We fell in love with Shirin Beckett last fall at the conference. Now the producers of the Epic Planet DVD series have featured Shirin in their latest newsletter!
Here's the link so you can see her Epic Profile where she describes:
“We set a goal and we train specifically for each ride,” says Shirin. “Right now my class has the heads-up about our next challenge:Beartooth Pass! We are climbing steep, back to back hills for 6-10 minutes each this month. Our goal is to be able to build on endurance and strength so we will all win this 60 minute grueling battle in late February!”
P. S. I have the Beartooth Pass DVD and it's just what I like – one long climb after another 🙂
If you (or another ICI/PRO member you know) is featured somewhere be sure to let me know so I can post about it.
When I take off my instructor hat and walk into a class as a participant, I have two expectations beyond the obvious (getting a good workout):
1. The class will start on time.
2. The class will end on time.
I understand there are exceptions to every rule and occasionally instructors get started a little late or run a bit long, but in general, I think it is important that we make a concerted effort to stick to the official schedule.
Why? For me, it comes down to being respectful of people's time and making sure members' expectations match up with reality. If the schedule says class will run from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., folks probably anticipate a 45-minute class that starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 6:15 p.m., and they should! There may be participants like the one in Krista's recent post who take extreme measures to be at class early. There may also be people who feel bad about leaving “early” in the event that class ends late. Straying from what is expected increases the likelihood that participants will leave feeling disappointed, frustrated or annoyed.
Whether you are a hyper-prepared instructor or a professional improviser, there are several things you can do to ensure you start on time and end on time. Below are my thoughts regarding time management in the cycle studio.
Arrive 15 minutes early. I don't just mean walking into the building 15 minutes before class starts; I mean walking into the studio dressed and ready to teach 15 minutes before class starts. This will give you time to get your music ready, test the microphone, adjust your bike settings, greet members, answer questions, and assist new participants with bike setup.
Read announcements before class starts. I typically turn on my microphone to make announcements 1 to 2 minutes before class begins. That way, when 5:15 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. hits, I am ready to push play and teach immediately. Every minute counts.
Have a plan. I don't like to feel unprepared and I also don't like looking at the clock, so my profiles are planned out down to the minute to avoid both of those situations. Preparing a thorough class plan allows me to focus on my participants instead of the time.
Be consistent with cool down. If you teach every Thursday from 5:30-6:30 p.m., pick a time when you will start cool down and stick with it. That way, even if you improvise in your classes, you know that when 6:25 p.m. (or whatever time you choose) rolls around, you better start slowing things down.
Stay focused. Talking too much can throw a wrench in class plans; I know, because it has happened to me. I can recall multiple occasions when I had to shorten hills or alter drills because I was long-winded with a story or something that was on my mind. Being conversational has its positives, but it is also important not to get too carried away.
I spent the morning volunteering at the Life Time Fitness Commitment Day 5K run in downtown Minneapolis. It was the perfect morning to prove your commitment to fitness; sunny and 10° below zero… that's -10° Fahrenheit = painfully cold.
That's why the smart people like me volunteered, so we could stay inside where it was warm 🙂
I came home to a nice note from long time ICI/PRO member Charles (Spook) Hilgartner.
Hey John,
Good morning and Happy New Year.
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed and how educational your recent Podcasts with Tom, Jay and Gene. Jay's idea of observations that would carry to real usage was really good. I never heard it approached like that. Or maybe it was in a previous one that missed. After Tom's session on new riders, I changed the name of my beginners to “Foundations” and reshaped it a bit.. Thanks for that! Finally, Gene's session on new riders. It too was really good. I was also pleased that I really was doing some of his ideas.
As a note I never ask new riders especially “How did you like the class”. It puts them on the spot too much.
Stay well,
Spook
I couldn't agree more Spook – people (especially new students) aren't comfortable responding when asked a direct question that requires them to offer a judgement or critique someone. Those who do will probably tell you what they think you want to hear.
But as Instructors we benefit from valid feed back. So what or how should we be asking for it?
Circling back to Life Time, they're big on using the Net Promoter Score system:
Know the score.
The Net Promoter Score, or NPS®, is based on the fundamental perspective that every company’s customers can be divided into three categories: Promoters, Passives, and Detractors.
By asking one simple question – How likely is it that you would recommend [your company] to a friend or colleague? – you can track these groups and get a clear measure of your company’s performance through your customers’ eyes. Customers respond on a 0-to-10 point rating scale and are categorized as follows:
Promoters (score 9-10) are loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and refer others, fueling growth.
Passives (score 7-8) are satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who are vulnerable to competitive offerings.
Detractors (score 0-6) are unhappy customers who can damage your brand and impede growth through negative word-of-mouth.
To calculate your company’s NPS, take the percentage of customers who are Promoters and subtract the percentage who are Detractors.
Rather than asking the question in person, you may get a more accurate response from handing out cards with this question, at the end of class.
Are you doing anything like this in your studio [wlm_firstname]?
Occasionally I'll see stories pop up where a class participant writes a review of an Indoor Cycling class he or she took. What makes this review noteworthy is that Bryan Ganey, the writer of this review, has lost an incredible 400 pounds and has written a book about his surgery-free, weight loss journey.
First Bryan's review of CHS Revolution and then more about Bryan below.
Review: The CHS Revolution indoor cycling studio in Charleston, SC
Tired of the same boring workout on the treadmill or the elliptical at the gym? Well read on, my friends.
I had the pleasure today of visiting the CHS Revolution indoor cycling studio in downtown Charleston, SC. I was contacted by their fantastic PR person Demi Bean and asked to bring my friends to try out their studio and write a review. This is my review.
… My group was 8 people strong, including my friends, myself, Demi and Katie. We were all set. They took us into the workout room where all the spin bikes were. Katie [Instructor Katie Blaylock] took her place up on the platform in front of the room with her headset and tablet, which appeared to control the music and lights. It's all very state-of-the-art. Katie explained how everything worked and Demi helped me set the height on my spin bike. We were off and running.
Once the music started and the workout began, it became clear that I was going to sweat – a lot. You want a full body workout? This is it. Katie had us speed up, slow down, increase the resistance using the knob on the bike (“a quarter turn!”) Stand up. Sit down. Katie worked us hard and I loved it.
Then she had us do push-ups of sorts on the bikes as we were pedaling. I love this. Make it harder! The 45 minutes went by in a flash and then, near the end, something I loved: resistance training. They had 2 small weights (5 pounds maybe?) sitting on the bike to use. You can get an incredible workout lifting small weights repeatedly and Katie worked us out good.
The whole workout was a real rush. In addition to revving up your metabolism, you're getting an intense cardio workout as well as arms, legs and upper body. I've never sweat so much during a workout in my life.
I find reviews like this very refreshing. It doesn't sound like he has had much exposure to Indoor Cycling. I'm guessing Bryan was completely sold on CHS Revolution and Instructor Katie Blaylock, by the end of class.
This 4:28 minute video about Brian overcoming his lifelong struggle with his weight is very inspiring.
If you're interested in learning more about his book; IMPOSSIBLE: How I Lost Nearly 400 Pounds Without Surgeryhere's the link to his page at Amazon.com
After attending ICI/PRO Conference 2010, Kathy Ehrlich-Scheffer and husband Matt were motivated to open their own studio. In her words, “to bring the best the industry has to offer to our riders.” And to her credit, she has done just that. Kathy and Matt opened Cycledelic, their vision of an indoor cycling studio on the well known 12 Corners in Rochester, New York. To say that this studio is unlike most would be an understatement. Kathy and Matt have seen to every detail. This is clearly evident from your first step inside to toweling off before going on your way.
If you are an indoor cycle instructor with a bent toward showmanship, 😉 this studio is Nirvana to to teach in. Kathy had shown me the studio shortly after opening and I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to get my butt up on her stage.
Opportunity knocked, the weekend of Cycledelic's first anniversary (Saturday, October 20, 2012) as that date was juxtaposed with Rochester Institute of Technology's parents weekend. Since our son's a freshman there, my trip was preordained. I invited myself to do a guest instructor class that day.
Rochester is also my home town having moved to the San Francisco bay area 25 years ago. Ah, when the stars align. Knowing the sleep habits of college students, I figured I'd be able to have a fun workout with the crew there on the 12 corners before my student saw the light of day. Kathy was all for it, immediately replacing husband Matt's 0800 class with my name.
I stopped by Cycledelic the day before to check it over. Turns out Matt has thought of everything. Their projector is HD, the perfect size 16:9 screen, lighting controls like I have only seen at concerts, plenty of wall mounted fans and a sound system that leaves nothing to chance. I had iPod Classic, iPad and MacBook Pro all going simultaneously.
The theme for my ride was, Indoor Cycling, From Then to Now. The idea was to silhouette how technology has enhanced the experience instructors can create for our riders. The Cycledelic studio was engineered perfectly for such a show. Right down to the right mix of color from the baseboard lighting. I was in heaven.
Kathy did a great job of promoting my visit, resulting in a full house. The 70 minute presentation/ride came off without a hitch even if I did not quite sync my class builder app (providing me with cue information) with my Mac which was providing video and sound.
After class, Cycledelic provides three shower rooms with towels for those that need to head off smelling all fresh. There is not one client comfort that Kathy has not thought of. She personally maintains her bikes insuring her customers that all the great metrics work. Kathy is very selective with who gets to instruct and how they deliver. And, conveniently located in the same strip mall is Starbucks where we convened post ride to pat ourselves on the back and celebrate the anniversary.
If all this is sounding a bit like a travelogue it’s not. (Yet if you find yourself in Rochester, New York don't miss a visit to Cycledelic)
A couple of points.
First it is the ‘boutique studios’ like Cycledelic that are blazing the trail for Indoor Cycling 2.0. We cannot thank them enough. Boutiques are doing what the big boxes are very slowly realizing, differentiation by technology. Those of us working in big box gyms can attest to the lethargy of change at these bottom line oriented facilities.
What I’m saying (my second point) goes to my earlier post (A Good Reason to Come Back – October 2012). Simply stated, boutique studios are compelled to provide their customers with a good reason to come back. They must – at every level – provide the service that their customers are willing to keep paying for, or close the doors. Essentially that translates to, incredible customer service, effective training, incredible customer service, entertaining distractions and, incredible customer service.
As I type this Kathy is posting to the Cycledelic FaceBook page photos and videos of their Halloween ride. It was another sold out room for a fun filled 90 minute workout set to the music of the eighties.
Kathy can't teach all the classes. She is, after all, a woman balancing the responsibilities of mother, wife, daughter and business. So who she chooses to put on the stage at Cycledelic must understand the meaning of ‘on stage’. It is not just about the training but also the performance. She has found it difficult to find such instructors.
My greatest worry before teaching my class at Cycledelic was not about the workout but rather, letting Kathy down by not providing a remarkable experience for her customers. Hopefully that's what happened. In my opinion that's how it should be, wherever we teach, for all of us, all of the time.
NEWS RELEASE Nash, Macgowan Join AFS Advisory Council (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, August 7, 2015) — The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) today proudly announced the addition of fitness industry leaders Frank Nash and John Macgowan to the AFS Advisory Council.
John Macgowan is a consultant and owner of Deep Breath In, LLC – publisher of ICI/PRO, the online Indoor Cycling educational resource for Cycling Studio owners, managers and Instructors around the world. He has been leading Indoor Cycling classes since 1997 – with certifications from Schwinn, Stages, Heart Zones, ICG, Life Time Fitness and Cycling Fusion.
“We welcome John Macgowan to our Advisory Council with open arms,” said Leve. “He’s a true indoor cycling guru, with a dedicated following. He will be a tremendous AFS resource for this segment of the studio market.”
ICI/PRO has been at the forefront of the explosion of boutique Indoor Cycling studios. Many successful studio owners can point to one of multiple interviews John has conducted, as being the “spark of inspiration” they needed to launch their new fitness business. “I love what I see AFS doing to help connect, educate and encourage independent fitness studio business owners,” said Macgowan. “There's power in numbers and all modalities of fitness will benefit from being a part of this well managed organization. As a member of the Advisory Council, I'm excited to help AFS develop the Indoor Cycling vertical within the umbrella of the greater association.”
History of AFS
Toward the end of 2011 two life long friends, one a fitness industry veteran and the other an attorney and business consultant, got together to fill a void they observed while working with colleagues and clients alike. Despite the major industry trend towards the development of freestanding fitness studios, there was a lack of support for the owners. The reality was these businesses — opened by great fitness professionals — could benefit greatly from the sharing of business ideas and best practices.
The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) is the only membership community dedicated to the business of fitness studios. We provide studio owners and developers a wide array of business-specific products, services, and benefits that will enable them to more effectively manage and grow their businesses, building on the passion, compassion and courage they’ve already shown. Previously, there was no such business-centric, trade association dedicated solely for fitness studios.
We created AFS to do for our members what studio trainers and instructors do for their clients — help them achieve their objectives.
Most of the challenges of studio ownership are universal. Through sharing of information, best practices and delivery of the tools necessary to enhance management efficiency, marketability, and profitability AFS is the direct link between studio owners, suppliers, fitness professionals, and consumers – connecting all segments of this vibrant industry. Welcome to the AFS community!
Mission Statement
The mission of the Association of Fitness Studios is to create a community of studio owners by equipping them with the tools necessary to enhance management efficiency, marketability, and profitability while promoting the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle through education, information, and technology.
My goal is to help AFS develop a strong & vibrant membership of all types of Cycling Studios. I'm planning an interview with AFS founder and CEO Josh Leve in the near future to help you learn more about this vital organization.
When I take off my instructor hat and walk into a class as a participant, I have two expectations beyond the obvious (getting a good workout):
