In part 3 of our series on developing a faster cadence, we covered four foundational considerations that should be addressed before attempting to pedal more quickly. In this chapter, we provide numerous specific drills to improve cadence and give you seven different profiles and one virtual workshop that have cadence improvement as an objective.Read more…
I have provided two versions for coaching this high-intensity interval profile. One is with power (watts) and the other is with perceived exertion, for when you don’t have power meters. It’s perfect for those new to teaching with watts. It’s a very challenging profile and not for the faint-hearted. For that reason, I also include a fair amount of cueing suggestions on how to give permission for riders to back off or sit one (or two or three) of the intervals out.Read more…
In part 1, I described a popular but ineffective coaching method that fails to account for the difference in abilities and fitness of riders or the differences in the wear and tear on bikes. The second method of teaching resistance that instructors should steer clear of is to assign a 1–10 scale of resistance. This one is even worse than assigning a number of turns. It’s very confusing, it’s subjective, and it’s not anchored to anything. Read more…
It is always great to see the response of our cycling instructor and coach community. A number of questions arose after I published the last Ask the Expert article on “Healing the Pedal Stroke.” The focus was solely on the practice of pushing down or dropping the heel below horizontal during the pedal stroke. In addition to my response to questions and feedback, I created a video using footage from the 2013 USA Cycling Pro Challenge to demonstrate the technique. Hey, pictures are worth a thousand words, right?Read more…
The Question: Should you push the heels down when pedaling?
The Short Answer: NO
Let’s talk about why…Read more…
In part 2 of my Facebook Live training series on “Why Cadence Matters,” I discuss whether rpm is a valid method of determining intensity. I then provide the pros and cons of dictating a specific cadence in your classes, providing many examples on both sides. I then get on the bike to demonstrate some cadence drills and coaching cues to go along with them.Read more…
This mini training provides a basic understanding of cadence and how it’s measured, and helps you understand the physiological factors of cadence that you should consider when designing your profiles. Read more…
Last week, I took a Peloton ride, and I liked it…a lot. It wasn’t my first ride that I enjoyed, but this one was different. It was a 20-minute FTP test. Here is my review and what I did when I thought I would quit partway through.Read more…
The Tour of the Training Zones is one of the most important profiles in the ICA library. It’s a very educational profile that requires more talking than most profiles. For that reason, to help you teach it to your own classes, I’ve filmed myself teaching this ride so you can hear my cueing and how I deal with the intensity myself. I also have a summary of the profile cues that you can download and modify.Read more…
We’ve all heard the phrase “Exercise is the best medicine.” However, no medicine is equally good at any dose; too little and the desired effects will not be achieved, too much and negative side effects result. Dosage in the context of exercise means training load: the intensity, duration, and frequency of a given activity. What are the best doses of each level of intensity and how will knowing this help us plan our classes?Read more…