2014 was another great year for music. Many of the songs that made my list this year dropped in the second half of the year and a few actually came out in 2013 with remixes that dropped in 2014. And I may have cheated here or there with songs that came out in late 2013 and didn’t fall on my radar until this year. Regardless, I’m sure you’ll find something you can use in this list. Maybe you’ll even find something new to you, or a song you had used earlier in the year but had forgotten about. You might even consider putting together a playlist including some of these favorites for your class to ring in 2015.
This year, I’m sharing with you how I used each song in my class. Feel free to use them in the same way or share how you use them in the comment section.
Here are my top 20 Indoor Cycling Songs of 2014 (in no particular order):
1.Lips Are Movin’ by Meghan Trainor: I like this one (at least for cycling) so much better than All About That Bass. They’re both fun, light songs that can always elicit smiles. How I used it: standing climb, warm up
2.Geronimo by Sheppard: There’s nothing NOT to love about this totally catchy tune. How I used it: standing climb, seated climb, warm up
3.Shot Me Down-feat.Skylar Grey by David Guetta: I love this adaptation of Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Bang Bang’ featuring Skylar Grey. It starts out slow and then builds, slows again and finishes with a strong beat. How I used it: alternating seated/standing climb
4.I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons: This single was released on October 27 to promote their upcoming album Smoke and Mirrors. A big contender for my favorite song of the year. How I used it: standing climb with standing accelerations on the chorus
5.Turn Down For What by DJ Snake, Lil Jon: Technically, this song came out at the very end of 2013, but I didn’t start using it until 2014. Rolling Stone voted it as the 2nd best song of 2014 and I have to agree. How I used it: seated flat with accelerations on the chorus
6.Love Runs Out by OneRepublic: This song was supposed to be the first single from OneRepublic’s album Native, but apparently it wasn’t finished in time. It came out in 2014 with the re-release of the album, and it’s just as amazing as the rest of the songs on Native. How I used it: seated or standing climb/ warm up *Check out the remixes.
7.Fireball by Pitbull, John Ryan: My classes can’t get enough Pitbull, so I was so excited when this song was released in July. The horn melody at the end of each chorus sounds a lot like the Champ’s ‘Tequila’. It’s just a fun song with a ton of great Pitbull energy. How I used it: standing climb
8.All of Me-Tiesto’s Birthday Treatment Remix-Radio Edit by John Legend : All of Me, the original, came out in 2013, and this remix dropped in early 2014. While remixes don’t always work for me, this one really did and I love using it in my classes. How I used it: standing or seated climb
9.Animals by Martin Garrix: Another song that officially dropped in 2013, but I didn’t really start using it until 2014 so it’s going on the list. How I used it: alternating seated/standing climb *Check out the remixes.
10.Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars: This single was just released in November. I love the guest vocals by Bruno Mars and the retro sound. How I used it: This is a tough one at just under 60 RPMs, but we don’t always pedal to the beat. I’ve used this one as both a standing climb and a warm up.
11.Come With Me Now by KONGOS : This song by South African band KONGOS was initially released in 2011 but just found commercial success in the US this year. I’m voting for this one as my favorite of 2014. How I used it: seated fast flat road
12.Delirious (Boneless) by Steve Aoki, Chris Lake, Tujarr : This is one of those songs that has a great beat and just keeps your pedals moving. There are several different remixes to choose from as well. How I used it: standing climb *Check out the remixes.
13.Raging Fire by Phillip Phillips: I would definitely say this song is every bit as good as his previously released Home. How I used it: jumps on a hill, seated accelerations on the chorus
14.Sing by Ed Sheeran: This song was written by Sheeran and Pharrell Williams. Williams also provides uncredited background vocals. How I used it: alternating seated/standing climb
15.Centuries by Fall Out Boy: This song was released in September as a lead single for their upcoming album American Beauty/American Psycho. How I used it: seated flat road
16. Maroon 5: I’ve actually chosen two favorites from their most recent album V. The first is Maps, which was the lead single for the album. How I used it: standing climb. The second is Animals, which was the second single from the same album. How I used it: seated flat road
17. Hoochie Coochie by Band of Skulls: At 2 minutes and 40 seconds, it’s short and sweet. It’s around 75 RPMs, so it’s just between a seated flat and seated climb-your choice.
18. Shut up And Dance by Walk the Moon: Another very recent release that I’ve loved using lately. It has a catchy beat and it’s just fun and lively. How I used it: seated or standing climb
19.Come Get It Bae by Pharrell Williams : Pharrell pretty much became a household name this year. How could I not use one of his songs? How I used it: seated or standing climb, warm up
20. Take Me To Church by Hozier: This song has been on my repeat radar since I discovered it. Apparently I’m not the only one because it has received a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year! I will definitely be rooting for this one to win. How I used it: cool down
There you have it. My top 20 of 2014. It was so hard to decide which ones would make the list and if you asked me on a different day, the list might look completely different. I know there are so many great songs that didn’t quite make it, so here’s a list of honorable mentions:
Blame by Calvin Harris, John Newman (check out the remixes)
Peace by O.A.R
All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor
The Days by Avicii
The Nights by Avicii
Stolen Dance by Milky Chance
Am I Wrong by Nico & Vinz
A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay
Problem Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea
Angel in Blue Jeans by Train
Cadillac, Cadillac by Train
Feet Don’t Fail Me Now by NEEDTOBREATHE
Bang Bang by Macy Gray
The Man By Aloe Blacc
Ticking Bomb by Aloe Blacc
Can You Do This by Aloe Blacc
Summer by Calvin Harris
Ten Feet Tall by Afrojack, Wrabel (check out the remixes)
The Soundmaker by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Budapest by George Ezra
Fever by The Black Keys
Here’s the Spotify playlist which includes all of the songs mentioned:
What do you think? Did I get it right? Did I miss any? I welcome your comments and music suggestions. 🙂 Here’s to a happy and healthy new year filled with some great new music!
What would it be like to be losing both your vision and hearing?
Can you even imagine how challenging it would be teach?
I just had to know more about Instructor Rebecca Alexander and then share her very inspiring story with you. Rebecca currently teaches at Equinox in New York City and has taught in the past at New York Sports Club, New York Health and Racquet and SoulCycle.
Rebecca has written the book Not Fade Awayabout her challenges with Usher Syndrome III, a disease that is slowly robbing her of both sight and hearing.
It was a delight for me to interview Rebecca – please enjoy our last podcast of 2014!
After listening to Rebecca's story, I encourage your to purchase and read her book using the link below. You can learn more at her websitewww.rebalexander.com
Also, if your family tithes annually like ours, and you're looking for a place to make a last minute donation, please join Amy and me in contributing to Rebecca's Usher III Initiative. Donation information is here.
Some riders are present to train and give 100% every class. Many, however, are present simply to be…present.
Through The Customer’s Eyes
When was the last time you really looked at the Indoor Cycling experience you offer through the eyes of your customer?
The riders who consistently attend your classes relate to you. But … have you taken the time to consider how a first time rider relates to you and your teaching style. Have you taken the time to
walk in a first time riders’ shoes or ride in their saddle. If you have had new riders in your class who chose to not come back, have you asked yourself…
Am I current and relevant to today’s customer?
Keeping up with our customers’ evolving WHY means accepting the radically different concept that an increasing number of riders don’t care about the workout. It means embracing riders who are more concerned with recovery from daily stress than recovery from working effort. It means delivering a fun, safe, and effective class to riders who train for LIFE alongside riders who TRAIN for the road or for a specific event. It means making them feel safe the moment they walk through the door.
Have you ever considered that the rider on the end in the 3rd row may be…
Overwhelmed by numbers, spreadsheets, and thinking in general
Or … Suffering from an eating disorder and low self esteem
Have you ever considered that the rider in the back row, 2nd bike in may be…
Training for the Special Olympics…grateful for a 2nd chance at life
A parent whose child recently tried to commit suicide
A rider whose spouse committed suicide
An ex college athlete whose body feels older than his years…
who rides for the non impact cardio, weight loss, and because he can escape
A verbally abused housewife who quietly arrives late and leaves early every class…
not wanting to be recognized and grateful to be alone for almost an hour
A recovering addict who rides to get high…and to stay sober
A military wife who misses her deployed husband
A depressed teenager who doesn’t seem to “fit in” anywhere.
A mother battling post partum depression
A parent of a Marine that never came home
A 50 year old father with 100lbs to loose before walking his daughter down the aisle
Or … A veteran who feels lost and unappreciated.
Have you ever considered that the rider directly in front of you …worries about losing their job?
Each one of these riders is real and has a name.
Each one of these riders wants to escape, to check out, and to get lost in the music.
Accept … Don’t Judge WHY
Welcome every rider free of judgment and celebrate that they have a WHY that is different.
Accept that a rider may not want to push outside of their comfort zone. That’s OK!
It doesn’t mean they are “lolly-gagging,” “wasting an hour,” or “need to leave if they aren’t going to make an effort” because they aren’t working as HARD as you are asking them. That’s not WHY they are there. For them, it was HARD WORK, just getting there.
For these riders, the CardioTherapy benefits of Indoor Cycling outweigh any interval or strength training benefit. These riders and countless others stepped out of their comfort zone simply by walking through the door. If we, as instructors are current and relevant to their WHY … these riders have a better chance of returning. Make them feel SAFE and FUN follows. If we are doing our job correctly, EFFECTIVE falls into place and riders see results … mind, body, & spirit.
Accepting and understanding that every rider is not in your class to TRAIN like an athlete is the first step to delivering the ultimate Indoor Cycling experience, to every rider in the room, every time … regardless of their WHY.
The word “technique” intrigues some and makes others yawn. But there’s much to be said for technique. It’s the foundation for all athletic performance features.
Technique involves improved skills. In the broadest, most general terms, that means eliminating unnecessary movement; making movements in the correct directions; applying the necessary power, but no more than that; using the right muscles for the activity; and using optimal speed if time isn’t a factor.
Okay, that’s a dry list. Still, the benefits of good technique — and the consequences of bad — affect training and performance. The last thing I’m going to do is describe cycling technique; vastly superior riders have done that in too many venues. (Check out the excellent videos here on ICI-PRO.) Instead, I’d like to list some benefits of good technique.
Efficiency
The main benefit of good technique is efficiency. Efficiency is the ratio of work output to expended energy. If work output increases OR energy expenditure decreases, efficiency has improved. Efficiency and technique are closely related because principles of efficiency are so similar to principles of technique.
Many activities have an optimal rate. Rates above and below that cost more energy. The mechanism behind that is stored muscle elasticity, which requires the shortest time between muscle relaxation and contraction to prevent the loss of energy as heat.
Good technique reduces the energy required for the pedal stroke, reduces energy lost as body heat, and retains more mechanical energy for the next pedal stroke. Strength goes up — functional-type strength.
Practice reinforces cycling technique, so it improves efficiency.
Consistent velocity
Consistent velocity also affects technique. Unintentionally accelerating or decelerating due to poor technique wastes energy. Obviously, holding a single cadence throughout a cycling class isn’t usually part of the workout plan.
But staying consistent during a song or segment — an important technical skill — can increase efficiency. Beatmatch is an excellent teaching tool for helping students develop consistency.
What else affects efficiency?
Efficiency may involve factors other than technique. For example, it may depend on the contractile properties of the muscle: slow-twitch is more efficient than fast-twitch. It may depend on training, which can increase strength and endurance by increasing muscle efficiency. Big-gear training, for example, can improve efficiency in fast-twitch fibers.
Other benefits of good technique
Doing something with correct technique feels good, probably because the body is being used the right way.
Correct technique makes the student look good. In my master’s thesis, I compared the principles of technique and efficiency to principles of movement aesthetics. It turns out that what makes a movement correct and efficient is also what makes it beautiful.
So technique leads to efficiency, and that wastes less energy. The less we waste, the more energy is left for the demanding parts of the class when it really counts. And the better we look and feel cycling.
You’d like your students to look and feel good while taking your class, complete it successfully, and want to come back for more, right?
Jim Karanas always said, “Endurance athletes don’t mind expending energy, but they never want to waste it.”
The folks at Cycling Fusion are offering their complete Global Ride series of Indoor Cycling videos at a 20% discount between now and the end of the year. Enter discount code VeryVIPDVDs at checkout. This might be a great time to stock up so you're ready with new virtual rides for the craziness that's coming in January 🙂
Here's a sample from from their latest Hawaii series – you'll find all the others here.
