by John | Feb 7, 2020 | Indoor Cycling Bikes, Instructor Training, Product Reviews, Training With Power
Spinning joins the Training With Power Wars
Star Trac had the new Spinner® Blade Ion on display at IHRSA. I rode one during Josh Taylor's 6:30 am demonstration ride this past Thursday. After the class I discussed the Ion's new features with Josh. I then got an overview of Spinning's new Spinpower™ education from Program Director Angie Sturtevant, which I'll share as a separate article.
Basics
The “Ion” differentiates this bike with Power from the conventional Spinner Blade. It uses the same chain drive and friction resistance system, found on all Spinner® Indoor Cycles.
Console / Monitor
Very simple… and I'm a huge fan of simple, so right away I appreciated how easy it was to use the Ion's console. I was told they are making a few minor changes so the final version may look different. Working down from the top, the display shows:
- Heart Rate
- Cadence
- Power
- Elapsed Time
Just three buttons
- Left button turns the back-light on/off. It doesn't time out because it doesn't need to preserve battery life. It will stay on until you want it dark or you stop pedaling. I might not have this completely right – but you get the point – the light will shine all class 🙂
- Center button scrolls through screens displaying; real time and averages + calories
- Hold down the Right button for 2 seconds resets the Elapsed Time – Josh explained that this button will also add a “digital marker” to any Ant+ enabled devise, identifying the beginning or end of an interval, similar to the “Stage” button found on other consoles.
Josh made the point during his demo ride that their console will show ZERO watts when there's no resistance, regardless of the cadence = this will show all of our “spinners” that they aren't doing any real work until they've added some load.
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[wlm_ismember]
Measured Power
Strain gauge measures the amount of pull on the brake pad.
The Blade Ion measures power with a strain gauge connected to the brake pad – again more simplicity. This technique is actually over 100 years old and how the horsepower of early engines was measured; by measuring the force acting on the brake, as the flywheel tries to drag the brake around it's circumference.
If you have an NXT available you can see exactly what they are doing. Remove any resistance and start the pedals turning slowly. Now carefully touch the slowly turning flywheel with one finger. Feel how it wants to drag your finger along? Can you see how the harder you press against the flywheel, the more effort it takes to hold your finger in place? By measuring that force, the speed of the rotating flywheel and then doing a bit of math, we could calculate Power.
That Black Box contains the strain gauge and replaces the normal brake pad holder on the standard Blade or NXT – which begs the question; will they ever offer a retrofit power meter for older NXT's?
What about Calibration?
I was told that the Ion will be factory calibrated and that no other calibration will be necessary – which I find very hard to believe.
This isn't the right time to get into a lengthy discussion over what I see as fundamental differences between; how the Ion measures the amount of Power coming out vs. how FreeMotion (and also any bicycle crank arm/spider or pedal based power meter) is measuring the amount of Power the rider is putting into the cycle. Or if it's really of any value…
So I don't leave you hanging here, the factory calibration may indeed accurately display the amount of coming out of the Ion forever… but does that precisely reflect the amount of power the rider is putting into the cycle?
What I'm questioning is there's a lot of drive train (multiple bearings and the chain) between the pedals (work in) and the brake mechanism (work out). This engineering article describes the efficiency of bicycle chain drive system and how losses can vary between 2% and 20%. I'm sure Star Trac's engineers have a very sophisticated algorithm to work all this out on a new Ion – but what happens over time? Worn chains and bearings, sprocket alignment and chain tension will all have an effect. Potentially some of the Ion's in your studio could become favorites because they display a higher wattage, relativity to the amount of work introduced by the rider, simply because its chain is in better alignment. Does that make sense?
No Batteries Required
Angie said she likes this because it's “green” (no batteries to throw out) – this blue light is a very cool touch.
Hands down my favorite feature of the Ion is how it charges itself. Josh told me that it incorporates a smart charging system that will allow the batteries to discharge before recharging. That wire runs from the hub charging unit & cadence counter up to the handle bars.
Phone cord allows adjustment.
How it felt to ride & my overall reaction.
Adding a cool blue Instructor platform will be de rigueur for any studio with Blade Ions
Let me start by saying Star Trac makes a phenomenal Indoor Cycle. Solid and smooth – I'm sure Jeff Wimmer had his hands on these. They fit me perfectly – or after riding & teaching on them for all these years do I fit them perfectly? Either way they're very nice to ride… and you hear the yeah-but coming… but I've really become a fan of magnetic resistance over the past 4 years. I understand how Spinning's® brand goes to the “feel” of a Spinner® and that “feel” comes in part from a friction based resistance system. I prefer riding magnetic and was disappointed that the Ion still uses a friction brake.
I also felt weak/less powerful on the Spinner Blade Ion. Or said differently, for a given amount of effort, I was seeing a lower wattage number than I'm used to seeing from a recently calibrated FreeMotion or a Schwinn AC. You could add embarrassed to my list of feelings. I actually felt compelled to cover my readings while Josh was off the bike checking in with his class 🙁
Thinking it may just be me, I went directly to FreeMotion's area and jumped into a class with Cameron Chinatti. Nope, it wasn't me. There on a familiar cycle, I was seeing/feeling my normal ~250 FTP. So back to the Ion (different bike this time) but the same results. A similar effort/HR and only saw ~180 watts.
I talked to Angie about this and she suggested that you just can't compare the two, they're different. I've asked Angie to join me on the Podcast to discuss this in detail and will let you know if/when she'll come on as a guest.
Later that morning I also tried a little experiment that I've wanted to do for years…
What happens to your Power / Wattage when you accelerate from a set point, say; 100 watts @ 60 rpm to 90 rpm on friction based system, as compared to a magnetic system? Do they react the same way?
You can read my follow up article to learn more: Comparing Spinning’s® Friction to FreeMotion’s® Magnetic Resistance
Stay tuned for the results + some thoughts on Spinpower™ later this week.
[/wlm_ismember]
Originally posted 2013-03-24 11:20:19.
by John | Feb 1, 2020 | Engage Your Students
Back to business this morning at the “Spa” (Minnetonka LifeTime Athletic Club & Spa) after the summer break. Everyone calls it the Spa because it's full name is just too much of a mouthful, especially in the early AM.
It's amazing how consistent (or maybe habitual is a better word) people tend to be. I zipped into the parking lot at 5:30 AM with a full 15 minutes to spare and pulled into the exact same slot, next to the exact same contractor's pickup, that I always use. Walked up to the front desk and was greeted; “good-morning John. Are you teaching again?” by that same friendly smile. I surprise myself by actually producing my membership card. “Yes, Monday's are back on the schedule” is my response as I turn toward the steps down to the locker room.
“Wait” I thought. I stopped, turned and walked back to the reception desk.
“Forgive me… I've forgotten your name.”
“Cathy”.
“It's nice to see you again Cathy” I said before turning back toward the steps. I walked away feeling much better about myself for having the courage to confront something that I frequently struggle with… forgetting (or never asking) co-worker's and member's names.
Dressed for class and on my way up the stairs, when I had my second chance. A very familiar face, smile, “good morning John!” “I was excited to see that they added your class back for Fall.”
It worked the first time. I'll try it again. “Good-morning, but forgive me… I've forgotten your name.”
“Oh it's Betsy, but you have so many people's names to remember. I don't expect you to remember mine.”
“Good-morning Betsy.” “I'm looking forward to seeing your smile in class again.” I said, seeing a mental image of her on her bike.
I already knew where she would be riding…
Save
Originally posted 2017-09-21 08:15:22.
by John | Jan 29, 2020 | Engage Your Students, Instructor Training, Learn Leadership Skills
“Thank you for saying something to those two girls. I can't tell you how frustrating it is for me to have to sit and listen to their mindless chatter while I'm trying to focus on my workout.”
It was yesterday and I had just finished subbing a class at one of the high-end clubs where I have a regular endurance class during the winter.
I started to say “You're wel…” when she interrupted me with; “Not all the Instructors will say something. I don't have a lot of flexibility in my schedule and this is one of the few classes that works for me… so thank you.”
I wanted to ask her why, when she is in that situation, she didn't say anything to the people who were disrupting her time in class? But before I could, I answered my own question.
She respected my social rank or status in the class and was waiting for me to demonstrate the leadership she believed came with my position as the Instructor. I have some knowledge of this member. She is a very successful local attorney and when you see her in street clothes you know she means business. I'm going to guess that her Social Status hasn't come from a meek or non-confrontational personality.
But when she's in class, with her Lycra shorts and a bright yellow jersey, she has the same exact status of everyone in the room, except one – the Instructor, who yesterday was me.
It's actually kind of funny when I think about it. I've often described my students as people who you will regularly read about in the business section of the newspaper or see interviewed on TV. And here's little old me, the leader of a group of high power Lawyers, CEO's and business owners… hard to believe. But for one hour every Monday morning I am the Big Dog 🙂
And more importantly, they all expect me to be the leader.
Put yourself in your student's position. Whatever social status they have outside of class vanishes when they strip down in the locker room and squeeze into their bike shorts. Some go from a position of absolute authority to near social impotence in the three minutes it takes them to change. Imagine the frustration they must feel riding in your class, trying to focus on their workout, but forced to listen to a detailed recap of yesterday's Housewives of the O C or some other nonsense.
There's a good thread running about this over at Pedal-On Students who won't shut up that has a bunch of suggestions about how you can address this problem. My personal favorite is setting clear expectations at the beginning of your class. Master Instructor Kenji Freedman is phenomenal at setting these expectations in his class opening. You can hear it at the beginning of Podcast #143.
Do you understand your role as the leader in your class?
Originally posted 2011-07-09 09:15:52.
by John | Jan 24, 2020 | Big Box Instructor, Instructor Tips and Tricks, Instructor Training
If you promise me that you won't get a big head, I'd like you to go look in the mirror and repeat after me;
“I'm a celebrity and it's about time that I started acting like one.”
Now I'm not suggesting that you should start arriving for your next class in a chauffeur driven limousine, nor am I recommending that you follow these seven steps to becoming a celebrity. But I am suggesting that you consider acting in a way that will cause others to be interested in you… which is really no different than the people you are interested in and some of our attraction to other celebrities.
The dictionary lists ce·leb·ri·ty [suh-leb-ri-tee] as a noun meaning 1. a famous or well-known person. If you've been teaching for a while, I'm going to guess that within your little world, you are well known = you are a celebrity 🙂
So if the though of you as a celebrity is intriguing, here are a few things you can work on…
Develop your Shtick
Fernando's lines; “You look marvelous my darling… you really do!” and “It is better to look good than to feel good” launched the career of Billy Crystal back in the 80's. Your shtick may not be as corny as Crystal's, but what made these lines so memorable were how Billy delivered them with an accent that many of us have tried to imitate. A very popular Instructor I know starts every class with “GOOD MORNING MINNETONKA” with a delivery fit for the opening of a World Wrestling Match or Boxing title fight. People in her class look forward to it in every class and would feel something was missing if she didn't do it.
Consistency is key to both your Shtick. What you say and how you say it should be unique and your delivery should be as consistent as possible.
Dress the part
What's the first thing you think of when I say the names of these famous singers; “Lady Gaga?” (her wild clothes) “Bono” – lead singer with U2 (his sunglasses) Brett Michaels (bandanna head wrap) “Dolly Parton” (her… wigs) you get the point.
Consider a Theme Song
Where would Gilligan's Island be today without … five passengers set sail that day for a three hour tour, a three hour tour. Admit it, you could hear the song as your read the words 🙂
What would be wrong with having a consistent song for your class intro [wlm_firstname]? A song that your students begin to associate with your class?
Promote yourself
There's a great article at the Wall Street Journal about Rock Star Instructors and what they do to promote themselves.
Gyms are experiencing a surge in the popularity of group fitness classes, and as they move out StairMasters to make way for aerobics studios, they're finding that the linchpin of a successful class is a charismatic instructor. Often former dancers or musical theater dropouts, instructors motivate students, mostly women though some men too, to pack themselves like sardines into a studio and to come back, again and again.
A demi-class of female friendship is developing: the fitness instructor and the student. “My friends and I always gush about the instructors we have a girl-crushes on,” says Katie Lee, a writer and TV personality in Water Mill, N.Y., who takes spinning classes about four times a week.
Instructors market themselves on the Web by teaching free classes on Google+ Hangouts. They attract followers by posting videos on YouTube and offer daily affirmations to sometimes tens of thousands of Facebook subscribers.
Originally posted 2012-09-06 08:35:45.
by John | Jan 1, 2020 | Video Tutorials
Last year my big goal was competing in my first full Triathlon. To prepare I followed the training from this excellent Triathlon Training DVD series produced by USA Triathlon. The series is designed for a beginner and it helped me understand exactly what I was getting into.
It sells new for $125 and I have it for sale on ebay if you are interested in getting a jump start on your training plans.
Originally posted 2011-01-02 17:37:51.
