Welcome to the Indoor Cycling Association
Form and Foundations Drills
Two weeks ago Robin Robertson provided an idea for a mini periodization plan in your schedule. During the first week you focus on Form and Foundation drills. Of course, you can do these any time, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a part of a periodized program. Here are six great drills for all new and longtime students, since every one can benefit from reminders about skill improvement. These are also great for new instructors to implement.Read more…
Power Training for Indoor Cycling Chapter 12: Data Collection
The byline of this chapter is “If you can measure it, you can improve it.” Data collection is the final step before beginning our journey of taking the knowledge we have gained, and applying it to produce tangible, measurable, and most importantly repeatable results. Any system for this type of measuring and monitoring must have both a clear structure and a solid scientific foundation.Read more…
Audio Master Class: Storm–Stayed
Today is March 3rd, and parts of the eastern United States are in single digits and covered with snow, so there is still time to use this profile! This profile accompanies the article Educating Your Students, Part 4: Using Storytelling and Non-Cycling Examples in Your Profiles. It’s called “Storm-Stayed,” which is an adjective unique to maritime provinces and Ontario in Canada.Read more…
Power Training for Indoor Cycling Chapter 9: The Decoupling Dance
Joe Friel (author of The Cyclists Training Bible) coined the term ‘the decoupling dance’ to describe what happens to heart rate and power when you are riding for extended periods. Put simply, your heart rate rises as your body fatigues, and your power declines. This can happen either together or separately, depending on which of the two is your focus, and on how fit you are. In this chapter, we will look at each one separately.Read more…
Power Training for Indoor Cycling Chapter 9: Cadence Considerations
In general, higher cadence = higher power. Nevertheless, you can’t just spin at 120 RPM everywhere you go, nor would you want to as it can put significant demands on your aerobic conditioning. Instead, it becomes an efficiency issue to pedal at an RPM that taxes your aerobic capacity the least, while generating the most power; the optimal cadence/gear ratio that gives you the most power for the least effort.Read more…
Group Performance Displays…Would You Consider It?
Group performance displays, such as the system created by Performance IQ, can be used to successfully market your program, increase engagement and attendance, inspire students to reach goals through greater opportunities for coaching, and to keep your students loyal. What’s not to love about a system like this? Now, you can receive an exclusive $250–$500 discount on your own system for your studio!Read more…
The Dramatic Effects of Stress on Your Heart Rate Response to Exercise
In all the heart rate training articles posted at ICA, we always stress the fact that heart rate, while an effective way to monitor your intensity, is subject to many external factors that have nothing to do with the work you are performing. These factors include over-reaching, over-training, lack of sleep, dehydration, caffeine, medications, heat, humidity, stress, and others. It is important to understand the limitations of heart rate training if one is to use it properly as a training tool. One of the factors we may ignore the most is stress. I share with you a personal example of the negative effects of stress on my own heart rate. Please share this article to help others understand the body’s response to stress.Read more…
Class Profiles on ICA
Class profiles on the Indoor Cycling Association Profile: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not This creative and fun profile explores the sensations that go along with the “He loves me, he loves me not” game—where you pull petals off a daisy andRead more…
Teaching an Olympic Profile? You WANT This Album!
Are you teaching an Olympic Profile? Whether you are teaching one of the unique and inspiring profiles Christine has created or one of your own, then you want this album! The Complete Music of the Olympic Games. Available on eMusic, iTunes, Amazon. It has official themes, numerous clips of nationalRead more…
Power Training Chapter 7: Go Faster or Suffer Less
Chapter 7 of the Power Training e-book discusses the differences between exercise and training. Gene discusses the concept of ‘Practical Power’, or power for ‘the rest of us’ – the everyday cyclist, the recreational and avid cyclist who may want to suffer less rather than go faster. It is this kind of training that has more applications indoors.Read more…