by Tom Scotto | Jan 5, 2021 | Master Instructor Blog
Ok, we simply need to mention the word “test” and all kinds of things tighten up. Relax. For week 3 of instructor self improvement month, let’s look at how we are doing mentally and emotionally….”sit back on my couch and close your eyes”. Before you jump to a conclusion on either side of the spectrum, answer a few questions:
- How motivated am I to teach my classes?
- How excited am I about teaching this weeks profile or ride?
- Do I still get pumped by my music?
- Do I feel energetic during class or just getting through?
- Do I find myself taking shortcuts when planning class?
- Am I considering taking a break from teaching?
If you got through this interrogation and said “I’m motivated. I’m excited. I am pumped, energetic and plan every detail of my class and would NEVER consider quitting” then just tuck this article in your calendar and check back in a couple of months. However, if you hesitated or flat-out broke down in tears, then read on.
The truth is we usually don’t see it coming. Life is so fast and we are so busy that we get desensitized to how we are really feeling. Regardless, don’t panic. There could be a number of reasons you may not have answered the way you wanted on any of these questions. It could be that you need some fresh inspiration, some new music, a challenge or some rest. It really depends.
Don’t Rule Out Rest
Back in July, I wrote an article entitled “Taking Care of YOU” which focused on staying aware of your overall health and need for rest. We need to consider ourselves athletes and consider our classes as training sessions. Regardless of how hard you are working, and depending on how many classes you teach a week, your body will eventually get fatigued if you don’t take the time to rest.
Rest also rejuvenates the mind and soul. I have over 5000 pieces of music and over 60 individual ride profiles that I teach throughout the year. With rare exception, I do not use the same song in 2 different rides. The song goes with that ride and that is it. I also don’t repeat the same workout within a 6-8 week period, so basically I may not do the same rider or hear the same music for almost 2 months. However, at times, I get bored and tired of my music. Of course, I use that as an excuse to buy more, but honestly, that is often not the solution. What I’ve found 99.9% of the time is that I’m simply “tired”. Once I get some rest, EVERYTHING is again exciting and full of life. The music is pump’in and I can’t wait to get up at 4:30 AM to throw down.
Get Some Inspiration
How about that, the ICI/Pro Conference is next week! Yes, a shameless plug. But seriously, when was the last time you pursued some education and training for yourself? Sign-up for a workshop in your neighborhood, or better yet, take a trip (call it a professional retreat so you can write it off) and go somewhere exotic — for business of course. A cheaper option: get a sub for your class and take a class with another instructor. Take a class with another instructor at another club! Why not? Get out of your environment and see how the other half lives. Come on, we are flattered when someone asks to take our class. Instructors often have guest pass privileges so don’t be shy – “Hey, I’ve heard some great stuff about your class, are you able to get me a guest pass so I could experience it?” You’re as good as in.
Challenge # 1
Everyone knows I’m all about challenges so take that surprised look off your face. Try something different in class. Teach a totally different ride. Not into rock? Add some. How about teaching without music? Here’s one I had a ton of fun with (and my challenge): Ask your riders to build a ride for you. Yup. I asked them to create a ride with their own music and burn it on a CD. I gave them a date and said I would teach the first CD given to me when I walked into the room — no questions asked AND no prep. What a blast! Not only did it challenge the snot out of me, it was freeing AND gave me some insight as to what type of music and rides my class liked.
Challenge # 2
Ok, if you are more the athlete type (and want a cop-out for the first challenge), here is another way to determine and/or inspire you to get your edge back. Take a threshold test. I don’t care which one you do. It could even be a VO2 test or the Foster Talk Test. Go for broke. This can often have a 2-fold affect. First, you will see what kind of energy you have. If you are exhausted and can’t finish the test or put-out a sub par performance, you know your body is tired and you need some rest. Second, if it is just inspiration you need, blowing out the dust may just be what the doctor ordered. Besides treating ourselves to an endorphin high, pushing our limits can reinvigorate our conviction on the type of training our class wants and what it feels like to give it all. Then turn around and give one to your class while your in the mood.
——–
The bottom-line is that we bring a lot of ourselves into each class and each ride. It is not just the physical energy but emotional energy as well. In many ways, the emotional is more important. As you dig into all the aspects of what makes you a great instructor this month, take a deeper look into your motivation and inspiration and make sure you are still bringing and dishing out a healthy dose to your class.
Originally posted 2011-09-22 14:58:46.
by Tom Scotto | Dec 6, 2020 | Master Instructor Blog
Like always, there is no pat answer. It often depends on the instructor’s teaching style, the type of ride and the class’s expectation.
Teaching Style
I tend to break down the style categories as Coach, Trainer and Instructor.
The Coach is on the road with you, but is often not working at the same intensity because they are…well….coaching you. They are passing on wisdom, strategy and sports education while riders are pouring their guts out. To a cyclist, and those in the “cycling world”, this is very acceptable IF the “coach” actually knows what they are talking about, puts together a good workout, and can walk (or ride) the talk.
The Trainer is often focused on the here and now — “Let’s finish this interval…..Come on, you’ve got 3 more efforts to go….Don’t stop until you get to the top of that hill!” A trainer’s energy and motivation is not required from the bike, but from their direction and firm challenge to get the job done. It is acceptable for the trainer to be off the bike a good amount of the time as they instill determination (and fear) to drag every last drop out of their riders. Similar to the coach, the trainer needs to be the real thing. They are often sweating as they infuse energy into everyone within a 20-foot radius. It is tough work.
The Instructor is on the bike with their riders and usually suffering with them as well. They turn every pedal stroke, lead every charge and motivate by sharing in the pain. The instructor is often seen as one of the gang with the motto “we’ll get there together!” They are dripping in sweat (even the gals) as their breathy encouragement pushes riders to their limit.
So putting them in order of how hard they are working (on the bike), the Trainer is riding the least, the Coach is at a moderate intensity and the Instructor is at equal intensity with the class. All are absolutely acceptable. AND I would say that anyone teaching an indoor cycling class SHOULD embody the qualities of each of these styles and use them appropriately.
Type of Ride
Considering the teaching styles above, there would also be certain types of rides that would require more effort and intensity from the instructor. I may come off the bike during shorter interval-based workouts when riders could benefit from more personal attention such as helping them with technique. On longer steady-state efforts or long climbs, I may wander into coach mode (on the bike) to keep them mentally and physically engaged. On the hand, it would seem odd (at least to me) to be off the bike while teaching a virtual ride. It would be as if I was walking along the road as my class road by (unless of course I imagined I was Johan Bruyneel talking to riders from the team car….).
Class Expectation
In many respects, what the class expects is much a product of the teaching style and ride format you have established. If you want to find out if you are hitting the mark by riding at an intensity that is motivating, don’t only ask those that regularly attend your class. They are usually there because they like your approach. Ask the new riders what they thought. I would go as far as specifically asking if they prefer more of a Coaching, Trainer or Instructor led class and see how they respond.
Not So Inspiring (to me)
Of course, if you’ve got the above locked in, you are golden, but I’ve seen those that do not have the right teaching style for the job or are riding way too hard. The extremes would be the instructor who walks around the room in warm-up sweats holding a clipboard (trying to look like an athletic trainer), but lacks any energy or motivation. My knee-jerk reaction is to reach into my bag in search of my iPod and headphones. On the other end of the spectrum is the instructor that is working so hard that you can’t understand anything they are saying. They are even breathing hard during the recovery! This is distracting and detracting. I’m not getting good direction and the instructor appears more concerned with getting their workout than helping the class get where they need to be.
So, in conclusion, mix it up. Ask your class what they like and what inspires them. But above all, be genuine. If you’re trying to be someone you are not, it will stick out like a sore thumb regardless of whether you’re riding hard enough.
Originally posted 2019-03-05 07:00:19.
by Tom Scotto | Sep 13, 2020 | Master Instructor Blog
We know it is safe to keep both feet attached to the pedals and simply focus on one leg at a time, but is it safe, and should we unclip one foot to perform pedal stroke drills in our indoor cycling classes?
To stay on point I’m not going to discuss if and why 1-legged drills are effective, but rather limitations or concerns that should be considered when attempting them in our indoor cycling classes.
First, do outdoor cyclists perform 1-legged drills? Yes we do. They have been part of our training program, usually during the base training months (Dec-Mar) for as long as I can remember. Over the last 20 years I have spent countless hours in my basement riding my road bike on an indoor trainer. A considerable amount of time each week was devoted to 1-legged pedal drills with a goal of creating a smooth pedal stroke. So why wouldn’t we want to use this same training technique during an indoor cycling class?
1-legged drills can present a safety risk during an indoor cycling class for 2 reasons: (1) most indoor bikes use a fixed weighted flywheel and (2) it is difficult to maintain cycling form and proper biomechaincs.
As we know, the weighted flywheel on the indoor bike simulates the effects of inertia and momentum experienced when riding a real bike outdoors. Since the flywheel is “fixed” (the pedals can turn the wheel in both directions), it can apply forward pressure on the legs and joints once it picks up speed. When a rider pedals with both legs, often the weaker muscles of one leg (hamstrings and hip flexors) are counter-balanced by the stronger muscles of the other leg (glutes and quads) creating a smoother rotation. I’ve seen riders struggle in classes to maintain a smooth pedal stroke with both legs — remove 1 leg from the equation and their pedal stroke becomes very choppy. This happens because the weaker muscles cannot generate the same about of force as the stronger ones (flexors vs. extensors). However, due to the momentum created by the weighed flywheel, the pedals keep turning even though there is little to no force contribution for practically half the pedal stroke. In reality, half of the pedal stroke is not under the rider’s control. This can place a tremendous amount of force on not only the joints of the legs (hips, knees and ankles), but stress other stabilizing joints and muscles such as the back, shoulders and neck. 1-Legged drills are best performed on bikes that coast because the rider is forced to activate the muscles throughout the entire pedal stroke. As a result, it is usually VERY obvious which muscles are not contributing properly because the rider will experience “dead-air” and awkwardness often at the bottom and top of the stroke.
The other problem is “where do you put the leg that is not clipped in?” Back in the day….it was common for cyclists to have 2 milk crates. Maybe you’ve seen those plastic bins at the grocery store which hold four 1-gallon jugs of milk. As a kid growing up in Brooklyn NY, I remember the “milkman” placing one of these crates full of milk on the front steps of our house. Anyway, cyclists will place 1 crate on each side of their bike (locked into the indoor trainer) as close to the moving pedal as possible. To focus on one leg, we’d simply unclip and rest our foot on the crate. It was a perfect height to enable us to maintain our form and balance (BTW, 2 chairs will also work nicely). Unless everyone in your indoor class comes prepared with their own milk crates, riders are usually forced to do a number of things with their foot in order to pedal with one leg. They can try to dangle it in the air, prop it up on the center of the bike frame, reach way back and rest it on the back legs of the bike or even lift it up on top of the handlebars. I’ve tried them all but was not able to get my foot on the handlebars (stink'in hamstrings). Regardless of which leg position you can achieve, your pedal mechanics will be affected and you will place your joints and muscles at risk with little to no benefit. A number of years ago, an unstable rider was attempting to perform 1-legged drills with his leg suspended next to the bike. His foot wandered too close to the whirling pedal and he chipped his ankle bone (medial malleolus). The instructor of the class was overwhelmed with seemingly endless paperwork and scrutiny.
So from a health and fitness risk stratification standpoint, 1-legged drills (with one leg unclipped) should not be performed in an indoor class unless both the bikes have the ability to coast and riders are either wearing diamond-plate steel anklets or until clubs start equipping cycling studios with milk crates.
Originally posted 2011-08-05 11:30:24.
by Tom Scotto | Jul 30, 2020 | Master Instructor Blog
I appreciate all of the comments on the previous post which discussed what those kcals were. Let’s continue with another number often found on our indoor bike computer (and other fitness equipment) – TRIP or Distance Covered.
Looking at your total distance number at the end of a cycling class can often provoke 2 very different responses: “Oh, that’s cool” and “No Stinkin’ Way!”. Someone who doesn’t do much riding outdoors may not have a perspective on (1) how fast they would actually be riding and (2) how far they could go in, say, an hour. This rider may see a TRIP number of 20.0 — 22.0 and think “oh, that’s cool”. Another rider who is accustomed to tracking their distance when riding out doors may view 26.0 to 28.0 (miles) after a steady hard class and say (out loud) “No Stinkin’ Way”.
What’s going on here?
As I coach, you keep hearing me talk about all of these “factors”. I seem to have factors for everything from cadence to training zones to power output to riding aero on an indoor bike and the list goes on. Well, smirk if you want, but the Tom Scotto FACTOR-Y is going to churn out a few more. Indoor bikes and fitness equipment that calculate distance are often only looking at a single measurement. For the indoor bike this would be the rotations of the flywheel (heavy wheel providing inertia/momentum). The bike computer simply adds up the number of rotations of the flywheel (not the legs or pedals) and determines the distance as how far the wheel’s circumference has traveled. Since there are no internal or external gears like on an outdoor bike, one rotation of the pedals ALWAYS equals the same amount of rotations of the flywheel. What are some of the other factors? How much resistance the rider is using can play a significant role. Is the person pushing a lot of resistance which could indicate a “fast” actual speed or spinning at high cadence with little resistance translating to a slower actual road speed? Is the rider going uphill or downhill? What about wind resistance (no, not the fans)?
Here is an example from one of my riding experiences and the factors:
A number of members from my team would travel to Turkey every year for a couple of weeks to train in the mountains in warmer temperatures. One day, after having our traditional cup of Çay (Turkish tea), we headed toward one of the bigger climbs in the Taurus mountain range. It took us about 30 minutes to ride to the base of the mountain road where the climbing began. We climbed for 3 hours, transversing close to 70 switchbacks (sharp winding turns in the mountain road). We descended on a shorter back road for 45 minutes and arrived back at the cafe. One of the locals sitting at an outside table asked us how far we had traveled. I confidently looked at my bike computer and was disappointed to read only 48 miles. We were out for over 4 hours and only covered less than 12 miles per hour. In this case, my computer was not incorrect because it included ALL of the factors involved in my ride (the foremost being going “slow” uphill).
Simple Math?
Bringing it back to our indoor bikes, due to the factors that the bikes are NOT considering, the number we see displaying as our TRIP distance will rarely ever be accurate. So what is it? Each manufacturer may calculate this differently, but here is the formula for the Keiser bikes:
– 200 revolutions on the Keiser M3 = 1.0 (TRIP)
– Flywheel is 49 inches in circumference
– 1 revolution on crankarm = 8.75 turns of flywheel
– 49 x 8.75 x 200 / 12 = 7145.8 feet
– 1.0 on our computer = the rear flywheel traveling 1.35 Miles
Remember, the above calculations do not include the “factors” so we are still ONLY measuring how far the circumference of the flywheel is traveling. So what is the TRIP number good for? Since it is directly linked to our cadence (the more pedal rotations the higher the TRIP), one can observe if their overall cadence was higher or lower for a given ride or effort. Although the Keiser bikes already provide an average cadence number, the TRIP can tell you how many rotations you pedaled during the class (divide your trip by 200).
So, as instructors, it is important that we understand how these number work and what they represent. This will enable us to give sound guidance to our riders so they can view their efforts with a touch of reality. This will better prepare them (and not discourage them) if and when they venture outside.
Originally posted 2011-03-10 07:00:15.
by Tom Scotto | Apr 28, 2020 | Master Instructor Blog
In a single indoor cycling class we can have a combination of beginners, cycling enthusiasts, competitive athletes, fit and unfit. We have those who are just interested in some cardio fitness, some with a focus on weight loss and others desiring cycling-specific training. There are the young, the old and everyone in-between. So with all of these different interests, expectations and age groups, how do we determine who we are talking to when we lead our classes?
As an outdoor cyclist and coach who discovered indoor cycling 16 years ago, I found the classes available at the time to resemble aerobics sessions. I was the odd-ball and a rarity in the classes I attended. I tried to imitate riding outside to supplement my winter training while others whirled their legs, jumped and bounced up and down. The instructor appeared confident, gave a few simple commands and everyone seemed to know exactly what to do (except me). As indoor cycling has evolved and now more closely resembles “cycling”, it is attracting a wider audience. Our classes are not only attracting the cardio-psychos and weight droppers, but since we are teaching rides that produce real cycling fitness and results, the charity riders, cycling enthusiasts and even competitive athletes are also joining in on the fun. Although this evolution is a positive thing, it can present a great challenge to indoor cycling instructors. With such a wide spectrum of fitness levels, interests and expectations, who are we or should we be talking to?
A few weeks ago I attended a class of highly diverse riders, led by a great instructor. The instructor had taken great effort in designing a dynamic workout and had a full room to show for their excellence. Even though, I could see the instructor struggle with this identity crisis. At one point, in a single breath, they described the desired intensity as “Let’s increase to 80 to 85% of your maximum effort, just at your lactate threshold or ventilatory threshold heart rate, approximately a rate of perceived effort of 8 to 9 out of 10. Your breathing should be challenged.” It was like spraying machine-gun fire — everyone was hit. Every cue they gave had 4 versions to it. I asked a few riders after class if they felt they were able to target their effort appropriately during class and they said “we just go as hard as we can — It’s a tough class”.
This challenge is one of the driving forces for Cycling Fusion’s level-based classes (beginner, intermediate and advanced). Although this doesn’t solve all of the issues, it does place riders into classes that will address their needs and expectations. However, like the evolution of bike-aerobics to indoor cycling, adapting the concept of level-based classes will take time. So is there anything we can do in the mean time? Well, that is a question I’d like to propose to our experienced ICI/Pro members. What have you found successful? I’ll start by throwing my approach into the hat.
What is your predominant teaching style? What types of classes or rides do you gravitate towards? Don’t assume you know, but instead ask some of your riders and other instructors that know you and persuade them to be honest. Most people peg me as a coach. My classes mostly resemble coached training sessions. Although I attract all levels, cyclists and non-cyclists, the clubs have caught on to my style and dubbed my classes as performance oriented. This designation has helped guide my language, choice of words when cueing and training concepts dramatically. Better yet, it has given me confidence to teach without sounding like an auctioneer. The clubs have labeled my classes as such so members know what to expect. It hasn’t hurt my attendance one bit.
I now open the floor to you. Let’s help each other and share wisdom from our many years of teaching and overcoming this type of challenge.
Save
Save
Originally posted 2018-03-05 09:00:00.
