Time for another ‘Favorite Track(s) of the week! If you've never used music from Cirque Du Soleil in your classes you should definitely consider giving them a try. Every time I use a song from one of the soundtracks, I receive positive feedback from my riders. Today I'm going to share three of my favorites and how I use them in my classes. Feel free to comment and let me know how you use them!
Incantation: At around 80 RPM's, this one can be used either as a flat road or a hill, or a combination of both. I like to use what I call ‘gear play' here. Keeping the cadence at 80 RPM's, but changing the gear between heavy and light resistance every 30-45 seconds.
Below you'll find Week 2 of October's @ or Above Threshold Keep it Simple and Progress indoor cycling profile.
Workout Basics:
4 minute 30 second warmup
15 minute benchmark ride to find “Maximum Sustainable Wattage”
2 minute recovery
3 x 2 minute interval w/1 minute recovery after each
10 minte interval at higher wattage than the 15 minute benchmark
3 x 45 second interval w/10 seconds recovery after each
5 minute interval increasing intensity throughout
8 minute cooldown
Workout Goal:
“Can you increase your average wattage for each of the long intervals and for each of the short intervals?”
4 minute 30 second warm up
Slowly and steadily elevate the HR or Wattage to above threshold
No recovery, roll right into the next interval
15 minute “Maximum Sustainable Wattage” Test
Settle into a sustainable intensity, HR or Wattage
Ride for 15 minutes and let the songs dictate the terrain
2 minute recovery
2 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 2 minutes seated at a constant RPM between 80-110 rpm.
Complete the interval with a higher average wattage than the previous interval
1 minute recovery or reset
2 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 2 minutes standing at a constant RPM between 60-80 rpm.
Complete the interval with a higher average wattage than the previous interval
1 minute recovery or reset
2 minute interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 2 minutes seated at a constant RPM between 60-80 rpm.
Complete the interval with a higher average wattage than the previous interval
2 minute recovery or reset
10 minute @ Threshold Ride
Settle into a sustainable intensity, HR or Wattage
Ride for 10 minutes and let the songs dictate the terrain
Try to finish with a higher average wattage than the 15 minute interval
2 minute recovery
45 second interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 45 second standing with a RPM above 60
Remember average wattage
10 second recovery or reset
45 second interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 45 second standing with a RPM above 60
Complete the interval with a higher average wattage than the previous interval
10 second recovery or reset
45 second interval goals and specifics:
Ride for 45 second standing with a RPM above 60
Complete the interval with a higher average wattage than the previous interval
30 second recovery or reset
5 minute interval goals and specifics:
Increase intensity every minute until end of song
Cool Down
[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'].
Trainer Road Profile (If you're Trainer Road Member join my Team to get this and all profiles)
Earlier this week I shared a new harmonically mixed 3 song set. Here's the video to go along with it.
[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']
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Download Linked File As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library
To download the above media on a PC:
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Save Link As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library Click here to watch a video on how to download media files from ICI/Pro.
For me, the biggest “perk” to being a Fitness Instructor has been teaching for a week at a beautiful, all-inclusive, resort in Jamaica or some other exotic Caribbean location! Amy and I call these very special trips our “marriage enrichment weeks” and we've gone on at least one trip every winter of the past 20 years! Most years we left our two girls at home… although on occasion we brought them along too.
Feeling the need to get a teaching vacation trip on our calendar for 2016, got me thinking that I should post some information for all of the new members and visitors to ICI/PRO. I asked long time friend and President of FitBodies, Inc. Suzelle Snowden to submit a guest post to help you understand all of the wonderful opportunities available to you!
Teaching vacations are often and by far the most economical way to take a luxury, all-inclusive resort vacation.
Instructors of fitness, yoga, pilates, Zumba, indoor cycle (Spin), tennis and golf can offer their teaching specialty in exchange for the resort accommodations and amenities. The instructors and companion(s) are treated like paying guests of the hotel while offering 1-2 sessions each day, teaching to the resort guests of the hotel. It’s a pretty sweet deal for the instructor who simply loves to share fitness, and vacation.
Fit Bodies, Inc. has been making these teaching vacations happen for over 20 years. Their booking site, FitnessProTravel.com, offers all members the 24/7 ability to view teaching vacation opportunities based on real time availability. Approved members search when they want to teach, or where they want to go or what formats they want to teach. With over 65 resorts through five countries, Fit Bodies, Inc. offers the ability to book for last minute, or up to 14 months in advance. So there is something for everyone!
Indoor cycle and Spin instructors have some extraordinary studios to teach from! For the indoor cycle instructor who teaches additional formats there are some exceptional locations to mention:
Couples Tower Isle, in Ocho Rios and Couples Swept Away, in Negril, Jamaica. Even ground transportation is included for the instructor and their companion at this ‘no tipping allowed’ resort chain. Couples Resorts makes fitness a priority for their guests with excellent, healthy cuisine and juice bars on property.
Sticking in Jamaica for a moment, there is Hedonism II in Negril, Jamaica. The president and founder of Fit Bodies, Inc. designed this gym with a lovely indoor and air-conditioned space for the Spin or indoor cycle instructor who offers other fitness formats.
Hilton Rose Hall is a family resort accepting the instructor, an adult companion and up to two children 17 or younger! What a great deal for a family trip! Offer another land cardio format to ideally qualify for this Jamaica position. John's note: our family has vacationed here four times and the place is awesome!
Moving over to Cancun, Secrets The Vine is ideal for the Cancun bound indoor cycle instructor who also offers another format, like yoga. With a great schedule of 8:30 yoga and 9:30 A.M. indoor cycle from a studio overlooking the pool, beach and ocean. Amazing.
Dreams Riviera Cancun is another family location. Take an adult companion along and up to two kids 12 or younger to this world-class luxurious family destination. From Explorer’s Club for kids 3-12 and 24-hour room service, this family resort only requires you to teach one format and indoor cycle is perfect!
If you are not yet a member on FitnessProTravel.com, it’s time to think about teaching abroad and enjoying great benefits. Signing up never carries a travel obligation as even the Basic (free) members of the site have access to view everything available to book, and read the details for each position. When you decide to place a booking, it’s confirmed the same day so you have permission to handle your own flights. Instructor expenses include a weekly booking fee and gift fund contribution totaling $525-650 and covers instructor and included companions for Sunday-Sunday travel (teaching on non-travel days). Flights are instructors’ responsibility, as it ground transportation to and from the resort.
The biggest benefit of this program is touching resort guests in ways you cannot imagine. “You never know who you are going to impact, and empower.”
-Suzelle Snowden, President and founder of Fit Bodies, Inc.
Fit Bodies, Inc. is headquartered in Covington, KY.
Here's Amy's advice for what happens if no one shows for your class, which is common and totally OK!
I put this 3 song mix together today and love it! Two of the songs, Coming Home and Bad Blood vs Iron Man, were given to me by a DJ friend and are not available on iTunes or Spotify.
I used this mix tonight in class and it went over big, they loved it. Check it out and let me know what you think.
[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']
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Download Linked File As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library
To download the above media on a PC:
Right Click on the blue underlined link
Select “Save Link As”
Select a download location
Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library Click here to watch a video on how to download media files from ICI/Pro.
Your class participants deserve congratulations for caring about their health and wellness — and for getting started now. To help them prepare, here are the 3 biggest mistakes people make when starting a health and weight-loss program — and what you might advise them to do instead.[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]
MISTAKE #1: Thinking “Diet” Instead of Health
“Diet” is an outdated term for a temporary change in eating habits. From the start, the goal of a diet is to lose the weight so you can go off the diet and get back to eating “normally.” Which is probably what caused the problem(s) in the first place.
INSTEAD, suggest that they focus on health and think long-term. Fortunately, most people have abandoned the diet concept in favor of lifestyle and lifetime changes. Change what you eat — not just your portion sizes, not just your calories (I don’t care what anyone says). Suggest that they make changes gradually so they don’t feel as if they can’t wait to get back to their old habits.
MISTAKE #2: The All-or-Nothing Approach
What’s all-or-nothing with exercise? “I don’t have time for my cycling class, so I won’t work out today.”
What’s all-or-nothing with food? “I ate a cookie, so I blew it. I’ll start again on Monday.” (That can be really bad if it’s Tuesday — and they spend the week eating bags of cookies to gear up for Monday’s diet.)
INSTEAD, with exercise, think Better Than Nothing. Do whatever time allows. Won’t 15 minutes burn more calories than skipping their workout altogether? In fact, it’s a good idea — some say a better idea — to follow current thinking on high-intensity interval training. Plan a workout of, say, 10 or 11 minutes. Start with a short warm-up, followed by intense bursts of 30-45 seconds and 15 seconds of rest. Keep repeating till you’re done. (This was covered in a previous post last holiday season.)
With food, review Mistake #1. They’re in this for the long haul. What’s 1 cookie over the course of a lifetime? After a splurge, planned or not, go right back to healthful eating. Not next Monday, but now — or at the very next meal.
MISTAKE #3: Confusing Motivation and Enthusiasm
Which comes first — motivation or results? Often, people say motivation. How can you get results if you’re not motivated to start? Sure, there’s some truth in that.
But my first fitness job was to show new members how to use the equipment and begin their programs. Some were excited; others were resigned: “My doctor said I need to exercise to lower my blood pressure.” “My wife told me I have to lose weight.” Some were even resentful; they did not want to be there.
Yet once the members started to see results — lose weight, feel more energetic, sleep better, get compliments — they wouldn’t miss a day. They’d leave a pair of cross-trainers in the trunk because it messed up their plans when they forgot them one day. Sometimes results come first.
So what is motivation? Many people think it’s excitement, but that’s usually on a sliding scale.
The early A.M. gym crowd, for example, is pretty consistent. A man who’s at the gym most mornings once told me, “I didn’t want to be here today, but I said, ‘Gotta do it.’”
On any given day, many cycling class regulars probably feel exactly the same way.
INSTEAD, suggest that your participants take a more open approach:
– Accept love-it-hate-it feelings about exercise and eating better. One day, working on their health will feel great. Next day, they’ll hate it. Embrace the dichotomy.
– Prepare healthy meals while grumbling. Exercise with a scowl. Complain to anyone who’ll listen. No matter how much they didn’t want to do it, they’ll be glad they did.
– Redefine motivation as a neutral state. It’s not always enthusiasm, let alone excitement. If they did it, they were motivated.
Sometimes motivation is just planning, then getting where you have to be, doing what you need to do, and pushing through the obstacles that come up — so you can get the goal you say you want.
In keeping with that view, one of my favorite quotations comes from George Bernard Shaw, who said:
“Forget about likes and dislikes; they are of no consequence.
Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness.”
Of course, I’m also partial to the short but effective Nike slogan: “Just do it.”
No one ever said, “Jump up and down with excitement first and then do it.” [/private]
