As we approach Christmas and the holiday season, it’s fun to start creating our Christmas-themed classes. But, there are some things to be sensitive about that instructors should consider as part of their planning.Read more…
Face it, we all want more people in our classes. More and more studios incentivize instructors by paying a per-rider fee, so it’s a good idea to learn how to promote your own classes. I’m learning myself and want to take you on my journey of becoming a social media expert. Here are some tips and tools to get your started, and some of the Instagram posts I’ve created recently since I’ve started teaching at a brand-new studio. Read more…
One of the most common questions we hear from instructors and participants alike is “How many calories did I burn in my cycling class?” In this article, we discuss the different ways calories are burned, some of the myths around measuring calorie burn, and the best ways to estimate caloric expenditure from your cycling session.Read more…
Do instructors need to chill? Izabela asks that question after recognizing that some of her riders have very different reasons for coming to her class, ones that she personally may never have considered. At first, acknowledging this went against her instincts as an instructor, but it made her wonder if she had it all wrong. This realization made her much more empathetic to her riders. Read more…
As we begin to understand how posture and mechanics have on overall health and injury prevention, body alignment is becoming a more discussed topic in fitness. There are several different approaches to alignment so let’s begin by defining what proper alignment looks like. Later, we will explore deviations and ultimately expand on some things you, as the instructor, can do to help your riders.Read more…
The announcement showed up in my Twitter feed: Apple doing away with iTunes. My first reaction was a sinking feeling, a mild panic…what will happen to all my music and, most importantly, my many hundreds of playlists?
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I used to race mountain bikes years ago, but if I knew then what I know now about proper warm-ups I would have been much better prepared and probably would have performed better! This article is part 1 of a 6-part series on effective warm-ups for cycling classes. The purpose of this first article is to get you to pose the question to yourself, “Are you warming up properly in your classes? What can you be doing better?” (Originally posted in 2016, this series has been updated with new information and tips) Read more…
Best known for the song “Woke Up This Morning” which became the theme song for the HBO series The Sopranos, Alabama 3 has a number of tracks that should be in your indoor cycling repertoire. Jake Black was a clever song writer; the music industry has lost a great soul.Read more…
Last week, I took a Peloton ride, and I liked it…a lot. It wasn’t my first ride that I enjoyed, but this one was different. It was a 20-minute FTP test. Here is my review and what I did when I thought I would quit partway through.Read more…
Let’s not kid ourselves—we all tend to form judgments about some of the riders in front of us despite our best efforts not to. But, when you take the time to find out the real reasons why someone is in your class and why they do what they do (such as NOT go as hard as you are asking), it can pay off in huge dividends and introduce you to some amazing and inspirational people. Don’t miss this story by Izabela about one of her riders!
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