I shared an amazing video of a cheetah running in slow motion that reminded me of a visualization that I used from my early days of teaching Spinning. ICA member Rebecca shared with me her and another instructor’s experience of using this video in their class, as well as their music. Hopefully this will inspire you to do something similar.Read more…

Last week I interviewed Tom Scotto about how an instructor should verbalize really hard efforts to students. This time I interviewed Dr. Haley Perlus, sports psychologist, an expert on motivation of the mental side of challenge. Dr. Perlus discusses when it is and isn’t appropriate to push through pain. Then she gives us 5 important tips on how to motivate our own students in our classes through the most challenging types of rides. Part 1 of this interview is FREE and includes 2 of the 5 motivational methods.Read more…