spinning certification advice?

[Zeek]

I am a certified spinning instructor (STAR 3) with MDA. Although their program has lots of room for improvement (some--not all--of the CECs are stale and could use some revising) their organization is respected in the IDC community (but IMHO they lost some credibility when Johnny left). All in all, if you want to get certified to teach spinning, I would go through MDA. Reaction Cycling is taught for Bally Total Fitness. It's a Schwinn certification.

[Julibird]

I am a certified spinning instructor (STAR 3) with MDA. Although their program has lots of room for improvement (some--not all--of the CECs are stale and could use some revising) their organization is respected in the IDC community (but IMHO they lost some credibility when Johnny left). All in all, if you want to get certified to teach spinning, I would go through MDA. Reaction Cycling is taught for Bally Total Fitness. It's a Schwinn certification.

I agree with Zeek. I am MDA certified and was happy with my cert. The master instructor (MI) who taught me was great. MIs are not all created equal - most are probably good, but I know that there are some duds.

There are two indoor cycling instructor forums that are GREAT resources for all things pertaining to indoor cycling, like Innercycling.com.

One thing to add - if you are interested in training with power and know of facilities with CycleOPs studio bikes with power taps, or the new LeMond RevMasters with estimated power, you might look into the new certification from CycleOps. Some of the best MIs from MDA are now working for this program and it is THE platinum standard, in my opinion. Only worth it if you have the facilities nearby, though.

[han-grrl]

I would recommend the original of spin - Mad Dog.
I just find the program is better structured that other certifications.

H

[Dogmama]

I would recommend the original of spin - Mad Dog.
I just find the program is better structured that other certifications.

H

H - thanks. I'm registered for May 3 to go through their orientation. I did a lot of research (I'm a tad anal...) and it does look like a good program.

[Zeek]

Being anal is not a bad thing. Do you know who your M.I. will be? If you call Mad Dogg, they should be able to tell you.

[Dogmama]

What is "M.I."?

[tulip]

Master Instructor?

How about Cycle Reebok? Any opinions or knowledge about that program?

[Julibird]

Master Instructor?

How about Cycle Reebok? Any opinions or knowledge about that program?

I have NO knowledge of Reebok. But, I know that MDA seems to have more respect among instructors in my area, fair or not. The other cert. that gets you in the door in my area is Schwinn.

You can't lose with a Spinning cert. It may or may not be the best, but it is a standard that is recognized everywhere.

My .02.

[silver]

Master Instructor?

How about Cycle Reebok? Any opinions or knowledge about that program?

I am certified through my YMCA. They teach from Cycle Reebok. I think it's a pretty basic, decent training. I still teach as if I'm road riding, cause I'm a road rider.

I am interested in Mad Dog and will be pursuing that soon.

[Zeek]

What is "M.I."?

Master Instructor (or "Master Presenter" also). Some are great, some aren't so great. I'm curious to see who your presenter will be.

[Funhog]

I'll throw in my $.02, but it's obviously a bit biased here (I'm an MI for Mad Dogg Athletics, although I am an independent contractor, not a paid employee). I've seen a lot of crazy stuff over the past 11 years of certifying instructors and presenting at conferences. I've also written some of the workshops when I realized there wasn't enough cycling related workshops (the roadie in me). My biggest pet peeve is when instructors don't Keep it Real, even if they don't ride a bike outside (that is, the aerobics on a bike stuff and the super-high crazy cadences that don't make sense).

That being said, you can have an instructor leave an orientation, believe in the program, promise herself (or himself) that she/he will stick to the program and then start teaching at a club where no one uses HR monitors, no one likes to sit in the saddle for endurance rides, the most popular instructors are drill sergeants and do tons of contraindicated moves (i.e. unsafe moves), everything is beat driven at high cadences.... So this poor instructor will start teaching the "other way" in order to be more popular and may even make up a few new moves. Sigh... I guess once they've gotten certified, you can't force everyone to follow the program.

As several have already pointed out, there are some good MIs, and some so-so ones. That's the case in any program. But I think we have some pretty good ones, and if you're in the southwest, the ones I know on this side of the country are pretty good, if not great.

As far as the program itself, it originated from road cycling and is based on sound physiological and training principles. We have always taught heart rate training, which is so very important. There have been some changes over the years, as new things were learned, as well as an effort to make it even more applicable to real outdoor riding. There was a mind-body connection in Spinning long before it became hip to do so (Johnny was deep into martial arts and brought that aspect into Spinning). You can't disconnect the mind from the body, so those who pooh-pooh it (even some of the other certifying agencies) are missing one of the greatest things you can do to improve your performance: utilize the mind-body connection.

My personal opinion, if I can take off my MI hat, is that Spinning was the original, it's the best, and you will not go wrong. But as in everything in life, it's not the end of your education. You must support the certification with CED, with conferences (there is truly no experience quite like WSSC, the World Spinning and Sports Conference, in Miami late May/early June), with reading HR training books, coaching books and articles, etc. Some Spinning CED is excellent, some of the workshops are a little stale as someone said. (PM me if you are thinking of attending one and want my honest opinion on the good ones). The fact remains, MDA and Spinning is an education company, and no one has the type of CED that they provide.

True, it was a bummer when Johnny G left, and I do miss his inspiration, but the program thrives without him and in some ways is even better.

I'm not representing Mad Dogg in this post, I am just telling you what I know from my own perspective! Hope it adds to what you already know...