BPM control for all of you who teach to tempo and use an iPhone or iPod Touch.
Here's the newClass Builder iPhone App for Spinning Instructors. Tempo Magic Pro is a new iPhone app that allows you to change the BPM of your music on your iPhone, while it's playing. You old Group Fitness instructors all know what that slider is for on the CD player. Looking to add a little more intensity to a song? Adding a few additional BPM may be just what you need.
I saw Tempo Magic Pro at IDEA last month being promoted by Petra Kolber and Yes! Fitness Music. They didn't have a working demo at the time and I just got their announcement that it is now available. I downloaded (purchased $4.95) the app and am giving it a try. I hope to have more about this as I play with it.
Here's what I do know so far:
It sounds great! Changes to the BPM seem to have very little effect on the pitch. No chipmunks in your class 🙂
It takes a while for the App to analyze the music in your playlist. But then it appears to work without delay.
The change in BPM is gradual, without a sudden change that would disrupt the flow of your class.
It only works with unprotected files (AAC or MP3), not with protected AACÂ files – which is no different than MixMeister or any other music software
You can add individual songs or a complete playlist. You can control the BPM of each song as it's being played or set it to match all the songs at the same BPM.
You lose the “now playing screen” that shows time elapsed and you will need to use the volume control on the side of your iPhone.
You can move ahead or back from one song.
Tempo Magic Pro iPhone App is another toy for you to play with and for 5 bucks it is something you will want to try in a class. As I type this I am thinking of all sorts of ways I can use this… Strangle Hold (my favorite climbing song) is at 148 BPM so it has you pedaling at 74 RPM. What would happen if I slowly increased the tempo at the half way point? Or started it a little slower so they really add on the load?
(MMD Newswire) July 30, 2010 — Dedicated “Spinning®” students or those who attend any Indoor Cycling class, know what a difference a great instructor can make. Now local fans can prove just how great their favorite instructors are by urging them to enter the first contest of its kind: The World's Top Ten Indoor Cycling Instructors Contest. In an unprecedented move to identify the best of the best, Cycling Fusion has put together a contest to find top shelf talent for teaching what is arguably the most popular group exercise class in the fitness industry – Spinning® or Indoor Cycling.
“For three years now, we have been working on finding ways to share all the great things about this indoor activity with the entire cycling community – whether they ride indoors our out. This contest should help us find the people that are going to ultimately be the next driving force for change and expansion of the indoor ride.” Gene Nacey, Founder of Cycling Fusion.
Ten instructors will be judged from a group of 40 finalists by a panel of Spinning(R) and Indoor Cycling experts, as the World's 10 best at their craft. The panel will score each instructor on a number of categories, with the highest rated woman, and the highest rated man each earning the top prize of a Keiser m3 power bike for their home.
All 10 Winners will also have their registration to the Indoor Cycle Instructor PRO Conference reimbursed, and be offered an opportunity to teach at the conference in October. Most importantly though, all ten winners will receive a formal invitation to join Cycling Fusion's Instructor Faculty where instructors are paid for recorded classes that will be shown all over the world. Scoring will begin on June 1st with final submissions due by August 31st, 2010.
The contest is open only to participants eighteen (18) years of age and older, who are Spinning(R) or Indoor Cycling Instructors currently teaching in a commercial fitness facilities.
Spinning(R) is registered trademark of Mad Dogg Athletics, Inc. Mad Dogg Athletics is not involved with the contest.
Breath Denver is the Indoor Cycling studio that hosted the Stage 5 Cycling Instructor certification that Jennifer and I participated in this past weekend. I'm fascinated by people who follow their passion, take a (big) risk and start an Indoor Cycling studio. Breathe Denver owner Sarah TV (Tobitha Vay) Russell is just such a person and she lives the cycling / studio owner lifestyle. Sarah has a very compelling story and we had a chance to sit down and discuss the all the hurdles she overcame before opening her studio.
Consolidation in the fitness and wellness equipment business continues as Star Trac, a global leader in the commercial fitness industry, announced today that Michael Bruno and Star Trac signed an agreement whereby Bruno will purchase the controlling interest in Star Trac’s parent company. This will strengthen the company’s ability to provide the product innovation, quality, reliability and customer service that have been the Star Trac brand legacy since 1988. The parties expect to close within two business days. Financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.
Bruno, a highly respected fitness industry veteran for more than 20 years, also has holdings that include Stairmaster (which Schwinn is a part, John) based in Vancouver, Washington and Land America, a manufacturing firm in China that builds high-end consumer and commercial fitness equipment. His reorganization plan for Star Trac focuses on company continuity and aggressive streamlining.
Michael Bruno is also the CEO of Fit Dragon International, LTD., a British Virgin Islands company that purchased the assists Schwinn earlier this year.
I wonder what is going to happen with this?
Schwinn is pushing hard to get their Schwinn AC “Authentic Cycling” Performance cycles with power ready and Star Trac has yet to introduce a bike with power. Will we see some co-branding of the Schwinn cycle as a Spinner cycle with power in the near future? Will there continue to be two brands?
