The Power of 3 – Three Song Harmonically Mixed Music Sets, Let’s Go Country!

The Power of 3 – Three Song Harmonically Mixed Music Sets, Let’s Go Country!

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I'm not embarrassed to say that I like country music.  Country is a genre that many indoor cycling instructor avoid, but I embrace it.  I get more complements about playing country music than any other genre.  Country music IS popular and has a HUGE following.  I live in Denver and a few weeks ago U2 was playing the Pepsi Center, a 20,000 seat venue and Luke Bryan was playing Mile High Stadium, a 75,000 seat venue, on the same night.  Luke Bryan sold out U2 did not!

This week I mixed together 3 new country songs:

  • Homegrown by Zac Brown Band
  • Play It Again by Luke Bryan
  • John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 by Keith Urban

All 3 songs are about 3 minutes and 30 seconds long.  I like to use this music mix for three 3 minute intervals with 30-40 seconds recovery after each.  Since the energy and tempo “feel” lower and slower I like to ride at a cadence of 60-80 rpm for this set.  Listen below to how I used this set in class.

[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']If you use video I also mixed together the videos of these three songs.

 

3 song harmonically mixed track, to download Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download. Open in iTunes and then you'll see this in your Spotify Local File folder.

 

Recording of me teaching this 3 song set in a class on a Spinner Blade Ion, Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download on PC or Download Linked File As on Mac. Open in iTunes and then you'll see this in your Spotify Local File folder.

 

3 song harmonically mixed song AND video, to download Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download.

 

Go ahead, I know you want to “Play it Again”!   [/wlm_private]

Simple and Progress Profile for Week 2 –  3, 2, 1 Blast Off!!

Simple and Progress Profile for Week 2 – 3, 2, 1 Blast Off!!

Blastoff

 

Here's the week 2 profile for the month of March 2016.

3, 2, 1 Blast off!!!!  As the intervals get shorter the intensity gets HOTTER and more POWERFUL!!!!   But you'll need to cruise into orbit in the middle.

 

Right Click to download a recording of me teaching this profile  with a Stages IQ

 

 

Right Click to download a Trainer Road video and audio recording of me teaching this profile  with a Stages IQ

 

 

Right Click to download a recording of me teaching this profile  on a Stages SC3 Bike with MyZone

 

 

Right Click to download a Trainer Road video and audio recording of me teaching this profile  on a Stages SC3 Bike with MyZone

 

 

Below, Premium Members can read a detailed description of this Class Profile, download a printable Class Profile that can be used in class, read a detailed description of the Power Based Training Zones and download a printable Power Postcard.

[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']

 

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Downloadable Profile to Print

Simple_and_Progress_March_2

Simple_and_Progress_March_2.1

 

Click here for a great article explaining the different zones.

Power Based Training Zones (Coggan Power Zones)

Click here to Downloadable Power Postcard to Print

PowerPlus - Workbook

Click here to Downloadable Zone Chart that includes StagesIQ Colors

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PiQ Zones

My_Zone_Zones

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To download any of the above media on a Mac:

  1. Right Click on the blue underlined link
  2. Select “Download Linked File As”
  3. Select a download location
  4. Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
  5. Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
  6. Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
  7. From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
  8. File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library

To download any of the above media on a PC:

  1. Right Click on the blue underlined link
  2. Select “Save Link As”
  3. Select a download location
  4. Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
  5. Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
  6. Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
  7. From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
  8. 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.

 

A New Spin on Indoor Cycling Videos

A New Spin on Indoor Cycling Videos

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I've been using video in my indoor cycling classes for years, recently I started added my Trainer Road profiles to the display so riders know the exact length of every interval.  I'm a firm believer in sharing the entire profile with my riders.  By projecting the profile on the screen riders can make a plan on how they can most effectively complete the workout.

Today I was playing around with iMovie and found a way to embed the Trainer Road profile into the video as well as add my class recording the the audio.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Right Click to download Part 1

 

Right Click to download Part 2

 

 

To download any of the above media on a Mac:

  1. Right Click on the blue underlined link
  2. Select “Download Linked File As”
  3. Select a download location
  4. Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
  5. Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
  6. Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
  7. From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
  8. File should begin playing and is now part of your iTunes or Spotify library

To download any of the above media on a PC:

  1. Right Click on the blue underlined link
  2. Select “Save Link As”
  3. Select a download location
  4. Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
  5. Drag the file into your iTunes or Spotify library OR
  6. Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
  7. From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or “Spotify”
  8. 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.

The Power of 3 – Three Song Harmonically Mixed Music Sets, Let’s Go Country!

Club Industry 2015 – My Video “Show Me” Indoor Cycling Class

Dennis Mellon 250

I'm on my way to Chicago for Club Industry 2015 to show off the new Stages SC3 Indoor Cycling bike. Cameron Chinatti and I will be leading a bunch of free training session, if you're in the area please stop by and ride with us. Here are class descriptions and registration links:

Here are the descriptions and form links to register for each:

8:30-10:00 – Oh no! Not the Power Police – Led by Cameron Chinatti: It’s official: consoles and power measurement for indoor cycling are here to stay. But with every new piece of equipment comes ‘creative’ misuses and abuses. Avoid getting caught by never committing a crime in the first place! You’ll learn the most common crimes against consoles, then get ready to ride as we explore our top-ten best power practices. These Simple Setsâ„¢ will give you hours of new ride content and provide priceless aha! moments for your participants. Join Stages® Indoor Cycling to see how easy it is to use today’s data to achieve tomorrow’s goals.

Register for the 8:30am session, here: http://goo.gl/forms/FBrFLLtvkZ

11:00-12:00 -Head Up to Get Down! – Led by Cameron + Dennis Do you want to know that you’re doing exactly the right amount of effort? Join Stages® Indoor Cycling for a ride with our Special Edition version of Performance IQ Heads Up Display, better known as Stages IQ. A quick 3-minute assessment is all you need to determine your Power Rx – the most important piece of ride data you’ll ever need! For the first time ever your entire class is doing exactly what they need to get better and see the results they’ve always wanted.

Register for the 11:00am session, here: http://goo.gl/forms/9UKtDmYUTs
1:30-2:30 -Show Me – Led by Dennis Mellon

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million! Since the inception of indoor cycling, instructors have been talking and talking in an attempt to set the scene for their riders' indoor journey. Let’s stop talking and start showing! What is the speed of a sprint finish or the increased pulse of an epic ski run? Let’s dance to the beat of your favorite artist and experience the POWER of your favorite band playing a live concert. Through the use of video and the new Stages SC3 Eco Screen there is no course that cannot be ridden and no metric that cannot be evaluated to take your riders on the most epic fitness journey ever!

Register for the 1:30pm session, here: http://goo.gl/forms/ggYUrTXEor

3:30-5:00 – Oh No! Not the Power Police + SIQ – Led By Cameron Chinatti
It’s official: consoles and power measurement for indoor cycling are here to stay. But with every new piece of equipment comes ‘creative’ misuses and abuses. Avoid getting caught by never committing a crime in the first place! You’ll learn the most common crimes against consoles, then get ready to ride as we explore our top-ten best power practices. These Simple Setsâ„¢ will give you hours of new ride content and provide priceless aha! moments for your participants. Join Stages® Indoor Cycling to see how easy it is to use today’s data to achieve tomorrow’s goals.

Register for the 3:30pm session, here: http://goo.gl/forms/4Mwxd6UTXB

 

I'm most excited for my “Show Me” class where I'll take riders through a power based class where the focus will be on the metrics available on the SC3's console as well as the various videos on the screen. It will be a multi-media power party!

Below you will find the videos I'll be using for this class. If our stereo has a “Record Out” output I'll record the class and share it in a future post.

 

[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 to Download (detailed download directions are listed below)

 

 

Right Click to Download

 

 

Right Click to Download

 

 

Right Click to Download

 

 

Right Click To Download

 

 

Right Click to Download

 

 

Right Click to Download

 

 

Right Click to Download

 

To download any of the above media on a Mac:

  1. Right Click on the blue underlined link
  2. Select “Download Linked File As”
  3. Select a download location
  4. Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
  5. Drag the file into your iTunes or Media Player library OR
  6. Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
  7. From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or your preferred media player
  8. File should begin playing and is now part of your library

To download any of the above media on a PC:

  1. Right Click on the blue underlined link
  2. Select “Save Link As”
  3. Select a download location
  4. Once file is completely downloaded, find it in the location you selected
  5. Drag the file into your iTunes or Media Player library OR
  6. Right Click on the file and Select “Open With”
  7. From the drop down menu select “iTunes” or your preferred media player
  8. File should begin playing and is now part of your library

Click here to watch a video on how to download media files from ICI/Pro

[/wlm_private]

The Power of 3 – Three Song Harmonically Mixed Music Sets, Let’s Go Country!

The Power of 3 – Three Song Harmonically Mixed Indoor Cycling Set – Benchmark Testing

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Benchmark Testing

The gold standard of benchmark testing in indoor cycling is the FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test.  I'm a huge fan of this test and perform it with my classes on a monthly basis.  In a perfect world every rider would know their power and/or heart rate thresholds and have personalized training zones that are percentages of these values.  We don't live in this perfect world and in any given class there will be many participants who have never performed a FTP test and have no idea how to determine their threshold metrics.  I deal with this dilemma by beginning every class with a proper warmup followed by a benchmark interval or set of intervals.

My benchmark interval or set can last anywhere from 5-12 minutes depending on the type of class and length of intervals being performed that day.  For example if I'm teaching an “@” threshold class with longer intervals I'll do a longer benchmark interval set but if I'm teaching an Above Threshold class I'll do a shorter benchmark interval.  These sets or intervals should be be performed at the same intensity that is expected for the main sets of the class and an average HR or wattage should be determined and used as a guide for future intervals in that day’s workout.  It is important to cue how the benchmark interval should “feel” especially for new riders who may not have previous rides to base their HR or wattage numbers on.

[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']

Now that each rider has a metric to aim for during each interval or set the instructor can set realistic and attainable goals.

The Power of 3 – “Benchmark Testing”

“Heartbeat Song” by Kelly Clarkson

“Stolen Dance” by Milky Chance

“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk The Moon

 

A detailed set profile to print

The Power of 3 - Heartbeat Song, Stolen Dance, Shut up and Dance

3 song harmonically mixed track, to download Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download. Open in iTunes and then you'll see this in your Spotify Local File folder.

Recording of me teaching this 3 song set in a class on a Spinner Blade Ion, Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download on PC or Download Linked File As on Mac. Open in iTunes and then you'll see this in your Spotify Local File folder.

3 song harmonically mixed song AND video, to download Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download.

The Power of 3 – Three Song Harmonically Mixed Music Sets, Let’s Go Country!

The Power of 3 – Three Song Harmonically Mixed Indoor Cycling Set – “More Rest = More Work”

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In many of my “The Power of 3” posts I have written about the importance of “anchoring” time and effort.   In it's most basic terms this means that the shorter the interval the higher the effort.  If you instruct on bikes with power, then a higher effort should also translate to a higher wattage.  This “anchoring” concept holds true as long as riders are given appropriate rest or recovery after each interval or hard effort.  If riders are not given enough recovery between intervals their effort may still be high but their output or wattage will start to drop as fatigue increases.  The ability to see this phenomenon is one of the most “powerful” features of a bike with a wattage meter.

The theme for my Above Threshold classes this month is to show my participants the importance of recovery.  Over the last few months I've been using a lot of interval sets where I decrease the interval time from interval to interval and I expect to see a higher average wattage for each interval.  For example I may have my participants perform intervals of  5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 minutes, each interval is followed by a 2 minute recovery, with the goal of increasing average wattage for each interval.  This month I'll have my riders perform the same intervals, but I plan on reducing the recovery time to as low as 30 seconds between each interval.  At the beginning of the month I expect to see wattage drop from interval to interval, as the body fatigues from lack of recovery.  In the middle of the month I expect the see wattage held steady from interval to interval and by the end of the month, as the body adapts, I hope to see wattage again increase as the interval time decreases.

The body is truly an amazing organisms and it adapts to the stresses it faces, be patient and enjoy the process.

[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']

 

The Power of 3 – “More Rest = More Work”

“Without You (Sample Gee Remix, Melker Edit)” by David Guetta vs U2

“Pompeii (Audien Remix)” by Bastille

“The Monster (eSQUIRE vs OFFBeat Remix)” by Eminem & Rihanna

 

 

A detailed set profile to print

Screen Shot 2015-02-11 at 6.11.49 PM

3 song harmonically mixed track, to download Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download. Open in iTunes and then you'll see this in your Spotify Local File folder.

 

Recording of me teaching this 3 song set in a class on a Spinner Blade Ion, Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download on PC or Download Linked File As on Mac. Open in iTunes and then you'll see this in your Spotify Local File folder.

 

Recording of me teaching this 3 song set in a class on a Spinner NXT, Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download on PC or Download Linked File As on Mac. Open in iTunes and then you'll see this in your Spotify Local File folder.

 

3 song harmonically mixed song AND video, to download Right Click > Save As / Save Target As to download.

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