Spinning Routine - Bridge

"Don't hold Back" Word! Sorry, new favorite song, it has been going through my head ever since my husband's alarm clock blared my consciousness into reality. "Galvanize" by The Chemical Brothers, an oldie but great motivating song, I am listening to it right now and hope to work it into one of my mixes this week. Last weekend on Saturday morning 12/19/2009 I again woke up and had been dreaming about a bridge, and the next workout was born........
Bike path, flat easy road, fast ice lap around a frozen lake, then up a steep hill, small decline, small hill, flat road, downhill, over a suspension bridge and back to the flat easy road to your car, a beautiful cold crisp day. A day where you really shouldn't be out riding your bike but you just couldn't help yourself


Warm Up

Theme from Mission Impossible 3:28 Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen
Explain the loop and the parameters for the bike ride, set the stage, visualize your bike, what you are wearing, how you feel, the anticipation of getting a good work out in before your day starts.

Ride Like the Wind (Club Mix) 5:36 Michael Mind
Flat, easy, straight road, light tension, a "flat road" where you can just feel the tension around the pedals, you are aware of the ground. You are surrounded by trees on both sides of the path and can see the sunlight dappled on the path before you. Breathe, big deep breaths, feel your shirt expand as you open up your lungs to the crisp cold air.

Samb-Adagio 5:58 Safri Duo
Path opens up to a large frozen lake, sunlight is glaring into your eyes, you need to look straight down at the path and concentrate on not slipping on the icey road. Intro first :38 secconds, then one minute Race pace, 30-60 second recovery and then two more race pace laps (3 total). You can add a bit more tension or just have then increase their cadence for the one minute drill, cue breathing, and the ice visualization, "can't slow down or you will slip and fall"

Ala-Freakin-Bama 3:34 Jay Speight ( by request)
Stand up get your bearings back on the path and approaching the steep hill, water break.

Angel 8:21 Oscar G
Intervals up the steep hill
Add more tension so that you feel like you have a medium to steep incline, on a scale of one to 10, 10 being you can't move your legs, you should be at a 7 to an 8. Stand up fast jog for 20 seconds, then 10 seconds standing climb with hands in position three, DON'T LEAN, this is not a hover, it is a change in position to get the heart rate up, then sit down fast with a 30 second in the seat climb. That is your interval, now you do it again and again and again.... depending on your class you can adjust these, either by decreasing the tension (or adding ') or increase the time in the saddle. This should be challenging, you are climbing a steep hill and you can't see the top until the last minute!

The Hand that Feeds 3:39 Nine Inch Nails
Settle in the saddle add some tension, (8 out of 10) feel that pedal under your foot, it is like a magnet stuck to the bottom of your shoe and you are pulling and pushing it all the way around. Pay attention to your legs and how they feel at each different section of the pedal stroke, strong and steady, control the breathing, deep breaths in and even longer on the way out.

Best of You 4:16 Foo Fighters
Remain in the saddle battling the hill, release tension every 30 seconds until you are back on your "flat road" increase your cadence every time you decrease your tension, breathe, steady the heart rate, stay in control..... you see the brdige ahead, a wooden, rope hung suspension bridge, it is over the frozen lake you lapped around, it is the only way home, feel the wind pick up, get ready for the next challenge

No More Fear(Klaas Remix) 6:18
Approach and start over the bridge, varying position from standing to seated. I started standing and then had them push when they were seated. Tension is increased to a 7, you need a steady pace, there is no slowing down, this bridge is not steady and you have to make it across..If you listen to this song, you can visualized the "creaking" No MORE FEAR! Don't look down! Move! You are now at the end of the bridge and made it to solid land, good job!

Lift 3:56 Shannon Noll
Bring tension down to a 6 and standing recovery, bring the heart rate down, grab some water, you are almost back to that beautiful straight flat road home!.....

Lost (Aly & Fila Remix)8:28 Sunlounger Feat. Zara
Flat road, maintain 75% for a straight 8 minutes, tension is at a 5, enough to feel the road. Visualize the path again from the start, you are on the other side, and have to dodge people... almost home, build your energy, breathe it in through your nose, blow out your mouth, forcefully straight into those strong fluid legs...what a ride!

Just Breathe 3:36 Pearl Jam
Cool down and home!
Enjoy the Bridge

Spinning Exercise - FOUR LOOPS

It has been a beautiful fall week so far, the leaves are changing color and the air has a crisp feel to it. I love when the wind picks the leaves up off the branches and slowly floats them down to the ground. You can hear the crackle of the brown, yellow, red leaves as they find their new home far beneath them. Fall is my favorite season, fireplaces, sweaters and homemade soup. I decided to do something a little different with my classes this week, to celebrate the season. This workout consists of four loops each starting with a climb,then a downhill flat road, thirdly an uphill step climb and a recovery flat road. We are going to do this loop four times with the third loop being the hardest one. I also did one song per work effort which I don't like to do, you shouldn't stop working when a song ends, but I was doing something different, so here we go...

Here comes the rain again 5:05 Eurythmics
(due to the fact that it was raining the first night I did this ride)
Explain the loops and that there are four of them, built up the first two loops, work hardest on the third and power through the fourth loop until the end. Cue Breathing and form

Cobrastyle 3:00 Teddybears Slim and Mad Cobra
Add tension to 7 out of 10 stay in the saddle, gradually add tension until the 2:00 minute mark, then push through it to the end, Breathe and get the thighs working deep into the muscle

The Race 3:16 Yello
17 seconds to remove the tension and find your flat road (5 out of 10 tension level)
get ready to go downhill, one minute race pace, starting at 17 seconds into the song, hold for a full minute, Breathe, relax the upper body, loosen up the grip, slow down at 1:17 into the song, the song slows down then, one minute to catch your breathe and repeat second one minute race pace starting at 2:17 go until end of song

Stacy's Mom 3:18 Fountains of Wayne
Time to go uphill, add tension (7 to 8 out of 10) and stand up, pull the legs, pull the knees to the chin and walk up the stairs, imagine the stairs ahead of you, stand up straight, weight over the saddle, breathe and pull, strong relaxed abs and back, adjust your tension as you need it, can increase or decrease, don't hurt yourself, but challenge yourself

Come on Get Happy 1:06 The Patridge Family Flat road reduce the tension back to a 5 out of 10, get some water, first loop completed, three more to go

Some Kind Of Wonderful 3:27
Sit all the back in the saddle, increase your tension to a 6 and concentrate on full fluid pedal strokes all the way around the circle after 2 minutes increase the tension again, work it into your pedal stroke hold until end of song

Struggle For Pleasure 3:51 Minimalistix
Downhill, decrease your tension to a 6 not all the way to a flat road, we are standing for 30 seconds then 30 seconds in the saddle to fast pace, repeat, if standing and increasing your pace is too hard just sit down, if you do stand, DO NOT LEAN, all the weight is over the saddle, head is up, head, shoulders, hips all in a row on a slight angle forward, fast legs but with tension enough to feel the "road" under your feet even when standing. These are challenging so BREATHE!!!

The Way I Want to Be 2:37 The Village Green
Stand up increase your tension back to a 7 or 8 out of 10 and pull your legs up, again picture the stairs and climb! It is only two minutes, you can do it

Yesterday 2:37 The Beatles
Recovery Flat Road, two minutes to recover, grab some water and remember third loop is the most challenging, talk youself into it, this is the hardest loop, give your most effort.

Mama 6:46 Genesis
Two minute seated climb, one minute standing climb, repeat.. increase tension to a 8 out of ten, you can do this gradually or all at once, the point is that this is your biggest hill, make yourself work, you will be proud when you are done! Last 46 seconds of song take the tension down back to 5 out of 10

Move It 2:42
Downhill seated, flat road increase your pace for 30 seconds, 30 second recovery, and again ....BREATHE repeat until end of song

Amazing (Thin White Duke remix ) 3:32 Seal
Standing stair climb, increase the tension to 7 or 8 again and walk up those stairs, cue form, if they are tired have a seat, nothing is more important than form, keep working this is the last part of the hardest loop

Holiday Road 2:11 National Lampoons Christmas
Recovery Flat road, water, breathe one loop left, refocus the energy, more behind you then in front of you

Push 3:57 Madonna
7 or 8 out of 10 for tension, seated climb, cue form, don't lean, work the legs, your foot has a magnet on the bottom of it and it is stuck to that pedal, feel the pedal under your foot all the way around the pedal stroke, fluid, strong, circles
remove the tension for the last 30 or 45 seconds, find your flat road

Black Horse and a Cherry Tree 2:52 K T Tunstall
15 second break, one minute race pace, one minute break, 52 second race pace until the end of the song, breathe, you can do it

Teenagers 2:42 My Chemical Romance
Last set of stairs, flat feet increase the tension, and PULL

Fall for You 3:06 Secondhand Serenade
Home, flat road, water, breathe and stretch, you may need another song after this one to complete your recovery, Four loops down, one great workout completed, congratulations

Spinning Tips Routine - MIX IT UP

Today is going to be different, you are going to need to control your intensity. And how do you do that? ......waiting for input, riders looking around... really trying to see if I am waiting for an answer or not... (repeat) Today is going to be different, you are going to need to control your intensity... pause... more people now paying attention.. AND HOW ARE YOU GOING to do THAT?... I don't wait for the answer, BREATHE!!! It is what you should concentrate on, it will help you in your transitions and give you FUEL to use your body efficiently. Stop and have your class sit upright on their bikes, put their hands on their lower abdomens, thumbs on your bell button, fingers splayed open. Now take a deep breathe! Did you feel your stomach move? Try it again and this time concentrate on filling up your stomach and forcefully push out the breathe through your open mouth. Contract your abdominal muscles on the exhale, relax them on the inhale. Now put your hands back on the handles and breathe with purpose, with intent... intent to control your own space and velocity.

Harry Potter Theme Song 2:12
See above for intro
I Gotta Feeling 4:05
Add tension; pick up the pace explain the ride and what is expected.
We are starting out hard with a fast jog, then jumps, 75% song, long hills, finish with jumps, sprint and HOME
Everyday is Halloween 6:3645 second fast jog, 30 second walk, 45 second fast jog, 15 sec recovery, repeat
Cue breathing, Breathe is Fuel
Pon De Replay 4:18Jumps on a 4 or 8 count
Now jumps are NOT PRESSES!! No upper body input, you lift your butt off the saddle and then plant it back on the saddle, use the quads. Don't worry what your neighbor is doing, he or she has her own "backside" to be lifting up and it may not go as fast or as slow as yours. If you are getting confused with the beat of your neighbor or instructor, close your eyes and concentrate on breathing and lifting. Relax the shoulders, relax the grip and breathe and move. 30 second intro then 1 minute of jumps, one minute of rest, one minute jumps, sit in the saddle, get some water and get ready for the 75% song
Don't Cha (extended mix) 9:30
8 minute steady pace at 75% max heart rate or 7 out of 10 for RPE
Breathe, you should be able to talk, it is o.k to have your body cool down, we are conserving your energy for the end, drop the heart rate down, big deep breathes
Hung Up 5:361 minute out of the saddle, 1 minute in the saddle, increase tension gradually,
What are you Waiting For? 3:42
Same as above, cue form, standing the weight is over the saddle, loose grip, pull up the knees, shoulders relaxed, NO LEANING
Moving in Stereo 4:42
Slow climb in the saddle increase the tension, Push and pull the legs, use the leg muscles all the way around the stroke, feel the tension, slow the breathing, let the tension pull that butt into the saddle, concentrate on your form, elbows slightly bent, loose grip, flat feet, etc.... Tell them you are now going back up this is the last part of the work out what you have been saving that energy for
Don't Stop the Music 4:27
Jumps again slow at first then increase the count, make them breathe, so strong and loud that their neighbor can hear them
Origins 4:11
sprint 30 second on, 30 second off, 1 minute race pace, 30 seconds rest, 30 second sprint, 30 second rest, one minute race pace till the end!!!!
You are HOME!!!
Take some tension off and BREATHE!!!! Are you proud of yourself? Did you do what you wanted to today?

Spin Exercise - SWEAT

A calorie is a unit of energy or the amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius.
We burn calories in three different ways
a) Basal Metabolic Rate
This is the amount of energy that your body needs to function at rest. It is 60%-70%of the total amount of calories you burn in a day. It helps keep your lungs, heart, and body temperature stabilized. Men usually have a higher BMR than women due to the fact that they usually have more muscle mass than women, and muscle burns more calories at rest. You can figure out your BMR by the following formula, Harris Benedict Formula
Adult Male 66+(6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x ht in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Adult Female 655 + ( 4.3 x wt in lbs.) + (4.7 x ht in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

b) Thermic effect of food
This is the amount of calories you expend by breaking down your food by digestion. Approximately 10% of your total calories you consume in a day are used up by this method. It stays relatively steady throughout your life, and isn't easily changed

c) Physical Activity
This is the part that is controlled by you and it accounts for the remainder of calories you use or don't use.

The number of total calories you use per day is the sum of the calories expended doing a, b and c.
So the formula for losing weight is to EAT LESS, MOVE MORE

Monday 8/17/2009 SWEAT
Be Ok - Ingrid Michaelson 2:28
Everything Im Not - The Veronicas 3:23

Bike Set up and chatting before actual class starts

Saltwater(Original Mix) - Chicane 9:52
Warm up with enough tension to feel the road beneath your feet, what I refer to as the flat road, introduction explain the way we burn calories and how it is up to them to decide how many calories they want to burn or not. What kind of workout do you want today?

Insomnia(Monster Mix) - Faithless 6:45One minute run out of the saddle with 30 second standing rest, repeat, cue breathing, form, not to lean on those handle bars

Come baby Come - K7 3:58Add on tension, standing climb, do not sit down after the last song, breathe through it, control the heart rate, flat feet, pull those knees up

Origins(pt.1) - Cold Fusion 4:11One minute race pace in the saddle, 30 second seated rest repeat

I Just Can't Get Enough(Tribal Remix) - Depeche Mode 9:0330 second standing acceleration, 30 second in the saddle repeat

If U Seek Amy - Britney Spears 3:37Standing climb heavy tension for the last two minutes, use first 1:37 to recover(seated) from the last song

I Don't Care Anymore - Genesis 5:06Seated Climb same tension as above, cue breathing, even out that pedal stroke, push and pull, make it a perfect circle with no change in the fly wheel, add or remove tension as needed

Talk(Junkie XL Remix) - Coldplay 11:46One minute and 46 seconds to get ready for the last song, this is the 75% song for 10 minutes. BREATHE, remember the number of calories you burn is up to you!!

Hold on My Heart - Genesis 4:38Cool Down and stretches

Hope you have a great SWEAT, I know we did

Spinning Tips Exercise - Comfort Zone

Vacation, the time to let go, the time to make excuses and eat one more cracker, one more piece of pie, etc. My sister was in from Chicago for three weeks with my mom passing just recently, it was liscense to RELAX. Relax in all house rules, the laundry piled up, the meals were NOT nutritous, medicine not taken regularly and the dust balls gathered in the darken corners of the house. I was in my comfort zone, comfortably comfortable in my comfort zone. Sunday, Lisa, my sister, flew home. Time to revisit all the things that were waiting for me, it is not like my regular job that if I am out, all is taken care of, no, it is like my house, one day off and it looks like a tornado flew threw it. You can only imagine what 3 weeks of RELAXING will do to a house and a houses schedule. Sunday night I sit down and look at my music, searched the internet, browsed through Itunes, and various other sites, still didn't feel the urgency so I put the computer aside.
I woke up Monday morning and was ready to put back on my commander-n-chief pants and make a difference. I got my coffee and Cinnamon and Spice oatmeal opened my itunes and looked at the playlist that my husband complied for me. No don't feel that song, delete! but wait the WHOLE playlist is gone. I DELETED the whole playlist.
Deep Breathe! Start over, no more comfort zone, time to face the mess.

Warm Up

1.Gladiator (Techno Remix) 3:40
Theme discussed: Moving beyond your comfort zone, making yourself work harder, and accepting the challenge....

Work Out

2. Move Any Mountain (Progen'91) 3:25
Add tension enough that you feel like you are in the mudd, 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 clearly hard tension, stand up, pull those legs, breathe, breathe
3. Underneath (Original Mix) 5:10
Have a seat, keep pushing the tension, nice fluid pedal strokes, use the tension
4. This Love (Cut copy Galatic Beach House Mix) 7:21
Add a touch more tension, stand up climb the hill for 4 minutes then have a seat, pull the tension in the saddle, breathe, push, keep moving forward
5. Live It (Klass Remix) 6:01
Add tension to make it a running charge up the hill for one minute, decrease tension the next minute and have a seat, keep up the pace, this is a drill not a recovery, repeat. Breathe and move, Cue form and remind them of working passed their comfort zone
6. Let me Go (Extended Mix) 6:13
Add a lot of tension, slow the feet down, breathe, breathe, get the heart rate down, relax the mind, relax the upper body, concentrate on your pedal stroke, Slow cadence, kick forward over the top, push down, wipe back and pull up, get yourself into a rhthym blow out every time you pull your right leg up, or whatever works for you,
7. Struggle For Pleasure 3:51
Release the tension, fast flat road, 30 second accerleration, 30 second rest
8. Faster Kill Pussycat (Club Mix) 7:59
one minute recovery get some water, one mAdd tension to make it a running charge up the hill for one minute, decrease tension the next minute and have a seat, keep up the pace, this is a drill not a recovery, repeat. Breathe and move, Cue form and remind them of working passed their comfort zone
9. Going Wrong 8:18
75% of MHR sustain for 8 minutes, positive coaching, urge them forward, push through the comfort zone, expand the wall, make the comfort zone bigger

Spinning Tips - Learning

Learning it is something that we did as kids everyday without thinking about it. You went to school with your friends, and somewhere along the day, you picked up some new knowledge. I miss doing that. I believe that as people settle into their life and move day to day to day, you get stuck, you stop having fun, you stop learning, you stop paying attention to what you are doing or how you got there. How did you get to work today? Do you remember the drive? I have been trying to be more present to my situations and learn more by doing so, if we just sit back and observe, we will absorb something, at least that is my theory. I have been trying to learn more and more about the human body and cycling. I am concentrating on learning about how you burn calories and how to do so effectively. If you want to lose weight, you need to move more and eat less, that is it. That is the one golden rule. Move more, eat less. But why? see the predicament? How can I teach people in my class to be more effective if I cannot explain to everyone exactly how the process works. That is what I am currently working on now.
I know that you burn calories in two different ways, sugar and fat. Sugar is usually burned first because it is readily available and it goes quickly, fat is burned second and it can sustain you longer. It is my goal to convey this into (easy to remember) basics that will help me and hopefully help you.

Today's ride " THE MONDAY" music picked by Steve Syers

1. Open your Eyes - Snow Patrol 5:41
Warm up at your flat road

2. Barely breathing - Duncan Sheik 4:15
Standing flat, increase tension so the legs slow down, pull the legs up, remember when you are standing the motion of your legs is up and down like a piston engine, Breathe get ready for a hard cardio set the next 4 songs

3. Sandstorm - Da Rude 3:47
Flat road tension, start as soon as the song does, 30 sec sprint, 30 rest, repeat Breathe the same all the way thru the song don't change your breathing just because your riding is accelerating and decreasing, keep the breathing steady, longer out than on the way in. Breathe breathe breathe!!

4. Zion - Fluke 4:33
Increase tension so you can stand enough to feel your pedal stroke all the way around. Standing fast jog, breathe. Bring the Heart rate down from the accelerations we just did above, keep a steady breathing, just concentrate on blowing out, you will naturally breathe in, just blow, blow, blow

5. Blood is Pumping Club Mix - Voodoo & Serano 7:43
One minute at a flat road, grab some water. Keep tension at your jogging/running tension. This is your hardest song today. 30 second out of the saddle fast run, 30 second in the saddle, repeat. AGAIN keep breathing the same!! Just give yourself 90 seconds to commit to this set and keep breathing after 90 seconds your body will readjust and figure out that what you are doing, just breathe, trust me you will make it

6. Lost(radio edit) - Sunlounger & Zara 3:27
Standing fast jog, like in number 5, breathe, you are almost there! Relax the neck and watch form here people are going to want to lean on those handle bars, positive coaching,! BREATHE!

7. Hotel California - Eagles 6:30
Decrease the tension a bit, grab some water, slow down the feet, bring the heart rate down to 70% or below, Breathe, this is your break song, you are about to have sweat continually pouring down your back, neck, arms, etc. After about 2 minutes and the class begins to start talking, this is perfect right where you want them, increase the tension to really slow the legs down, take nice slow deep breathes explain next song

8. The Wings - Gustavo Santaolalla 15:00 ( I mixed too versions together to achieve the 15 min time)
This is the 75% song, you object is to maintain, MAINTAIN 75% MHR for 15 minutes, you are comfortable and can talk but not without effort, it is a marathon song, not a sprint. Settle into the saddle, THINK about your form, how you feel right now. You are tired but not exhausted, tap into that energy in the room and use it, use the tension to push your feet into a fluid effortless movement around that pedal stroke. Never mind that is it 15 minute song (and one I never attempted before) your goal is to relax the upper body, tap into your mind strength, breathe, breath is your fuel, control it, use it, let it drive you. This is where you change your body, change your metabolism, grow your aerobic endurance, help save your life. Breathe

9. Hurt - Christina Aguilera 4:04
You are home, take some tension off, sit up straight, Drink, Breathe, congratulate yourself for a great ride, YOU DID IT! You made it, Stretches

10. Superman - Five for Fighting 3:45
More stretching and heart rate check for those not wearing monitors, hopefully you will get one soon!

Keep breathing and learning, I will try to do the same.
Thanks for reading

Spin Routine - Race Day

Race Day
Sympathy for the Devil Rolling Stones 6:28
Warm up set the stage for a "race" day, heart rate should be between 75% to 90% the whole ride, this is NOT something I would do on a regular basis. It is a RACE! Push yourself to get past your barriers and maintain that high heart rate, you WILL be tired at the end of today's ride

The Race - Yello 3:16
Classic fast road song. Tension is light but enough to feel, what I call your "flat road" be able to feel the tension all around the pedal stroke, do not bounce in your seat. Start with small accelerations 15 secs, 30 secs, 45 secs, in the saddle flat feet, with a "flat road" in between sets

Don't stop the Music- Rhinna 4:27
Add a bit of tension to bring the heart rate to 80% MHR, stand up, first minute is a fast jog, then the last 3:30 minutes are 30 sec accelerations out of the saddle with a 30 second recovery in the saddle. These should be VERY VERY challenging, you heart rate will jump but don't let it get over 90%, BREATHE, BREATHE, BREATHE!!! This should be one of the hardest songs in the day, imagine it is the beginning of the race and you are shooting out of the blocks, GET YOUR LEAD!

All Summer Long- Kid Rock 4:55
Fast flat road, remove the bit of tension you added in the last song, grab some water and keep on moving, fast fluid pedal strokes keep and hold the heart rate at 80%- 85% this should be a challenge, it is faster than you like and a bit uncomfortable, BREATHE, BREATHE!!! We are in the pack and moving forward

I Hate This Part - The Pussycat Dolls(remix) 8:18
Slow down the pace, breathe, get your heart rate to 75% and concentrate on the perfect pedal stroke. Kick the heel forward over the top of the pedal, wipe the floor back at the bottom of the pedal and pull it up, repeat, left, right, etc. Gradually add small amounts of tension throughout the song, every 1 minute or so to maintain 75% MHR, do not go below, keep the pace!

Samb-Adaigo - Safri Duo 5:58
Stand up on the bike maintain and check HR nice fast jog for 1:00minute, start at 38 seconds into the song at 1:38seconds the song goes soft and picks up again at 2:03, use this break in the song for a water station, let everyone get some water have a quick seat and get ready to run until the song ends.

The Way You Move - Outkast 3:55
Add a bumb in tension seated ride again concentrate on pedal movement, HR will be at 80%, Breathe and move, let the tension push your feel, push and pull, concentrate on the pull. At this point a team passes us and we have to keep moving to just see their last rider round the bend in front of our first rider.

Move Any Mountain - The Shamen 3:25
Remove that bit in tension, stand up fast jog for the whole song, BREATHE,
Breathe is fuel, don't lose control we are almost at the end, KEEP MOVING
Don't give up this is a race and we are only as strong as our weakest link, Life is a marathon not a sprint, KEEP MOVING

Unwritten(Johnny Vicious Club Mix) - Natasha Bedingfield 9:55
Last song of the class, our last pack effort to settle in the saddle and get ready to find the team that passed us and retake our lead!!!
Take the first minute of the song to have a water break and get everyone to breathe, long and loud, blow out longer than it takes to breathe in! Make it worth it, your tension is a at your flat road and you need to push yourself maintain a HR of 80-85%, we are RACING Today! Keep moving, cue speed, FORM, and "positive coaching" all the way to the end. "If you give what you always give you will get what you always get, make this class count today!!"

Feeling Alright - Joe Cocker 4:15
Cool down
You won! Sit up and Breathe Loosen up those legs, slow your breathing, enjoy the riders high!
Make sure that everyone stretches and doesn't get off the bike until their HRs are at 120 or below, please have everyone eat a bit of sugar to replace the reserves we just depleted, and of course eat some protein! Have a great ride and take it easy today! Please have everyone do some sort of exercise the day following this ride to fight against soreness, take that dog for a nice walk!

Spinning Tip - Version of Yourself

My mom died on Wednesday 05/20/2009 at 76 years of age. I am still not up and moving at 100%. I was talking to my husband a few days ago as he sat on the computer, barely glancing up at me " Something is off" I said. " I just don't feel right, something is wrong" I had already been home for 4 to 5 days from my looonnnngggg trip to Chicago and things were starting to fall into their everyday routines. I was moving around the kitchen getting dinner ready, unloading the dishwasher, listening to my music (always trying to find my next mix) and it just didn't feel right. " Something just doesn't feel right" I said again. My husband stopped working, looked up at me like I had a chicken on my head and said "Let's see, your mom just died, you made a decision regarding fostering of children, summer is here, your husband is working on running his own business, your worried about your sister, your sister may be coming down for a few weeks and Oh your mom just died." and then put his head down and went back to work. I guess he is right, it was right in front of me and I still can't get my head around it. I feel like I am underwater, moving through the motions but not quite being "there". I hate it. I hate not being present, I hate not being myself, one thing I AM NOT good at is faking it.
I have crossed over into another version of myself, every major life change has you re-adjust to the way you see things. This is my next chapter and I am very curious to where it will lead me. So forgive me for not posting a ride today, but I will as soon as I can.

Spin Routine - Keep Moving Forward

Thursday a new day and time for me to teach cycle, didn't know who would be there, how many would show up or what to expect. It was hard to find the right goal, music, theme for this workout, but you have to KEEP MOVING FORWARD. Breathe, move and breathe, the inspiration will come, just keep searching my music and the song will hit me. It is different every time, old songs, new songs, a commercial, or a conversation that stirs a memory which connects with a song. I don't get a lot of input regarding my music, I would love any comments or suggestions for new songs, but I have to "feel" it. Some people would say that is wrong, the work out is not about me, it is about my students and what I can inspire them to do for those 60 minutes of the day that they are sharing with me. Believe me, I think about my students and my classes probably way more than I should and it does have a lot of input into my end result. I think about my class in the car, lying in my bed at night well you get the idea. Sometimes I have the whole play list worked out the night before, I am set, perfect. The next day I get up early before my usual 8am class, get out my laptop, sip my coffee and eat some oatmeal, then look at what I put together for the class. The front of the card has the songs with the length of them and the back usually has comments that I want to convey, something new I found that will hopefully touch someone and make a difference in their day. So I look at the play list and I don't "feel" it, so again I search through my music or surf the web at all my favorite blog sites and it never fails something hits me. Boom the whole thing changes, the goal is different. KEEP MOVING FORWARD, something will come.

Viva La Vida 4:04 Warm up ( love this song always reminds me of Michael Phelps doing butterfly)

Struggle for Pleasure 3:51 30 sec sprints, 30 second rest, this usually gets everyones attention and has them get rid of the sugar so we can concentrate on fat burning

Let it Rock 3:56 increase the tension, climb the stairs, watch form and breathe get the heart rate down, connect with your body remember why you are here

Memory 6:16 running light tension 45sec run, 15 sec walk get the hr up to about 85%-90%

U + UR Hand 6:40 in the saddle first 90seconds are a recovery, breath get the HR down to 70-80% add tension, breathe, slow long hill

Hotel California 6:30 continue with hill maintain HR try to stay below 80% to burn fat, if they can sing they are right where you want them to be

Monotune 9:03 easy up on the tension increase your pace for one minute HR is going to go up again don't let it pass 85%, two minute flat road to recover and repeat. Given the goal of the class, you could add jumps into these intervals, last hard cardio push

Toxic 8:50 last working song maintain 75% HR for full 8 minutes, concentrate,refocus, let the sweat pour out of you

The Living Years 5:33 cool down and stretches

Have a great day and no matter what KEEP MOVING FORWARD

Spinning Tips - Find "it" on the Bike.

It was over 90 minutes of riding on the bike when I hit my "zen" place. I was covered in sweat with it dripping down my already drenched back, running into my eyes so much so that I couldn't keep them open for more than a minute. My heart rate was at 77% MHR and I was in heaven, my feet were pushing forward to the techno beat blasting through the speakers. I grabbed the towel from my already soaked handle bars wiped my eyes and looked up to see the riders in my class. And I saw it ....I saw that a few of them "got IT" they were in their "zen" place. A place where you are yourself, no one else... no responsibilities, no rules, no negativity.. where you are athletic and untouchable. It is one of the best places in the world and if I could help someone else get there even for just one moment, it has been a great day, it WAS a great ride. I LOVE MONDAYS!! ( I taught two 60 min cycle classes back to back)

Here was the playlist that I used

Total time 55:11

Warm up
1. Today is Tomorrow(radio version) 3:31

Tell them the goal for the workout, the first 20+ minutes you are working in your anaerobic zone to work off all the sugar, then we will work in our fat burning zone to teach your body to burn fat

2. We will Rock You Queen 2:03 ( I edited the song and only used the first 2 minutes)

Had them sit up straight added more tension and breathe get the heart rate up in the saddle MHR 60-70%

3. This is What You Need (Martin Accorsi Remix) Nick Terranove & Austin Leeds 5:54

Medium to light tension Fast flat road "race pace" for 1 minute, 30 seconds recover keep breathing the same repeat MHR 75-85%

4. This Time (Klaas Remix) DJ Antoine 6:23

Standing Run Medium Tension enough where you can feel it on the push and pull, 2 minute run, 30 sec rest, 3 min run, 1 min rest MHR 80-90%

5. Anything is Possible (Tunnel Trance Force Full Length) ACCUFACE 6:29

Flat road Medium to light tension 2 min "race pace", 1 min rest, 1 min "race pace", 30 sec rest, 30 sprints, 30 sec rest until end of song MHR 75-90%

6. Blue Jeans Jessie James 3:55
Medium to Heavy tension standing climb MHR 60-70% Into fat burning zone, consistent breathing, have them visualize their body dumping fat cells into their blood stream

7. Somekind of wonderful 3:27
Heavy climb in the saddle, cue breathing keep MHR between 70-80%

8. Mama Genesis 6:46
Start at medium tension maintain same HR for entire song MHR 70-75% increase tension at 1min, decrease next min, increase at third min, etc. Cue breathing "make your body use FAT for fuel, keep yourself in your fat burning zone"

9. How Far We've come Matchbox Twenty 3:31
One more high power song so you can settle into the next one. Medium tension increase pace on chorus of song MHR 75-80%

10. Lost (Aly & Fila Remix) 8:28 Sunlounger Feat Zara

Medium tension, you feel like you are riding through pebbles, maintain your pace for 7 minutes at MHR of 70-75%, build your energy for the day

11. Don't Worry, Be Happy Bobby McFerrin 4:52

Cool Down and Stretches

Have a great week, I hope you find your "Zen" place at least once these next few days.

Spin Music - Pyramid Playlist

Pyramid playlist

My sons are very athletic and work out hard every day practically. On a ride home from practice, they explained the work out that they just finished, it was exhausting for them. I found my inspiration, sometimes it comes to you at the most unusual times, it could be a song on the radio, a quote that you read, a thought that just doesn't leave your mind, a conversation that is overheard at work, you always have to have your mind open to new ideas, new ways of training. If you are the instructor it is your "job" to find what inspires you and let that inspire others, it is a constant journey, one that I have just started to enjoy. My son explained that his workout consisted of a pyramid type journey, you work your way up and then back down, simple but exhausting....... that is the object here to exhaust yourself, so this was not my first class but one that I thought I would share.

Warm up Total time 58:47 minutes
1. You get what you give(don't think that is the name of the song) - The new Radicals 5:03
explain the pyramid and the goal for each interval, the goal for the workout
2. Sandstorm - Da Rude 3:46
sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds and repeat until end of song
as with all fast flat roads, MHR 85%- 90% or RPE of 8 or 9 out of a 10
do not bounce in your seat, push all the back in the saddle, feet flat, breathe and watch your
HRM and form
3. Untouched - Veronicas 4:14
Standing with medium tension MHR at 80% or RPE of 7 or 8 , "running" for 1 min then
'jogging' standing to recover for 30 seconds, repeat
4. Wonderful (Dave Aude's Nu Romantic Mixshow) - Annie Lennox 5:32
Medium tension MHR at 75% or RPE of 6 for 5 minutes straight in the saddle
you can always increase or decrease these time frames depending on your class
5. Fighter - Christina Aguilera 4:06
Heavy tension in the saddle MHR at 70% or RPE of 5-6
6. Zion - Fluke 4:33
Hover stance ( standing, hands at three, weight in your legs and butt, "hover" over your
saddle, stomach pulled in, this is about FORM not speed) MHR at 60% or RPE of 5
7. Throb Megamix - Janet Jackson/Madonna 4:40
"Jumps" for one minute, recover one minute repeat ( Jumps are also called "speed bumps")
MHR to 80% or RPE of 8 on excertion points (TOP OF PYRAMID now reverse it)
8. Hey Ya - Outkast 3:57
Hover stance (refer to number 6)
9. Best of You - Foo Fighters 4:16
Heavy Tension (refer to number 5)
10. A Little Less Conversation(JXL Remix) - Elvis Presley 6:22
Medium tension MHR 75% in the saddle ( refer to number 4)
11. La Grange - ZZ top 3:34
Running (refer to number 3)
12. Move Your Ass - Scooter 3:52
Sprint (refer to number 2)
13. Fade Into you - Mazzy Star 4:56 Cool Down and stretches

Enjoy!

Spinning Tip - Teaching The First Time

Butterflies in my stomach, or rather a knot.... why did I say yes, what is wrong with me? I got on my bike, trusted letter "p" adjusted the handle bars, the seat, made sure I had water. I got off my bike went and turned on my ipod after figuring out how to exactly set it up, put the batteries in the microphone, turned the fans on low, turned the lights off. Now I am ready, now I climb onto my bike and clip in my shoes, the music starts and off we go....
That was teaching my first spin class, it was on a Monday in November of 2007, I can hear my first song in my head "days go by" by Dirty Vegas. I have taught many a class since then and feel that I have grown into the role as well as changed the way I ride now. It is more of an experience and a place that I can be myself.