CLASS DEVELOPMENT

The following training programs offer a variety of options from beginner to advanced.  Encourage students to develop a solid aerobic base as this will improve heart and lung capacity, in addition, develop the body’s ability to store and transport fuel that results in efficient production of energy.   If a solid aerobic foundation is not established, the student will lack the stamina needed to engage in the highest level of training.  A large part of building the foundation should focus on the endurance ride (this should be the focus for at least 2 months).

Warm up

·       5-10 Minutes

Workout

·       20-40 Minutes

Cool Down & Stretch

·       5-10 Minutes

WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN

It is essential to warm-up and cool-down with every workout.  A five-ten minute warm-up period with your heart rate below 65% of maximum allows you to gradually shift blood from your organs to your extremities. As the blood flow is increased to the exercising muscles, the muscle core temperature raises and prepares the joints and muscles for a greater intensity of exercise.  The warm-up is your opportunity to establish the appropriate cadence and gradually increase intensity.  This is also the time to encourage students to work at their own pace, discuss body alignment and encourage hydration.  The appropriate length of a warm-up is determined by the class level as well as environmental considerations.  An advanced level class will not need an extended warm-up, yet a beginner level class will need that extended time.  The outside temperature is also a consideration.  When it’s warm outside your body will warm up faster.  When it’s cold out the opposite is true, thus you will need to extend your warm-up time. 

A five to ten minute cool-down period with heart rates below 65% allows your body to return to a resting state gradually after exercise. This reduces the physical stress of blood pooling in the lower extremities. Cool downs should be followed by static stretches held for 10-15 seconds to each working muscle group.

INTENSITY

Properly communicating intensity to your students can be done in a variety of way.  You can give them a visual, a number rating or a combination of both.  When using visuals you may say; feel the road/smooth pavement (low intensity), riding through grass (moderate intensity), riding through sand (sub-maximal intensity), riding through mud (maximal intensity).  When using a number scale, 3 – 4 can be low intensity, 5 – 6 can be moderate intensity, 7 – 8 sub-maximal intensity, and 9 maximal intensity.  Additionally, bikes that have a monitor attached that give displays a resistance level can be very helpful.  You will still need to give them a range since the resistance level/gear may not feel the same on each bike and every participant will not equate a gear of 15 the same.  Some may find the 15 too much in a seated climb, while others may feel it’s not enough.  Thus, we recommend giving a range low end to high and state what it should feel like (seated climb).    

Intensity is increased by resistance, cadence or both. Intensity is a suggestion and each student must feel free to decide their level of intensity.  To accurately judge your intensity you would need to monitor your heart rate and cadence.  When you know the desired heart rate you wish to achieve for a specific ride position or goal it will enable you to determine what level of resistance, and/RPM you need to reach that heart rate.  Without the ability to monitor heart rate it is difficult to determine if the student is able to maintain the desired heart rate range.  The average 40 minute cycle class burns 500 calories.  Keep in mind this is an estimate that varies for each individual based on their intensity and duration of the ride.  We feel the intensity is one of the most important parts of the ride since this is where you are increasing in strength or maintaining.  We like to tell people that you should not lift 5 lbs. forever if you want to continue to see improvements.  If you simply desire to maintain then lifting 5 lbs. forever is not an issue.  That 5 lbs. illustration should be related to the level of resistance used while riding.  If you wish to see improvements in your ride, you must increase your resistance level.

PYRAMID PROGRAM

This is simply increasing intensity for specific durations; level 4 resistance – 1 minute, level 5 – 1 minute, level 6 – 1 minute, level 7 – 1 minute, level 8 – 1 minute.  Then move back down the levels to the start.  This may be done at varied times and generally one ride positions.

RECOVERY / INTENSITY BREAKS

It is important to offer breaks that release the resistance, slow the pace to moderate (without dramatic drop in the heart rate) and give an opportunity to hydrate.  It can be dangerous to constantly push your anaerobic threshold without backing off.  Be observant and recognize a need to back off.  As you become more familiar with your students fitness level it will be easy to see when they need a break.  Yet you should design your program with breaks.  They can be every 4 – 5 minutes or even every 2 – 3 minutes.  When it comes to sprints, recovery should be at least the same length as the sprint or more (observe the needs of your students).  Encourage students to take a break as needed or extend a recovery if needed.  Encourage extra hydration also, especially in the summer.

 RECOVERY RIDE

Recovery rides are for those training/cycling more than four days a week and for stress reduction.  A relaxing recovery ride can improve circulation and help clear lactic acid build-up in the muscles that occurs from anaerobic threshold training. Recovery rides are useful to relax your mind, practice visualization techniques and restore motivation. The recovery ride offers an opportunity to gain strength and healing as your body adapts progressively to the harder workouts.  The strenuous training sessions deplete the body of blood glucose and fatigue the central nervous system.  Balance is always the key to a fit life, thus recovery is necessary to avoid overtraining, illness, injury and weakened performance.

The recovery ride is performed as listed:

• MHR should not to exceed 70%

• Your RPM are 60-100 with light resistance

• In the seated flat position, standing flat for seat breaks

Breathing is an important tool that requires focus as well as practice to perform proficiently, and recovery rides offer a perfect opportunity to develop this skill.  Breathe from your diaphragm.  The diaphragm divides the lung cavity from the abdominal cavity.  With each deep breath the diaphragm descends into the abdominal cavity and massages the spleen and liver.  Breathing through the nose helps lower heart rate and blood pressure and stimulates a “relaxation response” in your nervous system. Exhale through the mouth with control.  This exercise will enable you to reduce the stress levels and lead to faster recovery and reduced rate of perceived exertion.

Techniques:

1.      Work on fluidity of movement, whole body movement

2.      Work to improve efficiency of pedal stroke

3.      Connect fluid movement with breathing rhythm

4.      Work on mind/body connection

5.      Practice individual muscle group relaxation, focusing attention on the body and releasing stress and accumulating energy.

6.      Practice visualization

HEART RATE GAME

This technique or ride allows class members to track their heart rate while learning how to recover quickly. When using this technique class participants must have a heart rate monitor, and know their target heart rate percentages.   Using this technique can define and improve each student’s cardiovascular recovery ability (a direct indication of cardiovascular fitness).

 Techniques:

1.      Have class members warm up for 10 minutes. Emphasize breathing and relaxation.

2.      In the last minute of the warm-up, have the students gradually bring their heart rates to the sub-max. heart rate, (75% of their Maximum Heart Rate).

3.      From sub-max, have class member’s increase their heart rate 10 beats per minute, allow them to use any movement or technique they choose.

4.      Once they elevate to 10 bpm above sub-max. have them drop back to sub-max. as quickly as possible. You may want to play with certain periods such as 15, 30, 45 seconds to return to sub-max.

5.      Repeat this sequence; you may want to see how many repetitions can be completed in a designated time.

RACE DAY GAME

Race Day simulates outdoor race techniques, so there are no jumps or standing flats during this ride. Ample recovery time should be taken after a Race Day training class.  Heart rate requirements are 80-92% of max for those with heart rate monitors, 16-19 on the Borg’s scale for those without heart rate monitors.  Resistance can range from intense climb to challenging flat. 

The scenario for this ride is; the cyclist who uses intense resistance combined with aggressive leg speed (80-110) will be the one who clocks the fastest time.  A lower resistance will not accomplish the goals of a race day ride, yet, it is important to build with resistance prior to focusing on the speed.  Race day is designed to challenge your body at higher heart rates, push the lactate threshold, improve neuromuscular coordination as well as, train the musculoskeletal system to move faster.  As a result, the muscle fibers respond with increased speed, produce more energy and recover faster after intense training.  This is an advanced routine that should only be performed by experienced, advanced cycling individuals. 

Techniques:

1.      Keep heart rate above 80% for entire 20-30 minute ride (5-10 warm-up).

2.      Practice breakaways

3.      Practice RPM/cadence

4.      Hill climbs

5.      Work on smooth transitions from seated to standing with different resistance.

6.      Use breathing techniques to reduce heart rate

7.      Focus on the finish line

INTERVAL RIDES

The following are general intervals: aerobic intervals (60 – 75% MHR), aerobic/anaerobic intervals (80 – 90% MHR) maximum intensity.  This type of training will increase your aerobic and anaerobic threshold through rapid increases and decreases in the heart rate by manipulating the intensity and time.  The cadence should be 80 – 110 RPM in the seated position and 60 – 80 RPM on hills.  Due to the intensity of this training, it should only be performed once a week (no more than 2 times a week) if your whole class is intervals.  This training will emphasize challenging your heart rate followed by recovery.  One of the main objectives is to decrease the amount of time it takes for your heart rate to recover, thus boosting your resting metabolic rate (RMR).  

Aerobic interval (steady state HI/Low):

• Cycle 4 minutes followed by 2 minutes of recovery (2:1 ratio at desired work/recovery)

• Anaerobic/Aerobic interval (HIIT training):

• Cycle 10 – 30 seconds followed by 1 minutes of recovery

ENDURANCE RIDES

Endurance training should be the largest percentage of your total training for beginner to intermediate classes and is the foundation for your class members’ fitness and performance goals.  Heart rate should be 60-70% of max.  The benefit of endurance training is the building of a strong aerobic base. Training at comfortable aerobic heart rates allows your class members to extend their exercise duration and gain the benefits of cardiovascular strength.

• Your RPM will be 80 – 110 with moderate resistance

• Seated flat position and standing flat for seat breaks

It is recommended that beginning indoor cycling students spend at least two months training with endurance techniques to build a strong cardiovascular base.

BREATHING AWARENESS TRAINING

Breathing awareness is one of the fundamental principles of an indoor cycling class. When breathing is haphazard and inefficient, energy is wasted, fitness progress is hindered and recovery time is extended.

Through controlled breathing, we are able to fully engage, or disengage the mind from our physical performance. With this awareness training class members can lower their heart rate and maintain the same resistance and cadence.  Through proper breathing your class members can train harder, go faster and conserve energy by reducing their heart rates at a given intensity. Encourage deep breaths, inhale through the nose into the diaphragm (abdominals expand) and exhale through the mouth.  Instruct students to not take shallow breaths with only the chest rising and falling.  This will take practice and should be encouraged to attempt outside the class.  If diaphragmatic breathing is mastered and understood off the bike, it will be easier to attempt on the bike.  You may find your students more open to practice this if they understand the benefits of this type of breathing.  It can aid in lowering the heart rate that indicates a greater VO2 max, less glycogen consumption and a reduced stress response for the adrenal glands.  This is not a practice that should be focused on during sprinting/anaerobic work, the participant will breath and should breath at whatever natural rate is right for them. 

·      Quick Class Cues

• It’s your workout, work at your own pace.

• Keep shoulders down, elbow bent and chest open (a collapsed chest reduces lung capacity).

• Stay relaxed in your upper body.

• Avoid leaning on handlebars and weight in hands.

• Keep knees straight ahead.

• Pedal feet flat with even stroke.

• Focus on deep controlled breathing.

• Challenge yourself with resistance.

• If at any time you feel this class is not challenging enough, up your resistance.

• Stay hydrated and drink when you need to.

• Take recovery breaks as needed.

MUSIC

The music you select for cycle class should:

• Motivate students

• Create a mood

• Set the cadence

• Assist in visualization

Music can be the determining factor on how you design your class or just background in your class.  The music you choose should suit the type of students in class (young to old) and motivate you as an instructor.  That may mean a compromise on your part if you have an older population.  If this is the case, and you can compromise use what motivates you and throw in some of what moves them as well.  If you really can’t stand “the oldies” and are not willing to compromise, you should not elect to teach the cycle class with that population of students. 

It is important to know your music well before using it in class.  It is inappropriate to use music with suggestive lyrics or bad language.  In addition, it is distracting and unprofessional to go on a song search during class.  Your music should be in the proper order and if it is not, go with the flow, and be willing to make the change you need according to the music (if you design your class around music).

The first song should have minimal to no lyrics to avoid distractions while you explain the ride you have planed, proper body alignment, proper pedal stroke, breathing and perform a light upper-body stretch (optional).

If you set the cadence of the class to your music, be sure to choose songs that have a consistent beat, or change the pedal stroke to accommodate the change in music.  If you design your class around each song, it is important to consider the length of the song.  For example, a hill climb (seated/standing) song will have a slower beat and could be 4 or more minutes long.  Yet, a 3 minute timed sprint routine will need a quicker, strong beat to help motivate the power needed for a sprint.  Generally speaking 3, 30 second sprints with at least 30 seconds of recovery after each sprint is asking a lot of your students.  Be willing to give them more recovery time if they need it; if you don’t give them enough, you can’t expect them to perform a true sprint.  “Sprints” that last longer then 30 seconds will end up not being a true sprint.  The participant will not be able to maintain the speed and power that classify it as a sprint.  You basically are telling them to go fast for whatever length of time you decide, but it’s not a true sprint.

As a cycle instructor you may find your popularity or lack of, is tied to the type of music you chose to play in class.  So chose your music wisely.  Professionally recorded cycle music will be necessary if you teach in a club that has not purchased a performance license.  All commercial music is protected by copyright laws in a for-profit setting.  Cycle music can be purchased from companies that cater to all forms of group exercise classes.  A simple internet search for cycle music will give you options.  You may choose to make your own playlist with music you already poses and this is OK as long as your gym has the proper license in place.  When mixing your own music it is a good idea to try it out on a solo ride prior to using it in class.  It is also a good idea to have a CD on hand incase your electronic devise is not charged or simply not working.