It’s like trying to drink from a fire hydrant!
During the weeks of September we were focused on improving our instructor and coaching skills. Articles were posted on how we look, sound and feel as we lead our classes. We were already bubbling with info, thoughts and ideas and then the ICI/Pro Conference hit and WOW — knowledge/inspiration overload! I walked around during the little time I had between my sessions and witnessed the buzz, with excitement flying everywhere. Sometimes we can receive so much (good) information and energy that we end up overwhelmed and paralyzed and utter (in a very small voice)....”I just want to teach a great indoor cycling class...” We can struggle to try to implement EVERYTHING we learned which may run the risk of turning us into an instructor we are not. Huh!?
You bring a certain energy, passion and experience to your classes that is unique to you. That is why people love you. We want to hone our skills without changing the personality and style that make us who we are. Now if we realized something we were doing was not correct or better done a different way, by all means, change that. But sometimes we can stumble away from a bombardment of information thinking we need to be totally different. I’ve taken a week to digest what happened to me over the last month of both writing (which is a self-convicting exercise), presenting and digesting what others have been saying, and I needed a gut check and a way to approach “how” to improve AND “what” to improve on.
Here is a concept from Cycling Fusion’s Essential Training for Indoor Cycling workshop that may help sort it out. To help instructors with this improvement dilemma, Gene Nacey created the CHIME Cueing method. CHIME is an acronym that stands for the attributes of a good, well-rounded instructor: “Coaching, Helping, Inspiring, Motivating and Educating”. Among the benefits of using this method is the ability to assess what type of instructor you are and how to continually improve. I’ll give you some definition for each one, but before you start running amuck criticizing yourself, let me give you 2 pieces of guidance:
(1) The 10,000-Foot View
First, think through each attribute and how much of each you currently exhibit, and more importantly ENJOY using in class. This cursory exploration will provide a good view of our overall teaching approach. Each of us will have a tendency toward different attributes based on our style and what type of instructor we are or want to be. Some of us like to coach or are coaches so leaning toward that trait in our classes is natural. Others of us may bring inspiration which can be a great way to bring beginners into our world. And still others may be the eternal educators who provide life-changing wisdom with every ride. And the list goes on.... Who are you?
(2) Going Deep
Now, take another tour through these attributes to see which you believe need improving. You can do this in 2 ways: (1) be brutally honest with yourself or, (2) ask someone else to be brutally honest for you. Remember, the goal is not to have 100% of each attribute. Not only would that be rare, but it would demonstrate a lack of passion. What?! Yes, someone who is good at everything often does it at the expense of being great at something. We have an expression in athletic training; “Race your strengths and train your weaknesses” Continue to run (or ride) with your strengths as an instructor, but also work on those areas that are not your strong suit so you can become more effective.
C H I M E
Here is a brief description and example of each attribute to get you thinking:
Coaching
We tend to focus more on the big picture and the “complete” rider. We emphasize the commitment to what was started and seeing the changes as the goal grows nearer:
“I’m counting on seeing each of you here every Monday. It’s our commitment to each other. I’ve seen you working really hard in class. You’re doing great!”
Helping
We are always looking for ways to help riders with even the smallest things from finding the right cycling shoes to becoming more aware on the bike:
Instructor sees a student with inadequate resistance, and hips popping. “As we increase our cadence, you may begin to feel your hips pop or jump a little bit. If that happens, add just a little more resistance, and you will feel your hips stabilize”
Inspiring
We pull from past experiences, whether ours or someone else’s to inspire our class to push through:
Instructor has a student learning to use a heart monitor for the first time, and they seem confused.
“Don’t worry, I couldn’t even set my watch before I started using a heart monitor. Now I use it every time I train indoors and out. It has become as common as putting on my shoes and I’ve seen so much improvement in my fitness.”
Motivating
We look ahead at the goal and bring it to life, drawing it closer and making it tangible:
The class is in the last 5 minutes of a 20 minute power test. “Yeah, this is where it hurts, and this is where you want to back off, but this is also where you prove that you have what it takes to see it through to the end.”
Educating
We love and thrive on training concepts and know that if our rider’s understand them, they will train smarter and see “real” results:
The instructor is about to do Sprints in an advanced class. “In this advanced class, we are going to focus more on developing the fast twitch muscles. These are engaged in the most explosive efforts like sprinting, or hard accelerations.”
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Please feel free to share cues and approaches from your strengths so we can all learn, grow and become more well-rounded instructors.
Originally posted 2011-10-09 08:11:00.
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Thank you Tom! It was awesome and, as you said, a bit overwhelming to take in all the wonderful information at ICI/PRO. Great advice to self reflect and know where we are strong (because we ALL have areas of strength) and improve in areas where we can use some “coaching”. Thank you!
Well said Tom!
We often forget the passion and joy that got us to the front of the room in the first place. Improving is a process and it is easy to lose yourself in it. In my haste to get ‘good’ I got bad by trying to integrate every thing. It was a tough lesson but going back to me was easy and the new me was better. As Tom says, and I paraphrase here, “what you do is what defines you and keeps your classes well attended”
CHIME provides coherent direction, but don’t forget who you are. For me it is the music. I draw my energy from music i chose and how it motivates me to motivate the riders in front of me. And, I ride hard with the classes most of the time. They like it, follow my lead and come back next week. My weak area (well one of them) is teaching off the bike. If I have my way I will have more opportunities to teach off the bike in 2012.
Working with Cycling Fusion I have had to submit videos of me teaching, listen to critiques of my music and cueing style. Not always easy for me. But when I thought about it, the advice I was given helped ME DO, WHAT I DO, BETTER. I recommend it.
Let me conclude by thanking ICI/PRO for their commitment to bring us the sort of content that helps us do what we do better.
Great comments by Tom and Chuck. I remember Josh Taylor a few times in either Indoor cycling websites and workshops emphasizing not to get hung up on alot of technicalities and remember to keep the passion and joy that drew you in to cycling class in the first place. It really is a fine line in educating, keeping it real, and keeping it fun and safe.
HI Tom!!
Under the acrnonym CHIME : H/HELP: what do you say when you see someone who insists on pedaling backwards for a good portion of the hour (with resistance, both sitting AND standing)? I realize that there ARE uses for this style of riding; i.e., in the 1930s when pedaling backwards (also FACING backwards while pedaling forward) became popular in traveling circuses, or if one rides BMX bikes…
BUT what about on a “SPINNER” bike in an indoor cycling class? I have heard that the pedals might unscrew off the cranks later and also that they won’t. Also, I would assume
the knees could take a beating. ?
What are your thoughts about pedaling backwards in an indoor cycling class? Thanks again.
uh, anyone care to give a thought/pearl of wisdom on this?
waaah.
Pedaling “backwards”…. Well, this person sound like an eccentric. I guess I would start by asking “Why” they are doing it? Then we can address their answer.
I would consider this a contraindication due to the joint mechanics and inclusion of the weighted flywheel. It may be something to bring up to the club for their take on it. If this person gets hurt doing this and it was not “corrected” but the instructor, the club (and you) could be liable. All club equipment has guidelines for use written on them.
Of course, at the end of the day, it may just become apparent that you are picking on this person (which may be required) if they are disturbing your class, placing themselves in harms way, mocking your instruction and potentially leading people astray. I’m still interested in why they feel the need to do this.
Hi Tom,
Thank you for the reply. I am with you on this: pedaling backwards is a very common thing at one of the locations I work at; it is also very baffling to me, too. There are a few reasons why I think this is happening: 1). pedaling backwards just for the sheer sake of the movement – maybe it feels like being on an eliptical or something; 2). instructors who like being creative; 3). it feels ‘different’ and new.
I have heard that pedaling backwards on the indoor bikes causes the cranks to loosen and increase the chance of them
falling off; is this true?
People who complain about hip flexor pain and knee pain say they’ve tried pedaling backwards during a class with the instructor. Although there could be many causes for hip flexor pain and knee pain – independent of pedaling backwards – it might be ONE of the causes…
I realize that variety is the ‘spice of life’ so I do not
criticize instructors who do this in their classes. You’re
right about needing to speak up if someone does this in any of my classes. it’s just so baffling! I don’t think it was an issue of mocking my instruction so it’s weird. When I do see it I emphasize whatever I’m saying with
“…and PEDALING FORWARD, with good form”. That stops it almost immediately…people who regularly take my classes don’t pedal backwards; they’re aware of this and say it’s weird. I’ll bring it up with the director (because the club aerobics coordinator also does this) regarding the safety and liability factors. Thanks again, Tom.