Honoring musical legends in our cycling classes when they leave this world is a great way to play tribute to amazing artists, while at the same time expanding your own musical repertoire. It gives you an excuse to play tracks you might not normally play—and who knows? You—and your riders—may discover genres you wouldn’t normally ride to! Here are four Allman Brothers songs you won’t want to miss.Read more…
Two months ago, I wrote a post about the wisdom (or lack of it) of standing for very long periods out of the saddle. I challenged anyone in the indoor cycling world to perform my standing climb challenge. I still think it’s worth trying, but I recognize it’s not a very effective workout, so I have a much more attainable challenge; one which will also be eye-opening as you compare power, heart rate, and cadence with standing versus seated efforts. Will you do this challenge?Read more…
This article from our archives points out some of the misuse of high-intensity training in the indoor cycling world (and the fitness world in general) and gives some advice to keep the plethora of information being blasted to the masses in perspective. Remember: Real Training. Real Cycling. Real Results. All beautifully packaged in a fun wrapper.Read more…
Whether you currently teach with power or not, chances are you’ve heard of FTP. Maybe you even know it’s important information for the more serious outdoor riders in class…but should your everyday, non-cyclist students bother with it? After all, they aren’t coming to improve outdoor cycling performance, they just want to lose weight and get fit! Read on to explore what knowing FTP can do for the non-cyclists!
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New instructors are faced with a dilemma: you cue the music to begin teaching your first indoor cycling class and realize there is so much information to cover within the first few minutes of class. Will you remember it all? Will you explain everything correctly? Will someone remove the butterflies from your stomach? Welcome to part 1 of a 3-part series to master your class intro. Read more…
Have you ever heard of a class conducted entirely out of the saddle? Would you ever consider it, or take part if you were a student in that class? Here is a synopsis of a discussion that happened in an online forum on the subject, with my input, plus an excellent article on the science of standing versus seated riding. I hereby challenge all instructors to take part in the STANDING CLIMB CHALLENGE so we can gather data as well as personal anecdotes. Read more…
Here are my photos and description of my experience at the IRHSA trade show last week in Los Angeles. I can tell you that I’m really excited for the indoor cycling industry—it is alive and well! A rising tide lifts all boats and I think this tide is continuing to rise!Read more…
When you learn how to read and interpret a workout file it is an amazing tool to aid in putting together profiles. You will better understand the possible impact your choices (cadence, resistance, power, etc.) will have on your riders. By looking at a file from a less fit rider who suffered in the class or was unable to do the prescribed workout, you will understand why some might struggle with your coaching. Or, maybe you might discover that some things you are doing might not be as effective as you thought. Read more…
Is there a program you can implement that will show your new riders how incredibly fun your cycling program can be, one that will make them eager to come back? How about a way to lure cyclists to stick around, and maybe even return in July? Hear me out here…I’ve got a great idea that might just solve both these problems! Read more…
With the increase in “non-traditional” indoor cycling classes rife with contraindications, and the increase in instructors learning new “moves” from YouTube, so many classes these days are filled with safety concerns. Many instructors who attend one of these classes are either too uncomfortable to approach the instructor or feel that if they contact the facility, no one will care. We’d like to share with you an example of an instructor who did step up and was able to make some positive changes at one club.Read more…