by John | Oct 1, 2020 | Big Box Instructor, Class Work-Sets, Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Master Instructor Blog, Training With Power
Better late than never they say. It certainly applies to this season's Performance Cycle classes – now we're in full swing after some initial confusion that came from a sudden change on GFDH's.
We kicked off this past Sunday with an assessment to find the wattage numbers we will be using going forward. I like to use very simple terminology that minimises any mathematical computations.
The week before I described how we experimented with pinning down two numbers;
… Instead I base my Life Time Performance Cycle classes on two numbers; PTP (Personal Threshold Power) and JRAP (Just Riding Along Power — AKA > Base Watts > VT1 / First Ventilatory Threshold Power). From these two rider identified threshold wattages, we can construct three meaningful power Zones;
- Recover zone — watts below JRAP
- Perform zone — watts between JRAP and PTP
- Improve zone — watts above PTP
Today we added one more wattage number – their 20 minute FTP watts. As you can guess, riders should have a lower 20 min average than a 3-4 minute PTP / Best Effort and be above JRAP / Base Watts.
Wait John, you just said you only use the two thresholds in class.
What's the point of adding a third number?
Adding the third point of reference helps you draw a straighter line. At least that's what my high school drafting teacher taught me. It's much easier to draw between two distant points, if you add one in the middle = it helps you understand if you're on the right path between the two known points!
[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']
The process of sustaining a 20 minute effort is helpful to many riders – it validates and reinforces the two threshold numbers and confirms that people are understanding my cuing.
Before/during and after these twenty minute efforts I tell everyone; this effort should fall between the two thresholds. Which you would think I shouldn't even have to mention… until you hear the confusion I heard after the effort was completed:
- I really surprised myself – my 20 min watts was the same as my 3 minute level!
- There must be something wrong with me – I couldn't sustain my base watts for the whole ride 🙁
Teachable moments here
In the first example; my 20 min watts was the same as my 3 minute level! I was able to ask him; “what does that say about your 3 minute effort?” He understood before I completed my sentence; “I'm not working hard enough!”
The women who told me I couldn't sustain my base watts for the whole ride also had a revelation and asked me; “Do you think I'm working too hard at my base level?” I didn't even need to answer her.
Do you now see the value of adding that third number?
A continuous state of observation
I asked my class on Sunday; how many of you are on a specific training plan? None. Not a single hand went up. This is very typical for my very diverse group of middle age men and women. Yes most ride outside – but their objectives aren't structured beyond not rolling over and hitting the snooze button. They come to my Performance Cycle class to get a nice combination of intensity and endurance work, in a fun group.
My object in this class is that everyone learn from observing their performance, make adjustments and observe again. Over time they learn exactly where they need be. When it's time to work hard – they WORK HARD and when they should work easy – it really is easy.
Make sense?
Here's my playlist –
I'll get the rest of the profile up later in the week if you want to try this in your class.
[/wlm_private]
Originally posted 2018-01-13 09:00:43.
by John | Apr 7, 2020 | Training With Power
Cameron Chinatti from Stages Indoor Cycling is looking for Instructors and participants who know their FTP (Functional Threshold Power). I'm not sure exactly what she's doing with the results of this survey – but it only will take you two minutes to complete, so please click over and share your awesome wattage number.
It's anonymous if you choose and Cameron is looking for as many responses as possible – so feel free to share this survey with your class if you teach and/or train with power. It doesn't matter who's cycle you ride.
You'll find her short survey here.
I haven't surveyed my regular participants, but I have asked a bunch over the past year or so if they have gotten a sense as to their PTP (Personal Threshold Power). I've stayed away from FTP as it designates the result of a formal assessment. The consensus is that most understand where they should be during the “Best Effort” intervals I do in nearly every class.
Feel free to use the FB share button to place this on your personal page if you have friends you feel would be interested.
Originally posted 2014-12-19 16:09:15.
by John | Feb 13, 2020 | Best Practices, Big Box Instructor, Engage Your Students, Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Learn Leadership Skills, Master Instructor Blog
There's a recurring issue that keeps popping up on Facebook and Pedal-On forum:
Does anyone have a suggestion about to do about the consistent talkers in my classes? They're really disruptive, but I don't what to offend anyone. What should I do?
What follows are a series of well meaning suggestions from other Instructors; turn down the music, make a light joke – you don't want me to have to split you two up, do you?, stand between them, etc.
Others state something like; it's their ride, they're the paying customer, so I let them talk.
I don't feel any of these simple solutions are directed at the real problem or identify the real cause. In many cases there are no “simple” solutions. There will be a number of you won't be comfortable with the solutions I do plan to share. But before I go any further, I'd like your responses to what you see as the fundamental difference between these two scenarios:
Scenario #1
Breathless Betty and Chatty Cathy are long time fixtures at your club. They are inseparable and always ride the same two bikes (second row from the front, just off center) they have for years. They're talking as they come in and continue, non-stop, through your's (and everyone else's) class. Betty spends much of the class sitting up, soft pedaling, while looking and listening to Cathy. Cathy from a distance appears to be following the class, but never shuts up.
You've tried everything you can think of and have even asked them both privately to please stop talking in class. They don't. To make matters worse they've complained to the GM how they feel you've embarrassed them.
Despite your best efforts to ignore them, the negative affect these two have on you is wearing. Rather than being excited about teaching, you feel anxious, powerless and your class presentation suffers – resulting in fewer participants.
Scenario #1
You are super excited! You've staked out two great bikes (second row from the front, just off center) for Josh Taylor's Fighter Pilot ride at WSSC. Joining you for the ride is your dear friend Susan, who you only see once a year when you're together in Miami. You both laugh about how expensive this ride is, but agree that it will be so worth every penny. Josh mounts his custom Blade Ion. The lights come down. And with the start of the music, Josh launches into the ride.
Ten minutes in Susan looks over at you and asks; “so… how are your kids?” You're shocked in disbelief; doesn't she realize where we are? Without even thinking you turn to Susan and place your index finger across your closed lips > the universal sign for “Be Quiet”. Susan gets the hint immediately and you sense her embarrassment. The two of you ride in silence for the remaining time of the ride.
So what's the difference?
Why do Breathless Betty and Chatty Cathy not behave the same way that you and Susan did at WSSC?
In part two we'll explore what I feel is the answer to this and why, exactly, this happens.
Originally posted 2015-01-19 11:02:41.
by John | Sep 19, 2019 | Master Instructor Blog, Training With Power
Every year it's the same. We all have high aspirations that the weather will be nice enough to ride what's called the Minnesota Ironman Bicycle Ride. Not a true Ironman (no swimming or running thank God), this Ironman is the first large, organised/supported ride of the season. It gets its name from the notoriously crappy weather we normally have here in Minnesota the last Sunday in April and the foolish people who enjoy riding in it.
Twenty years ago freezing temps and a little rain wouldn't have stopped me from attending. Not having anything more to prove, I'm one of the first to politely decline any invitations – unless the forecast calls for a reasonably decent day. Rain is a non-starter, which was exactly what we experienced this morning. Add to that 37° F + 22 mph cross winds and a bunch of us found ourselves inside the warm and dry studio at Life Time Fitness 🙂
I like to ride with my class during long endurance rides. As this wasn't a regularly scheduled class, I have the freedom to sit in and enjoy the class with my friends and get the same workout as everyone else.
But I'm still “The Instructor” and everyone still expects a proper class. I start with an intro about how, as endurance athletes, we're all pretty self directed – so I'm going to be giving everyone a minimum amount of cuing and they will do the work they need to do.
My classes always include power and the first 15 minutes typically follow the same general format.
Warm Up — 10 minutes. 5 minutes of gradual increases in wattage. During the second 5 mins. we’re finding the wattage where everyone is first noticing a change in breathing; VT1 / Aerobic Threshold = the top of the Recover Zone. This establishes a rough understanding of a Base Level Wattage that we use throughout the rest of class.
3 x 30 sec. Hard / 30 sec. Easy – Openers to AT/LT. I cue these by first having everyone find the amount of load @ 70 RPM that has them feeling they should (not just could) come out of the saddle. The 30 sec. Hard is then simply accelerating to 90+ RPM which results in some pretty impressive power numbers. The 30 sec. Easy is back to 70 RPM — many will stand during the Easy portion.
1-3 minutes rest – I encourage riders to focus on their recovery. Once they feel calm in their breathing, bring back the Base Level Wattage.
3-5 min. Hard Effort — Here’s a “Best Effort” to establish a benchmark PTP Personal Threshold Power (top of the Perform Zone) or ride at 110% of FTP if known. It’s very helpful to riders to have that understanding of their personal upper wattage number. The “Best Effort” Threshold # + the Base Threshold # we found earlier form the three Power working zones I use in class. This “Best Effort also helps everyone understand where they are today… on this bike. Despite the efforts of our maintenance people, there are differences in the displayed wattage between bikes. My power meter was indicating that superman must have been riding it because I was seeing 320 watts, when I normally push ~240 watts at threshold.
With an Epic Planet DVD providing the entertainment, and me perched front & center between two regulars, we were off to virtually ride this year's Ironman indoors.
My cuing was very simple; depending on the song, we would ride at Base Level Wattage, Best Effort or something in between. Two hours is a long time to keep anyone's attention – so don't feel you need to. They're self-directed after all. Stand when you feel you need to and then give them a hard push at the end. You needn't make it any more difficult than that.
Here's my playlist.
Originally posted 2014-04-27 17:00:56.
by John | Sep 2, 2019 | Class Work-Sets, Instructor Training, Training With Power
Week #2 of my Performance Cycle class and I introduced the concept of using your stage average watts as a “riding buddy” today + had a nice email when I got home.
Hi John-
Thank you so much for the great class this morning. I took a picture of my results when I was finished. My avg watts was 148, not 212. I have no clue where I got that number. 😉
I also took your advice and upgraded my membership, so if it's ok with you, I would like to take advantage of the class next Sunday as well. Do I need to come early to be tested or will this take place during your class?
My goal is to get strong and gain endurance. I have an Ironman in 2014 that I would love to CRUSH! 😉
Thanks again for the great morning!!
Tina (Smiley, Orange Shoes girl)
This gal is an animal – the 212 watts she refers to was her average for both of the 10 climbs we did, with only a minute of recovery in between them. Here's the picture she took.
Those are awesome #s for anyone.
Now to the Riding Buddy
Pictured on the right is a Garmin 810 cycling computer. Beyond measuring and displaying all the typical stuff; RPM, MPH, Distance, Time elapse, etc… these computers allow you to race against a Virtual Partner, which is yourself previously riding over a known course. Racing against yourself is a fascinating concept which allows you to compare today vs last week or last year. Are you getting stronger/faster/fitter? Yes? No?
http://youtu.be/o8YhrAAvh7w
After all, it's just you, who you're really racing against.
I use the stage average timer in class as a sort of Riding Buddy, comparing a specific intervals against earlier efforts. Asking; are you keeping up? Yes? No?
Today's class followed Spinervals Competition 41.0 — Ascending Mountains in Leadville, CO
Class length 75 minutes + Cool Down
Spotify Playlist 12-29 Performance Cycle class
Warm Up — 10 minutes. 5 minutes of gradual increases in wattage. During the second 5 mins. we’re finding the wattage where everyone is first noticing a change in breathing; VT1 / Aerobic Threshold = the top of the Recover Zone shown above. This establishes a rough understanding of a base wattage that we use throughout the rest of class.
3 x 30 sec. Hard / 30 sec. Easy – Openers to AT/LT. I cue these by first having everyone find the amount of load @ 70 RPM that has them feeling they should (not just could) come out of the saddle. The 30 sec. Hard is then simply accelerating to 90+ RPM which results in some pretty impressive power numbers. The 30 sec. Easy is back to 70 RPM — many will stand during the Easy portion.
3 minutes rest – I encourage riders to focus on their recovery. Once they feel calm in their breathing, bring back the Base level work wattage.
5 min. Short Hill — Here's were we do our 5 min. “Best Effort” to establish a benchmark PTP Personal Threshold Power (top of the Perform Zone) or ride at 110% of FTP if known. It’s very helpful to riders to have that understanding of their personal upper wattage number. The “Best Effort” Threshold # + the Base Threshold # we found earlier form the three Power working zones I use in class.
– 1 min. build at preferred cadence (suggested as 85-95 rpm) — press the Stage Button to reset the averages.
– 5 min. “Best Effort” This should hurt, but be do-able. I ask everyone to observe their average at the end and then…
2 minutes rest
3 x 5 min. Medium Hill @ 1 min Rest – Now that everyone knows how hard they can go for 5 minutes, we worked at ~90% of PTP on each of the three, five minute climbs. The recoveries and transitions back to climbing are simplified by leaving resistance where it is and do what I call Walking. Have everyone stand and pedal slowly “walk” for a minute. Load should be too high for seated soft-pedaling. Then accelerating up to preferred cadence brings everyone back to ~90% of PTP.
3 minutes rest
2 x 10 min. Long Hill @ 2.5 min. Rest – the songs I used were a little short so I had everyone up to RPM/Watts before starting the songs and hitting the Stage button to establish averages. I prefaced the first climb with; “As Endurance Athletes, you recognize that you get stronger as the class goes on.” Here's where I got a few smiles and hoots… “so my expectation is that you can all climb this at your PTP (5 min. Best Effort wattage)” and we did 🙂 The Spinervals profile calls for near constant changes in gears and cadence, which is easy to do on a bicycle… not so easy on an Indoor Cycle. So instead we made 3-4 changes in load/RPM + alternated in & out of the saddle.
Here's where I was cuing everyone to focus on their Riding Buddy. No matter the change, it is imperative that you keep your instantaneous watts at or above the average, so you keep up with your Riding Buddy.
5 minutes at Base wattage @ 90RPM – which becomes a recovery > step down in intensity while we stay aerobic.
Cool Down
I'm very excited to be able to teach these Performance Cycle classes – they fit me and my personality perfectly and we have an excellent group of athletes to ride with.
Next Sunday 1/5 is the official kickoff of the winter training program > FTP assessment day. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to ride with us.
Originally posted 2013-12-29 16:27:31.
