by Christine Hawthorne | Aug 5, 2017 | Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Music
Here's an fun and educational drill to try with your riders and three killer songs to kick it up a notch! It's important that your riders get a feel for what different rpm's feel like and that they have some time to play with the resistance at each rpm, especially if you are using bikes with no readout. Here's a drill that I use often in my classes: We ride three consecutive songs and each song has a different bpm/rpm. This time, it was 80, 90 and 100. You could also begin with 100 and go down-whatever works for you and your current profile. Each of these are in the saddle efforts, but feel free to give your riders time in between each song to stand and stretch their legs out if they feel like they need it. Here are three songs to get you started with this drill, but any songs that fit the rpm range would do, so change it up when you can!
Raise Hell by Dorothy iTunes Link (80 RPM))
Too Loud by Icon For Hire iTunes link (90 RPM)
Worth It by Fifth Harmony, Kid Ink iTunes link (100 RPM)
by Christine Hawthorne | Jul 28, 2017 | Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Music
Here's a simple yet effective 4-minute drill you can use in your class today. Sprints, surges, accelerations: whatever you like to call them-you're going to be doing four of them. This song is perfect for 30 second work efforts followed by 30 seconds of recovery. It's the newest single from the rock band X-Ambassadors (also try Unsteady, Renegades and Jungle) and it's going to rock your next profile!
*TIP* Save this one for your Halloween themed playlist!
The Devil You Know by X Ambassadors iTunes link
by Christine Hawthorne | Jul 21, 2017 | Instructor Training, Music
Movie soundtracks are great places to find fresh new tunes for your cycling classes. If you want to incorporate this type of music into your classes but you're not sure where to start, Hans Zimmer is your guy. He has composed music for over 150 films and he's one of my favorites when I'm searching for a serious climb or a chase sequence with a fast flat road. No lyrics paired with the orchestral sound allows your riders to focus on the ride and really work on form and function. His newest work is from the motion picture everyone is talking about, Dunkirk. Clocking in at around 8 minutes, Supermarine is one of my favorite tracks. (Also check out Impulse and Home.)
Starting on a flat road, bring it up to a climb (alternating seated/standing) at around the 2:00 mark, adding gear every minute. Things get serious in the final two minutes. Push with heavy gear all the way to the finish!
Supermarine by Hans Zimmer from Dunkirk (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) iTunes link
by Christine Hawthorne | Jul 16, 2017 | Instructor Training, Music
Use this classic song when you're keeping the work in the saddle to take your riders from a hill, to a flat road to an all-out sprint! Just like the lyrics suggest, “….we never ever do nothing nice and easy. We always do it nice and rough. ” That's right, we're taking it way back to 1970 when Ike and Tina Turner made Proud Mary a hit. Here's how we rode to this one:
:00-2:36 seated climb
2:36-seated flat road
final :30-Sprint!
Proud Mary by Tina Turner iTunes link
by Christine Hawthorne | Jul 9, 2017 | Instructor Training
Happy Friday! It's time for my ‘Favorite Track(s) of the week! In keeping with last week's theme, I've been all about Shazaming (is that even a word??) commercials. The first song I've been using a lot lately was released back in March but somehow has slipped my radar until now. It is featured in a Coca Cola commercial and it's perfect for a seated or standing climb or jumps on a hill.
Jess Glynne — Hold My Hand
iTunes link
The second song has been on repeat in my car ALL WEEK! I seriously can't get enough. It's just under 110 BPM's so if you certainly could use it for a seated fast flat road. I find that to be a bit fast so I used it as a heavy climb and we didn't climb to the beat. Trust me-it works. 🙂 The lyrics are amazing and inspirational. Here's a sample:
Break all the walls down
Forget all the rules now
A hero, a champion
Wears the crown of the sun
Like a dawning light
It dropped in the middle of August 2015 and it's featured in a White House Black Market commercial.
The Golden Hippie — Drums Make Me Happy
itunes link
I used both of these songs in my most recent Spotify playlist:
Drums Make Me Happy Cycling Mix
I hope you enjoy using both of these songs in your classes! See you next week with some new inspiration!
Originally posted 2015-09-18 06:00:37.
