This morning was my first day back to my class after a three-week hiatus for my trip to the Tour de France. In honor of our climb up Alpe d’Huez, I decided to teach Tom Scotto’s profile for Stage 18 from the ICA Tour de France package. It was, inRead more…
To highlight our summer focus on climbing, we present another amazing profile from Tom Scotto. Join Tom as he takes you through three killer climbs with the help of guitar hero and classic rock. Make sure to pace yourself, that final climb at a tempo pace will demand all you’ve got! Tom’s outdoor cycling experience comes out in his coaching of this profile, and will help turn you into a climbing expert as well!Read more…
All ICA members receive the free bonus e-book “How to Create Profiles” with 18 pages of tips and advice on conceptualizing, designing and then assembling your profiles. Here are several examples of what I do as I’m piecing together my profiles, including my recent “architectural sketch” of my Stage 3 Tour de France profile. How do you sketch out your profiles? On paper, on the computer, in your head, in Class Builder? Share with us here!Read more…
Leslie Mueller brings you a very fun, interactive climbing interval ride. In this profile, you’ll have three forks in the road. At each fork, you’ll describe the two possible directions to your students. Your students will make the choice which way they want to ride; then you’ll cue up the songs, and off you go! The beauty of this profile is that every time you do it, it will be different! And there are so many possibilities of additional “forks” you can choose. This may become one of the most versatile profiles in your quiver!Read more…
The Giro d’Italia is going on right now, and what better person to bring you a very challenging, very exciting Giro stage than someone who grew up in Italy and remembers seeing the Giro pass by his door at age 4? Robert Baldi, ICA contributor and avid cyclist and cycling fan, brings you the Queen Stage…Read more…
As an indoor cycling instructor, I believe your job is to lead your students to greater fitness, provide motivation and inspiration, educate them, and have fun in the process. In fulfilling these obligations, you want to have a mix of the elements listed in this article in your quiver of classes. These aren’t energy zones or specific types of profiles, rather they could be what is stated as an objective (or sub-objective) for your profile.Read more…
This interactive and fun profile has a Matrix theme, in which the second half of the profile you allow your students to select the intervals via their choice of a Red Pill or a Blue Pill. This is one of those profiles you can do again and again, using a few different songs each time, and every single time it will come out different. I’m quite sure this will become one of your go-to profiles!Read more…
This is Part 2 of the revamped field testing articles. This one is the actual coaching of the field test. I’ve amended some of the cues to help you coach your students better through this grueling but very important assessment. Also, I’ve completely redone my playlist, and have provided tips on what kind of music to use, as well as a suggested list of over 60 additional songs to use in your field tests!Read more…
This is a re-write and re-recording of a past Audio Master Class on field testing. I have updated the information and reduced the options to the simpler 20-minute field test rather than include the more confusing options of 8-minute vs 20-minute field tests. For less fit or new students, I still recommend the Talk Test. This first post is the physiology and explanation, how to explain it to your students, and what to do with the numbers once you’ve done the testing. This will be followed up with a complete written and recording of a 20-minute field test Audio Master Class with coaching and cueing ideas and a completely new playlist.Read more…
On the surface this is an aerobic interval ride, but the underlying objective is to help riders enter a dreamlike “reverie” as they work–also known as a state of “Flow” or being “in the zone.” The reverie is inspired through the music selection and coaching, guiding students to trust you enough to let them ride on their own for most of the final 12-minute interval. Instructors looking for profiles for “endurance” classes will really enjoy this one.Read more…