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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The musical world lost Ranking Roger of The English Beat and General Public this week; another terrible loss to cancer. If you’re not in my age group (ahem…) and don’t know the depth of Roger’s repertoire from the 1980s, you might be surprised how many songs are perfect for indoor cycling! Here are my favorites and how I use them.Read more…
We came across this article posted in one of the indoor cycling groups on Facebook and immediately fell in love with it. Rachel asks the question “When are we enough?” and begs you to find your authentic self. Read more…
Yes, I do a lot to prepare for my classes. I spend hours making playlists. I read articles on physiology and innovative cueing. You do it too. But there’s one thing I do that I think makes a huge difference in my coaching. And maybe you don’t agree with its importance. Are you ready?
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