VERY new and looking for tips

[CDmama]

I have been looking over this forum and there seems to be 2, or more, schools of thought and instructor styles. I realize there are serious riders looking at indoor cycling for endurance training and foul weather rides. I ride very causally in the real world. I used to use my bike for commuting but since I have had my dd I only go on easy paved trail rides with her chilling in the trailer. So I would say my real riding experience is very limited.

I discovered indoor cycling at my local YMCA. Well the instructors have been dropping like flies and the classes have just been canceled leaving me without my favorite workout of the week. I opened my big mouth and asked what it would take to get certified to teach and now I am co-teach a class next week.

From what I have read here the instructors I have been exposed to do not ride in real life and they do things like push up's and riding standing straight up supporting yourself with alternating hands - things I know you do not do for real :o Occasionally there are real riders that take the class but only during the off season. I would like to get some exposure to good instruction. Especially since the certification course is a few weeks away and it seems I am going to be just thrown in there. Do you ladies have a "DO NOT DO" list or things that are a must for a very inexperienced instructor.

[trista]

Wow, that sounds cool! You are so brave - I could never teach a class because I would poop out too fast and look like a fool.

Our Y teachers are pretty good, but I have one guy I avoid because he just isn't great. The big "no" he does IMO is he makes it too easy. Know your audience. If it is an intermediate or advanced class, you don't need a recovery every 2 minutes (he does that).

I like to be surprised. I don't like when they say "ok, today we're doing a 30-minute hill!" Yikes! But at the end if she's like, "you just did a 30 minute hill with no recovery", I'm like YEAH!!!

I LOVE that our instructors will get off the bike to help a newbie. No new person EVER feels intimidated or embarrassed at our Y.

I've never seen push-ups on the bike... or standing straight up - how weird?!?!

I like when they give us scenarios.... like to picture the wall of road in front of us, or to look back and see the ground we covered. Or to imagine we're racing against the row behind us... cheesy stuff like that, I love.

But the MOST important thing to me is a high energy instructor. You gotta have energy, and you gotta leave your baggage at the door.

Good luck!

[Zen]

I know there's a thread on here somewhere that goes into that.
A looooong thread.
Have you used the search function?

[Dogmama]

Basically, don't do anything on a spin bike that you wouldn't do on a road bike. They include:
Push ups - useless on a bike
Riding with one hand - potentially dangerous
Hovering over the saddle - hard on your back & knees
Really high cadences or really low (pushing) cadences - tough on knees
Squats - oh yeah, I was in a class where a guy did them.

Since you will co-teach, hopefully your mentor can give you some concrete suggestions. Where will you be certified? Lots of us are certified through Mad Dogg Athletics - the original spinning program.

I cue well in advance & let people know what is coming up, like a double cadence, a hill or jumps. I use music that enables people to pedal to the beat of the music most of the time. I also mix up music - country western to rap - because everybody likes different things. If you get certified through Mad Dogg, they'll send you pre-made profiles with song suggestions. Take what you like & leave the rest.

Lots of different ways to do things - when I teach 2 classes/week of basically the same people, I have an aerobic day and a strength day.

Will you be able to make up your own classes with music? Or will you follow your instructor's classes? If you can do your own, send me a PM and I will send you some class profiles that I've done to get you started.

[Irulan]

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2009/06/a-spinning-indoor-cycling-instructor-gets-a-bit-hot-under-the-collar/

very good article about contraindicated moves, and more specifcally,
this book, now in it's second edition, about teaching spin classes, the good the bad and the ugly

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/keep-it-real-logo.jpg

[CDmama]

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2009/06/a-spinning-indoor-cycling-instructor-gets-a-bit-hot-under-the-collar/

very good article about contraindicated moves, and more specifcally,
this book, now in it's second edition, about teaching spin classes, the good the bad and the ugly

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/keep-it-real-logo.jpg


Holy Crap! I can believe those videos?!! :eek:
Great link, book ordered:)

I have sooooo much to learn. I am excited I found this forum. You ladies are super helpful. Thanks! I'll let you know how it goes and I am sure I'll have tons more questions.

[trista]

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2009/06/a-spinning-indoor-cycling-instructor-gets-a-bit-hot-under-the-collar/

very good article about contraindicated moves, and more specifcally,
this book, now in it's second edition, about teaching spin classes, the good the bad and the ugly

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/keep-it-real-logo.jpg

WTF?!!!??!! Those videos are crazy!!!! I've never heard of such a thing - how bizarre.

[Dogmama]

I've been in classes where they do some of those moves. I think the instructor lacked motivation and imagination - thus she needed to resort to those moves. There is no reason to do stupid stuff on a bike to break up boredom. Boring teachers have boring classes. OTOH, if a class is planned correctly, there are some songs where the instructor will coach lightly and let the students become absorbed in their own movements. It can be very meditative. I, for one, do NOT want somebody micromanaging my every move.

[Catrin]

Another good tip - don't interrupt the class to go around and get people to tell you their heart rate. Or to go over to random individuals and have them do sprints while everyone else is doing something different. Or anything that interrupts the flow of class.

And what is it about instructors that interrupt class to have everyone get off the bike to do push-ups and sit-ups :confused: Nothing against those exercises, they are important, but have no place in an indoor cycling class. Then they frown at those of us who won't do it.

We had an instructor who did all of this (and more) and it drove us all batty. Eventually she lost all of her students to the other instructors and she now teaches Pilates rather than spinning. Her replacement is much better. It was a shame because we all personally liked her, but her classes were just too chaotic.

I do think that indoor cycling instructors who are also cyclists certainly have an advantage over the non-cyclist instructors. At least this has been my experience over the last year.

[Miranda]

If you are getting your certification through the original Spinning program, they will train you on what's contra-indicated.

Well, before our Y instructors got Spinning certified, some used to do those moves. Now we do not.

Another gym I teach at still does them. My only saving grace teaching there is that the teacher I took over for was an outdoor cyclists... and did not do the CI moves.

However... all things in Spinning, and Jennifer's advice, is not for every gym go-er imho. Most in your class will not be outdoor riders. Particularly year round.

Keep it fun. Don't be over technical. Have great fun upbeat music people know. Mix it up.

Get to know your members & listen to their feedback.

And btw...

besides teaching Spinning obviously, I am a road cyclists & mountain biker... gear-geek etc... BUT, I'm not ocd roadie technical as a teacher... cuz I found that turns off a certain percentage of your class.

One of our teachers that is VERY technical style is great teacher... but it never reaches the peeps cuz they don't come back... they are bored to death. Me, I try to give em both.

The outdoor riders know I'm a cyclists, have trained for an event before, crashed bad, whole nine yards...

I think sometimes when they get too high and mighty like... "bah hum bug this is not like outdoor riding?" ...um you are riding a bike that goes.... n o w h e r e... lighten up people... and just enjoy what you get out of indoor class as a compliment to your outdoor riding.... duh.:rolleyes::p lol

Good luck with teaching!:)

EDIT ADD: This link takes you to another good website for instructors... some really cool peeps on there that would give you the shirt off their cyber-space backs if you need a certain song etc... and some totally anal ocd fights about techy stuff lol... take it with a grain of salt & what works for you;).
http://www.pedal-on.com/

[CDmama]

If you are getting your certification through the original Spinning program, they will train you on what's contra-indicated.

Well, before our Y instructors got Spinning certified, some used to do those moves. Now we do not.

Another gym I teach at still does them. My only saving grace teaching there is that the teacher I took over for was an outdoor cyclists... and did not do the CI moves.

However... all things in Spinning, and Jennifer's advice, is not for every gym go-er imho. Most in your class will not be outdoor riders. Particularly year round.

Keep it fun. Don't be over technical. Have great fun upbeat music people know. Mix it up.

Get to know your members & listen to their feedback.

And btw...

besides teaching Spinning obviously, I am a road cyclists & mountain biker... gear-geek etc... BUT, I'm not ocd roadie technical as a teacher... cuz I found that turns off a certain percentage of your class.

One of our teachers that is VERY technical style is great teacher... but it never reaches the peeps cuz they don't come back... they are bored to death. Me, I try to give em both.

The outdoor riders know I'm a cyclists, have trained for an event before, crashed bad, whole nine yards...

I think sometimes when they get too high and mighty like... "bah hum bug this is not like outdoor riding?" ...um you are riding a bike that goes.... n o w h e r e... lighten up people... and just enjoy what you get out of indoor class as a compliment to your outdoor riding.... duh.:rolleyes::p lol

Good luck with teaching!:)

EDIT ADD: This link takes you to another good website for instructors... some really cool peeps on there that would give you the shirt off their cyber-space backs if you need a certain song etc... and some totally anal ocd fights about techy stuff lol... take it with a grain of salt & what works for you;).
http://www.pedal-on.com/

I agree! Thanks for the link. I taught one class, my trial run, and LOVED it. I hope the group felt the same. I was co-teaching so I couldn't contradict the other instructor while she was right next to me:) I am out of town now and have gone to 3 other classes to get a feel for other teaching styles. So far the biggest difference is flow and music. Some teachers are really chatty and that is not my style. I like to concentrate on the ride not gossip. I start my own class next week and I hope that as the weather turns cooler I can pick up a few more students.

Thanks for all the tips ladies:)