Joe Ducosin in the middle of Biggest Loser contestants O'Neil Hampton, Pete Thomas, Sunshine Hampton and Jessie Atkins.
ICI/PRO member Joe Ducosin invited Amy and me to a special event at Cycle Quest Indoor Cycling Studio, Joe's new studio in Eden Prairie, MN.
The event was a kick off for the Minnesota Tour de Cure, a fundraising ride for the American Diabetes Association. It featured Biggest Loser contestants O'Neil Hampton, Pete Thomas, Sunshine Hampton and Jessie Atkins.
All four are very inspirational and Amy and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and riding with them.
During the break between the two classes held that evening, I had the chance to talk with Biggest Loser season 2 at home winner Pete Thomas and convince him to be a guest on a future episode of the Indoor Cycle Instructor Podcast.
Amy's interview with Pete is below and includes some footage from the class lead by these incredible Losers 🙂
I love discovering smart, talented people who are passionate about Indoor Cycling and Lena Hershey is someone I feel you should get to know. Lena is a brand new (she started in May) Spinning® Instructor at the Carlisle Family YMCA in Carlisle, PA.
Lena's journey to become a Spinning Instructor began with a pretty large life event – moving from her native Russia to the United States three years ago. While you listen keep in mind that English is her second language 🙂
She describes what happens next at her blog LeanLena.com
My name is Lena. This blog is mostly about my way to my personal transformation — from the body I have been abusing and neglecting for the most of my life, to the body I always wanted to have — fit, strong and beautiful.
I am not there yet, but you can see the progress
I write about my exercise program/routines and my meals, share healthy recipes, health tips, etc. etc.
I have started this journey on an ordinary day in February 2013. I was in the car with my husband and two step-kids, driving home from somewhere when I said: “I will go and work out at the YMCA every day for a month starting today”. Just like that — out of the blue. I can’t even remember why I said that or what prompted that decision. I just said that and once I did, I had to do it. So I did.
Once I was done with one month, I just couldn’t stop. I did adjust my exercise program by now and I am not working out every single day, but I am doing so much more for myself thanks to that decision in February of 2013.
Results — I’ve lost almost 20 pounds (9 kg) and counting, I am 2 sizes down in clothes, and I feel lighter, better, healthier and happier than ever.
ICI/PRO member Ryan Bardes is returning from his tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Thanks for your service!
Ryan is moving to Indianapolis, Indiana this Summer and is looking for an Indoor Cycling studio who needs an experienced Instructor beginning in August.
He has posted his Instructor resume at his Google+ account where you can contact him.
Ryan J. Bardes
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Monitor and maintain safe performance of modalities
Maintain and operate sound system for choreographed class
Knowledge and ability to work well as part of a fitness team
Inspire participants to achieve next level of personal achievement
Demonstrate proper biomechanics with emphasis on open breathing
Verbally relate riding scenario to increase visualization and virtualization
In-depth heart rate zone and rate of perceived exertion understanding
Library of ride profiles with tempo matched music
Education:
2011-2012: STAGES Instructor Certification Rochester, NY
Free-Motion S.11 with Power Module
2000-2004: SRSC Collegiate GroupEx Certification Bloomington, IN
Taught by Master Trainer Tatiana Kolivich
2005- 2008: YMCA Senior Instructor Indianapolis, IN
First Aid, CPR, AED
Ryan has extensive experience as a cyclist:
March 1987 — First bicycle ride without training wheels 😉
Delivered Newspapers via bicycle for 3 years
Semi-pro European Mountain Bike Circuit
Trans-Alp Germany – Austria – Switzerland – Italy
Self-Supported Trans-America ‘Champs 4 the Cure’
Vancouver, Canada – San Francisco, California
Little 500 Team Captain Team Wilkie
Double Century Charity Fundraiser
DeCycles: Denver, CO – Yellowstone, WY – Black Hills, SD
Little 500 Cutters member
Indiana University Men and Women Swim Team Cross-trainer Coach
Max VO2 Training: Boulder, Colorado
Collegiate Road Racing
Collegiate Triathlons
Ride to Ice Cream store with Grandma on a tandem bicycle…
Please help Ryan if you can or, if you know other active military who would benefit from a complimentary ICI/PRO subscription, please have them contact us.
Got slammed in the parking lot at Google by a guy speeding between lanes of parked cars. I screamed, swerved and braked so that I got hit by a glancing blow. It was like in slow motion. I got hit by the left front fender, thrown to the wind shield and then I was fly through the air doing a double axle landing 50 feet away on my hip. Good thing I knew to just roll with rather than try to stop.
911 Google police and EMT got me to emergency. couple of cracked ribs, bruises and scrapes. Over all I'm very lucky to seen this guy before I got T-Boned.
Kathy Ehrlich-Scheffer with Barbara Hoots at the ICI/PRO Conference
One of the coolest things about our community here at indoorcycleinstructor.com is how helpful and encouraging many of you are. ICI/PRO Barbara Hoots is one of those people. I can't help but smile when I see her name come up on my caller I.D. knowing that she will have something of value she wants to share with all of us. I would like to public thank her for her efforts at creating the new Top 210 Indoor Cycling Songs list, as well as the previous Top 161 Songs list.
If you appreciate her as well, I would encourage you to leave a comment below 🙂
We have sent this list of 210 songs to all of our subscribers. Click here to subscribe and get the list.
Hi John~ How have you been? It's probably been close to 2 or more years since I've touched base with you. I promised I'd let you know how my Total Rider In Motion Cycling Studio is doing as the years went by.
Here's my update: After two years of just getting by we, like many people, say “you learn from what doesn't work”. We found out that groupon works to bring new people in and we had a large rush and kept about 20-30%. We were in the newspaper, radio and TV too, but word of mouth is what worked the best!!!
We had too much overhead and although we were having fun, we were not making any money to take home. Brenda and I always said if it the studio wasn't for either one of us anymore we could just get out. So this being said, we did go our separate ways (still great friends) but I wanted to keep going.
I moved my business to another location near our last and instead of leasing I sublease (so much less$) from a gentleman that is also into fitness. My space is within his Boot Camp and PT establishment. This is a large warehouse area and the people just flow in.
I'm happy to let you know that after 2 1/2 years I now have sold out classes weeks in advance and am not just having a GREAT time, but making money too 🙂 I see only good things for the future and adding more Real Ryder bikes!!!
Thank you for all your encouragement when we started and wonderful advice at the ICI/PRO convention. I miss those!!
Be well! Say Hi to Amy….she too was wonderful to us!
Wishing you a FIT day! Darcie Adams
Congratulations Darcie! Your idea to partner with another fitness company sounds like it was a great decision. Seeing that your space costs are typically the largest single year to year expense, I'm amazed that I don't hear more fitness entrepreneurs partnering up together and share a studio.
