ICA members are in for a phenomenal coaching treat. Bryon Black is a master of an instructor (not an MI, but he should be!) who excels at endurance rides and engaging his students. He shares with you some amazing ways to keep your students focused and how to connect with them on a level you never thought possible. This three-part series is like no other endurance training series anywhere else. This is not about the intensity or physiology of a so-called “endurance” class, but about being a complete coach who is able to teach all types of classes.
Mastering the Endurance Ride: The turning point in making you a more complete instructor.
For many indoor cycling instructors and enthusiasts, the endurance ride is an enigmatic experience.
Nearly every cycling training book, plan or article, be it for outdoor or indoor cycling states that everyone needs to build a cardiovascular base or foundation, and this foundation is built primarily by doing endurance training (also known as base training or aerobic base building). This training is made up primarily of riding at a steady heart rate (or power output) for a long period of time, i.e. the endurance ride. While it is widely agreed that the endurance ride is perhaps the most important, necessary part of a well-designed training regimen, it is also perhaps the most widely misunderstood, and often avoided part of the training plan.
So why is that the one training intensity that everyone agrees is the foundation for all other intensities, the #1 thing we should be doing, ends up being avoided?
The answer to this question is rooted in one simple perception: