During my interview with Instructor Lena Hershey, she explained to us how she made her personal transformation...
I have started this journey on an ordinary day in February 2013. I was in the car with my husband and two step-kids, driving home from somewhere when I said: “I will go and work out at the YMCA every day for a month starting today”. Just like that — out of the blue. I can”™t even remember why I said that or what prompted that decision. I just said that and once I did, I had to do it. So I did.
Lena's first step was saying it out loud - where others would hear her.
Making public commitments can be very powerful - especially when told to people who will hold you accountable. Which got me thinking; "wouldn't it be cool to use social media to give Instructors a place to post their commitments to change/growth/improvement and then other Instructors could hold them accountable?"
So I told Lena about my idea. Not only was she excited about developing the concept, she wanted to see it become real. Not wanting to disappoint her forced me into action - which I did by agreeing to collaborate with her until we had completed this task. Here's the result:
28 unique challenges, to be completed over 28 days. Are you willing to do the work required to become a better Indoor Cycling Instructor?
Nothing impossible (teach 10 classes back-to-back & non stop) or dangerous (base jumping). Each challenge is designed to help you grow as a person and as an Indoor Cycling Instructor. Some might be easy for you… others you”™ll want to skip when you read them - but you won”™t because you made the commitment and you're going to keep it.
Here”™s how this challenge works:
- Join our private Facebook Group — facebook.com/groups/ICIPROChallenge
- The group's privacy settings are set so your posts and comments are not visible to non-members of the group and none of your comments should show up in your newsfeed.
- Make a public commitment to complete Challenge #1 before you know what it is (or any of the others are) on the post we”™ve provided. Don”™t ask for more information before 9/21 - our lips are sealed until...
- On the morning of Sunday September 21st we”™ll reveal the first seven challenges for you to complete.
- You'll have one week to complete the challenges.
- The next seven challenges will follow on Sunday 28th, October 5th and 12th.
- Four weeks x seven challenges each week = 28 total.
There will be a post for each of the 28 challenges in the FB group where you'll note your completion and leave a comment about what happened/what you learned/what you experienced during that challenge.
We will tell you this much:
- None of the challenges are particularly time consuming, but some may require planning on your part.
- A number of challenges are focused on Teamwork — assisting and supporting other Instructors you work with and participants in the group.
- Other challenges are about stepping out of your comfortable cocoon and doing those things you know you should do, but for whatever reason (fear, insecurity, procrastination, etc..) you choose not to.
Prizes
First of all, the real reward will hopefully be a better you at the end of this ☺
But I love offering prizes so here they are!
Season pass to ICI/PRO - Complete all 28 challenges to the best of your ability and earn a six month subscription to ICI/PRO, a $60.00 value.
The winners of the ICI/PRO challenge - will be the two Instructors we feel best exemplify the spirit and intent of this personal growth exercise. We realize that this is hard to define, but we feel we”™ll know who wins when we see it.
If we can't decide we'll be asking the group who they feel should win.
And what do they win? My friends at Fit Bodies Inc are providing the top 2 instructors with vouchers for a free (agent fee is normally $400-
$550) one week fitness vacation for two adults (+ two kids* under 12) at any of 60 Caribbean all-inclusive resorts.
Many of you have heard me talk about my wife Amy and I have taken dozens of these trips — everyone was fabulous. They are the absolute best deal for a fitness Instructor to spend a romantic week at a gorgeous resort in Jamaica, Mexico and other exotic locations.
These are 4/5 star resorts where couples pay $3-5,000 per week + Air. You are treated as a full guest… except that you”™re also the 9:30 cycling Instructor.
Travel (air-fare) is not included and some resorts do require a Group Fitness or Mind-Body certification.
More information here http://www.workingfitnessvacation.com/about/
* There are multiple resorts that are kid friendly, but all of them require you to be a Group Fitness instructor.
John is a member on the AFS (Association of Fitness Studios) Advisory Council.
Holding certifications from; Schwinn, Heart Zones, Team ICG and Life Time Fitness, John's held regularly scheduled cycling classes between 1998 and 2015 when he moved to Florida.
When the weather permits, you'll find him riding and leading outdoor groups by himself or with his Tandem partner (wife) Amy.
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