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In: Biomechanics, Cadence, Power, Free Articles, New Instructors, Physiology, Heart Rate & RPE
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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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In: Free Articles, Instructor Issues & growth, New Instructors
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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…

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In: Communication and Presentation Skills
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Community in an indoor cycling class isn’t something that just happens automatically with a mix of time, music, and work. A class that is based on community needs conscious nurturing and leadership from the instructor. The ability of the instructor to build and maintain community makes the difference between the mediocre class experience and the one that is memorable. Here are some thoughts about the importance of community in your class as well as a list of specific ideas you can use to help create community.
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In: Form and Technique, Free Articles
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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…

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In: Communication and Presentation Skills, New Instructors
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You’ve landed an audition for a great teaching gig, but they are only going to give you 3 minutes. What do you say? What do you do? When you have an audition this short, it’s important to optimize every second. Here is a sample 3-minute audition template (which you can extend to a longer audition), along with 8 other tips to help you land any teaching job you want!Read more…

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In: Class Profiles
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This challenging mind-body profile (from my presentation at the 24-hour indoor cycling marathon) includes three long climbs with powerful and motivational cueing. Each climb is devoted to a different focus or emotion that cyclists feel when riding. The first climb is love; the second, soul or spirit; the third, feeling free. Each of the songs used in the climbs reflect these emotions.Read more…