Today I'm taking you way back with some covers of classic songs that will feel new again in your next class. Well….almost new-even the covers go quite a few years back but they're definitely worth revisiting. Both of these songs work well as faster flat roads.
Chrispins sent me a note earlier this week about how the iPhone/iPad Class Builder App will now work with Spotify playlists. Fantastic! I've been waiting for someone to create an Instructor App that uses Spotify.
I have a sort of love-hate relationship with the Spotify App… I love the huge selection of music available for $10 a month, sharing playlists and especially the cross fade – it has my playlists sounding like a near professional mix, with no extra effort. But I hate the tiny numbers they use for the track length timers. If you're a 30 something year old Instructor, with youthful eyes, those itty bitty numbers are probably not a problem. I (and there's a good chance you) on the other hand, have reached the start of my Golden Years where everything looks a little fuzzy without my readers.
Class Builder has BIG NUMBERS – which is awesome and that feature alone is enough for me to look past the $19.95 cost of the App. The options to add cues, tied to each specific track, could really simplify teaching a well crafted profile. Projecting the class profile's training zones on a screen would be cool if your studio's system will accept the video signal from your device.
Class Builder does have a few limitations…
Class Builder requires a premium Spotify account
No off-line mode… only streaming using WiFi.
But before you purchase Class Builder, with the plan that you'll be using music from Spotify, there's something important that you should be aware of – Class Builder doesn't offer a play music off line, option. To use Spotify in a class, where you're using the Class Builder App as the music player, you'll need to be connected to a reliable wireless internet connection. Which is fine if you've got one. In the studio where I teach, the WiFi is weak and when I've tried to use it in the past I was repeatedly asked to sign in to the WiFi multiple times. So I'm doing some testing to find if I can feel comfortable using Class Builder.
No option for Local tracks
Spotify will only stream Spotify tracks. Because Class Builder can only stream music, it can not play your local iTunes music tracks.
I realize this is can be confusing. Let me try to explain: Let's say you want to include a fun remix or mashup MP3 that you have in iTunes, in a playlist on your iPhone/iPad. The only option is to sync your device with your computer, using the same WiFi to connect between them and then set the playlist on your device to Make Available Off Line or my iPad now says Download Playlist.
Because Class Builder has no ability to download, or make tracks available off line, there is no option to include your local files (iTunes) in a playlist used with Class Builder.
No cross fade or EQ either
There was some early discussions about Class Builder on one of the Instructor Facebook groups. People were having a hard time understanding why, for example, Class Builder wouldn't follow the settings they've made in the Spotify App or play in an off line mode. It took me a while before I understood where the confusion was coming from; Instructors were rightly thinking that “I have everything set correctly on the Spotify App… why isn't this working?”
Class Builder doesn't use the Spotify App on your iPhone – Class Builder is a completely separate App that can access your premium Spotify account. I haven't tried it, but I'm guessing you could delete the Spotify App off your phone and Class Builder would continue to steam music from Spotify.
Realizing that much of what I've written here is conjecture, I've scheduled an interview with the App's developer Gene Nacey, from Cycling Fusion, for early AM Friday. We'll explore this latest version of Class Builder. If you have any questions you'd like me to ask him – please leave a comment below. Friday 8/8 update: scheduling issues have moved this out until next week – stay tuned.
P.S. If you already own Class Builder, the Spotify option was included with the latest update. From the Home Screen go to Settings > tap the Spotify logo > enter your Spotify User and Password. If you've been playing with this please let us know your experiences.
If you've spent any time coaching youth sports, you know that kids have little interest in learning skills and structured drills. They just want to play ball and have fun!
As the coach of his two boy's baseball teams, popular Instructor Dennis Mellon understands his kids want to enjoy playing the game – not just focus on the science of hitting or the proper techniques for fielding a ground ball.
A good coach knows how to teach the skills of the game, while keeping the enjoyment and fun that kids crave. Many of those “kids” grow up and are now riding in our classes.
In our interview below, Dennis shares a number of his ideas on how he brings enjoyment to riders. I loved his advice; “I fool'em into getting stronger”. Listen to learn the rest.
This week's track will bring your class up a slow, steep hill as the rpm remains the same, but the gear becomes more intense with each minute. Bishop Briggs‘ song, River is one that will get stuck in your head long after this hill is over and you'll want to use it again and again. It would also make a great standing climb. (64rpm)
So you made it through your audition and your name is listed as “Instructor” on the schedule. Congratulations!
It's very common for the initial excitement, “I can't believe it…I'm an Indoor Cycling Instructor!!” to quickly fade away, replaced by fear and anxiety. The realization that in __ days you'll be mounting the bike and leading your class for the very first time, typically solicits “HELP! I'm teaching my first class on Thursday!!”
That “HELP” is based on FEAR > the perfectly natural fear of presenting or speaking to a group. Fear that you won't do a good job. Fear that you'll look foolish. Fear that you won't be liked, etc…
So to help you manage the fear that's going to come when you teach your first few class, I thought you'd appreciate three suggestions for mitigating that fear. Then you can get on to the task at hand > which is delivering a FUN and entertaining class for everyone who shows up.
Step #1 Prepare… But Not Too Much
If you were to ask me, “John – which do you feel would be better for my first class?
A. I walk in super prepared, with lots of detailed notes and cues on multiple 3×5 cards…
or
B. I have a simple/basic framework/profile for the class, leaving some room for spontaneity and my personality to shine through?[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']
I'd always suggest “B” and here's why.
Yes it's important to be prepared, but IMO having too much detail; your minute by minute profile reduced to writing, on a bunch of note cards, is a recipe for disaster > or possibly a very boring class presentation.
First you need to give your class what they want; a FUN and entertaining workout. It's only after you've accomplished this can you begin to add in what they need; structured, effective cardiovascular training.
When you climb up on that stage for the first time, there's a huge amount of stress and sensory/emotional overload. You're now faced with; using an unfamiliar sound system, getting your music going, all those faces watching you, you watching them, “am I showing good form?, “what is her frown communicating?”, do they like me? Are the enjoying the class?
So there you are, with a handful of note cards, that you proceed to read to your class while you manage everything else required to teach the class. Have you ever watched a speaker who gets up and just reads his/her speech? Head down, drowning on and on, with no audience engagement and certainly no personality? Not what you want to do in your first class – is it?
If you commit your early classes to a complicated series of notes, there's a good chance you'll do the same thing = despite all of your preparation something will happen (a late arriver/Spotify will skip a song or to your horror it will be on shuffle) something will happen that will throw you offand your well planned class could quickly become your worst nightmare.
Trust me on this. It's better to have a very simple structure to follow. There's nothing wrong with doing one activity/movement/intensity for each song in your early classes. Without the need to follow a script, you'll probably lift your head up and smile at a few participants in your class. I know it may sound crazy, but that's all many of them really want from you!
Step#2 Salt the Room
Back in the gold rush days, unscrupulous mine owners would sprinkle gold dust (Salting the Mine) to fool people into thinking the mine was valuable, in the hopes of selling a worthless hole in the ground to an an unsuspecting investor.
This strategy also works very well during an audition.
You can do something similar to make the room or studio more valuable for YOU, but it doesn't involve gold – something much better. Invite a number of your friends or family members to your first few classes – effectively Salting the room with friendly faces. I'd have them all sitting right there in the front row.
Now you'll have a bunch of familiar participants you can feel comfortable engaging with / get energy from! I had my wife Amy front and center during my audition with LifeTime Fitness. When ever I was feeling anxious I would look at her. She'd smile back and then turn and look to one side > my cue to not focus on her and make eye contact with others in the class. It worked like a charm and look at me now 🙂
Cycling Team getting warm before a big event. Image credit http://velonews.competitor.com/
Step#3 Pre-Class Warmup
It's a learned art to be able to ride with intensity and still be able to communicate effectively as an Instructor. I chose the words ride with intensity specifically because participants want to see you working > nothing reduces your authority in the room more than being labeled as an Instructor who fakes it – I've never seen anyone who can effectively pull off pretending to add resistance, so don't bother trying.
So until you develop the skills (and specific fitness – I don't care how fit you are, this is different) needed to comfortably breath and talk in full sentences, while in Zone 3 – I suggest you take the time to warm up before your class. No cyclist would think of starting a time trial without a complete warm up. They have to be able to perform right from the start and you need to be able to perform as soon as you press play.
Let's say your class starts at 9:00. You want to make sure you're standing at the door to greet everyone starting at 8:45. Twenty minutes should be long enough for a nice gradual warm up that include 3-4 short hard efforts to get you up to threshold and a few minutes to cool down. Leave 5 minutes for the bathroom break you know you'll need = you need to be riding at 8:20.
This would be the perfect time to practice your first few tracks. Listen for obvious changes that will cue you to make a change. If possible, try speaking out loud to loosen up your voice. Or maybe pick out a quiet segment where you flash that big smile and thank everyone for attending your first class… doesn't Madonna have a song, something about the first time?[/wlm_private]
This new release from Harry Styles‘ self named album makes a great faster hill at around 74 rpm. It's a totally different sound than you're used to hearing from the One Direction star, and it will definitely rock your next class. Here is Kiwi:
While you're checking out the newest releases, don't overlook this one by Robin Schulz and James Blunt called OK. As with the Harry Styles song, this is not what you're used to hearing from the You're Beautiful singer. It has more of a house beat to it that lends a strong beat to pedal to at 62 rpm.
