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!
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
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!
Today I'm taking you way back with some covers of classic songs that will feel new again in your next class. Well….almost new-even the covers go quite a few years back but they're definitely worth revisiting. Both of these songs work well as faster flat roads.
Ring of Fire by Social Distortion (91 rpm) iTunes link
I Want You To Want Me by Chris Isaak (102 rpm) iTunes link
Do you have a favorite cover song that you're using in your classes? Please share in the comment section.
Summer is in full swing and with Independence Day coming up, you may want to consider a theme ride for your next class. While it may be difficult to collect enough themed songs for a Fourth of July playlist, you could definitely include some summer themed songs as well. Here are a few great ideas for you to include along with suggestions on how to use them! Hope your summer is filled with sunny days and full classes!
Love in America (Radio Edit) by JTX/ seated or standing climb (61 rpm)- iTunes link
Fourth of July by Fall Out Boy/ seated flat road or seated climb (80 rpm) iTunes link
And two tracks with the same title:
Freedom by Pitbull /standing climb (60 rpm) iTunes link
Freedom by Pharrell Williams/seated flat road (97 rpm) iTunes link