Are you annoying some of your current (or potential) participants? You know, rubbing those folks who are of a different/opposite personality type than yours the wrong way?
I recently came to the conclusions that there's a good chance that I do at times – please let me know if any of this makes sense to you…
Yesterday I gave a presentation to our sold-out group of studio owners and Instructors at the Full Psycle/PRO PIQ workshop entitled:
Selling Power – The success of your studio depends on it!
We've got all of this fancy technology in our studios; bikes with consoles, display training systems, results emails and online user profiles that record all of your previous class data. So (to me) it should follow that persuading (Selling) participants that Training with Power is worthwhile becomes supercritical to building a loyal following = a profitable fitness business.
The core concept of my talk was how you need to understand how the four different personality types; Director, Socializer, Relater and Thinker need to be “Sold” to differently.
The personality matrix is constructed like this:[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']
Then I went on to describe the common personality traits of each type.
Teach an early AM class? I'll bet it's filled with “A” type Directors.
I am a Director > my kids will attest to me sometimes being a bit harsh 🙁
These social folks will pay your overhead if you can attract and retain them.
I explained how it was my belief that attracting Socializers is the key to a successful/profitable Indoor Cycling Studio. Everything I observed at SoulCycle appeared to be designed to attract this type of people and who can argue with their success?
You're a Relater if you include the word “safe” in your class description.
When we first began promoting Performance IQ there was some initial pushback from Instructors; “we need to keep competition out of our classes!” > which I realize now came from Relaters who were concerned about weaker riders not being able to keep up. NOTE: that's been fix… now you can run PIQ competitions between riders that are handicapped for weight/gender or Team based challenges are awesome for including everyone.
Thinkers spend a lot of time discussing the “Science” of training with anyone who will listen.
At the risk of sounding harsh (I'm a Director… we do stuff like that!)…
I feel we are wasting our time, when we focus our attention on Thinkers.
Many (maybe most) dedicated endurance athletes/cyclists fall into the Thinker group. Don't get me wrong – I know hundreds of them and they're a bunch of nice people. If I had a technical product or service to sell I would devote nearly all of my attention on these data junkies. But Thinkers are very individualistic* (loners) ≠the type of people who add value to a group fitness class. Not to mention they disappear from your class on the first nice spring day.
While typing this I remembered an article from Stages Indoor Cycling's Cameron Chinatti about not focusing on the Squeaky Wheels in your classes. Cameron doesn't call out Thinkers directly, but I see it all the time where Instructors get sucked into esoteric debates about the science of training on Facebook or with the guy in a full kit, who sat in the front row, doing his own thing.
Little, if any, of the “science” of training is of interest to Socializers. So while you're caught up with the wannabe pro cyclist/Thinker, debating the pro's and con's of Training Zone 5B > the Socializer (who has many hundreds of friends) who wanted to thank you for recognizing them during class, leaves feeling like you don't really care… and never comes back.
So Who annoys Who?
I got a lot of heads nodding “YES” when we discussed who annoys who during my presentation.
All of this is strictly anecdotal > just my 53 years of observation and my own personal feelings.
Thinkers and Socialisers can get under each other's skin.
As a Director, Relaters can bug the crap out of me and they see me a uncaring 🙁
We discussed a number of examples of how we need first need to identify our “type” and then be careful not to annoy our opposites, during the presentation of our classes.
Directors need to recognise a Relater's concerns for the safety of others – even if we think it's unfounded.
Relaters need to understand that not everyone shares their concerns and encourage the Directors in class to take a risk.
Thinkers need to minimize the “science lessons” or they'll quickly lose Socializers.
Socializers – it can't be all passion and cheerleading. Throw your Thinkers a few technical “bones” to satiate their need for concrete data.
[/wlm_private]I'm kicking myself for not recording this complete session. There was a lot of excellent comments and feedback. We're planning more of these Full Psycle/PRO workshops and I won't make the same mistake twice.
*Yes, cyclists go on group rides, with other cyclists. But these rides are rarely social events – especially for men. More like a group of individuals riding near each other, all going in the same direction and using each other's draft.
Time is the great equalizer. We all have different abilities, different income, different experiences, but one thing we all have the same of, is TIME. I don’t know about you, but I am a time miser; greedy, protective and otherwise fanatical about not wasting that precious resource. That’s how I’m going to make up for not having other advantages — I’m going to make every minute count. I’m such a fanatic, I even consider sleep highly over-rated, and have averaged less than six hours per night most of my life — even when I was just a whipper. Yeah, I was that annoying kid who would sit outside your door on Saturday morning waiting for you to wake up. I had kids to see, things to do, worlds to conquer… so it seemed back then.
Now that I’m older, well, it’s still that way, just on an adult scale. So, it should not surprise you that I really dislike wasting time. This is why just plain old “exercising” doesn’t make sense to me. It is so vague and wishy washy. What’s the point? If it’s to loose weight, then I want to make sure that is what I accomplish, lost pounds, or I will be wasting my time. If I want to “stay in shape”, I need to know what that is — is it toned muscles, faster running, winning cycling events, lowering blood pressure, what!?! If I don’t know what that means, I can’t determine if I’ve accomplished my objectives. If I accomplish nothing, then I am simply wasting my time. Argh! I just can’t have that.
Below, Premium Members can read a detailed description of this Class Profile, download a printable Class Profile that can be used in class, read a detailed description of the Power Based Training Zones and download a printable Power Postcard.
[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']
#18 minute interval slightly above “maximum sustainable intensity” or threshold or Orange Zone
First and Last 3 minutes above threshold or Red Zone
1 minute recovery
4 X 3 minute interval at a slightly higher intensity or average wattage than the #18 minute interval or Orange Zone
30 second surge to Red Zone at the beginning and end of each 3 minute interval
1 minute of “recovery” only a few watts or heart beats below the 3 minute intensity after each interval
1 x 2 minute interval at a slightly higher intensity or average wattage than the #18 minute interval or Red Zone
1 minute recovery this is real recovery
3 x 1 minute close to maximum intensity
1 minute recovery after each interval
3 X 30 second interval done at absolute maximum intensity
30 seconds recovery after each interval
Workout Goal:
Can you respect the ORANGE and stay in your Threshold zone for all intervals before we max out at the end.
4 minute warm up
Soft pedal for the first 2 minutes. Get comfortable on bike. Discuss fit and console.
Slowly and steadily increase HR and/or Average Wattage each minute, for 2 minutes, keep intensity below threshold.
1 minute recovery.
3 minute “Benchmark” or Stages IQ FTP Test goals and specifics:
Ride for 3 minutes at a maximum sustainable intensity.
If you have the capability to capture average wattage use the average wattage as your “Benchmark”. If you are limited to RPE to determine intensity use your cueing to make sure participants remember how this 3 minute interval “feels”. All intervals sets in this profile will use this wattage number or RPE as a starting point.
If you are instructing with a Group Display System like Stages IQ, this is when you will have your class perform their initial FTP or Threshold test.
Ride Seated with a cadence of 80-110 RPM
1 minute recovery.
#18 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride the first 3 minutes at an intensity, wattage or heart rate that is higher than the benchmark intensity found above or in the Red Zone
Ride for 12 minutes at the benchmark intensity, wattage or heart rate or in the Orange Zone
If you are instructing with a Group Display System like Stages IQ, this is when you will have your class perform their initial FTP or Threshold test.
This is a long effort so switch it up as you ride.
Ride the last 3 minutes at an intensity, wattage or heart rate that is higher than the benchmark intensity or in the Red Zone
1 minute recovery in Zone 1 or in the Blue Zone
3 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride the first 30 seconds at an intensity, wattage or heart rate that is higher than the benchmark intensity or in the Red Zone
Ride for 2 minutes at the Benchmark intensity
Ride seated with a cadence of 80-110 RPM.
If using Stages IQ ride in the Orange zone.
Surge for the last 30 seconds in the Red zone.
1 minute “recovery” just below Threshold or in the Yellow zone.
3 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride the first 30 seconds at an intensity, wattage or heart rate that is higher than the benchmark intensity or in the Red Zone
Ride for 2 minutes at the Benchmark intensity
Miller Time Interval seated with a cadence of 58 RPM.
If using Stages IQ ride in the Orange zone.
Surge for the last 30 seconds in the Red Zone
1 minute “recovery” just below Threshold or in the Yellow zone.
3 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride the first 30 seconds at an intensity, wattage or heart rate that is higher than the benchmark intensity or in the Red Zone
Ride for 2 minutes at the Benchmark intensity
Another Miller Time Interval with a cadence of 58 RPM.
Alternate between seated and standing riding for 30 seconds.
If using Stages IQ ride in the Orange zone.
Surge for the last 30 seconds in the Red Zone
1 minute “recovery” just below Threshold or in the Yellow zone
3 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride the first 30 seconds at an intensity, wattage or heart rate that is higher than the benchmark intensity or in the Red Zone
Ride for 2 minutes at the Benchmark intensity
Another Miller Time Interval with a cadence of 58 RPM.
Ride standing with a cadence between 60-80 RPM
If using Stages IQ ride in the Orange zone.
Surge for the last 30 seconds in the Red Zone
1 minute “recovery” just below Threshold or in the Yellow zone
2 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 2 minutes at a higher intensity, RPE or average wattage than benchmark
Ride at your choice of RPM and position
If using Stages IQ ride in the Red Zone.
1 minute recovery, easy, in the Blue Zone.
3 x 1 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 1 minute at a higher intensity, RPE or average wattage than the previous 2 minute interval.
Ride at your choice of RPM and position.
If using Stages IQ ride in the DARK RED zone.
1 min recovery after the interval 1 and 2
1 minute recovery at the end of the set in Zone 1 or Blue
3 X 30 second interval goals and specifics:
Repeat three 30 seconds at MAX intensity, RPE or wattage.
I invited Cameron Chinatti and Doug Rusho from Stages Indoor Cycling back to the Podcast to learn how they communicate the concepts of Power in ways that reach the different learning styles and personalities in your classes.
This new release from Harry Styles‘ self named album makes a great faster hill at around 74 rpm. It's a totally different sound than you're used to hearing from the One Direction star, and it will definitely rock your next class. Here is Kiwi:
While you're checking out the newest releases, don't overlook this one by Robin Schulz and James Blunt called OK. As with the Harry Styles song, this is not what you're used to hearing from the You're Beautiful singer. It has more of a house beat to it that lends a strong beat to pedal to at 62 rpm.
What does mind/body training mean to you? Which activities count as mind/body training? Yoga and t’ai chi almost certainly. Weight lifting? Why or why not?
Some would submit that almost any activity can be a mind/body workout, depending on how it’s approached. So maybe it’s best to ask what a mind/body approach is.
Jim Karanas and I wrote a post some time ago (The Tao of Training, parts 1 & 2), outlining the differences between exercise and training, and suggesting that the primary distinguishing element of training is consciousness. It’s a short leap from that to a discussion of mind/body training, since bringing conscious to an indoor cycling class would most likely make it a mind/body activity.
It’s almost impossible to discuss the mind/body approach without including focus. When some (maybe most) people exercise, their focus is not on what they’re doing. They may be thinking about work, calls they need to make, plans for the weekend, anything but the workout. This type of focus is called “dissociated.” It takes no practice because it’s our default whenever we’re not disciplined. Dissociated focus, I was taught, has no place in training.
It recently came to my attention that dissociated focus is actually taught in indoor cycling certifications. It’s a method of getting cycling participants to work harder by taking their minds off the discomfort of hard cycling. Because my first certification was quite some time ago, this surprised me. What I was taught to do is keep my focus on exactly what I’m doing. That type of focus is called “associated.”
Associated focus can be external or internal. External focus includes anything going on in the room: the instructor’s voice, the sound of pedals turning, whatever’s in your visual field. Internal focus pertains to what’s happening in your body: sweating, body temp, the feel of clothing against skin, heart rate, breathing.
Associated focus may be wide — taking in as much information as possible regarding what we see, hear, feel and so on — or it might be narrow — zeroing in on one thing, such as the pedal stroke or even one segment of the pedal stroke, e.g., the upstroke. In either case, the key is not to attach a thought process to it, but to “go sensory” and experience it through our senses.
I was taught to approach hard training by being aware of all that’s happening — in the muscles, with heart rate, with the breath, and more — but not to think about any of it. Jim loves to say we defeat ourselves mentally long before we’re defeated physically. He teaches us to feel everything, and then transcend it. “It’s not that it doesn’t hurt, it’s just that it doesn’t matter,” he said one day during tough, big-gear climbs. I immortalized the saying on a boxful of t-shirts.
As great as transcendence sounds, it didn’t always work for me. I would find myself “striving” to get into that transcendent state, then striving to stay there. The striving itself was antithetical to the state. It also linked “good” or “bad” with whichever state I was in at any moment. If I felt discomfort, was I doing it wrong?
My solution came from a non-cycling environment, a workshop with Zen master Genpo Roshi. I modified one of Roshi’s techniques, and discovered the key to keeping my focus associated during hard efforts. (For those who might want to try it or teach it, it’s helpful to practice first during moderate-intensity cycling.)
The Zen behind this is No Attachments, No Aversions.
Visualize a triangle superimposed on your body. The lower left corner is the part of you that feels the discomfort or pain and reacts to it: “This sucks. If it hurts now, what will it feel like in 5 more minutes? Why did I come in today?” And so on.
The lower right corner is the part of you that transcends the pain/discomfort and rises above physical limitations.
Now bring those two points together at the apex of the triangle, directly over your head. Clear your mind of thought, and train with absolutely no preference.
With no preference, there’s no striving to reach the transcendent state. One moment you might transcend the discomfort. There’s no attachment to that, no holding onto it because it’s better. Experience it for as long as it happens.
The next moment, you might find yourself feeling the pain, or reacting to it. If that occurs, there’s no resistance — either to the pain or to the reaction. Experience it with no aversion and let it pass through. Whatever happens is absolutely okay.
The state of No Preference is the ultimate mind/body state, or more accurately the no-mind/body state. In a very real sense, there is no emotion, just energy. Appreciate it; let it happen and pass through.
Using this technique, I can stay connected, associated with what’s happening. Because any state is okay, I don’t strive, fight the moment, or resist what is. I never feel I’m doing it wrong.
When students started asking me to run through “the triangle” during classes, including classes I subbed for Jim, I knew it worked for others, too.
This method is in the moment and fully conscious. There’s no fear of difficulty, because it truly doesn’t matter. Whatever happens is okay.
If you try this, please let me know how it works for you.
The personality matrix is constructed like this:[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']
