I love a great track that can be tune-mapped with some very clear bursts of energy, that signal GO!!! The image above is the actual sound print of today's free track. I've added the √ at the start of each sprint and an X at the end. You'll notice the segment @ 1:53 – 2:23 not marked – that's a feigned (false) sprint which is common near the end of a race.
Here's how I will cue this:
0:00 – 0:42 time for our big finish. I need everyone to find a comfortable cadence and add load that's close to having you come out of the saddle. Prep for two short sprints and then a final extended push to the end.
0:42 – 1:00 Sprint #1. Stand and accelerate with everything you've got – it's only 18 seconds so stay up and hammer through till the end.
1:00 – 1:23 Easy here. Leave your gear on. Sit and relax as much as you can… listen as the music builds until >
1:24 – 1:41 Sprint #2. Stand and accelerate and then return to the saddle. Power through this… you need to hang on to this group.
1:42 – 1:53 Easy, but watch for a break away.
1:54 – 2:28 Feigned sprint. Stand and WAIT – they only faked their break. But notice how everyone's intensity has risen to just below threshold.
2:29 – 2:45 Catch your breath and be ready for the finish sprint. Get your head right – this finish is long and it's going to hurt before you get to the end.
2:46 – 3:22 GO!! We need quick feet here. Head up. Breath like your race depends on it… it does. Watch your watts or speed. Ignore the pain in your legs and don't let it drop.[wlm_private ‘PRO-Platinum|PRO-Monthly|PRO-Gratis|PRO-Seasonal|Platinum-trial|Monthly-trial|PRO-Military|30-Days-of-PRO|90 Day PRO|Stages-Instructor|Schwinn-Instructor|Instructor-Bonus|28 Day Challenge']
Spotify had a big announcement yesterday > sounds like they're going directly after iTunes with a confidence that really surprises me. After all, we're talking about Apple here – the company with the largest market value of any company on earth. Kind of like my four pound Yorkie Maxx attacking our neighbor's German Shepherd!
Good for them 🙂
Streaming music service Spotify has announced new features including adding podcasts and video; music that adapts to the listener’s running pace; and the promise of smarter abilities to serve the right playlists for the time of day, activity and habits of the user.
The company’s launch event in New York on Wednesday, helmed by its chief executive Daniel Ek, offered some deeper clues about how Spotify is evolving, and the key challenges it faces as it aims to grow beyond its current 60 million active users, of whom 15 million pay for the service.
Spotify is biting back at Apple Recent months have seen a wave of stories about Apple’s supposed backroom machinations with music labels, encouraging them to clamp down on Spotify’s free, unlimited streaming service — which in turn would boost the prospects for Apple’s upcoming relaunch of its Beats Music. Read the rest here.
https://youtu.be/N_tsgbQt42Q
How do I get the ICI/PRO podcast on Spotify?
With many of us spending more and more time on Spotify, and away from iTunes, being able to cue up one of our latest episodes on Spotify would be awesome. So while I await my update signal from Spotify's server, I thought I would look into how I submit the Indoor Cycle Instructor Podcast to the new podcast offering from Spotify.
Here's what I found. With iTunes, Stitcher or any other Podcast service, publishers like ICI/PRO submit a link to the show RSS feed – here's mine http://feeds.feedburner.com/IndoorCycleFreePodcast – and this feed tells iTunes what episodes are available and when there's a new one, ready to be downloaded. It appears that Spotify is using the Panoply podcast network as the source for their on demand audio content.
So stay tuned. I'll make an announcement ASAP. Oh, for the last few of you who haven't yet, Spotify has an intro offer to upgrade to premium: $0.99 for three months.
I loved watching Monty Python as a kid. One of my favorite bits was during the introduction when they cut to John Cleese, sitting at his desk, in a wholly improbable location – typically in the middle of a field, the ocean shore or behind bars.
On occasion, I enjoy offering up music that's completely different. Often it comes in the form of a unique/interesting remix.[wlm_private ‘PRO-Platinum|PRO-Monthly|PRO-Gratis|PRO-Seasonal|Platinum-trial|Monthly-trial|PRO-Military|30-Days-of-PRO|90 Day PRO|Stages-Instructor|Schwinn-Instructor|Instructor-Bonus|28 Day Challenge']
I follow DJ Henry Krinkle on soundcloud and this track (no name, just the symbol å…) could make for a fun 72RPM climb. Let me know if you agree 🙂
https://soundcloud.com/henry-krinkle/fobrmdt9raly
Not only is å… “different”, it's constructed like a short story that would allow you to narrate. Give a listen and with each change, consider what changes in terrain or intensity you'd cue.
And as a bonus free track – this remix of Ellie Goulding's How Long Will I Love You would make for a fun and “different” intro or closing track.
I'm not a Snoop Dogg fan – but there's some awesome tracks this week on Spotify.
This has become an almost regular habit for me. I'll cue up the New Music Tuesday playlist published by Spotify and then drag promising tracks into my Future To Use folder. Some weeks are near complete washouts. This week has what could be a complete class of songs… Oh, what the heck. Here's a playlist of just songs from today (no Snoop you'll notice) that follows my typical Life Time Fitness 45 minute Evolution Class Format – times are approximate and vary dependent on song length:
5 min Warmup – 90+ RPM
5 min Openers – 4-5 accelerations pushing above threshold (your Edge in Life Time speak)
3 min Reset – fun change of pace, but not a full recovery
4 min Best Effort = maximum sustainable Watts / HR
4 min @ VT1 (Aerobic Threshold or top of zone #2) / Base Watts
7 min Challenge #1
2 min Reset
7 min Challenge #2
2 min Reset
4 min Big Finish = a Best Effort / slightly above threshold final effort
5 min Dedication, cool down & stretch[wlm_private ‘PRO-Platinum|PRO-Monthly|PRO-Gratis|PRO-Seasonal|Platinum-trial|Monthly-trial|PRO-Military|30-Days-of-PRO|90 Day PRO|Stages-Instructor|Schwinn-Instructor|Instructor-Bonus|28 Day Challenge']
Why do I choose to follow a templated class profile?
Lots of reasons actually:
The Life Time Fitness 45 minute Evolution Class profile is supposed to follow this template format. One of the rare times in my life that I choose to willfully follow directions 🙂
15+ years of experience has me believing my participants enjoy a consistent, predictable class profile. This is especially true for my early AM “A” types. They need to see that I have a plan and purpose for the class. Sticking to a familiar pattern (they know what to expect) appears to be comforting to them + knowing what's coming has them working harder throughout the class.
It helps keep me creative. Knowing WHAT profile I'm planning frees me to play with music that determines HOW I'll lead each segment. The Best Efforts and Challenges are “open” – meaning, if I want to use a big climb for the first Best Effort I can. Just pick a powerful track with a slower tempo and I'm done with that segment. Challenge #1 and #2 can be speed, endurance, strength, etc… and typically a pair of songs.
Knowing in advance, what I'm doing this week, makes life less stressful. Less stress allows me to concentrate on delivering a better class presentation.
Simplifies creating fresh playlists. Because I already know the profile, I can quickly assemble a playlist. Contrast that with not knowing either the profile or playlist. I would have twice the work. No thanks.
[/wlm_private]I'll be using this playlist and profile on Thursday. I'll let you know what their response is!
American Airlines is promoting their new Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplanes. The soundtrack that's part of this promotional video is awesome.
These 787's are actually pretty neat. They have a bunch of innovative features that are supposed to make these a more enjoyable to fly in. The body of the 787 is built of composites vs. aluminium making it stronger. This allows Boeing to pressurize the cabin to what you'd experience at 6,000′ instead of the 8,000′ – 10,000′ pressure = much less ear pain and fewer crying babies. Add that they'll maintain a 15% humidity level (not the 4% desert you fly in today) and this should be a much more comfortable method for travel.
[wlm_private ‘PRO-Platinum|PRO-Monthly|PRO-Gratis|PRO-Seasonal|Platinum-trial|Monthly-trial|PRO-Military|30-Days-of-PRO|90 Day PRO|Stages-Instructor|Schwinn-Instructor|Instructor-Bonus|28 Day Challenge']The track their using is Story Of The Whistle from Dance Emperor. The track used in the video is slightly different – but I like it just as well. A fun, aerobic climb, Story Of The Whistle taps out around 70RPM and includes a nice, 20 sec soft spot that comes at the 1:40 point. Perfect for asking everyone to re-commit to their efforts!
Click here if you're not seeing the download link.[/wlm_private]
I got an email question this morning that had me frustrated in my lack of organization here.
Hi John,
Am I remembering right that you use a wireless transmitter for your music? With my classes smaller I thought it would be fun to ride along with my riders and would like to be able to still change the music on my iPhone. I am having trouble finding whatever it is you are using. Can you point me at that article?
There's actually a few articles that describe the Bluetooth wireless receiver I use. Better, I thought we should have an easy to find page here at ICI/PRO devoted to our recommended Tools Of The Trade for Indoor Cycling Instructors.
Tools of our Trade!
Productivity – Professionals value their time. Here's how to save some of yours:
Amazon Prime easily saves me six or more hours a month, gallons of gas and removes my tendency toward impulse purchases. How? By preventing me from wasting time running to the store for little things I don't need immediately and then grabbing stuff I don't need. For example; I noticed that after 20 years many of our door stop springs are bent and missing the little rubber end cap. Instead of running to the hardware store to purchase a few one dollar parts, Amazon Prime delivered a bag of ten to my house in two days, for less than the local store and ZERO shipping costs.
ICI/PRO has helped over a thousand Instructors find a simple answer to; What am I going to teach tomorrow? We have over 65 class profiles and hundreds of articles about effectively teaching a fun and effective class based on Heart Rate or Power + there's a reason many of the major brands are connected with ICI/PRO. We deliver quality information. Spend a short time with us and you'll be the expert at your club or studio. Options for Monthly or Annual (saves $$$) membership.
Class Music Playlist Preparation –
At $19.95 the ClassBuilder iPhone App from Cycling Fusion isn't cheep, but it has become the standard tool for Instructors who want their cues displayed at the correct time on their iPhone. Works with either iTunes or Spotify music and includes the option to connect to your video projector or TV to show your class profile.
Schwinn's free iPhone App is limited to iTunes music – which maybe exactly what you use! Add your time based cues and hit play for a well organised class.
Music Counting Tools
The Windows version Tap-To-The-Beat counter isn’t pretty, but I've used it for years – download it here.
Mixed in Key software identifies the musical key of your tracks, creating harmonically mixed playlists that avoid transitions that “clash” musically – wrecking the energy and flow of your playlist. You can learn more about this advanced DJ technique and find full class playlists that we've mixed harmonicallyin this series of posts.
Class Videos
Here's a list of Wide Screen – HD DVDs and digital streaming videos for your indoor cycling class:
Ride-Fit digital downloads of group cycling at three levels of intensity
Many of these videos are structured rides, some are just pretty scenery, all will add a refreshing element of visual entertainment to your class
Deliver Your Class
This $25 Bluetooth receiver will connect your iPhone/Android device wirelessly to your club's sound system. Then you'll have full remote control of your music from anywhere in the room.
Educational Resources
I frequently recommend Cycling Fusion's online Instructor course and their Power Training eBook for Instructors new to teaching with power/watts. The online Instructor training is a great option for an experienced participant who needs a certification to begin teach at their favorite club or studio 🙂
Fixing & Adjusting Stuff – Actual “tools” and parts to keep everything working correctly.
I'm not a fan of using a Goniometer for bike setup, but this one rocks if you want to own one. I prefer to use the simple technique I learned from Schwinn – perfect every time, works in a crowded studio and you don't have to touch anyone.
Our recommended replacement parts supplier is Sportsmith.com
Sportsmith is also the distributor of the Red Pedal Tool that I invented to easily and safely remove the shoe baskets from the Red Schwinn Triple Link Pedals – sorry, this tool won't work with the Spinning Trio pedal.
Schwinn's 