Several people have asked me how to structure a 90-minute profile, and at what intensity it should be taught. Here is the outline of my 90-minute sub-threshold endurance class this week. I also give you a modified version that allows for some high-intensity intervals above threshold. The balance of intensity is extremely important to consider as your duration exceeds one hour.Read more…
Part 2 of knowing whether your class is too hard or too easy means digging in deeper into what “hard” really means and how to convey it to your riders. I link to seven articles to help ensure you fully understand this level of effort. This includes 23 cues to empower your riders to give everything they have to reach the level of effort to actually realize the HIT benefits. Otherwise, they’re awash in mediocrity.Read more…
A new instructor posed this excellent question, and because it depends on so many caveats, I am creating a series out of this topic. Part 1 provides the most basic, short-term way to assess how hard or easy your class is for your riders. But instructors, get ready to do a little self-analysis—I’ve got some homework for you. This series may very well pave the path to tremendous personal growth!Read more…
Leave it to the fitness industry to aggressively destroy yet another sound athletic training concept. Hone in on certain indoor cycling circles and it can be an absolute free-for-all. It is not uncommon to see massive high-speed sprints (with little to no resistance), producing an eye-popping 20 watts (not a typo), upper-body gyrations that appear to be from a scene in the Exorcist, and now Tabata, Tabata, and more Tabata. Read more…
This high-intensity profile is an exploration of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Sometimes discussing physiology with students can get a little dry, or go over their heads. Not this time! Tom makes sure they have a blast while experiencing the difference between their slow-twitch (aerobic) and fast-twitch (primarily anaerobic) muscle fibers.Read more…
As promised, following the interviews with Tom Scotto and Dr. Haley Perlus on the physical and metal aspects of pushing into the realm of discomfort, here are some of Tom’s and my favorite cues for hard to very hard efforts that include an element of suffering. There is a disclaimer of course: you must have a good relationship with your students and these are not appropriate for everyone. But you can also modify them based on where you are with your coaching and where your students are with their fitness.Read more…
When it’s time to go hard, you might as well learn how to do it the right way. This is more than just a profile, though. Tom teaches you how to perform explosive power efforts and lactate tolerance efforts for any class. We discuss when a class this hard is appropriate and when it is not, and provide suggestions on how to give options to students not ready. Therefore, this audio master class is a MUST for those who like to HIT IT hard!Read more…
What do you say when you want to push your students beyond their threshold? Here is a list of inspiring cues to help them achieve what you are asking so they can reap the benefits that you are seeking (the objective of the profile). Some cues are visuals, some areRead more…
Now that you know about the physiological adaptations of VO2 Max intervals, here are five different profiles for introducing VO2 max intervals. Each one is progressively harder. Also provided are some modifications for your students who are still not ready to go to this intensity for very long. This isRead more…
This may be one of the most valuable downloads so far at the Indoor Cycling Association. In this template for creating intervals at lactate threshold (LT) or functional threshold power (FTP), you can mix and match the variables provided to create well over 50 different profiles! Yes, you read that correctly. Over 50 profiles!Read more…