by John | Jun 3, 2021 | Heart Zones USA
Sally Edwards was the very first “Fitness Celebrity” I interviewed on the Indoor Cycle Instructor Podcast. Way back on September 29th of 2008, Sally and I recorded ICI Podcast #7 — Sally Edwards talks Heart Zones Training
Since then Sally has been incredibly helpful to me, both in my personal training and professionally as an Instructor. She's been an amazing resource, adviser and I'm very proud of the fact that she considers me her friend 🙂
When I saw that Sally was inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame, along with Mark Allen, Scott Tinley and other triathlon greats, I just had to tell everyone!
Her introduction at the awards banquet reads:
As an athlete, best-selling author and entrepreneur, Sally Edwards has constantly displayed the passion and the plan to get America fit. She has founded six fitness-related businesses, including Fleet Feet Sports, YubaShoe Sport Snowshoes and current ventures such as Upbeat Workouts, an iPhone app for runners. Edwards has written 23 books on sports, fitness and health, including the popular title, “Triathlons for Women.” As an athlete, Edwards is a 16-time Ironman finisher and set a Master’s world record in the event in 1988. She is a former winner of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run and ran in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Edwards has served as the national spokeswoman for the Danskin and Trek Women’s Triathlon Series since 1990. She has a streak of 150 last-place finishes in the Danskin and Trek events so that no other woman has to finish last. Edwards was inducted into the Triathlete Hall of Fame in 1999.
You can watch Sally's acceptance here (scroll down to find it). True to form, when handed the microphone, Sally placed someone else in front of herself. She asked her friend and training partner Dr. Dan Rudd to speak briefly before giving her presentation. Inspirational in everything she does, you will enjoy Sally's talk about “Doing Your Best”.
Originally posted 2012-05-30 10:27:03.
by John | Apr 16, 2021 | Cycling Fusion, Heart Zones USA
If you're sad you couldn't make it to Boston to ride with Tom Scotto – be happy – he's presenting at the Heart Zones To The Max Conference in Seattle WA on November 4th – 6th 2011.
Club ZUM Fitness
1813 7th Avenue (at Olive Street)
Seattle, WA 98101
Tom will be presenting along side Gene Nacey, Sally Edwards, Chuck Cali and the rest of the Heart Zones Cardio Training Experts!
The Conference: Attending the high energy Heart Zones USA's Conference 2011 will get you to a healthier and fitter YOU. Learn NEW ways to train. Meet the experts. Discover the latest in scientific-based cardiovascular training. Take any of our 40 different workshops and workouts of your choice or stay “In the Track”. You choose. Attend the social and networking activities.
Two Options: Your two options for course work is either a (1) Tracks – stay within your track and learn everything or (2) Mix and Match – you pick and choose the workouts and workshops that you want to take. Read on:
Tracks: Choose one of the following tracks but first click on complete Conference course schedule to read about the 40 different workshops and workouts:
Sessions, Presenters, Location and Hotel info is available here.
Contact:
John Urys, Event Manager
The Heart Zones Company
staff@heartzones.com
916-481-7283 ext 112
Originally posted 2011-10-09 09:33:35.
by Jim Karanas | Mar 26, 2021 | Indoor Cycling Group - Team ICG, Instructor Training
Whenever I teach an Indoor Cycling class, I try to create an experience that takes the students beyond exercise. A class can affect students even more when video is added. So far, though, video has been used in classes more as a backdrop to create atmosphere than to augment the experience.
The trick to teaching with video is to act as if the ride is real.
When we teach, we can make our students feel that they’re somewhere else through cueing, guided imagery and choice of music. When we dim the lights, play the perfect song, and describe riding through the desert under a full moon on a road with no cars, we can immerse the student in that imagery. Whatever doesn’t add to it detracts.
Can you imagine that same scenario with a disco ball? No congruence. The same holds true for leading a ride profile that has nothing to do with the video playing behind you, and never even referencing it. The video grabs the student’s attention from time to time but doesn’t create virtuality on the ride.
To make video more than a diversion or backdrop, we must embrace it. Then we can create an experience in our classes like never before.
John Chambers of Cisco Systems describes “telepresence” as technology that makes us feel present somewhere other than our true location. A popular application is videoconferencing.
Telepresence allows our students to feel themselves in the video. This leads to immersion, where a student’s self-awareness blends into the absorbing surrounding environment.
Video can create immersion in our students. The acronym ‘SIT’ describes the coaching process:
– Simulation references the video as a real-life scenario. “We’re on Highway 89 in the Arizona Desert, heading to Glen Ferry National Park. It’s 95 degrees with zero percent humidity. The road rolls, and we’re moving at 25 mph.”
– Interaction adapts the training directly to the video. “Our next stage is a straight-line climb, averaging 5%. Stay in the saddle and pedal at 70 RPM. Match your pedalling to the beat of the music.”
– Telepresence helps the class feel present in the video through cueing (words and voice), music (genre, tempo, structure), and the workout (cadence, resistance, intensity and choreography). “You’ve ridden hills like this before. Relax. Control your breathing and fall into the tempo of the music. It’s mellow. Let the music carry you up the hill. We’ll peak our HR at the summit of this climb. We’ll ride the first 3 minutes in the saddle and stand for the last 2, increasing resistance every 60 seconds without losing one RPM.”
With this link, (it's a big HD file so you may need to wait for it) you can download a segment of an HD virtual class, created by the Indoorcycling Group of North America, in conjunction with Virtual Active. When we use video this way — selecting words, music and a workout that make sense to us with the footage — our students achieve immersion. Note from John – you really want to watch that video 🙂
The degree of immersion will vary with the club setting and your comfort, which grows with experience. But even instructors with less experience can create immersion. As your coaching develops, your students’ immersion will deepen. The focus is less on the instructor and more on the video and the thrilling sense of forward motion it creates.
Video quality and high-def imagery enhance the forward motion feel, thus immersion. Virtual Active’s video enhances indoor cycling in a way that’s been missing till now.
You are now ready to begin delivering a complete and synergistic experience for your students.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Originally posted 2011-12-12 20:03:15.
by Joey Stabile | Mar 26, 2021 | Best Practices, Cycling Fusion, Instructor Training
While it may seem redundant to say, most indoor bikes do not move. Please, stop and think about that for a moment. We are not talking about forward motion or distance, of course an indoor bike (or an outdoor bike on a trainer) does not move forward. But what about the other motions that are involved in cycling.
When a rider is out of the saddle, most riders sway the bike from side to side a bit. Why does this happen? Generally, it is the mechanical reality of the situation due to applying extreme power to each pedal. Since the pedals are not on the centerline of the bike, applying a large force to the right pedal will, physically speaking, apply a rotational force that pushes the top of the bike to the right and the bottom of the bike to the left. Without this counterbalancing motion, the wheel would kick out to the side. By swaying the bike in the opposite direction, the amount of force that can be applied to the pedals is increased without crashing.
The second primary aspect of swaying the bike is that it allows the rider to engage their upper body (especially core and arms) into the movement which increases power.
Take a moment and watch some of the pros race, they only have about a 12 degree sway; less than most avid riders. This is due to their efficiency and power.
The second motion that we want to consider is the flexibility of the bike frame. I learned a great deal about this from Kirk Frameworks Co. (http://kirkframeworks.com). There are three basic types of frame flex: Vertical, Torsional and Bottom Bracket/Drivetrain. It is important to understand that these different types of frame flex are more or less related to each other.
Vertical Flex
A frame with the proper amount of vertical flex will have a very smooth ride. More importantly, it also offers better control and handling.
Lateral/Torsional Flex
Torsional flex is when the head tube and seat tube are twisted relative to each other, and thus are no longer in the same plane. All frames, regardless of material or quality have a good deal of torsional flex. Try this sometime — sit on your bike with it pointed straight at a mirror. With your butt on the saddle and your hands on the brake hoods, push your hands to the left and your butt to the right. Watch the frame twist.
Bottom Bracket/Drivetrain
When a rider pushes down on the pedal he also, for better or worse, pushes sideways. This is because the pedal is off to the side of the bike and is not in the bike’s centerline.
When the rider pushes down with the right foot the bottom bracket flexes to the left. When the bottom bracket is pushed to the side, it stays there until the force that was holding it there is released. So at the top of the pedal stroke the bottom bracket starts its sideways move and at the bottom of the stroke it returns to neutral. In returning to neutral it applies that returned energy to the drive train and then to the road. This flex and return smoothes out our power transmission to the ground, making acceleration smoother and optimizing traction.
Frame Flex
With the exception of a few new bikes on the market, most indoor bikes do not provide movement side-to-side. Because of this limitation, riders must emphasize relaxation when riding and allow gentle upper-body movement. Attempting to maintain a still upper body can place the spine and surrounding muscles at risk from the forces being generated by the legs.
Originally posted 2019-02-08 21:41:46.
by John | Mar 26, 2021 | Spinning Class
If you're new to the whole “Spinning” thing, this video from 1995 featuring Johnny G is an amazing look at the beginning of his new concept of riding indoors. This was posted over at pedal-on. It's interesting to see Johnny's early manufacturing partner Schwinn and the original Johnny G Spinners. If you watch carefully you'll see a few things that some would consider “contraindicated” movements. If Johnny G is doing them… are they wrong?
Originally posted 2012-06-17 05:26:14.
by John | Feb 7, 2021 | Kranking
I participated in a Krankcycle orientation yesterday at 501Spin in Minneapolis. Part of the training used the Suunto Fitness Solution I will be talking about it on our next podcast but wanted you to see my interview from IDEA.
Originally posted 2010-08-29 09:09:31.
