Suppose one of your riders began doing push-ups or picked up some weights in your class; what would you do? ICA member Melody asked this question in our Facebook group and several of us responded with advice. Next week I will give you some specific ways to address riders face-to-face.Read more…
Fear can be a powerful motivator, especially in the short term. In fitness, this manifests itself as working out because of a doctor’s warning, or fear of gaining weight. In the long term, we are always better when we can live our lives—and pursue a fit lifestyle—in love. There are steps cycling coaches can take to help riders make the transition, thus improving their chances of a lifetime commitment to fitness.Read more…
We recognize that “you must do this to be healthy” is a poor motivator for most people. Our physical and emotional needs are too complex and too conflicted to respond to a simple “if, then” approach. Higher functions like these are addressed better by more intrinsic motivational factors, namely autonomy, mastery, and purpose.Read more…
Do you have riders who struggle to make it to class, despite their desire to become regular exercisers? Are they overwhelmed by short-term obstacles that get in their way? Here are three steps you can take to help your students (or clients if you are a personal trainer) stay even more committed to their fitness. Read more…
While teaching and instructing certainly happen in every indoor cycling class, the ability to act as a coach sets indoor cycling apart from many other group fitness formats. Cori explains the difference between each one, and how they are utilized in the cycling studio. Read more…
When you look back at all of the indoor cycling classes you’ve ever taken, is there one instructor who just seemed to reach down to the very core of your existence and get you? Read more…
The final segment of this series addresses two of the benefits of teaching off the bike that have the most impact: assessing intensity of your riders and teaching HIT intervals. You now have all the tools you need to be a highly effective indoor cycling coach who knows how to teach off the bike.Read more…
Throwback Thursday (updated). Teaching off the bike is a skill. With effective and judicious use, you can empower your students beyond what you could do from the saddle. But you can also overdo it and alienate your students. Dismounting occasionally is different from teaching an entire class off the bike. Here are specific steps to elevate your coaching from the floor.Read more…
Every time I’m forced to teach without a microphone, I think about those instructors who do not believe in using a mic. They believe instructing without a mic does not affect their teaching or the experience they deliver. They could not be more wrong.Read more…
Part 3 of this series on effective coaching off the bike gives you the remainder of the 12 ways to make sure that you enjoy the process so that you can empower your students. Read more…