IDC (indoor cycling) is about doing YOUR ride and getting out of it what YOU need. Any instructor should know that (although many don't practice that, and they should). I am constantly telling my class that it's their ride--that they should OWN it. I'm only there as their tour guide--to lead them on a ride and suggest the moves, cadence, and resistance loads that I want them to be at for a safe, effective ride. But if their body is telling them that today, it just can't do x amount of work for x amount of minutes, at x RPMs, then they should LISTEN to their body and learn to relax. My #1 suggestion is to listen to your body first, and me second. NO ONE should give you the "hairy eyeball" for doing your own ride. And ESPECIALLY for not participating in any of those ridiculous, hair-brained contraindicated movements and drills.