Some of the profiles we provide our ICI/PRO members become instant classics. Case in point… Chrispins' (Chris Hawthorne) Four Corners (Two Ways) class profile.
Many Instructors have commented that they (and their classes) enjoy the simplicity and effectiveness of this profile. Many have added it to their portfolio of go-to profiles – which is awesome, except after a few classes the playlist maybe getting a bit tired.
I love when I find a track that will put my class on autopilot – one where I could close my eyes and ride, knowing all my riders will instinctively know what to do and follow along will little or no cuing from me!
Track two in my classes are normally where I take everyone through a series of accelerations to “open” their cardiovascular system. These are a series of pushes that increase in intensity – hopefully to threshold or just beyond.
Here's how it breaks down:
:0 to :51 building load
:52 to 1:50 standing run with resistance
1:51 to 2:17 recover/slow pedals
2:18 to 2:23 building leg speed
2:24 to 2:52 BIG EFFORT – PUSH
2:53 to 3:07 recover
3:08 to 3:53 standing run with resistance
3:54 to 4:17 recover
4:18 to 4:53 BIG EFFORT – PUSH
Taper until the end.
This free remix download is missing the early tempo changes and the actual timing is different, but the changes in intensity are all there for you and your class to enjoy 🙂
As the fonder of multiple fitness programs for Moms; Stroller Strides®, Body Back® and Fit4Baby® – Lisa Druxman knows all about creating a Tribe of people passionate about a fitness business.
Lisa Druxman created Stroller Strides in 2001 after the birth of her baby. With over 1,300 locations nationwide, it offers moms an opportunity to get in shape, meet other moms and have fun with their baby. Since then, we have released Fit4Baby, our prenatal fitness class and Body Back, our workout for any stage of motherhood. All of our programs give women the “Strength for Motherhood” and together create FIT4MOM.
Helping YOU to make strides in fitness, motherhood, and life! ®
Our Values:
We will help moms achieve their ultimate potential, both physically and emotionally.
We will offer support and education for moms.
We will inspire moms to reach optimal health and well being.
We will inspire children to emulate their moms and make fitness a part of their lives.
During the interview Lisa and I discuss the importance of Starting With Why – it's what your Tribe will connect to, Here's a presentation from author Simon Sinek where he explains the process of finding your Why!
Can't say I'd blame anyone for wanting to ride outdoors.
Are you faced with this dilemma, now that Summer is here?
Hello John,
Thanks for your speedy response.
Here is my question with a little ‘back brief' first; I live in Bend, Oregon and teach indoor cycling classes (and other types of GX as well) at the premier health club facility in my region. I have taught here for many years and can confidently say that we experience a seasonal trend in class attendance that is affected by the onset of beautiful weather! Much more so than I have seen while teaching in my other home, Southern California.
Management typically responds to this trend by cutting classes until the Fall to save on payroll. As an instructor I have learned to accept this and indulge myself in other, more self focused, activities; but in all honesty it is disheartening. Other instructors concur. I wonder if this topic is familiar to you? Have you had similar conversations with other instructors? Any insight you, or others might offer?
Really appreciate your time and expertise, and I want to say that I am a huge fan of ICI/PRO! So glad I discovered you while podcasting 🙂
In Health,
Tina
In a bit of serendipity… I received this email from my Dept Head only a few hours after Tina's.
John,
I am reaching out to get your thoughts on if you think it is worth/ideal to offer both the 6am and 5:30pm indoor cycle classes for June-August? The last think I want to do is disappoint any of our members, but I also want to be realistic with the horrific winter we have all experienced. I am not 100% sure what the participation has been like for both classes lately?? I do feel/think that many would rather be outdoors once the sun and heat really arrive.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thank you.
Tamara
I can understand how you could feel disheartened Tina. I've experienced a cutback in classes during the Summer for as long as I have been an Instructor, so this email to me was expected. You almost have to start from scratch again, building your class in the Fall. I find myself needing to re-learn many names after the Summer and it typically takes me weeks to get back the level of rapport I enjoyed the previous season.
My response was to agree to drop the evening class at the end of May, leaving me with just one class a week. This could be a problem as Life Time has a two class per week minimum to retain your status as an employee. Thankfully in my case it isn't. I lead two scheduled outdoor rides each week (Saturday and Sunday – join me if you can) and those rides are counted as classes.
If they won't come to you inside > could you go to them outside?
If getting outdoors, after a (I'll use Tamara's words) horrific winter is what your members really want, then why not applya little bit of “out of the box” thinking here Tina? And by “out of the box” I mean it literally – is there a possibility you could create a class that's held outdoors and not in the studio?
Your participants still want to be active, so how about…
Holding your Indoor Cycling class – outside?
You're a Group Fitness Instructor – could you offer a park class?
Maybe a Summer boot camp with all the activities help outdoors?
If you ride outside, why not start a group ride? Or find a group you could join?
Wait… what the @#$%^ happened to my Spotify Music Library?
It seems that every new Spotify update includes something that can be considered as an actual down-grade. This time they've removed a function many of us used regularly – the music library 🙁
The music library was a sort of master playlist. It included all the tracks from every playlist you've created or had followed. I would go there to find tracks of a specific length of time. Sorting your music library by the time column made easy work of finding that perfect song or two to round-out the perfect class.
Here's the solution
Your Music > Songs replaces the now missing music library. It provides the same function, except it's no longer auto populated with all the tracks you add to a playlist. Click on Songs and you'll probably find it empty. To add songs to it you need to tic the “+” symbol next to a track you “like” and it will appear in the Songs listing.
Easy enough to add tracks until you realise that you're going to be spending a bunch of time clicking each and every track – there is no option to “like” a whole playlist. So pour yourself a cup of tea, or adult beverage and start clicking if you want to re-populate a master list of all your favorite tracks.
Or you could just forget the whole thing and do without.
Why did Spotify remove this feature?
It's only a guess on my part – Spotify is hoping to improve their track referral engine… they see that you “like” song “A” and others who like song “A” also “like” track “B” = a better discovery experience for users. Music services have very sophisticated software that is constantly learning from watching our behavior, while using the service. For example Pandora tracks skips (indicating dislike) and Spotify now figures you'll only tic the best tracks to add to your Songs list.
