by John | Jan 29, 2020 | Engage Your Students, Instructor Training, Learn Leadership Skills
“Thank you for saying something to those two girls. I can't tell you how frustrating it is for me to have to sit and listen to their mindless chatter while I'm trying to focus on my workout.”
It was yesterday and I had just finished subbing a class at one of the high-end clubs where I have a regular endurance class during the winter.
I started to say “You're wel…” when she interrupted me with; “Not all the Instructors will say something. I don't have a lot of flexibility in my schedule and this is one of the few classes that works for me… so thank you.”
I wanted to ask her why, when she is in that situation, she didn't say anything to the people who were disrupting her time in class? But before I could, I answered my own question.
She respected my social rank or status in the class and was waiting for me to demonstrate the leadership she believed came with my position as the Instructor. I have some knowledge of this member. She is a very successful local attorney and when you see her in street clothes you know she means business. I'm going to guess that her Social Status hasn't come from a meek or non-confrontational personality.
But when she's in class, with her Lycra shorts and a bright yellow jersey, she has the same exact status of everyone in the room, except one – the Instructor, who yesterday was me.
It's actually kind of funny when I think about it. I've often described my students as people who you will regularly read about in the business section of the newspaper or see interviewed on TV. And here's little old me, the leader of a group of high power Lawyers, CEO's and business owners… hard to believe. But for one hour every Monday morning I am the Big Dog 🙂
And more importantly, they all expect me to be the leader.
Put yourself in your student's position. Whatever social status they have outside of class vanishes when they strip down in the locker room and squeeze into their bike shorts. Some go from a position of absolute authority to near social impotence in the three minutes it takes them to change. Imagine the frustration they must feel riding in your class, trying to focus on their workout, but forced to listen to a detailed recap of yesterday's Housewives of the O C or some other nonsense.
There's a good thread running about this over at Pedal-On Students who won't shut up that has a bunch of suggestions about how you can address this problem. My personal favorite is setting clear expectations at the beginning of your class. Master Instructor Kenji Freedman is phenomenal at setting these expectations in his class opening. You can hear it at the beginning of Podcast #143.
Do you understand your role as the leader in your class?
Originally posted 2011-07-09 09:15:52.
by Colleen Matthews | Jan 26, 2020 | Instructor Training
Amy and Leslie love these shoes... just not on the bike.
As cycling instructors many of us have experienced the difference between wearing traditional sneakers versus wearing cycling shoes in an indoor cycling class. In fact, many instructors (and students for that matter!) claim that once they’ve worn cycling shoes they’ll never go back to sneakers. And what’s the difference? The answer is in the sole of the shoes. Cycling shoes have stiffer soles. Stiffer soles provide a stable platform for the foot to apply pressure to the pedals. Cycling-specific shoes also provide the advantage of clipping-in to the pedals which enables force to be applied throughout the entire pedal stroke, instead of losing power and momentum at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Cycling-specific shoes therefore facilitate power transfer and improve pedal stroke efficiency.
Many indoor cycling participants also run, are triathletes, or are otherwise fitness enthusiasts trying to stay on top of fitness trends such as Barefoot Running. Barefoot Running, promoted as reducing injury risk, and featured in Chris McDougall's book Born to Run has sparked a surge of fitness enthusiasts wearing shoes that simulate being barefoot. The barefoot-style shoes allow the foot to move more freely and naturally. We’ve all seen the funkier style of Vibram Five Fingers but there are also more traditional sneakers designed in the barefoot-style such as Nike Frees.
Whether Barefoot Running is a hit or just hype is still up for debate. Personally I see some benefits of the barefoot movement. As a yoga instructor, I appreciate that our feet and the arches of our feet provide the foundation for our overall posture. I wear a pair of Nike Free sneakers and find them fantastic for walking, light running and improving arch strength in my feet.
As these barefoot-styles shoes become more mainstream, I’m seeing students more frequently wearing barefoot-footwear to the gym and subsequently coming to cycle studios in barefoot-footwear. So what happens when we take these barefoot-style shoes to indoor cycling? Barefoot cycling!?
While the jury may still be debating on the benefits of barefoot-style shoes for functions such as running, it is pretty clear that a barefoot-style shoe is the opposite of the typically cycling-specific shoe. Why? The footwear should relate to the activity. Running, of course, is a different activity from cycling. The activities work the body in different ways. For example in running, the foot transfers power to the ground and the foot can hit the ground at different places such as the ball, the mid-foot and the heel. Flexibility of the foot is desirable and a free moving sole provides ability to use the feet and the natural bending of the feet in running. In cycling the foot transfers power to the pedals, a smaller surface area than the foot. Primarily the ball of the foot is being used as a contact point and having a stiff and stable platform is desirable to prevent foot strain and improve efficiency.
For short periods of time and light activity cycling, a barefoot-style or flexible-soled shoe will probably not cause much discomfort. However with any sustained or substantial cycling efforts using a barefoot-style or flexible soled-shoe may start to strain the feet and legs, may cause the foot to bend in ways can become unnatural, may be uncomfortable and may even cause injury.
Once I mistakenly forgot my cycling shoes and was caught teaching a cycling class with only my barefoot style Nike Frees to wear. Stepping into the cages with my barefoot-style shoes was a memorable experience…and one I hope to not have to repeat again! The flexibility of the barefoot-style shoe inhibited my typically smoother clipped-in pedal stroke and the flexibility of the barefoot-style shoe hindered my ability to pull-up at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Standing climbs and standing runs took on a whole new meaning of discomfort!!
Wearing a barefoot-style shoe seems to set a cycling newbie up for an even more challenging indoor cycling experience. That doesn’t benefit them as students or us as instructors. While I don’t necessarily want to advise a student to “get out” and come back with better footwear, it does seem important to politely suggest coming back the next time with footwear that will improve efficiency and prevent injury as they work harder on the indoor bikes.
What are your thoughts on the barefoot-style shoes and indoor cycling? Do you talk about cycling-specific shoes in your classes? I encourage you to be proactive in communicating the differences in footwear to your students and to advise using the correct footwear for the activity; for indoor cycling, regularly recommend stiffer-soled sneakers (think hiking or cross-trainer styles) and cycling-specific shoes.
For more information on the ins and outs of various types of cycling-specific shoes, REI has a nice overview here for you to reference and/or share with your students!
Colleen Matthews is an ICI/PRO member, certified indoor cycling instructor and 200-hour registered yoga teacher from Alexandria, Virginia.
Originally posted 2011-04-26 10:55:46.
by John | Jan 24, 2020 | Big Box Instructor, Instructor Tips and Tricks, Instructor Training
If you promise me that you won't get a big head, I'd like you to go look in the mirror and repeat after me;
“I'm a celebrity and it's about time that I started acting like one.”
Now I'm not suggesting that you should start arriving for your next class in a chauffeur driven limousine, nor am I recommending that you follow these seven steps to becoming a celebrity. But I am suggesting that you consider acting in a way that will cause others to be interested in you… which is really no different than the people you are interested in and some of our attraction to other celebrities.
The dictionary lists ce·leb·ri·ty [suh-leb-ri-tee] as a noun meaning 1. a famous or well-known person. If you've been teaching for a while, I'm going to guess that within your little world, you are well known = you are a celebrity 🙂
So if the though of you as a celebrity is intriguing, here are a few things you can work on…
Develop your Shtick
Fernando's lines; “You look marvelous my darling… you really do!” and “It is better to look good than to feel good” launched the career of Billy Crystal back in the 80's. Your shtick may not be as corny as Crystal's, but what made these lines so memorable were how Billy delivered them with an accent that many of us have tried to imitate. A very popular Instructor I know starts every class with “GOOD MORNING MINNETONKA” with a delivery fit for the opening of a World Wrestling Match or Boxing title fight. People in her class look forward to it in every class and would feel something was missing if she didn't do it.
Consistency is key to both your Shtick. What you say and how you say it should be unique and your delivery should be as consistent as possible.
Dress the part
What's the first thing you think of when I say the names of these famous singers; “Lady Gaga?” (her wild clothes) “Bono” – lead singer with U2 (his sunglasses) Brett Michaels (bandanna head wrap) “Dolly Parton” (her… wigs) you get the point.
Consider a Theme Song
Where would Gilligan's Island be today without … five passengers set sail that day for a three hour tour, a three hour tour. Admit it, you could hear the song as your read the words 🙂
What would be wrong with having a consistent song for your class intro [wlm_firstname]? A song that your students begin to associate with your class?
Promote yourself
There's a great article at the Wall Street Journal about Rock Star Instructors and what they do to promote themselves.
Gyms are experiencing a surge in the popularity of group fitness classes, and as they move out StairMasters to make way for aerobics studios, they're finding that the linchpin of a successful class is a charismatic instructor. Often former dancers or musical theater dropouts, instructors motivate students, mostly women though some men too, to pack themselves like sardines into a studio and to come back, again and again.
A demi-class of female friendship is developing: the fitness instructor and the student. “My friends and I always gush about the instructors we have a girl-crushes on,” says Katie Lee, a writer and TV personality in Water Mill, N.Y., who takes spinning classes about four times a week.
Instructors market themselves on the Web by teaching free classes on Google+ Hangouts. They attract followers by posting videos on YouTube and offer daily affirmations to sometimes tens of thousands of Facebook subscribers.
Originally posted 2012-09-06 08:35:45.
by Joey Stabile | Jan 22, 2020 | Best Practices, Class Work-Sets, Creativity Indoor Classes, Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Master Instructor Blog, Training With Power
Welcome to the The Weekly Ride by Cycling Fusion:
No more hunting for new music or counting out cues. Here is your ready to ride document, that can be displayed from your phone, or printed out onto cue cards. This ride is timed out, down to the second, to make your life as easy as possible!
(more…)
Originally posted 2018-01-30 09:00:13.
by Tom Scotto | Jan 3, 2020 | Master Instructor Blog
Before we talk about how to get a beginner class started, the first question you need to answer is why? Not, why does my club need a beginner class, but why do YOU want to lead one (if this is your plan)? As an instructor starting a beginner class you need 3 main criteria: (1) The absolute desire to work with new riders, (2) the ability to teach appropriate classes for beginners and (3) excellent foundational knowledge of bike setup and form and technique.
Working with beginners is very gratifying but it does take a special individual to have the patience to work with those who may not have the conditioning or who arrive needing all kinds of help and have tons of (basic) questions. Many people never enter indoor cycling classes because they are intimidated by what they’ve witness through the class door of the studio (instructor yelling, riders sweating profusely and everyone limping out of the room). You will need to help beginners feel comfortable and confident that they will not only survive the class, but actually enjoy it. These classes REALLY need to be designed for beginners. This does not mean we do the same drills as our regular classes, just at a lower intensity. Some riders may have trouble (or are not confident) standing, while others may find pedaling above 60 RPM a challenge. Many beginner riders I’ve witness struggle to remain comfortable on the bike regardless of how hard they are working.
One of my biggest pet peeves is bike setup, particularly when working with beginners. This is often their first experience on the bike and it should be positive and pain-free. A few months ago a new rider entered my class (not a beginner class). I asked if she needed help with her setup because I saw her sitting in a very odd position. She told me she was experiencing some knee pain after a few classes. Once I corrected her position and gave her some pointers on proper posture, she confessed that she had taken 2 other classes earlier in the week and those instructors setup her bike in a much different position. She was also given some incorrect instruction on form, including straddling the stem of the handlebars when standing (she used a blunt sexual reference inappropriate for most audiences). So whether you are a fitness director recruiting an instructor for a beginner class or THE instructor, please make sure you are grounded in the fundamentals so we start our aspiring riders the right way and the safe way.
So now that we’ve got that off the table, what is the best way to start a beginner class at your club? I’m going to present a few tips to put you on the road to success, but also look forward to our indoor cycling community (YOU) to share experiences.
(1) What I the best time of day?
I’ve seen late morning indoor classes (9 — 10am) receive good attendance. However those who attend at this timeslot are often stay-at-home parents that do not have a desire to join the primetime classes. The best conversion rate (beginners who become indoor cycling enthusiasts) has been seen from classes that are offered just before the primetime class. For example, a 6:00am beginner class before the regular 6:30am class or a 5:30pm beginner class just before the 6:00pm evening class. The back-to-back beginner to regular class combo has proven successful for a number of reasons: (1) most do not require a separate instructor since the instructor for the regular class is often able to arrive early (for some extra $$ as well), (2) beginners who become confident and conditioned can stay and try to take the regular class and (3) “advanced” riders can take the beginner class as a warm-up and for more saddle time. NOTE: please advice advanced riders (especially those who dress in full pro-team clothing) to sit in the back so they don’t intimidate the newbies.
(2) Advertise with the Right Words
When you promote these beginner classes, it is important not to insult nor frighten people. Make sure you don’t advertise the class as “for those people that can handle a regular class”. Instead focus on what they will learn and/or experience. Also, don’t send them running in fear because the flyer posted at the club lists “Threshold Management” and “Anaerobic Capacity” as some of the benefits they will get from this neuromuscular, cardiovascular class. What da….?? Yeah, those training terms may arouse us, but a beginner will assume that if they don’t understand the description of the class, they will certainly not understand what is going on once they get their. Use general fitness and cycling terms. Keep it simple.
(3) Dress Down. Make sure the photos and advertising you use to promote the beginner class is not littered with pro cyclists or riders digging into “the suitcase of pain”. It doesn’t need to include pictures of people in lawn chairs on the deck of a cruise ship either, but just take time to consider the apprehension people can have to the perceived intensity of a class and lean towards a “fun workout”. On a side note, the instructor teaching the class should also dress down. I do recommended cycling shorts, but maybe a non-cycling top (but still athletic) to put new riders at ease.
(4) At Cycling Fusion, we have found that 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time for a beginner class. 30 minutes is long enough for those without the conditioning to feel like they’ve received a good workout while keeping them from fatiguing (physically or mentally) in a position they are not yet used to.
So, go and start that beginner class. Give them a good workout, start them off the right way and have fun!
Originally posted 2011-07-15 07:00:00.
by John | Jan 1, 2020 | Video Tutorials
Last year my big goal was competing in my first full Triathlon. To prepare I followed the training from this excellent Triathlon Training DVD series produced by USA Triathlon. The series is designed for a beginner and it helped me understand exactly what I was getting into.
It sells new for $125 and I have it for sale on ebay if you are interested in getting a jump start on your training plans.
Originally posted 2011-01-02 17:37:51.
