by John | Mar 19, 2013 | Latest News
I'm heading to IHRSA today and there's a bunch of new Indoor Cycling related products I'm aware of + a few rumors of new products to be launched this year. I'm really excited to see/ride/experience & hear what other's have to say – and then report back for you.
Beyond all the fancy new stuff – getting some face time with people I dearly enjoy, but see infrequently, will be a real treat for me.
Let's start with the people I'm excited to see at IHRSA:
Since chastising me back in 2009; “John you, and the people you're involved with, are forgetting that people come to our classes to HAVE FUN! – Barbara Hoots has become a great friend to both Amy and me. The girl knows how to generate excitement in a studio and build a following of loyal participants. Barbara was a huge hit at both of our conferences – no one will forget the official ICI/PRO Thong she handed out 🙂 and her Indoor Cycle Studio Design business has taken off into the stratosphere. The women knows exactly what people want in a studio.
The ICG Team – Jim Karanas and his crew of Master Trainers have been a real joy to work with over the past year of their sponsorship of ICI/PRO. They've graciously offered to put me up in Las Vegas, sharing a room with Chuck Cali – I'll let you know how it goes.
Bill Pryor from Spynergy Consulting and I recorded a Podcast back in February 2010 that has launched dozens of new studios that we know of! Bill has a very discerning eye for products and services in our niche that could benefit Indoor Cycling Studio owners – so I'll be following him around, getting his take on what he sees.
I'm not aware of more delightful person than Cameron Chinatti from Stages Indoor Cycling – I'm eager to ride the new carbon drive S11.9 and Cameron has a very unique session planned during the show, but as I'm sworn to secrecy, I need to wait to tell you about it.
Sally Edwards has grown to become a true friend and mentor to me. I'm excited to see her for real and give her a big hug for everything she's done 🙂
Next… Products and Services
MyRide + I'm aware that Jim Karanas and Team ICG is installing MyRide+ video display systems all over the country. I've ridden and even taught a class using MyRide+. I'm very curious to talk with club owners and managers to learn how MyRide+ is improving their classes and if they are seeing increases in their club's member retention and profitability. They have a strategic partnership with Affinitech to provide cost effective, turn-key AV solutions for the video display systems that bring the HD MyRide+ video to life.
The Spinner Blade Ion It's taken a long time for Spinning® / Star Trac to bring an indoor cycle to market that includes power indication. Josh Taylor has promised me a complete review to understand exactly how the Spinner Blade Ion measures power, how it displays data to the user and how did they figured out the “self charging” part. I see from this new video that Angie Sturtevant has left Saris / CycleOps and returned to Spinning as their Director of Power Base (sic) Training – I grabbed her title from the video… shouldn't that be Power Based Training? Either way, Angie really knows training with power, so I hope she's at the show so I can pick her brain about what programming Spinning has in store for us .
POWERbahn – this could very well be the future of Indoor Cycling. I've ridden a prototype of this revolutionary Indoor Cycle (it doesn't have a flywheel – and doesn't need one) and a pre production POWERbahn indoor cycle will be on display at the Spirit Fitness booth. Try as they might, Indoor Cycle designers have never truly replicated what it feels like to ride outdoors. Ask any of your roadies if their road bike felt different than riding indoors, once they get outside. The hills feel bigger, downhills steeper and POWERbahn may have solved all of this and created a near perfect simulator for riding outdoors. Now if they could just find some IC programming to go along with it…
A little bird told me that there maybe a club/commercial version of the Tour de France bike (as seen on TV – I'm told you don't really need to wear a helmet) at IHRSA this year. The TDF bike adds the element of elevation through pitch control forwards (going down hill) and back (climbing) and control of the pitch may not be by the rider?
I'll be posting pictures of all the cool stuff I see and if it works, I hope to do some live interviews on the show floor.
If you have any specific questions for anything/anyone please add them and I'll try to get you some answers.
by John | Mar 9, 2013 | Instructor Training, Latest News, Leading Group Rides
My new “Instructor Bike”
Here's a picture of my new Instructor bike – a VeloVie Vitesse 300 road bike.
Ain't she a beauty?
Showing this stock photo because I don't actually have it home yet. I've ordered it under our new PRO/Purchase Program we've negotiated with the awesome people who own & run VeloVie.com. Mine's coming with Reynolds Attack wheels, not the Assault wheels shown. I am so excited. Can't wait for the snow to melt so I can ride it!
I'm not using the word awesome here lightly – these guys understand how influential you are as an Instructor… a respected leader of people. You're just the type of person VeloVie wants riding their bicycles this summer.
Our partnership with VeloVie is the culmination of nearly 3 years of effort. I've pitched every bicycle manufacture you can think of on the concept that YOU are as valuable a spokesperson as any “sponsored athlete”. You have no idea how good this feels to finally find a company who recognise that many Indoor Cycling Instructors ride outdoors, and we carry our influence with us as we step outside.
VeloVie also understands that many of us aren't wealthy people. I'm very aware of that as well. This PRO/Purchase program extends every penny of available discount to participating ICI/PRO members. There's nothing in this for me beyond the promotional value this program adds to the value of an ICI/PRO subscription.
But it doesn't end with a discount just for you. Participating Instructors (you've purchased a new bike through the program) can offer your students/participants/friends an incredible deal – not quite as good as yours, but still unbeatable anywhere – and you'll be rewarded for your efforts 🙂
Click over to the PRO Purchase Program description page to learn more.
Feel free to contact us with questions.
by John | Mar 4, 2013 | Latest News
Technology is a wonderful thing – when it works 🙁
For some reason we've seen a bunch of Instructors having issues registering as ICI/PRO members today. We've tested it multiple times successfully, and yet we're aware of at least 5 new members whose registration didn't complete today = frustration that is completely unacceptable. The whole process is designed to be as easy as possible.
If you have or will be joining us as an ICI/PRO member today and you aren't taken to this screen below where you create a user name and password for your new ICI/PRO account – please let us know the moment is happens using the Contact Us page. It would help us to trouble shoot this by knowing what type of computer/device you are using and the Internet browser; IE, FireFox, Chrome, Safari, etc..
Thanks for your patience and know we are doing everything possible to get this fixed ASAP.
by Jim Karanas | Feb 25, 2013 | Featured Studios, Master Instructor Blog
Body by X owners; Xavier & Nadia McClinton
By Team ICG® Master Trainer Jim Karanas
Early adopters of any new product or service are important in the fitness industry. They’re adventurous, even brave, individuals who put their business reputation on the line to promote something new before anyone else. They do this to differentiate from traditional fitness offerings and stay cutting edge.
Body By X Skill Development & Training Center in Corte Madera, California (www.getfitmarin.com) was the third location in North America to offer indoor cycling classes featuring Myride+, allowing instructors to enhance their classes with video. It was also one of the first clubs in the U.S. to provide a virtual class schedule.
Body By X members learn to become comfortable with the uncomfortable, which Nadia and X feel is key to achieving fitness goals. They focus on mind as well as body, and their philosophy is teamwork.
What impressed me most about the Body by X cycling program was how quickly and effectively they implemented forward-motion video. They have scripted hundreds of IC workouts. Each features a specific ride, audio AND video profile, using Myride+ Destinations on Demand. They’ve even written scripts for each ride, giving detailed information about the video content.
The time spent developing their indoor cycling program has paid off in packed classes and happy members. I asked Nadia and X to describe it in their own words. Nadia replied:
“Our motive was to create a unique, safe fitness environment where we could help people reach their fitness goals and have fun. Our fitness center is for people of all ages. We have clients 7 years old and clients over 70.
“Xavier has been a personal trainer for over 25 years. I’m new to the fitness world and always felt intimidated by gyms. We combined our experiences to create a welcoming environment with fun classes that you can’t find everywhere.
“Indoor cycling is a safe and enjoyable way to get in cardiovascular condition. It’s an option for many people because it’s low impact, and you can do it regardless of your level of conditioning. Xavier’s knowledge of all kinds of music made it a logical offering at Body By X.”
When I asked what makes their indoor-cycling classes so successful and how video supports that, Nadia said, “Xavier’s dynamic, exuberant and optimistic personality makes his classes exhilarating. He motivates people to work harder than they think they can! The videos add the visual element. Xavier’s classes include lots of climbs, and the videos make participants feel they’re really climbing a hill. The intensity of his classes varies, but there are always points — often many — when participants are breathless. The videos keep people going. If they haven’t reached the top of the hill in the video, how can they stop?”
Nadia wanted to reach people new to cycling. She felt she could use her anxiety about the gym to make others feel at ease: “I fell in love with indoor cycling immediately. I had never experienced that endorphin rush and wanted to share it, to have people see that indoor cycling didn’t have to be about LOUD music and tons of sweat!”
Although there’s not a ton of what Nadia calls “sweat energy” in her classes, videos bring their own energy. “I’ve created a unique experience by using the videos to tell a story,” Nadia says. For each video, she creates a script with history or facts about the location. “My clients love the stories so much that if I don’t tell them where we’re riding soon enough, they’ll ask, Where are we? What’s this place about?”
Nadia continues, “At Body By X, we educate people about heart rate zone training. We use metabolic assessments to create custom cardio programs. Our clients learn that you don’t always have to do cardio at 110%. We tell them to use a combination of workouts, alternating easy, moderate and difficult.
“MyRide+ allows clients to ride to video on their own. Clients on 12-week custom cardio programs ask for flat rides to help them stay at zone 1 heart rates, or for mixed rides or climbs if the program requires them to raise their heart rates that day. Helping people stick to a challenging program this way is phenomenal.”
I asked how they decided to dedicate such an enormous effort to creating so many classes.
“Our personalities have played a role! We realized early on that our clients appreciate our differences. Yet, ultimately, our goals are the same: to create a state-of-the-art fitness center that is welcoming, safe and fun.
“We believe you shouldn’t do the same cardio every day, so we offer alternatives. Music has always been a vital motivational tool in indoor cycling classes, so we invested in a spectacular theater-like environment that includes a movie screen to show the videos.
“We want to immerse our cycling students in the experience, and creating stories about the videos does this. Videos are the next step in indoor cycling evolution, and we always want to be on the cutting edge. It separates us from other fitness centers. By offering unique classes that differ from anything else out there, we provide our clients with the tools to reach their fitness goals.”
Classes at Body by X certainly are unique, providing specific training, exciting music, the perfect video, and a wealth of information about where each video takes the students. What a ride!
by John | Feb 19, 2013 | Engage Your Students, Latest News
Word travels fast – I was contacted by a listener in London who heard our latest Podcast about the upcoming Ride of Hope. She offers these suggestions for anyone traveling to London this summer 🙂
Whether you're still sporting rookie marks or consider yourself an experienced roadie, it's time to enter London's dazzling cycle event to be held the first weekend of August: The 2013 Prudential RideLondon. These spectacular cycling trials are expected to draw spectators and participants numbering in the tens of thousands from all over the world. London has so much to offer these cyclists and those who cheer them on. RideLondon provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy London's culture, history, arts, and entertainment. Visitors should consider looking into the abundance of shows, special offers, and meal deals available through theatretickets.co.uk.
Cyclists and spectators alike won't want to miss these four dramatic cycling events:
* RideLondon GrandPrix: Held in the heart of London on a 1.3-mile loop circling St. James's Park, this trial is designed to inspire women cyclists, young people, and hand-cyclists. In addition to supporting professional women's cycling and Paralympic racing, RideLondon will provide special activities for young cyclists to encourage cycling as a healthy life choice.
* RideLondon Freecycle: Envision 50,000 cyclists over an eight-mile route in central London from Tower Bridge to Buckingham Palace and Parliament. People of all ages are invited to participate in the Freecycle in order to prove that cycling is fun, healthy, and tremendous for the environment. Participants, solo or as a group, may register online for free at the Prudential RideLondon website and will receive a special participation tabard.
* RideLondon Surrey-100: A 100-mile fundraiser for charity, this ride offers a challenge to amateurs as it winds its way from the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, through the Surrey countryside, and back to the London Mall. Last chance to sign up, as 55,000 participants have already been accepted via ballot. Additional cyclists may enter through charity sponsorships. Amateurs need not fear bonking or getting cashed, as cyclists will be seeded along the route according to their abilities. A Business Relay is also scheduled for teams to compete over a 25-mile course. Charities are encouraging cyclists to commit to riding for their cause, including the British Red Cross, Hope for Children, Help the Hospices, World Wildlife Federation, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
* RideLondon Surrey Classic: Watch 150 international men's elite cyclists wind up through 12 London boroughs, into the County of Surrey, and back to the London Mall. This trial will commence at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London, scene of the London 2012 Games, and be broadcast on TV. The Classic is expected to establish a new annual event for Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
Designed to encourage more people to take up cycling, RideLondon wishes to promote the development of an environmentally-friendly cycle-hire program throughout the London area, in addition to raising money for charity.
by Chuck Cali | Feb 14, 2013 | Engage Your Students, Master Instructor Blog
On January 20 John Macgowan posted Would you teach for SoulCycle? If you have not read it, try to find the time. It generated a lively discussion of 17 comments between eight of us. The post highlights excerpts from an article in New York Magazine that ran on January 14, 2013. An interesting read as well pointing out that Soul Cycle instructors are earning $50K and more.
Coincidentally, Soul Cycle is coming to San Francisco, opening a studio inside an Equinox. On Friday February 8th they invited us local instructors to participate in a ‘Soul Cycle Master Class’ to get a sense of what Soul Cycle classes are like. Why? Because on Saturday February 9th Soul Cycle was holding auditions for instructors who would – should they make the grade – be the first to do Soul Cycle (SC) classes in Northern California. I wanted an audition.
I attended the Master Class looking forward to the experience. SC owners Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice were there for opening remarks. A very buff/cute and perky twenty something instructor originally from Santa Cruz led our 45 minute class.
I was on the bike warming up next to an acquaintance. We were chatting easily five minutes before class started and I was holding about 95bpm. (I always wear my heart rate monitor) Class starts, in less than two minutes I was above T2 and thats where it stayed for a lot longer than I thought possible. My friend and I never spoke again.
Those of you needing a quick refresher, T2 (Ventilatory Threshold 2) is roughly equivalent to Lactate Threshold which is roughly equivalent to anaerobic threshold. Even for the most fit athletes long periods above T2 are just not possible without slowing down. I was viewing my heart rate on my iPhone app. Finally I had to turn it over so I could not see the numbers. Take away lesson: if you are doing Soul cycling, leave your heart rate monitor at home.
Our instructor spent about half her time on the bike. The other half was spent bouncing around the room ‘pumping us up’. During the first thirty minutes we spent a good percentage of time out of the saddle and at high cadences. I observed a new position; come out of the saddle, rest all your upper body weight on the handle bars, and then spin at extremely high cadences. I didn’t even try. We also did movements that can only be described as pushups and jumps. These I did.
The music was played so loud that it was distorted. Of course this caused the instructor to turn up her mic volume to a place where I couldn’t understand a word she said. I just copied the women around me.
Thirty minutes in she sat us down and we did simulated upper body resistance training. Simulated because – ironically – there were no weights in this cycle studio. After that a couple more high intensity climbs and bam, we’re done. Whew!
I think it is safe to say that I was definitely bringing up the average age in the room. I was one of three men in the full studio. My friend and I being roughly the same age and one hard body guy in his early 20’s. (In San Francisco this guy will easily play successfully to both genders) Not sure why men were so outnumbered but this is a female dominated arena. And, oh my could they scream with the joy of being pushed into a sweating mass. I put the average age of the women in attendance at late 20’s.
I think we all get that there has been a decline in what used to be a pent up demand for cycling. Clearly in the markets where Soul Cycle studio's exist there is pent up demand for this product. Indeed – if one is to believe the New York Magazine article – some riders interviewed were spending in excess of $20K per year on their Soul Cycle habit.
Why is that? I struggled with this question but, if we take a hard look at the Soul Cycle model we find that their distinction is a huge commitment to finding just the right instructors. Let’s face it, at the end of the day quality instruction is still the key to successful programs. Soul Cycle management believes in their program (having perfected it), which is kind of like the American Idol of indoor cycling. They invest a lot of time and money to find a few good instructors. If one has the right stuff, the end game is worth it for SC and instructor.
How many studio owners are willing to go there? Historically, not many. And what is there?
Let’s look at Soul Cycle again. Soul Cycle supports, motivates and promotes the instructor all the way to a Soul Cycle stage, if they make the grade.
Making it through the audition process is only the first step. Then off you go to their training center to learn to do it their way. If one makes it through that, then one teaches six to eight classes per week and not necessarily prime time. Still there is more. One must attend three to five classes per week taught by the studio mentors. And, one cannot teach anywhere but SC.
Having done all this your large paycheck is still not in the bank. Soul Cycle uses a tiered incentive system essentially based on how many butts are in saddles during your class. The more butts, the bigger the pay check.
Lots of work that – from my experience in this industry – few instructors and even fewer studio owners are willing to to do.
Indoor cycling isn’t new any more. Simply rejuvenating existing programs isn’t a trivial task, will take time, money and commitment that is rarely seen in our industry. I doubt many studio owners have so clear a vision of their Unique Selling Proposition that they would pony up the dollars to operate like the very successful Soul Cycle.
If you are wondering if I got hired, I did not go back to audition. A part of me wanted to know for sure if I had the right stuff. I believe I would have passed the audition. I’m a big enough ham and love connecting with my riders so much that – to me – making the first step seemed inevitable.
Truth is, I live one hour from San Francisco. I have other contracts in my ‘portfolio career’. I could not have committed the time or to the commute.
Yet today, I find myself getting off the bike more, bouncing around declaring to my riders that I AM here to pump them up. I guess a little bit of soul cycle goes a long way.
