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In: Form and Technique, Free Articles
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I was interviewed for an article in ACE Fitness magazine by Amanda Vogel called “Are Celebrity Trainers Making People Fat?” The tongue-in-cheek title of the article mimics the headline that appeared in Harper’s Bazaar magazine last fall called “Is Spinning Making You Fat?” Amanda asks whether fitness professionals stay silent or take a stand against the popular but misleading headlines propagated by the media.Read more…

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In my journey through the health care system I have been observing the interactions I have with “authorities.” When you become a patient, everyone who carries the key to your wellness is an authority. It is an interesting turn of events for someone like me who is accustomed to being the leader and the one that has the answers. I can learn some valuable lessons from the experience of being on the “other” side. The first and very salient lesson came in the form of an experience with language.Read more…

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In: Coaching and Cueing, Communication and Presentation Skills, General Coaching, New Instructors
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Do you talk too much when you are teaching your classes? Do you have this internal dialogue when you see your students looking back at you after you’ve given them a cue? “They’re staring at me. I better say something! I know they’re bored, I can tell! Look, someone just stood up…Oh no! They hate me!”
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A few months ago I walked into a class I have been teaching for 10 years and everyone was in a tizzy. This is not the usual energy I’m used to getting absorbed in. Before I was able to ask what was wrong, a member asked me if I was aware of the stereo situation. As the word “no” was exiting my mouth, the member hit me with the bad news…Read more…

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In: General Coaching, Instructor Issues & growth, Programming and Management
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In an single indoor cycling class we can have a combination of beginners, cycling enthusiasts, competitive athletes, the fit, and the unfit. We have those who are just interested in some cardio fitness, some with a focus on weight loss, and others desiring cycling-specific training. There are the young, the old, and everyone in between. So with all of these different interests, expectations, and age groups, how do we determine who we are talking to when we lead our classes?Read more…

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In: Biomechanics, Cadence, Power, Free Articles, Outdoor Cycling
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I love drills in my indoor cycling classes. Here at ICA we try to teach you how to do technical drills of all kinds—cadence drills, pedal stroke drills to improve technique, intensity drills, outdoor simulation drills (like pacelines), etc. Last week, I took my indoor drills outdoors. It was really hard to do, but by the end of an hour, the difference we all experienced was substantial. I’ll even tell you how these benefit the non-cyclists amongst your students.Read more…

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In: Ask the Expert, Biomechanics, Cadence, Power, Form and Technique
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Often times (like during the Indoor Cycling Summit), people will ask, “What part of the pedal stroke does the calf muscle power?” This is a great question because it does not have a simple answer. My favorite kind. Now I could say that the calf does not power any part of the pedal stroke and this would be true. I can also say that the calf powers the entire pedal stroke, which can also be true. So which is it? Read more…