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I used a new metaphor this morning that seemed to resonate with my class.
Watch this video and see if you can see the similarity between an eagle catching a fish and proper pedaling technique.
Through the magic of slow-motion photography it's obvious that the act of plucking a large salmon out of the water is a very fluid, near circular, motion by these powerful birds.
This morning was a cycling strength day. I really enjoy teaching these classes and I describe the format to the class as; BIG PEDALS turning slowly. But slow = STOMP for many in my class.
To help everyone move beyond stomp, I've been introducing the concept of ankling through each pedal stroke to my class. If you missed it here are two videos that demonstrate what local bike fit Guru Chris Balser categorized as USA vs. EU pedaling techniques. To help communicate the concept I've been talking about how there shouldn't be any specific action; stomp, scrape, pull up, ect.. Rather just one fluid motion of your feet rotating around the pedals, with flexible ankles. Tough to describe until I happened to see this video and then it clicked – the focus is on your toes! Or in the case of the eagle, its claws & talons.
Watch the video again and see how the eagle's talons and *ankles are at full extension as it reaches forward and down in preparation to grab the fish. The eagle's claws then flex forward, essentially rotating around its catch, as it lifts it from the water. This is the same movement Chris was helping me learn to improve my pedaling mechanics and power output.
The difference between extension and flexion in joint movements.
How would you describe this movement to your class?
I had everyone try to visualize what it would feel like to be an eagle, swooping down on a fat, tasty salmon. Talons extended as your pedal crosses the top of the circle, then, flexing forward while you sink your talons into the flesh. Your claws rotate around the fish as you drag your catch from the water… only to drop it… so you try again.
*I'm not sure what that joint is called on a bird, but you get the point.
It was the most painful class I've ever taught. Not painful in the; “John, your class was so bad it was painful.” I mean PAINFUL… my feet were killing me for the entire hour. Here I was riding with my Sidi shoes, sans insoles. Earlier in the week I had transferred my prized Superfeet Blue Insoles from my old shoes (with Delta cleats that fit the bike at Life Time) to my new Sidi Mega's (I use LOOK Keo cleats on my VeloVie bicycle) and had forgotten to switch them back 🙁
It didn't help that for the full 60 minutes of class I berated myself for being an idiot. Why was I wasting my time switching inserts between shoes (adding yet more additional stress to my life) when I could simply order a second pair (in about 10 seconds) online with my Amazon.com prime membership?
I have really crappy feet. They're quite wide, the left foot has almost no arch and both are pronated to boot – please forgive the pun. It doesn't matter what I'm wearing; street shoes, running shoes or cycling shoes – they all give me trouble.
So here I was, riding with nothing in my shoes. No cushion, no support, no nothing. Just the hard flat bottoms of the shoes. Oh, and the little depression in the center, right under the ball of my foot, where the cleat connects which felt like it was growing the whole class.
Over the years I have experimented with a bunch of shoe insoles. I worked for Shock Doctor for a spell as a sales rep and was able to try their full line of replacement insoles. I wore them for years until I was introduced to Superfeet by a member at the club. They are now my favorite and difference between a comfortable 2+ hour ride and having my feet scream at me from mile-one on.
So when I got home I logged onto amazon.com, did a quick search and hit the one click purchase button. Two days later the nice UPS guy shows up with a little box. Problem solved and it took me a total of less than a minute… that is if you don't count the 60 minutes of agony I suffered in class.
Amazon Prime costs $79.00 a year, which may sound like a lot until you consider the value of your time. In the past, if I had decided to purchase something I would; A: jump in the car, drive somewhere burning $4 gas, get there and hope the store had what I needed. Or; B: go one line, search for a product, check a bunch of sites to see which had the lowest price, go through the checkout – only to get torqued off when I discovered there was a minimum purchase or they planned to charge me $10.00 to ship some $14.95 gizmo – where I would either quit the process or start over.
Other examples. Last week my younger daughter had a bunch of friends over. The next morning I discovered something dark and sticky on our ironing board – which I later learned was barbecue sauce. As the official “Ironer” in our family, I would've been looking at a trip to Target for a new cover. I hate shopping for anything, so I don't. A few clicks and I had my new cover two days later. Same thing this past winter. It seemed like every time one or the other kid when back to school, I was missing another iPhone charger 🙁 Not any more.
IHRSA 2013 demonstrated a major increase in club owners’ interest in virtual indoor cycling classes — rides led by a virtual coach or voice-over using Forward Motion Video (FMV). No instructor present. It was apparent at the IHRSA Trade Show that many club owners are now considering technology-based workouts.
Fitness companies have picked up on the benefits of virtual indoor cycling, chronicled by ICG in past posts. Some companies are investing millions of dollars in creating compelling content, geared to presenting a virtual experience that competes with live instruction. And an increasing number of clubs are realizing the economic benefit of offering and marketing virtual classes. These clubs range from budget clubs that have no intention of hiring instructors to major chains that support strong instructor programs.
Les Mills International (LMI) announced the launch of LES MILLSâ„¢ VIRTUAL at this IHRSA convention. LMI virtual workouts are based on master class content and demonstrated by their top instructors. These workouts will include virtual RPM classes, their brand of indoor cycling. Their filming and editing techniques are Hollywood quality. They have invested a great deal of money in making virtual classes that replicate the actual experience and energy of the master classes they present to their instructors all over the world.
The importance of LMI’s decision to provide virtual classes should not be overlooked. With their move to virtual and the high quality of their production, LMI, the industry leader in group-fitness programming, is indicating a shift in the industry’s acceptance of virtual classes.
Could virtual change the nature and economics of the fitness industry? The technology is fairly simple and getting better and cheaper. The content is improving. And the problems around maintaining an instructor staff are legendary. Ask any Program Manager: training instructors; making sure they stay current, show up on time, and fill out their timesheets properly; and much more. Virtual classes might just work in a major way.
So, speaking as an instructor, what are my options? If I support the use of virtual classes, and they keep improving, I could lose my job to a video of an instructor who’s much better than I am. If I don’t support it, my club owner may think that I’m not staying current in the industry, or that I have only my personal interests in mind. The owner may let me go, thinking I was the kind of instructor he/she wanted to get rid of, anyway. If I do nothing, I may suddenly be faced with a large screen and projector in the cycling studio and told to promote virtual rides to my students. Worse, I may be told that the club is scaling back its instructor-led classes because virtual is the future.
Here are the facts. Club owners see virtual classes as: a cost-effective way to boost class capacity and use the cycling studio at off-peak times; a way for members to fit classes into their busy schedules; a great way to introduce more people to group fitness and grow overall attendance; an effective marketing tool for enticing member prospects to join; a trend that’s here to stay.
To be proactive, I need to keep my instruction better than a virtual class. What can I do that video cannot?
1. I can learn people’s names and compliment them daily.
2. I can introduce them to others in the class and create a sense of camaraderie and group effort.
3. I can change my workouts and music for every class. (Some virtual programs are currently able to do this, but there’s likely to be greater repetition.)
4. I can get off my bike and provide individual coaching during class, as needed by the students.
5. I can improve my skills as an instructor, class leader, cyclist and dedicated employee so that, no matter who’s on the video, my abilities deliver a better class experience.
Having been a Program Director for over 30 years, I know that everything on the list above has been told to instructors in countless ways without large-scale success. The five items make you not only a better instructor, but also a better employee.
The industry is changing. I encourage everyone who is resistant to technology to change quickly. Invest in learning to teach with FMV, power, an iPod, or Spotify. Accept, even welcome, the advent of virtual classes.
Most importantly, do everything you can do to remind the industry that what makes group training most enjoyable is the social atmosphere and human connection that only you, the instructor, can create.
Great ideas here for our new Instructors! Leverage opportunities to fill in by sharing and showcasing brand “you.”
Certified fitness professional and fitness writer Stephanie Vlach and I discusses how Instructors can leverage subbing opportunities to market themselves – from her recent article in the March 2013 IDEA Fitness Journal – IDEA subscription required.
Leverage opportunities to fill in by sharing and showcasing brand “you.”
Almost every role and function within the fitness industry involves marketing. It doesn't matter if you're a fitness director promoting a group exercise program, a manager preparing for a membership drive or a personal trainer attracting new clientele – baseline knowledge of marketing is vital.
You can hear Stephanie's ideas below or you will find this episode in your Super Secret iTunes Podcast feed.
Endurance Coach and Author Grant Molyneux joins us to discuss his book Effortless Exercise
and its importance in actually enjoying exercise, while building aerobic fitness & endurance, vs. dreading the thought that it is time to thrash yourself on the bike yet again.
Wouldn't it be fantastic if you felt great every time you exercised — every step of the way? What if you could consistently experience the bliss of the runner’s high or the flow of a perfect swim stoke and benefit from all the positive health benefits of exercise without any of the downside of pain and injury. Imagine what your life would look like if it became effortless to maintain your ideal weight, play with your kids, climb a mountain or participate in a triathlon on any given day, at any given age.
If you answered a resounding “Yes!” then effortless exercise is for you. Whether you’re a beginner or wanting to win an Ironman triathlon, the principles in this book apply to anyone seeking a deeper experience of exercise. Come on a journey into the Zen state of exercise that will transform your training and help you to achieve more with less. The ideas in this book will help you to go within for a deeper, richer experience that creates sustainable fitness and peak athletic performances through meditative flow states. Fundamentally you’ll discover the pleasure of exercise and be drawn to move every day because it feels so good to exercise this way.
I'm curious to hear your responses to this. Grant makes a great point how the pendulum of “conventional thinking” tends to swing back and forth… Long and Slow works best – no, wait. HIT is what will make you fitter, faster & thinner.
If you have or know a 
