I'm celebrating the one year anniversary of the Indoor Cycle Instructor Podcast! Thank you to everyone who participated or listened over the past year.
When I started this Podcast, I was a bit concerned that I would run out of things to talk about. I mean really, Indoor Cycling is such a simple thing. What could I possibly talk about beyond 8 – 10 shows?
Boy was I wrong! I ended the first year with 53 episodes + some videos. If I had the time and additional resources, I could have easily produced twice that number of Podcast.
STAY TUNED! I'm going to be announcing some exciting changes coming here at the end of this month.
Here's a hint: Do you consider yourself a Professional Indoor Cycling Instructor? If so let me know by posting a comment.
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As our outdoor season, at least road bike
season — there is still plenty of Mtn Biking to be had, comes to an end we are
all faced with the question of what to do with our gear. Unlike running or
swimming where all your gear can be stored in a backpack in your closet, a bike
is a pretty large piece of equipment that requires much more real estate in
your home or garage. Multiply this several times over (N+1 rule, please), and
you'll have a mess on your hands.
There's a whole host of
ways to store your bike inside, but we'll address a few of the most common
methods. Of course, simply leaving a bike or three in the hallway is always an
option, but in case your significant other isn't OK with that, these are some
great alternatives.
Bike Hoist
One of the more complex
storage solutions out there, a bike hoist is exactly what it sounds like: a way
to lift your bike off the ground and store it in the rafters. It utilizes a
pully system where you simply hook the bike's saddle and handlebars and slowly
lift the bike by pulling on the rope. This storage method is perfect for rooms
or garages with high ceilings where having a bike hanging above won't pose a
risk for cars pulling in or people walking by.
Ceiling Mounts
For houses or apartments
with limited floor storage space, ceiling mounts are a great solution. Similar
to a bike hoist, this method stores bikes upside-down, off the ground by means
of hooks. I have used hooks in the garage for years and one of the great
things is that the bike is usually high enough that you can get the hood of
your car under it to maximize space.
Wall Mounts
Leaning a bike leaning
against a wall in the garage poses a risk of it being knocked over (usually in
slow motion, with a crash, bang and a few cuss words thrown in). A wall mount
still keeps a bike parallel to the wall, but it suspends it off the ground by
cradling the bike with hooks on the top tube. It's more secure, and depending
on the size of the bike, wall mounts will often allow one bike to be stored
above the other on the same wall.
Note that some
ultra-lightweight carbon frame manufacturers suggest no pressure be put on the
top tube. Keep this in mind when deciding if a wall mount is right for
you.
Gravity Stands
If you're renting your
living space, you may not want to put holes in the wall to mount hooks or
hardware to store your bike. Gravity stands are a nice alternative–they keep
your bike (in this case, bikes) off the ground and are designed to
safely lean against a wall. They're compact, adjustable and give you the
flexibility to store your bikes wherever you move the stand.
Floor Stands
Floor stands have come a
long way since the fixed metal bike racks at your school when you were a kid,
although the four bike one currently in my basement still looks a lot like that.
While you can still find racks that hold your bike upright by sliding the wheel
into the slot (the one that I have), it's more and more common to see floor
stands that prop a bike up by its rear hub. These floor stands utilize the gap
between the frame and the hub, and are often compatible with both road and
mountain bikes.
I hope this helps you to
organize your space a little bit while you get ready for the Winter Training
season.
Have you ever met someone and liked them instantly? You can't explain why but you immediately felt an emotional bond. I'm not talking about sexual attraction, but rather a genuine and wholesome feeling of fondness and respect towards this person.
In a job interview, you are more likely to be hired if the interviewer connects with you as a person. In a business situation, you are more likely to get your foot in the door and seal the deal if the client connects with you as a person. As a cycling instructor, you are more likely to have students follow you to the ends of the earth and never dream of skipping a class if they connect with you on this personal level!
Although your technical skills may be outstanding, if class size has dwindled it may be time to develop some love-ability skills! The qualities of a lovable instructor can actually be cultivated with these simple tips. (more…)
All of us at ICI/PRO are very excited about our very first conference we are hosting October 8th – 10th in Boston, MA. We have been receiving a number of questions and felt it would be helpful to put together a FAQ for our community of Indoor Cycling Instructors.
Number one question we get…Do I need to be an ICI/PRO member to attend?No, this conference is open to anyone interested in improving as an Indoor Cycling Instructor.
Is there a charge for the Friday Night Reception? Nope 🙂 It's included in your conference registration. There is a $30.00 charge to attend the Saturday dinner.
If I don't get a bike for the Friday night ride, can I still attend? Absolutely! But you can see the benefit of signing up early – this will be a high energy very emotional and fun class – and it's in high demand! We encourage everyone to sign up as soon as possible to ensure you'll get a bike for the Friday night ride! Once we fill them, everyone else is very welcome to enjoy the energy and watch from the sidelines. The reception follows 30 minutes afterward.
I see there is a limit of 3 bike-sessions per day, but can I audit more?Yes, any registered attendee can audit any session (provided we don't go over the hotel's maximum room capacity – but that is doubtful). In fact, you may learn more if you do not ride occasionally, and sit on the sides and take notes. It's also better for your body to give it a break!
Can I attend the Pre-Con Workshops without registering for the conference? Yes. Please contact me directly john @ Indoorcycleinstructor.com (you need to remove the spaces in the email address.
Do I need to be certified to attend?Our preference is that attendees be certified Indoor Cycling Instructors. Please contact one of us if you have a special situation.
Can I get my initial Indoor Cycling Certification at this conference?We are offering an 8 hour Heart Zones Power Cycling Certification during Friday's Pre-Con, but no initial Indoor Cycling orientation or certification this year.
Why Boston and why this date?The survey we conducted said October was the preferred date. October 11th is Columbus Day, a holiday for many. Finding a host facility with less than 6 months lead time was very difficult, limiting our choices. The hotel we choose has a lot of experience hosting fitness conferences.
I would like to share a room. Do you have a way for me to I connect with another Instructor?There is a post over at Pedal On for just this purpose here.
This is very exciting, we have ICI/PRO members from around the world – on every continent, except Antarctica.
Not sure if there is even a club there… if you know of one please send me an email.
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Scroll down to get your membership started today!
Here is an FAQ that should answer many of your questions.
What do you mean by “membership site”?
Maybe Subscription Service is a better way to describe it. Similar to subscribing to a magazine, Member’s pay a small monthly or annual fee to have exclusive content delivered to them via iTunes and access to password protected sections of indoorcycleinstructor.com over the duration of their subscription. I will be explaining some of what's included below.
Why are you doing this?
If you have listened to my Podcast you have noticed that we are passionate about Indoor Cycling, love to give of ourselves, enjoy teaching and hope to make a positive contribution to the Indoor Cycling Community.
We both reached the point where we can’t give anymore. We have run out of personal time and resources and yet see this enormous hunger from readers and listeners for more and better information that compels us to want to continue. Our idea is simply this; we have listeners and readers that number in the thousands. If each of them pays a very small subscription fee, we would have the resources needed to deliver more and better content that isn’t available from anywhere else.
Will there still be a free Podcast? How about blog posts and articles? Yes & yes. One of the reasons for bringing on additional content providers was to ensure that there would be a continuous flow of new information on indoorcycleinstructor.com. The free Podcasts will continue, but at a reduced number.
How will I benefit as an ICI/PRO Member? If you are looking for a fresh perspective you can bring to your class you will want to be an ICI/PRO member. Twice a month we will be releasing a new Audio PROfile .mp3 and companion profile printout. Audio PROfiles are a special Podcast where a Master Instructor talks you though teaching each class profile, including not just the movements and intensities, but the coaching and cueing as well. It's like attending a Master's Class without the travel, time or expense. – Here's a sample Audio PROfile. You can listen to an Audio PROfile on your way to teach and have it fresh in your mind when you get to your club. Each companion profile printout includes a “Cliff Notes” version you can print out and bring to class with you. Each Audio PROfile also includes a suggested music playlist or you can use your own.
Expand your knowledge of coaching and presenting by listening to exclusive ICI/PRO Podcasts each month. These new ICI/PRO Podcasts will be focused on relevant topics of interest. No fluff or BS, just lots of actionable content that you can use to improve your class tomorrow.
In a funk? Struggling to stay motivated? Articles from Dr. Shannon on personal motivation will help you stand in the front of your class with energy and confidence!
Jennifer and I wanted to get you this initial information about our new indoorcycleinstructor.com/PRO membership site.
What do you mean by “membership site”?
Maybe Subscription Service is a better word to describe it. Similar to subscribing to a magazine, Member’s pay a small monthly fee to have new exclusive content delivered to them via iTunes and access to a password protected section of indoorcycleinstructor.com over the length of their subscription. I will be explaining exactly what below.
Why are you doing this?
If you have read Jennifer’s blog or listened to my Podcast you have noticed that we are passionate about Indoor Cycling, like to give of ourselves, enjoy teaching and hope to make a positive contribution to the Indoor Cycling Community.
We both reached to point where we can’t give anymore. We have run out of personal time and resources and yet see this enormous hunger from readers and listeners for more and better information that compels us to want to continue.
Our idea is simple; we have listeners and readers that number in the thousands. If we could get a percentage of them to pay a small monthly subscription fee, we would have the resources to deliver more and better content that isn’t available anywhere else.
What changes would I expect as an ICI/PRO Member?
1st – I am determined to bring you a better sounding Jennifer Sage!
When you talk to Jennifer in person she has a very sweet sounding voice that listener’s have never heard. The audio equipment necessary to have her sounding like a late night DJ is first on our list for improvements.
After that you can look forward to instructor-training videos, Audio PROfiles & ICI/PRO Podcasts, all with very specific content that you can use to improve the next class you teach.
How will I benefit as an ICI/PRO Member?
Looking for a fresh perspective you can bring to your class? Every other week we will be releasing a new Audio PROfile .mp3 and companion profile printout. Audio PROfiles are a special Podcast where Jennifer (or a special guest Master Instructor) talks you though teaching each class profile. It's like attending a Masters Class without the time or expense. You can listen to an Audio PROfile on your way to teach and have it fresh in your mind when you get to your club. Each companion profile printout includes a “Cliff Notes” version you can bring up on the bike with you. Each Audio PROfile also includes a suggested music playlist or you can use your own.
Learn her secrets by reading Jennifer Sage's incredibly helpful and entertaining blog. She will be posting a minimum of twice a week, but people who know her, know it will be lots more! Jennifer's blog is available exclusively to ICI/PRO Monthly and Platinum members only.
Expand your knowledge of coaching and presenting by listening to exclusive ICI/PRO Podcasts each month. These new ICI/PRO Podcasts will be focused on relevant topics of interest and full of actionable content that you can use to improve your class tomorrow.
Get your questions answered by an Expert! Monthly “Ask an Expert” Tele-seminars featuring Jennifer Sage or Gino, one of our regular contributors or a special guest Instructor where you can get personal help in improving your class.
In a funk? Not motivated anymore? Monthly articles from Dr. Haley Perlus on mental toughness and personal motivation will help you stand in the front of your class with energy and confidence!
Lucky enough to have bikes with power but not quite sure how to teach a class on them? Gene Nacey's weekly column of “Power Climbing with Gino” on Training with Power will soon have you coaching like a Pro.
What are the difference ICI/PRO subscription levels?
 ICI/PRO – Monthly – $12.97 per month, *limited content, cancel anytime or upgrade anytime
 ICI/PRO – Gold (Without Jennifer Sage) $8.33 per month billed annually
 ICI/PRO – Platinum (You get everything) $9.99 per month billed annually
Please explain the different subscription levels
 *ICI/PRO – Monthly, Month to month subscription includes only what we publish the month of your subscription and the previous month.
 ICI/PRO – Gold, (Without Jennifer Sage) includes almost everything we publish – BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE – Jennifer's blog. We decided that there are some people who are not interested in Jennifer's very informative articles, so we created a reduced cost option especially for them.
 ICI/PRO – Platinum, All Inclusive access to everything we publish. You really do want it all!
Your Satisfaction is 100% guaranteed, for the length of your subscription.
You will be continuously pleased with your ICI/PRO subscription or we will issue you a 100% refund, no questions asked.
Jennifer and I are committed to delivering the information you need to become the best Indoor Cycling Instructor possible. We are confident that you and your class will enjoy and benefit from the; by-weekly Audio PROfiles, ICI/PRO Podcasts, Motivating & Educating Articles and monthly Tele-seminars available exclusively to ICI/PRO Members. If at any time during your subscription period we fail to deliver as promised or not meet your expectations, just ask and we will refund your entire current subscription cost.
