We are seeing and hearing a new emphasis on studios offering Beginner or Introduction to Indoor Cycling classes. The idea is really very simple; provide new students with a safe and inviting class, teach them the basic techniques, let them develop their fitness and then graduate them to more intense classes when they are ready to be successful.
Programs like Cycling Fusion have learned that these beginner class are most effective when offered over a series of classes, where concepts like fit, form, technique, cadence, power, Heart Rate training zones and others can be introduced gradually.
I love the concept because I see it as an excellent way to reach people who, for multiple reasons, refuse to set foot in an Indoor Cycling class. I also see this as having huge potential to build your class numbers 🙂 Companies like Curves have built very successful fitness businesses based on providing Safe and Inviting facilities.
Beginner class aren't (and shouldn't be) dumbed down classes and to that end ICI/PRO, starting today, will begin to offer members Audio PROfiles that will prepare you to competently teach this class format.
In this latest Audio PROfile Master Instructor Tom Scotto walks you through a 30 Min intro class designed to help your new students Explore their Aerobic Fitness.
Here's your Spotify PRO/Playlist! Deezer. We have made every attempt to replicate the original playlist. In some instances the tracks specified were unavailable in Spotify. When necessary we have substituted individual songs of similar length and tried to maintain the Instructor's intent.
This is a fun ride that simulates leading your class out to a specific point and then turning around and leading them back home. It gives you an opportunity to creatively engage your class with the types of terrain, possible obstacles, or sites that your riders might encounter along the way. I coach it much like I am telling the class a story. I add the challenge of a negative split (riding the second half faster than the first) which is something I often incorporate in my classes. For more information on the term “negative split”, you can listen to Audio PROfile Podcast #120 and/or read what Joe Friel has to say about negative splits on his blog.
Here's your Spotify PRO/Playlist!  Deezer. We have made every attempt to replicate the original playlist. In some instances the tracks specified were unavailable in Spotify. When necessary we have substituted individual songs of similar length and tried to maintain the Instructor's intent.
Doug Rusho was last year's Cycling Fusion Male Instructor of the year and he presented at the 2010 ICI/PRO conference. Doug provides this new Audio PROfile.
This profile is called “Progressive Endurance.” It is designed to give our students what they need (endurance base), and then rewarding them with what they want (High Intensity). This profile is progressive in intensity, slowly building through the endurance zones and finishing with high intensity(HIT).
This is a compromise in terms of pure base building, but provides a teaching opportunity to educate the benefits of base building, while still keeping the “hammerheads” engaged because of the high intensity to come.
Here's your Spotify PRO/Playlist!  Deezer. We have made every attempt to replicate the original playlist. In some instances the tracks specified were unavailable in Spotify. When necessary we have substituted individual songs of similar length and tried to maintain the Instructor's intent.
Here's Tom Scotto with part #1 of YOUR Numbers, his first Audio PROfile as a part of our ICI/PRO team!
Although the ultimate focus of this PROfile is on training with power, those of us without Keiser M3's or the new Schwinn AC cycles will still benefit from Tom's guidance.
PROFILE DESCRIPTION
Experience and “Start” to learn YOUR numbers. The ride provides an opportunity to explore the
affects of cadence, heart rate and power (watts) and learn how to use these “training tools” that
are becoming available on indoor bikes. It will also identify strengths and limitations and the
ability to measure progress.
OBJECTIVE AND INTENSITY
The objective of this profile is to allow riders to get acquainted with some of the more important numbers on their indoor bike computers: Cadence, Heart Rate and Watts (Power). It is essential that we stress that riders should focus on “their” numbers and not the person next to them. They should avoid comparing themselves to others. There are numerous factors that will affect each of these numbers including strength, neuromuscular speed, aerobic fitness, form, fatigue, injuries, and body weight. Have them first learn what their numbers are and become aware of how a different focus or approach will affect these numbers. Then they can use them as a guideline for “their” improvement and development. Riders can experience a wide range of intensities depending on how hard they push during each effort. The drills that utilize leg speed have the greatest potential for increasing the heart rate exponentially. The better and more developed a rider’s pedal mechanics, the least the cadence ranges will affect/raise heart rate.
NOTE: Even though cadence, heart rate and power all affect each other, these drills are designed to only have riders focus on 1 or 2 number at a time so they don’t become overwhelmed. Once riders get accustomed to what the numbers mean, additional complexity can be added for a bigger picture. The format of each drill is also simple for the same reason. Observe more, think less.
This is part #1 – ICI/PRO members will find part 2 tomorrow in the Super Secret Feed as Podcast # 141 as well as the .pdf Audio PROfile download.
Tom Scotto joins us to explain how to coach Explosive Power efforts (sprints) in your Indoor Cycling class.
Sprinting is one of the most poorly taught and misconstrued movements in indoor cycling. I'm sure you have all seen it – instructors cueing sprints with little to no coaching or form instruction; riders with their legs whirring around like a weed-wacker at 140+rpm with little to no resistance, bodies flailing, faces beet red, and all their joints (neck, back, hips, knees) placed at great risk from the lack of stability and lack of resistance. Yet if you were to measure the power-output that these students could produce in this manner, you (and they) would see that it is a futile attempt with little work actually produced (i.e. very low watts). In other words, if they were on a real bike riding like that, they wouldn't go anywhere – a child on a tricycle would probably pass them by. They would LOSE the sprint.
You want your students to not only win the sprint, but to actually gain explosive power and become a better rider (indoors and out)? Then listen to Tom's audio PROfile again and again. Create one class out of the various sprints he describes (as in his profile), or after teaching your students how to sprint properly, simply take pieces of it and sprinkle it into other profiles. You have that perfect opportunity coming up with the Tour de France next week!
I have no doubt in my mind that there is not an indoor cycling instructor out there who won't learn a LOT from this audio PROfile. Enjoy (and get ready to work HARD)!
Click here to download the complete Explosive Power Audio PROfile pdf.
Here's your Spotify PRO/Playlist! Deezer. We have made every attempt to replicate the original playlist. In some instances the tracks specified were unavailable in Spotify. When necessary we have substituted individual songs of similar length and tried to maintain the Instructor's intent.
