by John | Jun 2, 2011 | Latest News
Here's a way for you to reduce your hotel and travel expenses to the conference this year!
I have a post started over at Pedal-On to help those of you looking find Roommates and to coordinate ride sharing. Feel free to go there and post your request or availably and I'm confident that you will find someone.
http://www.pedal-on.com/showthread.php?t=10838
NOTE: We did move the date and it's not on Columbus Day weekend this year. This will hopefully minimize the traffic hassles some of you experienced last year from the holiday 🙂
by John | May 28, 2011 | Health and Wellness, Latest News
Is it just me, or do you too feel manipulated by all the “experts” in the world? Why do we bother to listen anymore? From the latest addition of Experience Life magazine from nutrition and health writer Jack Challem.
New research has weakened the perceived link between saturated fat and heart disease. Today, many experts agree that refined carbs pose a much greater danger.
Is it possible – even imaginable – that nearly everyone has been wrong about saturated fat and its connection to heart disease? Brace yourself. Based on a wave of new research, all the dietary admonitions about saturated fat could end up being little more than a huge mistake.
“The question is whether saturated fat is harmful or is just a bystander,” says Ronald M. Krauss, MD, a lipid specialist and the director of atherosclerosis research at the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute. “Saturated fat may have an effect on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but the effect is so small that we just can’t detect it. We shouldn’t be demonizing saturated fat.”
And what did the expert's mistake contribute to society?
Food manufacturers responded by creating thousands of products in which saturated fat and cholesterol were replaced with refined carbohydrates, sugars and trans fats. And therein lies the problem. Not only do trans fats drive bodywide inflammation, but foods rich in refined carbohydrates and sugars trigger sharp increases in blood-sugar and insulin levels, which then set the stage for weight and blood-sugar problems – the leading risk factors for type 2 diabetes and CVD. “Replacing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates and sugars does not decrease CVD risk,” says Krauss. “More and more, the evidence shows that eating more refined carbs and sugars increases CVD risk.”
The late Robert C. Atkins, MD, sounded the alarm about the increase in carb and sugar consumption in the 1980s, when he noticed a dramatic rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes. But his solution, a diet rich in saturated fats, was roundly criticized – mostly because people believed that Atkins advised avoiding all carbs, including vegetables, when, in reality, he meant refined carbs. It took years of research before his approach was eventually vindicated.
This may sound like heresy, but the science behind it is solid. Sabina Sieri, PhD, of Italy’s National Cancer Institute, for example, tracked almost 48,000 people over eight years and found that women who ate more refined carbs and sugars had a significantly greater risk of coronary heart disease than those with a lower refined-carb intake.
It's been easy to blame the food manufactures for the obesity epidemic… but they were simply responding to market forces… that started when the “experts” convinced us that eating eggs and red meat was going to kill us all.
My money is on some future study confirming that stress and anxiety, from from listening to “experts”, is the real cause of CVD.
by John | May 11, 2011 | Latest News
We need volunteers for the conference this year!
Specifically we have openings for people to fill ~12 (4) hour blocks @ $20.00 per hour, which will be paid as a rebate on your conference registration, after you have completed your shift.
Duties could include:
- Moving bikes Friday & Saturday afternoon
- Manning the registration areas
- Assisting with setup
- Runners, i.e. Gophers 🙂
We will try to accommodate your session choices so you don't miss anything important. A substantial portion of our needs will occur before and between sessions – moving bikes and setup.
I'm initially offering this only to ICI/PRO members – first come, first served. I will let everyone know when we are full.
Send me an email after you have made your registration. Once we have enough volunteers, and are closer to the event, we will figure out the schedule.
by John | Apr 29, 2011 | Latest News
Our commitment for this years ICI/PRO conference it to provide the absolute best fitness education available! As we finalize our roster of presenters I wanted you to meet someone new 🙂 Dr. Carl Foster is, as best I can determine, the most widely cited exercise scientist there is on the subject of Threshold based Heart Rate training. Dr. Foster's specialty is in Human Performance and many prominent coaching and endurance experts base their training techniques on the original research conducted by Dr. Foster at the University of WI – Lacrosse.
Carl Foster, Ph.D., FACSM, FAACVPR
Carl is the Director of the Human Performance Laboratory, is the Research Director of the CEP program, and teaches a number of courses in the curriculum (ESS 744: Laboratory Techniques in Clinical Exercise Physiology, EFN 730: Research Methods, ESS 780: Philosophy and Organization of Preventative and Rehabilitative Programs). Carl has over 20 years of clinical experience (at Sinai Samaritan Medical Center in Milwaukee) before coming to UW-L. Carl has a very active research program and has published ~250 scientific articles and chapters and 11 longer works (books/monographs/ position stands). Relevantly, he was a co-editor of the first ACSM Health and Fitness Facilities Standards and Guidelines and was on the writing task force for the joint ACSM/AHA Position Stand on Health and Fitness Facilities.
Carl is highly involved in both ACSM and AACVPR. He is a Past President of ACSM and was the chairperson of the Research Committee for AACVPR. Additionally, he is the Chair of the Sports Medicine/Sports Science/Drug Testing committee for U.S. Speedskating. He is a long-time member of the scientific support team for U.S. Speedskating and was the recipient of a research grant from the International Olympic Committee to conduct studies at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Carl was the recipient of the M.L. Pollock Established Investigator Award from AACVPR in 2006. He was also given the Citation Award by ACSM in 2009. He is the Editor of the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
I've heard Dr. Foster speak and I'm confident you will find him engaging and informative. The titles of his planned sessions are:
- Designing a Training Program Worthy of Indoor Cycling 2.0 : You've already moved from “exercise” to “training”, now it's time to move from a 1 class mentality to a full season mentality. Instead of helping your students think about the objectives of a single class, help them see the significance of a single season. Dr. Foster, Ph.D. will teach you how to create a simple and straight forward approach to building a training plan that can work for you, your students and your health club.
- The Talk Test: Your Free Key to Finding Your Threshold: Knowing your heart rate threshold is the key to establishing your heart rate zones, and forms the basis for any credible cardiovascular training program. Getting a metabolic test to give you fact certain readings is great, but the expense is, well… not for everyone. However, one thing is certain; if you don't do a proper assessment, you can't get started. Dr. Foster, Ph. D will take you through the eitiology of how he and his collegaues developed the talk test, and how incredibly reliable it is even though it is a free field test. This will be followed by a 30 minute on-bike application to experience it for yourself, and simultaneously see how it is taught.
- The Magic of Measuring & Monitoring Training: You've heard the expression: “If you can measure it, you can improve it”. It is a vertible axiom in life and sports. While the Cycling Room has been the last area of the industry wide health club to get real training tools, the good news is that they are coming. If you bike doesn't have a computer or read out console of some kind right now, then chances are that the next time the club buys new bikes, that will all change. Dr. Foster, Ph.D. will explain the benefits of measuring and monitoring your training, as well as providing guidelines for getting your own program started.
- T1 & T2, The One-Two Punch of Cardiovascular (or Heart Zones®) Training: First there was Max heart rate training. Then there was an enlightened exercise physiology community that promoted Threshold training as the preferred approach to improving performance in aerobic sports. The existance and incorporation of the Two Threshold system of training (Low Threshold or T1 and High Threshold or T2) is the next evolutionary step in both understanding and applying excericise science to our every day physical fitness routines. Dr. Foster, Ph.D. is joined by Gene Nacey, MPH for this session. After Dr. Foster explains the rationale for T1 and the benefits of training relative to this biomarker, Gene Nacey shares multiple case studies where these two thresholds were identified, measured and monitored for before and after effects.
We are building in extra Q&A time for each of Dr. Foster's sessions, so you will be able to get all your questions answered.
I have opened early registration for those of you wanting to get a jump on everyone else. This year we are offering you the chance to make multiple payments, rather than one lump sum. Here is the link to register.
Last year the hotel sold out. Even if you are thinking about sharing a room I would suggest that you reserve a room here's the phone number to the hotel 978-750-7987 and tell them you are in the Indoor Cycling group. We will be helping connect those looking for room-mates. NOTE: Our block of reserved rooms extends from September 28th to October 4th for those of you wanting to come early or stay a day or two longer.
by John | Apr 25, 2011 | Latest News, Member Spotlight
Allen Jones, of Epic Planet video fame, gives us an update on the road trip he and his wife Liz just completed.
In mid-March epicPLANET Producer/Director, Allen Jones and Production Manager/Wife, Liz Jones, headed across our southern tier of states to film some new epicRIDES titles for their growing customer base.
Their first stop on the trip was Houston, TX, were they visited and rode to
Epic Texas Hill Country with
Vivian Dunlopan epicRIDES devotee and Spinning® instructor at
Lifetime Fitness at CityCentre. Vivian leads a great virtual cycling class at an amazing new facility.
Leaving Houston and driving the LONG way across Texas through El Paso and then on to Tuscon for a couple of days. Here Allen visited with Spinning® Master Instructor Lori Pro, another epicRIDES enthusiast.
Then on to San Diego to hook up with epicRIDES customer/collaborator Mike Henderson and cyclists that were going to star in two epicRIDES productions filmed there.
Mike and his wife, Crystal, were kind enough to host a great pre-production dinner for the San Diego Epic Riders the Saturday before filming commenced. Thanks to them both and particularly Mike for organizing the cyclists and routes!
On Sunday, March 27, Mike and Allen filmed
Paralympian David Lee riding a gorgeous California coastal route from Oceanside to La Jolla along a busy but gorgeous coastline. David Lee, is a world-class hand cyclist and has competed extensively, including in the Beijing Olympics.
The next day Allen “Spun” with
epicRIDES customer,
Kimberly Hicks, the owner of
Cycle City Studio in Vista, CA. Kimberly led the class on the Epic Tucson – Saguaro East ride. Allen loved the class and Kimberly's AV setup!
Then on Wednesday, March 30, the crew filmed San Diego's Great Western Loop with cyclists
Ginger Crutchfield, Adam Beck and Brian Brillo. This iconic ride in the mountains and canyons west of the city is extremely popular with locals and for good reason: it's gorgeous, most of the route is on quiet country roads and, with many great climbs and technical descents, it's quite challenging and epicPLANET can't wait to get to editing this one!
epicPLANET put this ride together with the terrific encouragement, assistance and support of Mark Beckett (husband of Spinning Instructor Shirin) of Claremont, who not only recruited a great group of cyclists but also hosted a wonderful pre-production dinner at their house on Sunday, April 3rd.
epicPLANET filmed the Mt. Baldy climb starting in Glendora on Tuesday, April 5, on what proved to be the best weather day of the several days we were in the area. The riders included: Priscilla P.C. Calderon, Elia Meza, Andrew Bosco, Josh Kerr, Gary Tran and Ernest Villalon. A great team of cyclists!
They are now editing this ride with plans to release it in time for the actual Tour stage date of May 21.
Later that week Allen spun with Shirin Beckett and class at
Pedal Spin Studio in Claremont. What a terrific class Shirin leads! Great music, great guidance and great people!
Leaving Claremont, Allen and Liz started their journey back with a quick trip to Sacramento and some scouting in the Napa region. Maybe they will film
Levi Leipheimer's King Ridge GranFondo route next time?
Then on to Moab, UT for additional ride scouting that area and the two National Parks there, Arches and Canyonlands. Their thinking this could be a possible Spring Tour 2012 location?
After Moab, they “blasted” back to Florida, driving 1,600 miles in three days and managing to skirt the worst of the Texas wildfires!
Allen and Liz wanted to send enthusiastic thanks to everyone they worked with and met along the way. It was an EPIC experience for them both!
You can join the “Epic” conversation, hear about new
epicRIDES releases and special offers on their
web site.
by John | Apr 19, 2011 | Latest News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bill Pryor / bill@indoorcycleinstructor.com
ICI/PRO acquires Pedal-On, creating the largest independent online forum, resource and community for indoor cycling enthusiasts
Expansion and investment are planned for new combined entity
Deep Breath In, LLC, the leading provider of digital media and web-based community services for indoor cycling enthusiasts, today announced the acquisition of Pedal-On, a four year old online forum also dedicated to indoor cycling.
With the addition of Pedal-On, Deep Breath In adds to its family of online brands including ICI/PRO, www.indoorcycleinstructor.com, Cycling Studio Owners Group, www.cyclingstudio.org, and Fitness Studio Marketing www.fitnessstudiomarekting.com . All of these sites serve niches within the broad, international indoor cycling community. Indoor cycling, in various forms that include SPINNING®, is a group fitness activity participated in by over 7 million people worldwide and represents one of the most popular forms of group exercise in North America, Europe, Australia and elsewhere.
Deep Breath In founder John Macgowan noted that Pedal-On and ICI/PRO are highly complementary online communities. “Pedal-On has a very active forum community of passionate instructors and enthusiasts, and many of them also visit ICI/PRO. There is great synergy between the audio, video and article based training resources of ICI/PRO and the user created forum content at Pedal-On “ said Macgowan. “Pedal-On will continue to function as it has in the past as an organic community, and we feel we can add real value by promoting it more widely and introducing new features” he added.
With the addition of Pedal-On, this family of websites establishes itself as the definitive online resource for indoor cycling instructors, enthusiasts, studio owners, program managers and suppliers.
About ICI/PRO and Deep Breath In
ICI/PRO www.indoorcyclinginstructor.com is a dedicated, independent resource informing and educating thousands of instructors worldwide. ICI/PRO has pioneered the concept of Indoor Cycling 2.0, training on the advanced use of power and other metrics in indoor cycling classes.
CyclingStudio.Org www.cyclingstudio.org is an owners group to assist the growing community of dedicated indoor cycling studios around the world.
Fitness Studio Marketing www.fitnessstudiomarketing.com provides practical tips and information on marketing techniques for fitness businesses.
About PedalOn
Pedal-On www.pedal-on.com is the independent voice of the indoor cycling community where thousands of enthusiasts meet to share ideas and information. This highly active forum addresses a broad variety of indoor cycling topics of interest to active instructors and participants.
