Do you have a practiced introduction that you deliver at the beginning of every class? When Amy and I first met Kenji Freedman he impressed us as an Instructor the minute he started his class.
USA Elite Cycling Coach Kenji has all the qualifications necessary to help you improve your craft as a Spinning Indoor Cycling Instructor – Kenji prefers Coach – because that's really want we are 🙂
This is a shortened version of the complete interview I did with Kenji. ICI/PRO members can access Podcast #144 which includes the complete interview where we discuss how he see all of our roles as a Coach, Indoors and Out.
Listen to the Podcast below or subscribe for free using
I was rear ended this past January and my beloved Acura TL was totaled. I only had one problem with this car….the CD player didn’t work. Plus my oldest daughter had blown out the stereo speakers, so any volume above 2 put out a very annoying buzzing sound. You get the picture. And, if you are anything like me, music is on your mind a lot as we are always looking for new, cool ,different, hip exciting music for our classes.
Well, I got a new (used) Acura TL. Very cool…6 speed manual transmission, faster than a speeding bullet, etc., etc., BUT the coolest thing is the XM radio that the previous owner was nice enough to extend for me. OMG!!!!! If you do not have it, but can activate it in your vehicle, DO IT! I am discovering new bands, new genres, new tunes by bands I had forgotten about, old tunes from bands I had never heard of and artists I didn’t even know existed. All while just JDA – Just Driving Around. Rock stations, current stations, country, drum, Christian, dance, R&B, big band, electronica, blues stations…you name it, and no commercials. Best of all, if you have a smart phone and hear something you like, just “Shazam” it and all the song information is saved so you can download it later when you are safely not behind the wheel. XM Radios Starting at $29.99
I am so excited because my music library is growing like crazy and just tickled to be sharing my new finds with you in the “Friday Favorites” so stay tuned!
I believe in giving credit where credit is due and I first heard of this group from Tom Scotto. We were together in Colorado in December for the Cycling Fusion Summit Conference. Tom was graciously showing us how he put together his play lists and I was furiously jotting down his bands of choice!
With play times between 4:26 and 7:25 and BPM ranging from 64 to 92, every single track is usable and wonderful for class. I especially like this CD because there are three great flat road selections. The group is The Crystal Method and this week’s CD is Vegas. The flat road tracks are: “Bad Stone” 5:10, BPM 90, “High Roller” 5:30 BPM 90 (my favorite) and “Trip Like I Do” 7:34, BPM 92. “Comin’ Back” at 5:39 and a cadence of 72 is my favorite climb tune on this CD with a cool vocals and a nice out of the saddle feeling at 1:30.
Check out the YouTube video of the re-release of the 1997 “Comin” Back” with Trixie Reiss on vocals:
iTunes Quick Tip – Sharing iTunes Music Between Computers
Amy has a bunch of music on her computer and I do as well. In the past to move music from her computer to mine I needed to burn a CD or use an external hard drive to transfer music. But not any more.
If you have multiple computers, on the same network (connected via wireless or Lan hard-wired), iTunes will let you share music between them in two ways;
You can play music from another computer.
You can transfer music from another computer.
The difference is whether or not the computers share the same Apple ID.
Computers on the same network, but with different Apple IDs, can listen to each others music.
Computers on the same network with the same Apple ID can listen and transfer music between them.
There's a good chance you already have an Apple ID – that's what you (or your kids) use when you purchase music from the iTunes store. To turn on Home Sharing go to the Advanced Tab > click on Turn on home sharing. You will see a page that looks like this where you need to enter your User Name and Password and then click Create Home Share:
With both computers on and connected to the Internet you will see a new listing for the Shared Library:
Click on the Shared Library to see all the music. Clicking on a track listing will only play it. To transfer and save the song to your computer you can highlight one or more songs and drag it to your Library or highlight and click the Import button in the lower right hand corner. I prefer to create a separate playlist and drag selected tracks into it.
P. S. Don't tell Amy that I have been stealing her music 🙂
As an indoor cycling instructor, you’re going to find a large percentage of your students dabble in triathlon, or engage in it as a serious sport. Either way, you don’t want to be embarrassed by using the wrong triathlon-related words or terms in your class when talking to them about triathlon (including the ever-popular pronunciation of triathlon as “triath-a-lon”).
So to help you look better and converse intelligently and confidently with your indoor cycling students who are triathletes, this is Part 4 of a five part series called “Tri-Lingo 101” that will teach you how to use the correct triathlon terms. In this article, you’ll learn common triathlon transition terms. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Bike In — Coming off the bike leg of the triathlon, there is typically an arch, gate or area into which you push your bike.
Bike Out — When you head out on the bike leg of the triathlon, there is typically an arch, gate or area out of which you push your bike.
Bodyglide — Various forms of lotion or lubricant materials exist, with Bodyglide being one popular brand. This can be used on arms, legs, hands and feet to enter and exit wetsuits more quickly, and also in shoes to get feet to slide into shoes more quickly.
Change Tent — In Ironman (and some Half-Ironman) events, this is a tent to run into after the swim to change into your cycling gear.
Elastic Laces — These are placed on running shoes to increase speed of transition and reduce the length of time it takes to tie a shoe.
Mat — Timing mats are placed throughout the course and in the transition areas to sense the chip on your ankle and keep track of your swim, bike, run and transition times.
Run Out – When you head out on the run leg of the triathlon, there is typically an arch, gate or area out of which you push your bike (there is no “Run In”…that’s the finish line!)
Swim In — As you come out of the water and run up to the transition area, you’ll typically go through an arch, gate or area marked “Swim In”.
T1 — The first transition from swim-to-bike.
T2 — The second transition from bike-to-run.
Transition Bags — In many events, you’ll be given separate bags in which you place things like running shoes, wetsuit and goggles, or special needs. Be sure to pay attention to what goes where!
Wetsuit Stripper — A volunteer who is there at the end of the swim to help you out of your wetsuit.
Bio:
Ben is a fitness business coach, triathlon author, and sports nutritionist. If you want more videos, aricles and audios about swimming and other triathlon related topics, visit Ben’s free blog and podcast at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com . Also be sure to check out Ben’s endurance sports website Endurance Planet, at http://www.enduranceplanet.com and his Rock Star Triathlete Academy, at http://www.rockstartriathlete.com . Finally, if you want to learn how to grow your fitness business and make more money, visit Ben’s fitness business advice website at http://www.trainfortopdollar.com .
IDEA contributer & Editor Alexandra Williams MA from funandfit.org has done substantial research on the subject of music licensing and the changes that are occuring in different areas around the world. After reading her very comprehensive article; Music Licensing Mayhem: How will fees affect you? in the latest IDEA Fitness Journal, I invited Alexandra to respond to questions from readers, along with a few of my own in this episode of the Indoor Cycle Instructor Podcast.
Amy and I went down to this year's Life Time Fitness Ride of a LifeTime big group ride at the Saint Paul River Center. You will see how much fun we have seeing our students and friends at this event. At the end of the video Amy challenges all of us to do whatever you can to promote Indoor Cycling.
As an indoor cycling instructor, you’re going to find a large percentage of your students dabble in triathlon, or engage in it as a serious sport. Either way, you don’t want to be embarrassed by using the wrong triathlon-related words or terms in your class when talking to them about triathlon (including the ever-popular pronunciation of triathlon as “triath-a-lon”).