by John | Oct 12, 2026 | Best Practices, Instructor Training
We've added a new category (which are one of the ways we organize content) called Best Practices – clicking that link will display all posts and Podcasts that we feel are the Best Practices for that particular subject.
One of our objectives here at ICI/PRO is, with the guidance of our very knowledgeable ICI/PRO Team, is to sift through the mountains of information on the Internet tained by; Myths, Misinformation, Self-Promotion, Branding/Sales/Marketing Messages and just pure nonsense. The plan going forward to deliver to information that we feel are Best Practices that you can easily and effectively apply to improving your craft as a Fitness Professional.
But deciding what makes a Best Practice requires some specific guidelines or tests.
First on the list; a Best Practice must be Practical…
…contrasted with just Theoretical.
My first example of a Best Practice, defined by it's practicality, is the Three Heart Rate Training Zone system – 2T/3Z for short. Anchored by Two Thresholds (Lt1 Aerobic and Lt2 Anaerobic) and advocated by no less than; ACE The American Council on Exercise, Sally Edwards and Dr. Carl Foster, I firmly believe 2T/3Z to be the most practical Zone Based Heart Rate training system available for use in our classes. Here is a series where I lay out my original arguments, and supporting facts, for 2T/3T.
Five or Seven Heart Rate Zone systems, promoted by Endurance Coaches the likes of Joe Friel or Chris Carmichael, may “theoretically” be more accurate than a simpler Three Zone system, but be honest here. How many of your students, with a high degree of certainty, can tell you their Zone 5B Heart Rate? What's the number based on? An estimated Max HR or a field test they completed 4 months ago? If your entire teaching career has been in a little boutique studio, filled with committed athletes, then maybe you'll feel they could. If not, then I'll bet we can agree that cueing a 5 minute interval that starts at 5A and ladders up to 5C isn't very practical. You'll may also agree that a Five or Seven Heart Rate Zone systems fails the second test…
… a Best Practice must be Applicable.
Most of us are instructing a vast demographic of students, that range from; Cat 2 cyclists to four times a week Club Athletes to first-time-to-exercise newbies. I believe that what we do in our classes should be relevant and/or appropriate to the majority of our students.
I'd encourage you [wlm_firstname] to review some of the posts we've now categorized as Best Practices and let me know if you agree. Also feel free to suggest other Best Practices for consideration by our team.
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Originally posted 2012-10-07 05:01:38.
by Joey Stabile | Oct 9, 2026 | Audio PROfiles, Best Practices, Class Work-Sets, Creativity Indoor Classes, Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Master Instructor Blog, PRO/Playlists, Training With Power
Welcome to the The Weekly Ride by Cycling Fusion
Welcome to our new era of The Weekly Ride, you get:
- Full Ride PDF
- Apple Music Playlist
- Spotify Playlist
- File to Download the Ride directly into My Fitness DJ (Yes, no Programming)
- The Ride will be available for purchase in the iClass Builder Store (No Programming)
- A Podcast of the ride being delivered by a master instructor.
(more…)
Originally posted 2019-04-14 09:00:25.
by Joey Stabile | Aug 1, 2026 | Best Practices, Engage Your Students, Instructor Tech Help
While it may seem redundant to say, most indoor bikes do not move. Please, stop and think about that for a moment. We are not talking about forward motion or distance, of course an indoo
r bike does not move forward. But what about the other motions that are involved in cycling.
When a rider is out of the saddle, most riders sway the bike from side to side a bit. Why does this happen? Generally, it is the mechanical reality of the situation due to applying extreme power to each pedal. Since the pedals are not on the centerline of the bike, applying a large force to the right pedal will, physically speaking, apply a rotational force that pushes the top of the bike to the right and the bottom of the bike to the left. Without this counterbalancing motion, the wheel would kick out to the side. By swaying the bike in the opposite direction, the amount of force that can be applied to the pedals is increased without crashing.
The second primary aspect of swaying the bike is that it allows the rider to engage their upper body (especially core and arms) into the movement which increases power.
Take a moment and watch some of the pros race, they only have about a 12 degree sway; less than most avid riders. This is due to their efficiency and power.
The last aspect of swaying the bike is that it allows the rider to more thoroughly align their biomechanics with the work that is being done. By tilting the bike, the rider is able to keep the leg that is driving down with a majority of the force in alignment lessoning the outward lateral stress on the joints.
With the exception of a few new bikes on the market, most indoor bikes do not provide movement side-to-side, and none of them replicate the true motion of an outdoor bicycle. Because of this limitation, instructors must emphasize relaxation when riding and allow gentle upper-body movement. Attempting to maintain a still upper body can place the spine and surrounding muscles at risk from the forces being generated by the legs.
I hope this helps, Joey
Originally posted 2019-02-25 06:00:00.
by Joey Stabile | Jul 11, 2026 | Audio PROfiles, Best Practices, Class Work-Sets, Creativity Indoor Classes, Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Master Instructor Blog, PRO/Playlists, Training With Power
Welcome to the The Weekly Ride by Cycling Fusion
Welcome to our new era of The Weekly Ride, you get:
- Full Ride PDF
- Apple Music Playlist
- Spotify Playlist
- File to Download the Ride directly into My Fitness DJ (Yes, no Programming)
- The Ride will be available for purchase in the iClass Builder Store (No Programming)
- A Podcast of the ride being delivered by a master instructor.
(more…)
Originally posted 2018-12-23 09:34:42.
by John | Jul 3, 2026 | Best Practices, Engage Your Students, Zone based Heart Rate Training
If you've followed indoorcycleinstructor.com for any length of time you know that I'm a huge fan of the 2T/3Z method of Heart Rate training which is the basis for Zoning. That simple Blue/Yellow/Red response from my Blink Heart Rate monitor is (to me) the perfect way to introduce zone based heart rate training into your class.
Here's some proof of it's success – OK it's a bit rough, but Diana presents a powerful truth that Zoning has worked for her in this video. Your students are in your class to lose body fat and Diana losing 100 pounds and finishing the Danskin Triathlon is a testament to the effectiveness of 2T/3Z Heart Rate training.
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Originally posted 2017-10-13 09:00:12.
by John | May 17, 2026 | Best Practices, Engage Your Students, Master Instructor Blog
The guys at BikeFit.com do a great job using infographics to communicate the process of proper bicycle fit. Today they sent out these images and I wanted to share them with you. Each details the multiple points of adjustment that can be used to ensure a comfortable setup.
If you really want to become a bike fit expert, check out everything you can do with this iPad app.
Adjustable points of contact on a bicycle.
5 points of cleat adjustments
3 points of saddle adjustments
Handlebar adjustments
Having been through a three hour, professional fitting like what BikeFit.com offers – I have experienced how many of these adjustments are effected by others… i.e. saddle fore/aft affects height and reach to the bars, cleat position can require a change in saddle position, etc…
A comprehensive fitting is really important for someone who is riding thousands of miles a year and/or is super concerned about efficiency = getting the maximum amount of power to the road.
So how detailed should you be with a new participant? After setting up people for over 15 years, it's my view that you just need to get them close and feeling comfortable. You obviously don't have 3 hours and with the exception of the Keiser M3, the adjustments on Indoor Cycles are too coarse to really fine tune a person anyway.
Originally posted 2015-09-10 09:57:04.
