We were saving Kim Moody's profile; “The Gate” until it was closer to Halloween – and here it is!
Kim was one of the winners to the first Ultimate Instructor Class Profile contest as we really appreciated her take on creating a holiday based ride theme.
This profile is based on the urban legend, “The Gate,” in Libertyville, IL. One can find more information about this frightening place by going to www.hauntedusa.org/thegate
For this Halloween mixed ride, I wanted members to visualize the dark and desolate location so I began the class by retelling excerpts from the article to provide some background information and imagery material.
Team ICG Master Trainer Missy Crosson contributes our latest Audio PROfile – Rolling to the Classics.
Profile Description: I created this profile with the sole purpose of letting the music itself create the ride. I wanted the songs themselves to control intensity, cadence, movement motivation, and even position on the bike. Music has a powerful effect on an individuals’ exercise experience. It distracts from discomfort, enhances ones mood, increases ability to endure physical and psychological stress, and may even promote metabolic efficiency.
Cuing the Console — Change is GOOD!! was designed towards the instructor that may be new to teaching with a console in front of them, and/or to the instructor who may be new to teaching indoor cycling in general. The goal is to construct a simple, easy to CUE class, but not necessarily just an “easy” ride!
Sometimes when we attend a conference or weekend workshop we come home really jazzed with all the new information and want to spend it all on Monday morning’s class! Or we try to emulate and teach EXACTLY like the presenter we listened to in the training but perhaps still question- “how do I make it MINE??” This profile is designed to help you speak in your language and convey your message in a fun, easy way!
Meet Vanessa Wilkins Team ICG® Master Trainer, Indoorcycling Group® in partnership with LIVESTRONG® Fitness by Matrix. Vanessa provides our latest Audio PROfile:
Winning Team – Don’t Stop Believin’
Intro:
Living in San Francisco when Giants Baseball is CRUSHING IT has been fantastic. Our nutty city was really brought to together. There was camaraderie among the people living here. Our team spirit sat and clung over the bay like damp fog. As a winning city, our people seemed a little more kind and jovial to one another. The vibe is still undeniably contagious, and I am sure this is true in any city where you have a winning team. Men walk tall and proud with full, lush, uncut and untamed beards. And if you met any random stranger dressed in orange and black (which was too often to count), you could, without a second thought, walk up, stand nose to nose, and obnoxiously shout “Let’s go, Giants!” and expect to be rewarded with a chorus of cat calls, cheers, fist pumps, and high fives from those around you.
I found teaching a cycling class during our playoff and World Series winning streak extremely challenging, and close to unbearable. (It is important to note that the cycling studio where teach sits directly across from the stadium. The challenge of getting to class alone was difficult.) Not only was I a bit distracted because I wanted to be watch the game instead of teach, but my regular packed class had dwindled to a select group of die-hard cyclists, who, although super-fans, HAD to get in a ride. I really wanted to capitalize on this event in my hometown, and I think the “team pulling together” is a concept we can never tire of using.
This Audio PROfile from Team ICG® Master Trainer Jim Karanasmay completely change how you teach… but only if you're open to the challenge to adding some movement to your class.
If you are a straight-up indoor-cycling instructor, and/or a roadie, you are likely never going to attempt to teach a Mountain Rider class. However, if you enjoy the trail as much, or even more than, the road, then I hope these ideas will help you bring the trail to your students.
I recently offered Mountain Rider for the first time in North America at Can Fit Pro in Toronto. I was amazed at how many instructors attended class because (a) they ride off-road, and (b) they wanted the experience of riding off-road. Some were roadies who were actually concerned about their lack of off-road skills — as if I was going to ask them to bunny-hop a log.
Some basic class suggestions will set the stage:
1. Tell your class participants that, for today, they must forget much of what you’ve previously taught them about indoor cycling.
2. Mountain biking does work with energy zones, power, intervals and threshold, but pure, senseless fun needs to be a major part of the class design.
3. Simulation begins with education. Teach them about the trail. Are we on a fire trail or single track? What’s the surface? What are the conditions? In mountain biking, the trail surface and conditions change the experience completely. This needs to be part of your cueing.
4. Introduce and use off-road terminology: fire roads, single track, rollers, washboards, high-side/low-side.
Download the complete Mountain Rider presentation PDF here.
NOTE: To access the videos referenced by Jim – please create a FREE account at http://www.ic-pro.org/en Then, once you are logged in, you can click the link to view the videos – links to each is in the PDF.
Many respondents to the ICI/PRO member survey asked that these Audio PROfiles have additional detail. Let me know if Jim's PROfile has what you were asking for [wlm_firstname].
