By:
On:
In: Free Articles
With: 6 Comments

Anyone planning on a Mardi Gras or Carnival theme ride? Put on a mask and some purple and gold beads, hand out beads to your students and play some Brazil or New Orleans inspired carnival tunes, and you’ve got yourself a party! I’ve done some searching for songs for your playlist and have come up with dozens of songs ranging from Brazilian Samba or Batacuda, New Orleans Jazz, Cajun and Zydeco, French Carnival, and other songs about New Orleans in general. Let us know in the comments if you have some more ideas. (FREE ARTICLE)Read more…

By:
On:
In: Free Articles, Teaching with Power
With: 2 Comments

If you are a fan of FTP (Functional Threshold Power) or are aching to learn more, enjoy this article from one of the masters of power, Joe Friel.

In the upcoming weeks, ICA will present a series entitled “Power for the Masses.” This series will explore three different ways we can incorporate power in our classes. These articles will be especially beneficial for those who have struggled to implement FTP and are looking for additional power “tools” for their indoor cycling instructor belt.Read more…

By:
On:
In: Free Articles, Instructor Issues & growth
With: 19 Comments

Have you ever walked into class and just known it was going to be one of those days? At the front of the room sit the fitness warriors, donning serious faces as they set their heart rate monitors and fine-tune their bike setup. At the back of the room a small riot brews. There is tons of chatter, laughter, and a couple of folks whose voices project more than is tolerable. The front row is noticeably annoyed.Read more…

By:
On:
In: Free Articles, Instructor Issues & growth, New Instructors
With: 17 Comments

There was an interesting discussion this week on one of the Facebook indoor cycling forums about teaching without music. I thought it could be fun to have a discussion here about teaching without music. Have you ever had a music emergency in which you had to teach your class with no music at all? How did you initially react? How did your riders respond?Read more…

By:
On:
In: Communication and Presentation Skills, Free Articles, General Fitness, Instructor Issues & growth
With: 2 Comments

Like many things in the fitness industry, the mantra “no pain, no gain” has been misused and misrepresented. Has the mantra provided trainers and instructors with a license to kill? Has it become a means to an unknowledgeable end? Has the mantra set an unrealistic and unhealthy expectation for its victims?Read more…

By:
On:
In: Communication and Presentation Skills, Free Articles, Programming and Management
With: 3 Comments

Have you ever wondered what all the hype was about hashtags, those silly tic-tac-toe–looking things you see on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms? #dotheysometimesgetonyournerves? Watch this 3-minute video by media expert Amanda Vogel to help you understand how to use this strange but ubiquitous feature of social media.Read more…

By:
On:
In: Coaching and Cueing, Free Articles
With: 3 Comments

This is the first part in a series by ICA contributor, Cori Parks. Indoor cycling began with Johnny G’s inspired quest to train better, both physically and mentally, long before it was ever about incinerating calories or vying for instructor or program popularity. Now that indoor cycling has made its name in the realm of cardio conditioning and proven its ongoing relevance in the fitness industry, the cycling instructor has a unique opportunity to reach a wide spectrum of participants.Read more…