What would happen if tomorrow you showed up for your Indoor Cycling class wearing street clothes, carrying a stopwatch and clipboard, then simply coached the class?
I know a lot of us (including me) have reservations about teaching off the bike.
The note on my cue sheet at 23:30 says – get off the bike and walk around for two minutes.
What will I do?
What will I say?
Will my actions seem contrived?
Many of us battle the constant stress of being entertaining during our classes. We're tempted to get off the bike, but feel safe up on our podium, or at least comforted by the separation/distance we have between us and our students. What would happen if you decided to forget about playing the actor on stage and occasionally played the part of a coach, complete with clipboard and stopwatch?
What will I do?
What will I say?
Will my class accept me as a coach?
I can't answer the third question, but I have found a resource that I'm hoping to use to learn what to do and say; coached training videos. Videos from coach Troy Jacobson of Spinervals fame are hugely popular with cyclists training in their basements. No music, no scenic videos, just coach Troy walking around with his stopwatch and clipboard, coaching the group through a structured workout.
Part of the fun of posting here is that my enthusiasm for using structured cycling videos in my classes isn't a secret. Through the power of Google search, the producers of cycle training dvds find my posts and then contact me to review their videos. There is a new series of training videos that feature World Champion Mark Cavendish and his “mates” from the Manx cycling team from the Isle of Mann. They're produced by Three Legs cycling – 3lc.tv – and feature Professional Cycling Coach Peter Kennaugh Snr, his son – Professional Cyclist Peter Jr (Team Sky) and other riders on the Manx team.
The focus of these training videos is cadence, not heart rate or power, so I feel the profile coach Kennaugh uses will apply well to one of our classes.
Based on her unbroken string of last place finishes, Sally Edwards is the absolute worst Triathlete in America. But Sally has a good reason for coming in last… it's so no one else has to.
Listen as she describes her involvement in Danskins and Trek Womens Triathlons and she has a challenge for all of our female listeners; grab a girl friend and commit to training and competing in your first Tri.
Sally also has a fantastic opportunity for those of you interested in taking the step to becoming a Heart Zones Triathlon Coach.
Listen to the Podcast below or subscribe for free using
Do you have a practiced introduction that you deliver at the beginning of every class? When Amy and I first met Kenji Freedman he impressed us as an Instructor the minute he started his class.
USA Elite Cycling Coach Kenji has all the qualifications necessary to help you improve your craft as a Spinning Indoor Cycling Instructor – Kenji prefers Coach – because that's really want we are 🙂
This is a shortened version of the complete interview I did with Kenji. ICI/PRO members can access Podcast #144 which includes the complete interview where we discuss how he see all of our roles as a Coach, Indoors and Out.
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