Confessions of a Cover Girl

I came across this picture on FB today. In the UK we say “cover” rather than “sub”, at least in the world of group exercise. There was a question to go with that picture:

Do you think our students in a cycling class sometimes do the cycling version of this with a sub? “When she says stand and climb we’ll all sit and sprint, pass it on!”

Covering classes has many aspects. I will just mention 4 here.

WHY DON’T THESE PEOPLE FOLLOW?

Thankfully I have never had a whole group completely ignore my instructions but it’s very common for a few people do it especially in the first few minutes of the class.

Reasons for people doing their thing in the warm up? They are used to their regular instructor and just like I do mobilisation and warm up routine without thinking, so do they. They are on autopilot. And or they know what they normally do works for them and they may not know where you are going with yours.

Why do people do their own thing later? You say speed endurance in the saddle, they go for a standing power interval etc.

Ok, if you are covering and your class seems to be going in a completely different direction to where it normally does people who are stuck in their way, or to put it politely like to keep their routine, want to do what they normally do.

I always say before we start what they class is about, what the focus is etc. I say that we will have 4 rounds of… or it’s all about form and speed today or it’s hills today. I think it gives you a clear picture what you will be getting and what you want.

It can be a double edged sword 🙂 In one of my classes I said: “Today we will be focusing on form and endurance so no sprints today”. To which came a very angry response from the front row: “What? Why? How can you not have sprints?!”

When you cover a class you need to pick your battles: do you have enough information what the group is used to? Enough time to explain how you can get fitness benefits from endurance work? What if the regular instructor says to go all out every time?

I go with my plan and then if someone is interested I have a conversation with them about my reasons behind the class structure.

PEOPLE LEAVE THE STUDIO AS YOU ENTER IT

I mentioned it in this blog already on other occasions: I have done it myself not giving a second thought to the instructor’s feelings.

Story from last week: every Tuesday I have a 6:45am class then go home and do whatever I need to do then I teach a double class in the evening. But last Sunday I got an e-mail from a desperate instructor who contacted 52 people on the cover list for a gym and nobody could help him on Tuesday lunchtime with a double class. So I said I would do it. Making it 5 class Tuesday…

First class went without drama. 15min to the start of the second one. The door to the studio was made of glass so as I was walking around chatting to the first 3 people in as they were setting their bikes I can see a couple of guys walk up to the door, then look at me and see their faces fall followed by a look of consternation. I could hear what they were thinking: Oh no! It’s not Sandro. WTF… Should we go and do some weights? I waved at them, walked towards the door and as they hesitantly opened it I said: “Guys, don’t knock it until you try it. It will be fine. Sandro trusted me enough to ask for cover so trust me I will do a good job”. They were not convinced: “But last week he asked someone and it was shit! Oh man… Is it going to be the same style as Sandro’s?”. I said: “Give me 10min. And if you think this is shit, you leave. Deal?”. They agreed. It was a risk as my warm up track was 8 min… 🙂

Long story short – they stayed to the end and gave me good feedback. I was asked by a couple other people if I teach a regular class at that gym but it wasn’t all trumps and funfair. A couple of guys left 15min into the class. I didn’t take it personally. It was a strength endurance class – not everyone’s cup of tea. Which leads me to the next point:

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR CLASS PROFILE FOR A COVER?

I will teach the hardest class ever. I will show them what a bad ass instructor I am! Right? Not necessarily…

Do you ask the regular instructor what they normally teach? Ask about the sound system, mike and bike type but also what type of group that is. Do people ask me? Not often. Do you always teach intervals? Do you ever play long tracks like 7min? What music do you play? Still it’s always better to be prepared with plan B.

I was recently told that the place I was to cover at had bikes with consoles, My Ride software and it was mainly cyclists. I got excited and prepared a good VO2 max intervals profile. Then as I arrived (thankfully much earlier) it turned out the consoles only showed RPM and HR. There were 3 people in the group of 25 who had cycling shoes and looked like could be cyclists but when I mentioned thresholds, VO2 & power they looked at me like I was an alien. Then I had 2 complete beginners who have never been on the bike and came 30sec before the class started and about 10 people who didn’t seem to have much clue about RPM.

Such a diverse group is normal but I knew that my planned profile was out of the window. Thankfully I always have with me 3-4 others suitable for various levels that I know like the back of my hand and can use them as and when.

HOW MUCH DO YOU CARE ABOUT PARTICIPANTS IN THE CLASSES YOU COVER?

This is tricky. I always do care about people I teach even if I think I may never see them again. If they have a really bad form I will correct them, I always go through the bike set up etc. but…  I covered a class a year ago. I did that on 3 consecutive weeks. People in there had no clue about bike set up and their postures have clearly never been corrected. I was horrified. But I ended up practically criticising them for 45min…

I realised at the end of the class that nobody was smiling and I was exhausted. And a week later when I came into the studio one woman was already there and greeted me with: “Oh no!” and left. That was a tough lesson in letting go: you cannot correct a lifetime of bad habits in one class and if you correct too much you will put people off.

Anything you want to share?

“Don’t call me baby.You got some nerve, and baby that’ll never do”.

There is so much to think about when you are a group fitness instructor: you create a class profile, scour iTunes for music & make sure it all makes sense. Then there is the practical side: remember your kit, your shoes, iPod, back up CDs, mic shields, every type of batteries under the sun, water bottle, beginners’ hand outs, pens etc.

You arrive at the gym and two bikes are broken and the class is fully booked, mic is not working, you find the electric fan DOA. Life happens 🙂 I am not complaining. Nobody made me do it.

But only once you start teaching the class, that’s when the REAL challenge begins. You are facing anything between 1 to 50 people. All individuals with different expectations.

We have all heard the famous: “you cannot please everyone” and it is true. Not with your musical taste, class structure etc. But I want to focus on something else today: client/participant approach.

Say what? Well, how do we refer to the people who came to take our classes, how do we come across? Are we aware of that? Do we ask for/get any feedback?

Today I had a girl in my class whom I have never seen before. She came 15min early and she was very clear and vocal: “I take 4 classes a week. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. But not on Wednesday. I cannot stand the teacher. She keeps calling me “sweetheart”! I told her my name is Georgia and I am not her sweetheart but she kept doing it!”

It can be a struggle to be friendly and approachable but not condescending. Especially if you are not sure if people didn’t hear your advice or just decided to ignore it. And if they did – was there a reason for it?

That is why trying to develop a rapport with your groups is so important. I know, I know: what about the places where you get new people every class? I make it a point to be at the studio and set up 15min before a class. If I teach on a weekend it is sometimes 30min.

This gives me the precious time to walk around, give 121 attention, get people’s attitude sussed out: are they going to be receptive or they already know it all? Will they laugh at a joke?

I also try and stay there for 10min after a class for the same reasons. And believe me, walking around the studio during the class helps too. Sometimes you keep repeating a cue: “Shoulders down. Elbows in.” but the person you are directing it to doesn’t react. But when you go by and gently tap their elbow or shoulder – they do.

I personally don’t like when people I don’t know call me honey, sweetheart, babe, whatever. I do my best to avoid it when referring to people in my classes.

I also tend to say before the start: “If you hear me say NO BOUNCING for the 15th time and you feel like you may throw your bottle at me if I say it again – I am fully aware of how many times I have repeated it. There is a reason for it: someone is still bouncing. Look around: if you can see nobody bouncing – IT IS YOU!”

I also have my feedback forms that I give to people about once a year where I ask about my catch phrases, any pet peeves etc. Then I sit down with a glass of wine and go through them andI know what needs work. The forms (even if e-mailed) often work better that face to face conversation as people won’t always tell you in your face what negative points they find in your teaching.

How do you get your feedback? How do you refer to your participants? Are you good with names? How well do you know your regulars? Do you ever meet socially outside the gym as a group? I would love to hear from you.

 

 

 

I say goodbye and you say hello! (just for 2 weeks)

Just a few lines. Suitcase packed – 3kg over and cannot make it different regardless of what tactics I use 🙂 Oh well! Tomorrow I board a plane for New York then change for another one to Costa Rica for 2 weeks of cycling holiday. I can’t wait!

Not sure if I will be able to post anything when I am there – or if I have enough time for that but expect a nice looong post when I am back on 21 November.

I will leave you with a few snaps from my photo shoot for the upcoming website:

And keep up the good work challengers! First week is behind us. If you want to join us – you can still do it! Check out what the challenges are all about here. Keep sharing your comments and photos of the green smoothies here and on the Smart Fitness FB page here.

Ride on!

6 Things That You Think Are Good For You But Will Stop You From Achieving Your Fitness Goals

It’s an absolutely stunning afternoon outside. The fog is gone and the sun is out. The leaves are red , yellow and gold. I love autumn. But this morning the picture was altogether different. If it was a picture at all.

There was nothingness. No hope. You couldn’t see further then a few steps ahead. It was like that at 8am. And 9. And 11. And even 12. It only changed at 1pm when I gave up hope. Suddenly I looked through the window and it was picture perfect.

It is a great metaphor for what happens when you take on a fitness challenge. You are all fired up, plans drawn, schedule sorted, good intentions at the ready and then s*** happens. You have to stay longer at work. Again. Kids get sick. Then you do. Then suddenly apparently it’s almost Christmas and everybody starts panicking. And next thing you know your fitness is at number #78 on your TO DO list. You can’t see a way out.

There are things you can’t control but the following 6 you can.

1. I have been doing 3-4 classes every week. I can’t do anymore.

If you do that many you definitely deserve praise. Some people struggle with two. And I am sure you have seen results of your fitness regime. But our bodies are extremely clever and within a few months you will hit a plateau. No, you don’t have to send your children into care so you can do 8 classes a week… Just change it up a bit. The key is  WHEN and HOW MUCH.

No point of changing class schedule every 2 weeks as you won’t even give your body a chance to tell you if they work. But every 3 months try something different. And even when you do let’s say Bodypump twice a week for 3 months make sure you steadily progress with the mount of weight you lift.

2. Let me try the latest miracle supplement or fad diet.

Don’t. Please. It’s about eating everything but in moderation. Enjoy it. Don’t just eat it because you think you should. If you go for home made green smoothie make sure it tastes good so drinking it is not a chore. If you fancy a Kit Kat don’t go for a diet replacement because you think you should. If you do, probably 30min later you will go for that Kit Kat anyway. Just make sure before you get your treat that you are really hungry and not thirsty and eat slowly enjoying every bite not devouring the bar like it’s going out of fashion.

3. I am going fat free.

Do not obsess over FAT FREE products. Fat is what gives taste to foods. When you take fat away you need to replace it with something to make the food palatable. What is the substitute? You guessed it: SUGAR. That is much worse and much more addictive option. Prepare as much food at home as you can. Know what’s in it.

4. Giving 50% during your gym classes/sessions

Quality over quantity. Commitment, the right mindset and self-discipline get you lean and toned. People make the mistake of going 50% at their spin class because they have Bodycombat straight after where they will give another 50%. Give 100% in the first class. If you can face one more do it. But if it is too much – go to the sauna.

5. Getting obsessed with the scales.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight if you are overweight and it’s obvious you will want to check your results. My advice: instead of starting every day, every gym session and finishing every session and every day on the scales, pay attention to how you feel. Do you huff and puff walking up the stairs? If you run for the bus do you need 2min to catch your breath or just 30sec? Can you get in those pre-baby jeans? Weigh yourself but not more than once every couple of weeks.

Your weight may fluctuate by 1-2kg in one day especially if you are a woman on your period.

How about fitness testing instead of overusing scales? Strong is the new skinny they say.

6. Having energy drinks after 20 min on the elliptical

If you read labels on the bottles they clearly state that these drinks should be used when you are doing high intensity training for OVER 45min. I would say that even a high intensity45min spin class does not call for these. If you go on a 2-3hr run or a bike ride or decide to do 2-3 spin classes back to back then you will find these drinks useful. Otherwise water will do just fine. Sugar free coconut water is very popular. I use water with a bit of squash if I have two classes back to back.

What is your drink of choice during the gym workout? Which of the 6 do you see the most around at your gym? Which one are you guilty of? Or is there a biggie I missed out on? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Get up Stand Up. Stand up for your Right. Don’t give up the fight. Or should I?

I have got a dilemma. An instructor dilemma.

I have a 50 year old gentleman come to my weekly class. I mentioned him in a previous post. He insists that he does NOT want to sit on the bike AT ALL. I tried to get an actual reason apart from “my butt is sensitive”, which he gave me. No such luck. He just looks annoyed and says: “I do all spin classes on the timetable (around 10 a week). I have been doing it for years. This is how I have always done it. I need my exercise to lower my blood pressure and lose weight and this is the only exercise I like”.

What is the problem you ask? If he wants to stand up and can do it, let him stand up. You see, that’s the problem: he cannot stand for 45min. His technique is so poor he can’t really do 30 seconds standing in a safe and efficient way. He has no resistance. He presses all his body weight onto his hands and locks in his elbows. His knees are permanently locked and he mashes the pedals heels down. ALL THE TIME.

I spoke to him nicely on a few occasions. I showed the technique. Tried corrections. Asked him to use the mirror. He does not take it in. He closes his eyes and does his thing.

When we are riding flat or intervals in the saddle – he’s up doing his thing. By the way he is permanently locked in about 55RPM – same speed for 45min… What is even more baffling is that when we do get up and do stuff standing – hill at 64RPM, hill at 70RPM, hill runs at 80RPM – he’s up doing his thing at 55RPM. He simply never joins in.

I suggested he tries padded shorts or gel seat – he said he had never thought about it. I showed him in 1:1 after class the right standing technique and his version. I explained how much long term damage he does to his knees, how his upper body gets stiff and loses him energy. He looks and then does his thing.

I offered a solution: “Do 2 songs on the bike working on your technique then when you need a break get off the bike I can come up with a core exercise for you”. Not interested.

I asked him last week whether he ever uses HR monitor. He says he doesn’t. I am thinking of lending him mine and the watch to show him what I can see with my naked eye: everyone’s HR goes up in the 6-8min warm up. He only gets there 20min in. And that is because his arms get tired as his legs definitely don’t. He never gets higher than HR zone 2. No need to mention power zones as he never has much power on. Shame the bikes the gym has are the old school Spinners with no consoles.

I feel really torn – clearly all other instructors are fine with the situation as he says I am the only one badgering him…

Here comes my question: in view of the fact that he’s is nit getting a workout, he’s damaging his joints long term and he sticks out like a sore thumb in the group (when I correct everyone else but not him) – do I ask management’s permission to ask him not to attend my classes or do I ignore him and let him do his thing?

Tis the season to be sniffling.

Houston, we’ve got a problem!

It took 3 years and over a 1000 classes but it happened. I have had people of all ages, women of various stages of pregnancy in my classes with the studio temperature often being well above the guidelines and nothing. But this Thursday morning I have had a person faint in my class!

It’s a 6:45am class with about 25-30 people on average. The studio has 44 bikes it is not full. The studio warm but not steamy with a massive industrial fan at the front.

We started this tough profile including some strength pyramids and speed ladders which work so well on MatrixIC7 bikes. It was going well.

Morning classes are a bit different: quite a few people leave around 15min early – everyone has to get to work on time and there are not enough showers so some people cut the class short. I now know most of the faces. But there was one girl I have not seen before who with about 15min to go walked in front of my bike and headed towards the door. I do say “Bye” to everyone leaving early and they give me a smile or a wave. This girl though looked what I thought was upset. I actually thought she did not enjoy the class. She did not look at me.

I continued teaching but with the corner of my eye I saw her standing next to the door she had just opened: “If she wants to leave, why stand there holding the door?”. I cued the last step of the speed ladder. Then I looked at her and saw her eyes were closed and she didn’t hold the door, she was more leaning against it. And then she went forward with half a turn and started sliding down the door with her back to it. I flew off my bike! I grabbed her before she hit the floor. She was clutching a water bottle and thankfully wasn’t completely out.

I shouted for the receptionist. When I asked the girl: “Are you all right?” she whispered: “I have been unwell. I shouldn’t have come”. She was sitting on the floor for a couple of minutes before she was able to stand up with our help. “Oh God! The class!” – I thought – “I told them to go at 100RPM. I need to change the cue or they will all faint!” so I jumped up trying to still continue with the class. After sipping on Lucozade the girl was taken to reception.

And I went back to finish off the class. The studio is so big half of the people had no clue what happened…

This whole situation brought today’s topic on:

SHOULD YOU EXERCISE WHEN SICK/ILL/UNWELL?

Exercise is usually OK if your symptoms are all “above the neck.” We are talking common cold, such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. Consider reducing the intensity and length of your workout. And remember to get changed from your wet kit as soon as you can. If the studio temperature is low or there is a big fan, when you cool down go out and stretch outside. Prepare for feeling worse when you cool down completely.

If you’ve got a fever, hitting the gym is a definite no-no. Your grandma used to say it’s good to “sweat out” the fever? Yes, but under a duvet.

If you have been unwell and not eating properly rethink taking an early morning class when you only have like 30 minutes between waking up and going for it.

Do you really want to hurt me?

If you keep coughing and sneezing weigh the benefits of doing a half hearted workout and infecting half of the people in your class…

Do you really want to hurt yourself?

You may be thinking: “Oh, what’s the worst that could happen? If I don’t get the best workout it’s my business”. Well it’s no longer only yours if you faint or need medical help as a result. I could not stop thinking what would happen if that girl fainted on the bike! What if she fell off with her feet strapped? What if she just slumped on the handlebars and I wouldn’t notice straight away as she was sitting quite far?

So please: listen to your body, have a long night sleep, drink plenty of fluids (my brew of choice: a whole ginger root peeled and sliced, 2 whole lemons with skins quartered and a few spoons of honey; put in a saucepan, add a litre of water and boil the life out of it; drink hot; every time you reheat it, it gets stronger; add honey if needed).

I REST my case!

If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. Izabela’s 50 Class Cycle SMART Challenge is back!

The weather in London has been gorgeous this week but I cannot deny the fact that when I get up and walk to the gym for my two morning 6:45am classes it is pitch dark. And we know things will only get worse. The temperature will drop, the heating in the house will come on and it will get harder to make yourself go to the gym especially if you are not training for anything in particular.

That’s why last year, inspired by a post from a fellow instructor on one of the online forums, I organised Izabela’s 50 Class Cycle SMART Challenge. It was such a success that we are doing it again this year! I only started mentioning it this week in my classes and I already saw the word spread on Twitter.

Izabela’s 50 Class Cycle Smart Challenge – what is it about?

The challenge will run from 1 November till 28 February which makes it 120 days. In that time challengers need to complete 50 classes. There are two options here: you can do 50 indoor cycling classes or 25 indoor cycling and 25 any other classes on the gym timetable WITH ANY INSTRUCTOR. It makes 3 classes a week over these 4 months.

Who can take part and how to enter?

Anyone who takes part in my classes, of course but also if you are my FB or this blog’s follower you are welcome. I will need you to: like the FB page Smart Fitness Izabela Ruprik here,  send me a message with your e-mail address so I can send you the progress chart and then follow me on here, FB and/or Twitter. PLEASE NOTE I WILL ONLY USE YOUR E-MAIL TO SEND YOU WEEKLY UPDATES ABOUT THE CHALLENGE. NOTHING ELSE. Once the challenge is over you will not receive anything else via e-mail from me without your permission.

What else do I need?

You will need a SMART goal: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Timely. I provide you with the last one: 120 days. You need to find the rest. It can be related to cycling or not.

Last year’s examples: most press-ups done in 60sec, body fat % loss, run a mile without stopping etc. or simply actually do 3 classes a week! It can but doesn’t have to be weight loss related. You will write that goal down and prove to me you have achieved it at the end.

Now all challengers who train on bikes with power (FF MatrixIC7 users) or those who have access to a Wattbike – I will need you to take FTW/FTP or any of the shorter tests before the challenge starts, around 60 days into the challenge and at the end.

You will get a progress chart that you will have to fill in ticking off all the classes as you go along. You will submit it to me at the end of the challenge.

How is it going to be monitored?

You will get support from me and other challengers at the gyms, on social media, via e-mail and even txt messages if you wish. Now, we are all grown up and this challenge is about you achieving a goal that YOU choose so I believe that if you say you have done a class, you have done it. I will not be asking you to have your chart signed off by your instructor 🙂

What if I already do over 3 classes a week?

Good for you! You can still take part, of course. Last year Tony has completed around 150 classes in that time if I remember correctly. Think about your goal: maybe there is a class you were thinking of trying out but there was always an excuse? Do it now. Make yourself do yoga or Pilates once a week. Talk to me and we will come up with something 🙂

Why is it that long? There is Christmas in the middle too!

I know, 4 months. Long time. But with constant support from me and other challengers it goes fast. It gives you time to modify your goals if needed. It will keep you going throughout winter. And if you succeed, by the end of it taking 3 classes a week will be a norm for you and you will have changed your lifestyle for better. Christmas? You know it’s coming. You know when. Plan for it!

What if I run outside every week? What if I swim at my local leisure centre?

Full terms and conditions will be posted on FB closer to the date. There is a way of “converting” a run into a tick on your chart. I will also be sending T&Cs out by e-mail.

What is in it for me?

What, apart from getting fitter, stronger, achieving your goals and getting motivation throughout the dark months? Last year there were mugs, T-shirts, calendars and hoodies for the winners!

What do I do next?

Think about your goals – make sure they are SMART!

If you want to lose body fat% or inches off your thighs or waist or weight ask your gym team to help you get these measurements. Boots have the scales that give you body fat % too so you may want to check it out and keep your report. Think about fitting a power test on a bike in the next 3 weeks. Contact me for help 🙂

Follow me on FB: here and send me a message with your e-mail address. I will absolutely need your e-mail. Follow me on twitter @spinbella

If you have any burning questions, please comment below.

Fellow instructors: if you like the idea and want to join me and do it where you teach – please comment or e-mail me iza_lat@hotmail.com. We could make it big!

Indoor Cycling? Find the right fit and do it with class.

I recently wrote a guest feature on GymBox’s website about indoor cycling. You can read it here:

http://gymbox.com/blog/feature-indoor-cycling.

It’s about the 3 types of cycling classes GymBox offers. And that got me thinking about all the gyms across London where I have been teaching for the past 3 years.

WHAT IS OUT THERE? (LONDON)

Well, you have boutique studios with the Soulcycle-type of classes advertised as a whole body workout (weights, resistance bands etc), then you have studios which go much more into the real cycling style like Cyclebeat (https://www.cyclebeat.co.uk/) which is a cycling only facility with Keiser bikes and integrated digital display which sends you your results by e-mail after each class.

H2 (https://www.h2bikerun.co.uk/) in SoHo offers indoor and outdoor classes where you ride your own bike in the park with the instructor leading the session.

The top end of this spectrum in the city is Athlete Lab (http://athlete-lab.co.uk/) – a state of the art cycling studio using actual road bikes and a mind blowing digital display (at a mind blowing prices). It’s a training facility. Not a place to take classes.

Venturing out of central London you have Cadence in Crystal Palace which is a great facility with a bike shop & workshop and training rooms where you can test your FTP, VO2 etc but also take a WattBike class (http://www.cadenceperformance.com)

That’s all great but what about all the gyms where an average Joe goes?

WHAT ABOUT GYMS?

How do you know what’s behind that name on the timetable? “Spin”, “indoor cycling”, “V-Cycle”, “Tour de…”. How do you choose what is right for you? How do you know what to expect? Honestly? If the description is generic you can expect anything… It will all depend on the instructor. the only definitely consistent class would be Les Mills RPM.

Some gyms do the right thing and have different difficulty levels marked on the timetable: 2-3-4 stars but in real life do the instructors always know about what kind of level the class is supposed to be? Do they pay attention to it?

An average “spin” class can be very intimidating to someone who has never participated in one. And if your first one is really bad or well above your fitness level and you do not get guidance from the instructor, you may never be back.

I truly believe gyms should put on a couple of tailored classes to entice people in who would otherwise never be brave enough to try. Clearly described on the timetable and adhered to by the instructors.

INTRODUCTION TO INDOOR CYCLING CLASS

Every gym would benefit from a beginners’ class. I have had the proof of that when I decided to put on a 30min cycling clinic at one of the studios I have worked for until recently. Targeting people who have never done cycling classes it involved bike set up, riding technique, resistance & cadence introduction and a little practice in and out of the saddle. I was doing it right before an actual class so people had an option to stay for the class or not and come when they were ready. It was great! Neither I nor the participants felt the pressure that we were rushed, they had time to ask questions and as we would have 2-4 people at a time it was a non-pressure environment.

There could be a beginners’ programme that would be delivered over 4 classes. Otherwise just a normal 45min novice class would be beneficial.

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Certain gyms have quite a few kids attending. A Virgin gym where I have a couple of regular classes, has a Kidz programme with a couple of classes for 10-15 year olds. It does not include cycling.

Through instructor forums I have come across family indoor cycling classes or classes purely run for kids. I love the idea but I haven’t seen that in any of the gyms I teach at. I know they do have youth classes on offer on an actual track at Lee Valley (http://www.visitleevalley.org.uk/en/content/cms/london2012/velo-park/youth-activities/).

Talking about special populations, classes for silver foxes are a great way to attract older generation. I think London gyms and leisure centres are missing a trick here.

Finally, as the outdoor season ends we have the outdoor cyclists who are not interested in exercise classes. They want to train over winter to keep their form up but they want clear goals, tests, a whole programme. Some gyms are halfway there since they have brought in great bikes like the MatrixIC7 with a console providing the all important data to track your progress. In my opinion in a few gyms I teach at, a specialist cycling class would work a treat.

Don’t get me wrong: I am not about excluding people as in “only outdoor cyclists wearing lycra allowed”.  All that would be needed is a clear indication – BEWARE: you need to know why you are here, you may have 30min in the saddle non-stop, it will be goal focused and as much as it still can be fun it is geared toward achieving specific results at the end of the programme.

So far one gym chain I have spoken to is excited about incorporating a few weeks’ specialised programme that would go along a challenge that they run.

HAVE YOU DONE IT AT YOUR GYM? HAS IT WORKED?

I would love to hear from you if your gym runs any specialised indoor cycling classes. Whether you are a member or an instructor. If you created a programme and managed to get it approved, please share your story.

“Spinning won’t make you fit”. Or will it?

This week I came across an article on one of the forums for indoor cycling instructors: http://www.stack.com/2015/09/16/spinning-probably-wont-make-you-fit-heres-why.

It has caused quite a stir so I decided to respond to it. I will just take out the main points it makes to allegedly prove why indoor cycling will not make you fit as opposed to having a personal trainer and lifting weights. It is based on an interview with a personal trainer Brian Nguyen. He’s not just a PT. He’s “trainer to Mark Wahlberg” which clearly makes him much more of a fitness authority. Let’s dive right into it.

“Spinning is tough. After an hour of pedaling at high speed, you’ve probably left a puddle of sweat on the floor under your bike. (…)The classes are fun, and the routines can easily lead to the assumption that participants get a great workout”.

Anyone who has taken a properly well structured indoor cycling class with a qualified instructor will ask: are we talking about the boutique style “dance-on-the-bike-doing-crazy-stuff” type of class or are we talking about a proper indoor cycling class? Because the latter involves much more and the speed used in these classes is way more controlled.

If however you refer to the classes advertised as a full body workout involving using tiny weights, resistance bands and full of what we call “fluff” then I wholeheartedly agree. But please do not put us all in the same bag.

“Spinning produces similar effects in the body as jogging. (…) Once you finish a spin class, your body no longer burns calories”

Here is where I got really kind of pissed off (my blog, I can say that 🙂 ). He didn’t even say “running”. He said “jogging”. I used to jog. I lost a bit of weight, gained some muscle but I agree, the results were not WOW. Question to FF CJS members who have ever taken Jitka’s, Cheryl’s, Serena’s or my class: would you compare it to 45min of “jogging”?! What classes has this dude taken in his life to make such a statement? The answer is: really bad ones…

If I were to give an “expert opinion” the way he has I would say even a workout with a personal trainer using weights and what not has the same effects. How? If you have a bad trainer who tells you to use weights that aren’t enough to cause an overload. One that makes you follow a programme that’s not tailored to your needs. What kind of PT would do that?! A bad one. Have I ever seen these? Yes, I have.

Now as far as the second part of the statement goes – that the effects of the class finish as soon as you get off that bike? I really question fitness qualifications of that guy. Whatever exercise you choose: rowing, cycling, running etc you can do them at different intensities, with different goals in mind: speed or strength endurance, HIIT, threshold work etc. If every spin class involved pedalling at the same tempo for 60min who on earth would keep doing it?

And I have news for you Brian. You better sit down though and brace yourself: YOU CAN DO TABATA ON A BIKE!

I am convinced this guy either took ONE class and it wasn’t a good one or is basing his opinions on hearsay. He doesn’t seem to think you can do intervals in a spin class.

Here comes the big one folks:

“Spinning doesn’t build muscle.(…) Cycling never makes your body gain lean body mass, and that’s the thing that burns fat. At the end of the day, metabolism isn’t improved on a bike.”

First reference to spinning is already incorrect but Mr Nguyen goes far beyond that and refers to “cycling” in general. I would ask him to check out a few names and relevant pictures of their legs: Marcel Kittel, Chris Hoy, oh hell: Tom Scotto! And I would invite him to watch this (extreme) little clip:

“Spinning doesn’t give individual progression”

It definitely used to be true however you could always test yourself periodically and compare the results. But these days we have bikes with computer consoles and data. We have coaching by colour brought by MatrixIC7 bikes. Please Mr Nguyen, do your research first.

Finally we get to the last one:

“Spinning reinforces common injuries”

Yes, cycling involves sitting, we agree on that. But it is also the best low impact activity next to swimming that actually helps with many health problems and is used in physiotherapy. There is such a thing as bike fitting Brian, and any good instructor will ensure your set up prevents any back or other discomfort. As per the core not being engaged: you need a strong core to be a strong and efficient cyclists even indoors. You may not feel it as much indoors as outdoors but no, cycling is not a “complete full body workout” nor is it claiming to be. If you refer to those “fluff” classes that make that claim – please make the distinction between those and SPINNING or proper INDOOR CYCLING.

To sum up, Brian seems to know his stuff when it comes to what type of exercise gives what effects but clearly knows nothing about spinning/indoor cycling when he says:

“When combined with strength training, spinning may give you that extra calorie burn you need to accelerate fat loss. When done on its own, your results from spinning will likely fall short of your expectations.”

Spinning is all exercise I do. In 2.5 years dropped 3 dress sizes and kept it off. My recent fitness tests show that my cycling performance levels are that of a trained athlete.

So Mr Nguyen, I respectfully disagree.

It’s getting hot in herre so take off all your clothes!

We have all been there both as instructors and participants: an indoor cycling studio with an insufficient or broken air con system. Or a non-existent one. Or one that is set up to a temperature that is way too high for 45 people riding bikes.

Tony, who you learned a bit about in my last blog, recently picked up on that and asked me to write about it. We aim to please, so Tony here it is.

Anyone who has ever been to an indoor cycling class knows how warm the studio feels a few minutes into the class and how hot it gets half way through. And it generally does not matter how big the space is or whether it is full or not. Yes, it will partially depend on WHAT PROFILE people are riding and HOW HARD they are working. But the main WHY is simple: cycling is a strenuous cardiovascular exercise that by its nature raises the body temperature.

Hence even if the studio feels really cool when you walk in and you even resort to keeping your long sleeve top on or you towel over your shoulders, within the first few minutes of the warm up you notice the difference.

Now if you ask 5 random people in any indoor cycling class how they feel about their studio being not ventilated properly or getting really hot really quickly I guarantee you will have responses varying from: “that’s the nature of the class”, “it should feel really hot, shouldn’t it?”, “if the mirrors steam up that mean we are working really hard!” to “I feel like I can’t work as hard as I know I can if it’s too hot”. So which on is it?

IS IT THE CASE OF THE HOTTER THE BETTER THEN?

You know heat will raise your HR (heart rate). The important thing to understand is that that increase in HR has nothing to do with working harder. It makes your body work harder at the same power output just to deal with the heat.

Say what? Basically if you trained on a bike with a computer where you could see the power output in Watts and your HR, if the room was so hot your HR would raise as a result, you would sweat more and feel more tired (no doubt) but your Watts number would stay the same or lower.

What I mean is that your PERCEPTION may be that you worked much harder than usual! But the numbers will prove that you actually produced the same OR LESS power or if your focus is calories, you would have burnt the same number of calories (OR LESS) as in a class with air con on, lower HR and not feeling spent.

Let me say it this way: the higher HR may actually mean YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO WORK OUT HARD ENOUGH, SO IT REDUCES YOUR ABILITY TO TRAIN AT YOUR FULL POTENTIAL.

The misconception that the higher HR the better is the reason why many people love taking classes where they are encouraged to ride at crazy speeds (over 120RPM) without much resistance. It raises their HR significantly, making them sweat buckets hence the conclusion they draw is: this is a great workout. These ideas mainly thrive in places where bikes have no consoles and people don’t question their instructors.

If they had numbers in front of them they would see that higher speed makes the HR go up but all the important numbers down. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s much less comfortable to work up a sweat going at 80-90RPM with a decent resistance than 100-120RPM when it’s the bike that is riding you rather than the other way round… Yes, I have said it.

A good quality certification will cover the issue of thermo-regulation and the dangers of body overheating. That’s why I found it shocking that some boutique studios market “Hot Cycling” classes where they purposefully raise the studio temperature to seemingly make you burn more calories.

The argument for taking these hot cycling classes are that you warm up faster and sweating profusely will get rid of toxins in the body. I would say you risk mild cramps (unless you hydrate properly) and also unless you allow long cooldown and stretch, if you just run out of the studio like many people do, your muscles may just seize up which never feels nice.

I have made the joke: “Welcome to Bikram cycling!” a few times when we were faced with no air con from the start but I would not try telling my participants that this class would make them work harder due to the temperature of the studio.

Quite opposite: apart from reminding people to keep hydrated I have been known to change the class profile either half way through or from the start. I cannot expect people to do sprints or go for a HIIT class when there is simply not enough oxygen in the room to perfom these at the level required.

To quote an article from a medical professsional on from WebMD: “If the body can no longer cool itself, it starts storing heat inside. The core temperature begins to rise and you put your internal organs at risk”.

You may say: “Gee Izabela, you are exagerrating!” Well, if we are talking about a recreational rider who really is not pushing themselves that hard and not training to higher HR or power zones then maybe. But if they have high blood pressure issues or are pregnant, the risks are real.

You may say: but people cycle outside in high temperatures all the time! Yes, but if you have ever done that you know that the actual movement creates cooling airflow. Let me remind you: in indoor cycling class your bike is stationary.

MY ADVICE:

1. Remember that higher HR does not automatically mean harder work. HR is body’s response to what you put it through and not a measure of your effort.
2. If you are or may be pregnant or suffer from high blood pressure and the studio is too hot, please let the instructor know.
3. Hydrate and listen to your body.