16 Comments

1. 

   sandra ballardini on June 19, 2012 at 10:20 am

   Hi Jhon,
   I teach at a club in a suburb of New York called Premier Fitness in Nanuet. I am a Star 3 instructor, teaching…no, coaching, for over 12 years.
   I love using video to enhance my classes and usually spend HOURS recording, and then taping the important stages of the TDF every year, trying to edit out all of the commercials.
   This year I have taken on an additional job and know I am in trouble with limited time to do the recording, taping thing. Hint, Hint.

   The only tidbit fact I can come up with is that I have a 84 yr old man religiously take my class 3 times a week. He can hardly walk straight because of a spin issue but he rides like he’s 20 yrs younger!

2. 

   Christine Nielsen on June 19, 2012 at 12:41 pm

   I teach at a community recreation centre outside Halifax, Nova Scotia – two ice rinks, gymnasium, pool, small fitness facility. I love looking out at the parking lot from the window of the IC room. I see children as young as three dragging their hockey bags, people of all ages dressed for basketball practice or aerobics classes and senior couples arriving hand in hand for open skates. I am heartened by the impact of the facility on the health and well-being of my neighbors.

   Cute fact – my biggest fan is an elderly woman with arthritic knees named Miriam. She has started to complain to the instructor of her seniors’ fitness class that the music isn’t as ‘fresh’ as mine. What Miriam doesn’t know is that she is learning to love symphonic goth metal!

3. 

   Chuck Cali on June 19, 2012 at 6:31 pm

   I’ll go with interesting. Or maybe ironic.

   I was teaching almost two years at a studio with video options. When I asked how to use the system (it has the nice motorized screen that drops from the ceiling) no one knew it was there or how to use it. So I figured it out.

   Next, I studied all the information on ICI/PRO to learn how to teach to video. I picked a video, watched it endlessly and practiced forever.

   Then I procrastinated. I finally screwed up the courage to try it. I got there very early, turned all the bikes to face the screen – not the normal set up – and naturally someone’s bike was not going to be in their ‘favorite position’ was in for a surprise.

   As the riders started to arrive I got the look. You know that look, the one that says, “why are you messing with my room?” look. “Virtual Ride” I say. Suffice it to say they were skeptical at best.

   We did the ride. It was over and now, the moment of truth. I asked for feedback. A resounding, “Do you have one that is 90 minutes long?” came back at me. My answer, no problem. My thought, “oh sh__, I better go shopping.

4. 

   Pat Williams on June 19, 2012 at 9:53 pm

   I have been teaching at Gold’s gym in Morehead City and New Bern North Carolina. I have been teaching for about 10 years. I teach 2-3 times a week. I teach RPM (Les Mills cycling program) once a week and have the freedom to teach indoor cycling 2.0 the rest of the classes during the week. My classes seem to enjoy the virtual rides and I have now gotten into a habit of teaching that type of class at least once a week. I have introduced longer rides (90 minute classes) in one of the gyms that I teach. I have gained volumes of knowledge from this website as well as the Cycling Fusion program. My wife would say that I am obsessed with teaching classes and she is probably right. On a personal note, when I first started taking classes 10 years ago, I weighed 50 pounds more than I do now. Not only has indoor cycling allowed me to improve others fitness levels, it has probably added quality years to my life and provided me with a wonderful outlet to riding outside for long distances.

   Winner – Pat it sounds like you are an awesome example for your students!

5. 

   Will Allen on June 21, 2012 at 11:15 am

   John,
   I teach at Colorado Athletic Clubs in Denver – always a dedicated, fun and active group. I gain tons of teaching energy from the participants in my classes, and they love the structure I am able to provide in part with help from you and ICI. Keep up the good work!
   Will

6. 

   Joanne Harrison on June 21, 2012 at 11:03 pm

   Hi John,

   thanks for all the fun!!

   I teach and coach at Basalt Health and Fitness in Basalt Colorado. This year we will ride out 4th Tour, and eveyone is getting excited already…I do profiles for the day, lots of fun and weird French playlists, and we have prizes daily…and a “Yellow” jersey at the end.

   Two odd facts….one year we had a drop in, who rode like hell, and when the ride was at it’s sweaty end, I annouce, as always, ok, now for the urine sample…and our newbie really freaked out, until he realized we were all roaring and he was redder than red….

   Points are given for attendance, and highest points wins the jersey, our second year I get an email from one of our regular riders who would have won, except for going on vacation…the email heading says, the REAL reason I missed our last classes, open up the email and John’s photos, complete with road rash, broken cheek and jaw, from a bike accident while away…with a big grin (kinda) and a hand made “Tour de France” sign clutched in his hand…

   Die hards all, and we have a blast….

   thanks…

   Winner – Joanne I almost spit out my coffee when I first read this!

7. 

   valerie lewis on June 22, 2012 at 5:36 pm

   Hi John!

   I teach in Santa Monica and Venice, CA where having a bike metric is still fairly new to everyone. My demographic is broad, with a good mix of men to women across all ages above 18 learning the meaning of strength, power, and endurance. I would LOVE to show them a ride, as a lot of my riders don’t get out on the road much. So good of you to do this and I appreciate all the good work you guys do for us. Many thanks!

8. 

   Chuck Cali on June 22, 2012 at 5:56 pm

   Ah Ha, the competition heats up… Great post Joanne…

9. 

   Jennifer Ashbrook on June 23, 2012 at 5:29 am

   Hi John,

   I teach outside of Philadelphia in a large-ish health club. Most instructors at our facility are not outdoor riders, I’m one of the few, and have enjoyed bringing more “realistic”, structured, and focused ride instruction to my students. Over the past year, I’ve begun bringing some video rides into my classes – and they are very well received. We don’t even really have a proper video system at this point (but the club is considering installing one in the cycling room now) – I have to stop in the office on my way into my class and pick up the projector – I bring my own laptop and my own videos and have to set everything up before each video class I teach. I’ve been slowly building my own library of cycling videos, and have even played a bit with creating my own videos. I’m considering investing in a GoPro camera so I can record some local rides…. I would LOVE to bring some of these Tour climbs into my classroom! Thanks for the opportunity, and for all you do for Indoor Cycling!

   Winner -Love your efforts to bring in what your club won’t provide!

10. 

    Vivienne Naylor on June 28, 2012 at 4:51 pm

    I’m leaving a comment as this is a fun thread…..but I don’t want to be considered for a prize. I’ve already had a nice easy “win” with the David Bowie contest and I wouldn’t be able to make the best use of the results of this one. However, there’s a sort of irony that I fancy most folk here will appreciate.

    Last Fall, I got an e-mail from a big fan of mine at a former gig. He’d just come back from a 10 day biking va-cay in Italy…..40+ miles a day in “hilly” countryside. He contacted me to say thanks for my emphasis on training like a pro. and riding the SPIN bike as if it WILL actually fall over if U DO IT RONG!!1!……and hitting the weight room……and dietary advice…..and mental focus etc. etc.

    Dude’s 82!

    The real *ICI/PRO* related kicker is that I lost my classes at this spot the very day after the very first ICI/PRO conference. It was just after the Columbus Day weekend, remember?…..I was all riled up to get down to business based on what I’d learned and, lo….. I’d been replaced by a young chick who’d just gotten her cert. and liked “jumps” and “sprints” etc.

    It opened up my time slots for something better but, still…..it makes you shake your head at the perversity of it all.

    See….if I wanted to *win*, this tale would be a winner, right??

    Vivienne

11. 

    Jennifer Ashbrook on July 1, 2012 at 11:58 am

    So who won??

12. 

    John on July 1, 2012 at 2:14 pm

    Jennifer I was completely cooked last night when I got back from suffering through the Warrior Dash. Posting the winners now.

13. 

    John on July 1, 2012 at 2:39 pm

    I added a note to each winning comment. Pat, Joanne and Jennifer please email your shipping address
    john@indoorcycleinstructor.com

14. 

    Joanne Harrison on July 1, 2012 at 8:11 pm

    I am so tickled!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the win….my class will be DEE-lighted….I too love this site…I work full time and often run into that, ah, time crunch for preparing for my classes, and get so many great ideas, my classes love them, and I love you…!!! Happy 4th…

15. 

    Jennifer Ashbrook on July 2, 2012 at 5:03 am

    Yay!! So excited!!!

16. 

    Pat Williams on July 5, 2012 at 12:28 pm

    Hello,

    Thanks so much for the DVD’s. I received the package in the mail today and was pleasantly surprised that you had selected my entry. I am looking forward to sharing them with my classes. Again, thanks and keep up the good work.

    Pat

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