ICI/PRO members Zack and Joey record their first podcast as part of the ICI/PRO team.
Both Joey and Zack are master indoor cycling instructors, and they both currently race and actively ride outdoors.
Take some time and listen to Joey and Zack as they lay out their vision for the future of the ICI/PRO Podcasts and how this unique tool can help you to elevate your indoor cycling teaching career.
This Podcast is was last published on Feb 7, 2010, I have updated it with our new Podcast host information and I am representing it now. I hope you enjoy it, Joey
Have you ever thought of creating a comprehensive training program for your members to help get them really fit? You want to
incorporate many areas of the gym, not just your indoor cycling class; you want to do the research to make sure the program follows a stepped approach using proper training principles; you want to provide the participants assessments and educational and motivational material along the way. But the amount of work to put it together is daunting so you just never get there!
What if you could take a self-funded, turn-key program that has been proven to work, that will bring profits, teamwork, excitement and success into your facility?
Jade Ng from Finish Strong Training Systems joins Jennifer and me to discuss her turnkey program for fitness clubs. To help ensure the success of the 6-phase, 12-week program, FSTS provides training videos for instructors and personal trainers on the focus of each phase and how to teach the suggested classes. Educational and motivational videos are provided for the participants to help them stay on track. Both Dr Haley Perlus and Jennifer were invited to create some of the videos and training information, and they are honored to be a part of the program.
Listen to the Podcast below or subscribe for free using iTunes
During the weeks of September we were focused on improving our instructor and coaching skills. Articles were posted on how we look, sound and feel as we lead our classes. We were already bubbling with info, thoughts and ideas and then the ICI/Pro Conference hit and WOW — knowledge/inspiration overload! I walked around during the little time I had between my sessions and witnessed the buzz, with excitement flying everywhere. Sometimes we can receive so much (good) information and energy that we end up overwhelmed and paralyzed and utter (in a very small voice)….”I just want to teach a great indoor cycling class…” We can struggle to try to implement EVERYTHING we learned which may run the risk of turning us into an instructor we are not. Huh!?
You bring a certain energy, passion and experience to your classes that is unique to you. That is why people love you. We want to hone our skills without changing the personality and style that make us who we are. Now if we realized something we were doing was not correct or better done a different way, by all means, change that. But sometimes we can stumble away from a bombardment of information thinking we need to be totally different. I’ve taken a week to digest what happened to me over the last month of both writing (which is a self-convicting exercise), presenting and digesting what others have been saying, and I needed a gut check and a way to approach “how” to improve AND “what” to improve on.
Here is a concept from Cycling Fusion’s Essential Training for Indoor Cycling workshop that may help sort it out. To help instructors with this improvement dilemma, Gene Nacey created the CHIME Cueing method. CHIME is an acronym that stands for the attributes of a good, well-rounded instructor: “Coaching, Helping, Inspiring, Motivating and Educating”. Among the benefits of using this method is the ability to assess what type of instructor you are and how to continually improve. I’ll give you some definition for each one, but before you start running amuck criticizing yourself, let me give you 2 pieces of guidance:
(1) The 10,000-Foot View
First, think through each attribute and how much of each you currently exhibit, and more importantly ENJOY using in class. This cursory exploration will provide a good view of our overall teaching approach. Each of us will have a tendency toward different attributes based on our style and what type of instructor we are or want to be. Some of us like to coach or are coaches so leaning toward that trait in our classes is natural. Others of us may bring inspiration which can be a great way to bring beginners into our world. And still others may be the eternal educators who provide life-changing wisdom with every ride. And the list goes on…. Who are you?
(2) Going Deep
Now, take another tour through these attributes to see which you believe need improving. You can do this in 2 ways: (1) be brutally honest with yourself or, (2) ask someone else to be brutally honest for you. Remember, the goal is not to have 100% of each attribute. Not only would that be rare, but it would demonstrate a lack of passion. What?! Yes, someone who is good at everything often does it at the expense of being great at something. We have an expression in athletic training; “Race your strengths and train your weaknesses” Continue to run (or ride) with your strengths as an instructor, but also work on those areas that are not your strong suit so you can become more effective.
C H I M E
Here is a brief description and example of each attribute to get you thinking:
Coaching
We tend to focus more on the big picture and the “complete” rider. We emphasize the commitment to what was started and seeing the changes as the goal grows nearer:
“I’m counting on seeing each of you here every Monday. It’s our commitment to each other. I’ve seen you working really hard in class. You’re doing great!”
Helping
We are always looking for ways to help riders with even the smallest things from finding the right cycling shoes to becoming more aware on the bike:
Instructor sees a student with inadequate resistance, and hips popping. “As we increase our cadence, you may begin to feel your hips pop or jump a little bit. If that happens, add just a little more resistance, and you will feel your hips stabilize”
Inspiring
We pull from past experiences, whether ours or someone else’s to inspire our class to push through:
Instructor has a student learning to use a heart monitor for the first time, and they seem confused.
“Don’t worry, I couldn’t even set my watch before I started using a heart monitor. Now I use it every time I train indoors and out. It has become as common as putting on my shoes and I’ve seen so much improvement in my fitness.”
Motivating
We look ahead at the goal and bring it to life, drawing it closer and making it tangible:
The class is in the last 5 minutes of a 20 minute power test. “Yeah, this is where it hurts, and this is where you want to back off, but this is also where you prove that you have what it takes to see it through to the end.”
Educating
We love and thrive on training concepts and know that if our rider’s understand them, they will train smarter and see “real” results:
The instructor is about to do Sprints in an advanced class. “In this advanced class, we are going to focus more on developing the fast twitch muscles. These are engaged in the most explosive efforts like sprinting, or hard accelerations.”
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Please feel free to share cues and approaches from your strengths so we can all learn, grow and become more well-rounded instructors.
Computers and cars fall into the same scary category for me: I depend on them, with little knowledge of how they work and how to repair them if when something goes wrong.
You may not know this- but I got very lucky (or chose wisely), as my husband John is quite a handy mechanic. Phew! The car part is handled. He's also is very familiar with PC's and his brother, Dan, is a Microsoft top-certified technician, so for years I had the computer part handled too.
Last January, I entered a ‘brave new world' and purchased a MacBookPro. Why you ask? The much advertised virus-free intuitiveness of Apple intrigued me, along with the fact that 90% of the people in my new office use and support Apple.
It was a relatively painless transition to MacLand mentally and emotionally. The physical hardware transition has been disappointing. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I'm underwhelmed by a track pad failure / replacement 7 month's in, and then keyboard failure two weeks ago while in Jamaica. (Sign??? Clue??? Do not bring your computer on vacation to ‘work occasionally')?????
We arrived home late Sunday night, and early Monday morning I was on the phone with Apple Care- which is the name for the premium service and extended warranty I purchased. (I won't even get started on the ‘premium service' call wait times..worse than the airlines in the 80'S)!
After confirming it was, in fact, a hardware problem, I made an appointment that afternoon at an Apple Retail store at the Rosedale Mall in St. Paul, MN- about 30 miles from my house. This was the only Apple Retailer that had a keyboard in stock, facilitating replacement in one stop. (I can't function at my job without my computer- so fast turnaround is critical to me).
Long story short- the “Genius Dude”- Chris, told me I had liquid damage which voided my original and extended warranty. He proceeded to tell me the Apple Retail Store policy requires them to send out any machine with liquid damage for thorough testing- to the tune of $750. It's called a ‘Deep Dive'. Isn't that quaint?
Wow! I know the Genius Dudes (and phone retailers) hear this all the time, but I can honestly and truthfully go to my grave knowing I never spilled liquid on my computer. I'm the only one that uses it, so the whole diagnosis was mystifying to me.
This sounds dramatic, but I was minutes away from biting the bullet and purchasing a new computer. In fact, Genius Dude- Chris, asked me to input my password so he could transfer all my information to my new computer. But wait….I can't type in my password, because my keyboard doesn't work. Chris grabbed a remote keyboard and plugged it in for me to type in my password. At that moment, the real genius (daughter Carly) looked at me and said, “Why don't you just by a keyboard for now and decide later what you want to do?” Why not indeed!
Later in the week, I decided to get a second opinion from MicroCenter, an Apple authorized dealer- but not an Apple Retail Store. The cost of admission was $40 for analysis and then we'd go from there.
Well….guess what? MicroCenter's Apple Level 2 Certified Technician- Mack, found no liquid damage what so ever and replaced my keyboard under warranty. Hallelujah! Vindicated! And here's the thing: Mack knew to look for damage (a large spot of coffee or hot chocolate per Genius Chris), as I'd been very transparent about the first diagnosis.
Ever grateful, but wanting to get to the bottom of what happened at the Apple Retailer, I braved the Saturday before Christmas crowds and trekked back to Rosedale Mall to enquire with the manager (or Apple calls them ‘Store Leaders'). I met Manager Hal Reynolds. I calmly (but firmly) explained what had transpired and showed him my MicroCenter paperwork stating no liquid damage. Manager Hal Reynolds would 1.) not acknowledge the opposing diagnosis, or 2.) apologize for anything. On the contrary, he told me he stands behind his technicians 100% and if they said there was liquid damage, there was liquid damage. In fact, he stated Mack at MicroCenter wasn't thorough enough to find it. Manager Hal then provided a supposed picture of my computer keyboard with the damage- procured from Genius Dude Chris, who happened to be in the store that day, but never came out to talk to me. (Carly and I had since been kicking ourselves for not asking to see it on Monday!) The picture simply reinforced to me something funky was going on- because even I would have seen that stain on my keyboard upon opening up my computer for analysis. All failed Apple parts go back to the manufacturer, so MicroCenter would not be reimbursed for warranty parts/labor had they missed this huge stain. I actually wonder now- does the Rosedale Apple Store have a MLCK (master liquid compromised keyboard) that the Genius Dudes switch serial number stickers on as needed? Perhaps the Rosedale Apple Store was over budget on warranty work for 2014? Hmmmm….
Mid conversation, Manager Hal promptly excused himself to meet with another customer, telling me he'd be, “Right back.” 15 minutes later, I was still waiting at the Genius Bar for Hal to be “right back”. Wow! I left the Rosedale Apple Store without talking again to Hal Reynolds, solidifying my vow to never darken the doors of an Apple Retailer again.
What I've learned and want to pass along: 1.) if a technician says you have damage of any kind, ask to see it immediately- especially if it voids your warranty 2.) always get a second opinion 3.) good luck getting any satisfaction from Apple Retail 4.) MicroCenter gets all my business from now on and 5.) there is NO EXCUSE for bad customer service.
I am still working on taking this up the ladder at Apple. It's simply not okay.
My hope is this post will save one of you from the same experience I had.
ICI/PRO member Joey, a Cycling Fusion Master Instructor and routine contributor to The Weekly Ride on ICI/PRO, delivers a ride. THIS IS THE COMBINED FILE THAT INCLUDES THE MUSIC AND THE VOICE. IT IS NOT AVAILABLE ON ITUNES.
What an exciting day, this is our first ride recording. We will certainly get better at the audio, but you should still find this enjoyable. Take a few moments to listen to my ride. The instructions for the audio files are below.
I asked a few indoor cycling instructors how often they take time off from teaching and all I got was ………………….. Yup, dead stares and dead silence. What are you taking about? You know, like taking a week off from teaching — a little R&R? Once they understood the question (which I thought was clear the first time), the common response was — never.
I’m going to switch into Coach Tom mode. I want you to consider yourself an athlete, because frankly, that is what you are. The instructors I asked taught a minimum of 4 indoor cycling classes per week PLUS some taught other group fitness modalities, also worked as personal trainers and even competed. One of my future articles is going to specifically address balancing competition and teaching, but for now let’s just talk about taking care of YOU.
I’m going to shoot straight — many of you reading this (at least this far) will not agree or believe me until you actually take a legitimate break. No explanations will suffice and no scientific studies will convince. Why am I so confident of this? I experienced it. I was teaching 12 classes per week, commuting to the clubs and coaching riders on the road. Most of my weeks totaled 19-29 hours in the saddle. My justification: “This is what I do. I’m a indoor cycling instructor and coach.” People told me I looked tired and gaunt. Well, I’m supposed to look gaunt, I’m a cyclist. Due to a combination of business travel and a family vacation, I was forced to take 2 weeks off from teaching. I know what you are thinking, and yes, finding subs for 24 classes was overwhelming but doable. When I returned, I was refreshed, enthusiastic and healthy. It was noticeable by more than just me.
We will fight the concept of taking the needed time to care for our bodies and recover physically, mentally and emotionally, but we need it. So how much and how often should we take a break? That is a good question and one I don’t have an answer to because it depends on how much you teach and your lifestyle. As a coach, I like my athletes to take a week of rest and recovery for each 4 to 5 weeks of focused training. This may be a bit much if you teach fulltime as a means of making a living. I like to get a break after every 8 weeks of teaching. That works for me. Now there are other options as well. You don’t have to take a week or two off consecutively, instead take 3-4 days off or setup a long weekend. Remember, it is not just about you. You are providing the energy and inspiration for those in your class. If you don’t walk in with it, you can give it.
So how do you know you may be in need of a break? If you still have not been able to answer my opening question, the answer is simple — IT IS TIME! Some other signs are lack of energy (particularly before class), fatigue, low motivation, bored with your workouts or profiles, classes appearing longer than normal and overuse injuries. Listen to your body and listen to others. I’m very fortunate to have riders in my classes who respect me and who are not afraid to provide feedback. One rider in a class that I’ve taught for 7 years approached me afterwards and said, “you didn’t have IT tonight”. He said the class was still good, but it wasn’t at the level he had come to expect and enjoy. It was tough to hear, but he was right. It was time. I owed it to myself and I owed it to my class.
So take care of yourself. Listen to your body. You are an athlete, a motivator and an inspiration. Lead by example and lead strong.
ICI/PRO members Zack and Joey record their first podcast as part of the ICI/PRO team.
