When I click on the links nothing happens as I try to bring the playlists into Spotify. I also clicked on each person's name/profile but Spotify says they are unknown user?
Please help, I think I'm way off. I'm still trying to learn this app. Also, in order to take advantage in my class, I have to get a Premium account to stream through my iPhone right?
Thanks!
My response:
Hi – I'll try to help.
Yes you need a Spotify premium account to use your iPhone. You can get a free 30 day trial to see if Spotify is right for you.
There's a setting in Spotify that maybe preventing this.
Open Spotify – Up at the top go to Edit > Preferences > and then scroll down to Open Spotify automatically and check the Allow Spotify to be started from the webbox.
Let me know if that solves it 🙂
John
P.S. You'll notice that I have the Don't Open Automatically box ticked. That setting prevents Spotify from opening on computer startup, but doesn't prevent Spotify from opening if you click a track or playlist link.
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Do you ever Shazam a track and then forget about it… only to be pleasantly surprised to find it later in our tagged lists?
I remembered to check this morning and here's what I found:
Lissie — Go Your Own Way is a cover of Fleetwood Mac's well known hit. I'd never heard of Lissie before – a powerful message that screams TURN IT UP as you cue a breakaway during a long climb that could begin with Lissie — Nothing Else Matters 🙂
By Jennifer Lintz, Registered Dietitian and ICI/PRO Member Soigneur
Recently I received a message from one of our members in need of a little assistance:
“I'm pretty new to this spin instruction thing and I'm looking for new class ideas and routines that aren't based too much on certain songs but on technique and fun challenging routines. Is there a spot on your site to help with this?”
Because I am sure there are others who have had this same question, I am sharing my response, just in case others find it helpful. Getting started as an indoor cycle instructor can be very overwhelming, and a lot of times, new teachers are simply looking for ideas.
Here is my take …
“Yes, we do have a section with some class ideas. Once you get logged in, if you click on the “Instructor Training” tab at the top, and then “Class Profiles,” we have over 50 different examples of classes that Instructors and Master Instructors have led that were well-received. Each instructor explains their class plan in an audio podcast, but there is also a corresponding PDF to go along with it. Here is a good example from Julz Arney.
Many of the instructors do list recommended songs, but by no means would you have to use them. If you glance through the various profiles we have on the site (and we add new ones a couple times each month), you will get a lot of ideas for how to structure your classes and can tweak them to fit your teaching style.
I always like to start my class planning with some kind of objective that answers the question “What are we going to do today?”
When I taught this morning, we did an “Out and Back Ride.” Therefore, all of the terrain we conquered in the first half of class we saw in reverse order in the second half, as if we had turned around. You can apply so many different types of terrain to that format … it could be rolling hills first, followed by flat roads focusing on consistency in pace and gear, then a gradual climb, some speed work, and turn around to do it all over with new tunes and slight variations in the way the drills are executed.
Some days, my classes are entirely drill-based (i.e. “We are doing interval ladders today.” An example of this might be: 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, followed by 60 seconds on and 30 seconds off, 2 minutes on and 30 seconds off, 4 minutes on and 1 minute off, etc. and then go back down.)
Other times, I will describe the terrain right out of the gate. (i.e. “Today's ride is pretty flat, but we will have 3 hills to deal with, each a little steeper than the previous. The first one will be a 3 minute climb, followed by a 5 minute climb, and finishing with a 7 minute climb.”)
When I go to class as a participant, I like to know a bit about what we are doing (“The Plan”), so I try to give that to my riders as we start the warm up. Today we are doing “____________.” It can help when music correlates with the terrain/drill, (i.e. slow, steady beat for inclines vs quick, driving beat for endurance/flat terrain).
I could go on and on and on! I don't think there is a right or wrong as far as the way you set up your class, just as long as you have a plan, explain it to your students, and stick to it. Hopefully scanning the Audio PROfiles will give you some good inspiration. I also find it helpful to listen to the podcasts when I am driving to work to help improve my cueing/coaching/organization/motivational technique.
I am copying John on this in case he has anything to add. It can be very overwhelming when you get started as an instructor, but each class is an opportunity to improve.”
I would love to hear what the rest of you have to say about this topic!
Angelina Jolie and I have something in common. I just wish it was her beautiful lips! (She can keep Brad…he looks too scrappy and old these days, with all his facial hair).
Angelina released this article today; My Medical Choice which tells candidly of her decision to undergo a prophylactic double mastectomy.
MY MOTHER fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was.
We often speak of “Mommy’s mommy,” and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a “faulty” gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman.
I made the same decision in 2005.
Some called me brave, as they have called Angelina. I really don't consider myself brave. My mom had the same procedure in the 1970's and modeled calm, factual and, yes, perhaps brave behavior. My sister and I were never freaked out (as teenage girls this was quite something), or questioned her decision. I truly believe she is still with us today because she chose (fully supported by my dad and her doctors) to have this surgery. Although her reconstruction did not go as planned, she never complained, or regretted having the surgery. She and my dad continue to have a great relationship to this day and have been a solid example of what marriage can be (57 years this coming October).
After many months of constant trips to my OB/GYN for mammograms, ultrasounds, aspirations and biopsies, I started researching prophylactic mastectomy for myself. My wonderful husband and doctor were on board. Unfortunately my insurance company was not! I found a plastic surgeon that would do both my mastectomy and reconstruction in his same day surgery center so I would not have to pay hospital fees, as John and I were paying for everything out-of-pocket.
I would love to say all went well in one surgery, but it didn't. Our bodies natural response to foreign objects is to encapsulate, or scar, around it. I chose, as Angelina did, to reconstruct with implants. I encapsulated three times, thus needing three additional minor surgeries to correct this. My surgeon was quite wonderful and did two out of the three at no additional cost. He thought I was brave as well…
My sister Mary is three year's younger than I am. She had the surgery four years ago. Once again, with the full support of her husband and doctor.
It's hard to believe it has already been 8 years. I have never, ever looked back. Having prophylactic mastectomy was one of the very best decisions I have ever made. John has thanked me on more than one occasion. I also received an interesting call from my oldest daughter. She was watching a morning show in which they were interviewing one of the hosts that was extremely emotional about the same surgery I had. Abby said, “Mom, you never made a big deal about it. Even when you had to go back for corrective surgery, you just did it.”
I am glad this is what she remembers. She helped me a lot the first night I came home and it wasn't super pretty! I want both Abby and Carly to know they are empowered to make their own decisions regarding their health and there are good options available. Yes, it was surgery, and yes, it changed my body, but reconstruction options are great, and surgery doesn't have to be scary. I don't have the constant worry anymore- at the doctor for diagnostics just waiting for the time the biopsy is not benign. To me, and for us, it was completely worth it.
For me, it wasn't brave, just smart. I'm glad Angelina went public so more women know they have this option.
If you have any questions, or would like to talk to me about this, please reach out to me at: amyjo@groupfitnessradio.com
Moms are awesome – I realise that although raising kids can be a thankless job at times… there are moments that make it all worthwhile 🙂
This is college graduation weekend for older daughter Abby. Amy and I are very proud of how she has grown into a self sufficient, hard working young women.
It's not a surprise to me. Abby had a fantastic role model growing up.
While watching this very confident graduate receiving her diploma, I couldn't help but think; I'll bet Amy's parents watched a near replica of this and felt exactly the same way as I do now. There's no mistaking Abby and Amy as anything other than mother / daughter.
Abby and her housemates hosted a big after-party at their favorite tavern. The place was packed and I must of heard 50 times – YOU MUST BE AMY, ABBY'S MOM!
Amy and I will be heading out on the “Bus” (our Trek Tandem) later today after it warms up. My plan for the ride has me doing more than my share of the work – but I'm not sure Amy will be soft pedaling for very long. When there's work to be done, Amy has the tendency to step up and hammer whenever and wherever she's needed. And I appreciate that.
It’s nice here (relatively speaking) and we can finally get outside. John and I rode the Ironman the last Sunday in April and it felt wonderful to be on real road. Don’t be too impressed- the ride is named the ‘Ironman’ because of the weather situation here in MN. We used to pre-register, but after years of giving up the registration fee because the weather was so awful on the actual day, we now register the day of!
The ride was nice and hilly and in celebration of our first outdoor ride, today’s Free Friday Favorite is a quick little climb at 3:21 and 59 rpm. (the free track is 6:20) The tune is not new, but I heard it again the other day and it felt fresh, plus there are so many cool remixes of it.
Jennifer Paige’s 1998 hit ‘Crush’ is still relevant, both in music and lyrics. I hope you enjoy it and can incorporate it into your class this week.
“There must be something wrong with this bike… my wattage doesn't match what I normally see on my road bike with a PowerTap. 🙁
A common complaint that many of us are hearing, now that our clubs are offering power meters.
The answer could be as simple as; “it's because our Indoor Cycles have a different saddle than your road bike.”
Now I'm not saying that that's the only reason for the discrepancy. There are multiple factors that affect how you produce power and what ultimately gets displayed by the console. A few months ago I wouldn't have believed you, if you tried to convince me that (beyond the level of comfort you feel) a bike's saddle design could add or subtract to the power I could create.
I believe it now.
Back in March I had a professional bike fitting on my new VeloVie with none other than the Bike Fit Guru Chris Balser. I figured that I had a few dollars left because of the incredible deal I got and, with one kid graduating for college this Friday, why the heck not?
I was a bit naive about what all was entailed in a 2 hour fitting. I thought Chris would be super focused on getting my seat height exactly right, maybe futz with the tilt of the handlebars. Stuff like that. Nope. For close to an hour we tried out different saddles, 11 in total. That's right, Chris had me ride on a trainer, trying 11 different saddles, to find the perfect saddle that (his words) your ass can find easily. Here's what we finally decided on… a Fizik Kurve.
Impossible to tell just by looking at it – my butt knows where it belongs.
What we were looking for was more than a comfortable place to sit my butt. Actually comfortability was third on Chris' list of criteria for a saddle. The first was; “can your ass find it?” and second was; “how much power do you make with it?”
Both the “find it” and “power” go hand in hand. I've forgotten which number (of the 11 saddles) this Fizik was, but I knew the instant I sat on it… or better said, my butt knew the second it sat down. It just felt right and I wasn't sitting on it, I was kind of in it. That's when I understood what Chris was talking about when he kept saying find it. There wasn't any question where on the saddle I was supposed to sit, I just sat down and I was right where I was supposed to be. No working my way a little forward or backwards. I just sat down.
Once my butt found its home I made more power! The trainer I was riding was connected to a power meter that displayed both my left and right leg's power, on a flat screen hanging in front of me. I was pedaling an easy gear at 90 rpm and making around 40 watts. Each saddle change I road in the same gear/cadence. Chris was watching me to see how stable I was and the balance of power between each of my legs.
The differences we saw were considerable, as much as a 20% or more variance left to right. Once I was sitting on the correct saddle for me I was able to maintain a nice even flow of power with my butt happy that it found its place.
Everything that can be changed or adjusted on my bicycle affected my power. Stem length, handle bar height, saddle tilt, height & fore/aft and cleat settings all made a difference that could be observed. Some were positive and some negative. Chris explained how our bodies adapt to the settings on our bikes. Some changes, that could be ultimately be helpful, often require time as our muscles and the nerves that control them adjust to the new settings. During this adjustment period you could/will appear less powerful.
So it stands to reason that hopping off the bicycle you're ridden for thousands of miles and on to any of the Indoor Cycles with power, you'll see a difference in wattage. The tendency is to blame the accuracy of the power meter – now I understand that there are mutiple other reasons.
A fitting with the Bike Fit Guru is actually split between two days, with a couple of hundred miles in between. Getting those miles has been a challenge with the miserable weather we've had this spring. Part two of my fitting is set for June 10th and I'll be doing a full report on everything I've learned about the correlation between bike fit and power production.
