Cycle 1-15-11

I cannot possibly describe the feeling I had yesterday morning in my cycle class.  There was such an incredible positive energy in the room and everyone was ready to work as hard as they could.  We laughed, we sweat and we had a great workout!  Thanks everyone for your consistent hard work and for making it such a pleasure for me to "coach" you!!

I would have to say, that yesterday was one of my favorite classes that I have ever taught - and that is saying a lot considering I have taught hundreds of classes over the years.

Warm Up
My Life on the Crazy Train mashup - Best of Bootie 2009

Running Flats
Higher - Taio Cruz

Hills
Hey Hey Hey - Michael Franti

Running Hills - more resistance, quicker pace.
Down and Out - Tantric

Running Flats
Good Girls Burn Miami - Best of Bootie 2009

Hills
Billie Jean on the Storm mashup - Amaraboy

Hills - increase the resistance, keep a consistent pace in and out of the saddle.
My Body - Young the Giant

Hills
We R Who We Are - Ke$sha

Climb
Hello Good Morning - P Diddy

Sprints
Something in your Mouth - Nickelback

Climb
Dream On - Aerosmith

Climb
Nothin' on You - Bruno Mars

Running Hills
Laid - James

Cool Down
PDA - John Legend

A few points of Spinning Etiquette

Yesterday, upstate New York experienced it's first big snow storm of the year.  Throughout Tuesday night and Wednesday, we ended up getting about 14 inches!  My 5:30am class ended up being cancelled because it would be too dangerous for me to drive in (even though I live right down the road) and there probably wouldn't be very many participants anyhow.

The good news is that I was asked to cover the class right after mine, so I got to teach twice anyhow!  It was fun teaching for 2 hours in a row and I even had a couple of people stay through the whole thing (including my awesome husband).

When I teach/coach a class, I tend to put every once of energy and heart I have into it.  I am very passionate about keeping people motivated, safe and happy.  I try to stay positive and encourage them to do their own personal best on the bike.  I was a bit thrown off last night (which rarely happens) because of weird behavior.  So, here are my personal "do's" and "don't" while in class.  You may disagree, but this is just one instructors perspective and I know some participants rarely think about us having feelings, but we do ; ) 

DO show up to class on time.
DO show up early if it is you are new to spinning/cycling.
DO bring water and a towel.
DO come to class ready to work hard.
DO believe in yourself and your strength.
DO try to listen to the instructor to help you with form, etc.
DO have fun!
DO feel free to shout, whoop it up, clap, do what YOU have to do to keep it fun.
DO ask questions before or after class if you need to
DO bring a friend
DO suggest songs - I always take requests!!
DO tell me if my microphone is too loud - it is hard to tell when its on my head ; )
DO feel extremely proud of yourself for completing a tough class
DO thank yourself for being able to take this time for yourself

DO NOT talk loudly with your neighbor for the entire 60 minutes.  I know we are all friends, and it is cool to chit chat, but be considerate of others.
DO NOT pedal as fast as you can with no resistance for 60 minutes.  We design our rides with hills, flats and mountains for a specific reason and to keep you healthy.
DO NOT try to compete with anyone.  You are there for your OWN health and the only competition in the room is within yourself.
DO NOT use your cell phone while in class.  I understand if there is an emergency, so please excuse yourself to use your phone.  Again, it can bother others in the room when they are trying to focus.
DO NOT feel badly if you cannot "keep up" with me, or anyone else.  You are doing the best that YOU can!
DO NOT give up!  You are stronger than you think and it will get a bit easier with time : )

Phew, now that I got that out of the way, here is my ride from last night (6:30pm class was a repeat of 1/5/11).

Warm Up
My Life on the Crazy Train - mashup, Best of Bootie 2010

Hills
Hey Hey Hey - Michael Franti

Climb
Down and Out - Tantric

Running Flats
Good Girls Burn Miami - Best of Bootie 2009

Climb
Billie Jean on the Storm - Amoraboy

Hills
My Body -Young the Giant

Hills
Only Prettier - Miranda Lambert (my husband hates this song, he,he)

Flats
We R Who We R - Ke$ha

Hills
Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

Sprints
Something in Your Mouth - Nickelback

Climb
Dream On - Aerosmith

Climb
Nothin on You - Bruno Mars

Running Hills
Laid - James

Cool Down
PDA - John Legend

Cycle 1-10-11, 5:30pm

I had another packed class last night and it just felt so good!  It is always nice to see familiar faces in the crowd smiling back at me (or giving me the death glare), but it is also nice having some new people join us.  The owners promised that we would have more air flow and ventilation installed last night, so hopefully, that was our last class of cycling in a super hot room.  Now if they could just get the dimmer on the lights.....

Warm Up
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

Standing/Seated Flats - 90-110rpm, 80-85%mhr. 
Stereo Love (Scotty Remix) - Edward Maya & Vika

Climb - 65rpm, 85%mhr, lots of resistance in and out of the saddle.
Sound of Madness - Shinedown

Running Hills - 80-90rpm, moderate resistance in and out of the saddle with a consistent pace.
Tonight (I'm Lovin' You) - Enrique Iglasias (feat. Ludacris)

Standing/Seating Flats - 90-110rpm
Someone That You're With - Nickelback

Intervals - 40 seconds of fast work followed by 20-25 seconds of recovery (although the crowd didn't know that is what we were doing, he,he!).
Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas

Hills - 75-85rpm, 80-85%mhr.  3 little hills seated then standing
Ice Ice Tik Tok - Best of Bootie 2010

Endurance Flats - mostly seated, gradually increasing resistance every 30 seconds, then every 15 seconds for about 3 minutes.  Stand up at position "2" at the end.  Concentrate on a consistent pace.
Move for Me - Kaskade

Climb - 65rpm, 85-92%mhr, lots of resistance.  Lead with the heel, relax the upper body, push and pull on the pedals.
Power (clean version) - Kanye West

Climb
Moneytalks - AC/DC

Recovery/Flats
Memories - DAvid Guetta

Hills
Living in a Dream - Finger 11

Cycle 1-8-11 and 1-10-11 (5:30am)

Yes, I have repeated a playlist, but in my defense, there were not repeat participants to notice!  I had all new folks for both classes...phew!!

Warm Up
Start a Fire - Ryan Star

Running Flats - 90-110rpm, 80-85% mhr
Tonight (I'm Lovin' You) - Enrique Iglasias (feat. Ludacris)

Hills - 75-85rpm, 80-85%mhr
Not in Love - Crystal Castles

Climb - 65rmp, 85-92% mhr
Volume - Trevor Hall

Climb - both seated and standing in position "3", 65rpm, 85%mhr
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve

Running Hills - 85-95rpm, 85%mhr
The Sex is Good - Saving Abel

Running Flats - seated and standing. 90-110rpm, 85-92%mhr
Fasten Your Gorilla - Mashin Up the Party Vol 1, Dave Remix

Sprints - 85-92%mhr, 3 for 15 seconds a piece,  heavy resistance, slow cadence until it builds up to about 75rpm if you can!
Everybody Wants Some - Van Halen

Jumps/Jumps on a Hill - 4 count, 3 sets, about 80rpm, 75-80%mhr.  This is active recovery time after the sprints.
Bottoms Up - Trey Songz

Running Hills - 85-95rpm, 85-92%mhr
Rompe - Daddy Yankee

Running/Standing Flats - 90-110rpm, 80-85%mhr
Alright - Pitbull

Climb - standing and seated, super heavy resistance.  65rpm at the maximum.  85-92%mhr
Stylo - Gorillaz

Hills - 80-90rpm, 85-90%mhr
Call Me Uprising - CjR

Cool Down
Going to California - Led Zeppelin

Spin Class 1-5-11 (the quickie version)

Hello my happy little cyclists!  I hope you weren't biting your finger nails waiting for me to post my ride with you from last Wednesday.  Between getting over bronchitis and welcoming a new cold into my face/head, working a few different jobs and trying to get some laundry done, I have been slacking on my blog.

I am just going to post what we did and what song to save some time.  Please forgive me!

Warm Up
The Right Life - Seal

Hills
Oh My - Gin Wigmore

Running/Standing Flats
Evacuate the Dancefloor - Cascada

Climb
What's My Name - Rihanna

Jumps
Bottoms Up - Trey Songz

Running Hills
The Good Life - Three Days Grace

Climb
All of the Lights - Kanye West Feat. Rihanna

Running Flats
Hey Baby - Pitbull

Climb
Love-Hate-Sex-Pain - Godsmack

Intervals
Baby O'Riley - The Who

Sprints/Recovery
Enter Telephone - DJ's from Mars

Recovery/Hills
Circle the Drain - Katy Perry

Cool Down
Feels Like Tonight - Daughtry.

Core Revolution 1-4-11 and Cycle class at HRSF 1-5-11 (530am)

Phew...I have been teaching a lot in this new year, but I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warm Up
Airplanes (human jive remix) - Best of 2010 workout Mix

Running/Standing Flats - 90-110rpm, 80-85% mrh
All I Ever Wanted - Basshunter

Hills - gradually increase resistance when switching from "1" to "3"
Gold Girls Guns - Metric

Climb - super heavy resistance, 65-70rpm
Hells Bells - AC/DC

Jumps/Jumps on a Hill - small hill under the wheel, 4 count, 3 sets.
Rebel Rebel - David Bowie

Sprints on a hill- super heavy resistance, 3x, 15 seconds each.  85-92%mhr
Black Gloves - Goose

Recovery/Hills/Climb - 1 minute and 30 seconds of recovery time, then add on resistance and climb
If Today was Your Last Day - Nickelback

Running/Standing Flats - 90-110rpm, 85%mhr, gradually add in a little bit of resistance every 30 seconds.
Machines Can Do the Work - Fatboy Slim

Hills
Cameras - Matt & Kim (I looooooooooooove this song!)

Hills/Surges - Moderate hill with 30 second surges of speed both seated and standing
Hella Good - Gwen Stefani

Climb
A Little Bit of Rhythem - ???

Running Flats - 85%mhr, 90-110rpm
The Time - Black Eyed Peas

Running Hills
Need you Tonight - INXS

Cool Down
Stop for a Minute - Keane

I'm back baby!! Cycle class 1-3-10

Ahhh.....its like putting on a pair of your favorite comfy slippers.  High Rock Sports and Fitness (hrsfitness.com) is open for business and I taught my first class last night!  I used to work at the previous gym that took over that space, so I got lots of my regulars back and a few new faces last night.  While the management is still working out a few minor glitches, they have all the important things down perfectly.  The stereo and microphone worked really nicely, not to mention the beautiful new Live Strong bikes!!

Here is what we did:

Warm Up - light stretching, raising the heart rates, warming up muscles.  About 80-100 rpm, 65-85% mhr.
Cosmic Love - Florence and the Machine

Running Flats - seated and standing.  90-110rpm, 85% mhr.
Stereo Love (Scotty Remix) - Edward Maya and Vika

Hills - Gradually increasing resistance when we come out of the saddle. 
My Body - Young the Giant

Hills/Climb - starting on a moderate hill in the saddle.  Increasing to a mountain out of the saddle.  75-85rpm, 80-85% mhr.
Handlebars - Flobots

Climb - Heavier resistance, seated and standing.  65-75rpm, 85-92%mhr.
Crystalised - The XX

Sprints - 2, 15 second a piece.  Out to "3", super heavy resistance.  I used the last 1 minute and 30 seconds for recovery since the room was boiling hot at this point.
Enter Telephone - DJ's from Mars

Climb
Porn Star Dancing - My Darkest Days

Running Flats - 90-110rpm, 80-85% mhr
Will a G6 Roll - mashup (best of bootie 2010)

Hills
Dynamite Pressure - DJ Tripp remix

Running Hills - 85-92%mhr, 75-85rpm.  Plenty of resistance, in the saddle for the entire song, keeping the cadence consistent.
Shout - Disturbed

Climb
Hot Tottie - Usher

Jumps - in and out of the saddle, 8count
Push It - Salt n Peppa

Cool Down
Flightless Bird - Iron and Wine