Welcome to the Indoor Cycling Association
24-hour Indoor Cycling Marathon, Denmark
Last month I had the great honor to be one of the presenters at the 24-Hour Indoor Cycling Marathon in Kolding, Denmark. I’ve had some pretty cool experiences as a master instructor, first for Spinning®, then for ICA. It’s no secret that being up on stage in front of a big group is an exciting moment, and I’ve loved every one of my opportunities to do so over the past 16 years, but I have to say, I would put this one in the top 3! I share with you some photos and videos of the event, and my playlist and profile.Read more…
Step Outside Your Musical Box: Canadian Music
I confess that 40 years ago, when I emigrated from the United States to Canada, I didn’t expect to feel much difference. I thought, “Two nations, largely English-speaking with a lot of shared history—how different could life be?” I was wrong in many ways. Music was one of the first and most tangible markers of the fact that I was living “abroad.” I heard many artists on the radio who were completely unknown to me and maybe to you, too.Read more…
The 3-2-1 Drill
This drill is designed to increase your body’s ability to process lactate in your muscles. The goal is to increase your maximum sustainable power, as the majority of the work is below threshold. Get ready, in 3-2-1…Read more…
Official Club Policy for Class Etiquette
The best way to preempt problems in your cycling classes is to have an official club policy for the rules of etiquette. These rules should be posted on the cycling room wall, which will help instructors when dealing with potential problems. In this article, we provide you with seven considerations when assembling your own rules, and two samples of ways you can present your rules.Read more…
How Many Turns on the Resistance Knob?
Have you ever cued to turn up the resistance by giving a number of turns to your class? You may want to find a better way to cue resistance! Caesar filmed a brief video for his riders who have been used to being told the number of turns expected, so he wanted to show them why it’s not an effective cue. We hope this helps you so you can explain to your class why you don’t cue that way. Read more…
How to Protect Your Knees in Indoor Cycling Class
Our knees are particularly vulnerable to injury when we don’t use some common sense in our indoor classes. Fortunately, most cycling injuries are preventable. Dr Peter Donaldson, of Michigan Orthopedic Institute in Southeast Michigan, helps us understand how to protect your knees from pain and injury.Read more…
How to Get Riders to Follow Your Instructions with the 3-2-1 Approach
One of the many benefits to teaching indoor cycling is that it designed to be a multi-level class requiring little coordination and choreography. While we’re not looking for military precision in unified movement and intensity, there are often unspoken expectations that the instructor has for the riders. When a rider, or the entire group of riders, strays too far, it can become distracting. In this article, Cori Parks suggests a simple approach to classroom management.Read more…
Theme Ride Thursday: Celebrate Chinese New Year
This year, Chinese New Year starts with the new moon on the first day of the new year on Saturday, January 28. It ends on the full moon 15 days later, which is celebrated with a Lantern Festival that takes place at night. Why not celebrate Chinese New Year with your class by choosing a song or creating an entire profile from our Chinese New Year playlist? Read more…
The Ones Who Don’t Want to Work Hard…Or Do They?
Izabella relays a cautionary tale about one experience she had with a woman who came to her classes, and seemed like she didn’t want to do any work. It is an example that became a revelation to her and highlights the importance of not judging riders and of giving one-on-one attention to them whenever possible.Read more…
How to Deal with Students that Talk in Class, Part 2
Last week Bill gave some diplomatic approaches to dealing with disruptive students. I’ve got a few more ideas here that range from serious, to humorous, to laying down the law of the land. How likely you are to encounter problems, and how you choose to respond to them, will depend on a variety of factors. It could depend on your market, the time of day, or the culture of your club. But make no mistake, it also is very much dependent upon the culture you’ve established in your own classes from day one.Read more…