Contraindicated moves: Keeping it real in indoor cycling classes
Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
To see the right and not to do it is cowardice. – Confucius
The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. – Walt West
Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable. – Franz Kafka
Do you see a pattern here? Every job, no matter how big or small can be done the right way, or the wrong way. Today, in support of my fellow blogger and Spinning Master Instructor Jennifer Sage, I am sharing with you the right way to teach an indoor cycling class.
Before we have this discussion, you should hop over to Jennifer’s blog and take a look at her posts on Contraindicated moves (CI moves), especially her latest: Just don’t do it in your indoor cycling classes! In addition to being one of the most respected and knowledgeable Master Instrctors at Spin Fitness, she is an avid road cyclist who owns her own bicycle touring company. She literally wrote the book on Keeping it Real in indoor cycling, so when she speaks up about the goofy stuff going on in classes these days, listen up!
Now, I’m not here to pass judgement on anyone who teaches their students CI moves, nor am I completely innocent of having included them in my classes the past. But I believe as Jennifer does that CI moves are hurting our students and hurting our indoor cycling programs. Students are being taught, through the introduction of CI moves, that they don’t need to take responsibilty for themselves or their workouts. They are being taught that it isn’t the quality of the workout that makes a difference in their health and wellness, it’s how much the instructor can make them hurt. And that is a shame.
I recognize that group fitness as a whole is suffering, and gyms are doing everything they can to keep participants in their classes. But I urge you as an instructor, if you are heavily loading your class with CI moves, especially like what Jennifer describes, please reconsider what you are doing. Not only are you putting your students at risk for injuries, you are failing to provide them with the true benefits of cycling. My mantra is, “If you wouldn’t do it on a road bike, don’t do it in Spinning class” and to that I would add, “no matter what they are doing on YouTube.” My students have always been appreciative of my ability to “Keep it Real” in Spinning class, and I know they will appreciate it from you too. And when they realize that you have empowered them to be stronger, fitter and faster, they will love you all the more!
Keep it real, guys!
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6 comments
Thank you soooo much Krista for posting this! Here’s to changing indoor cycling for the better, one instructor at a time!
Jennifer
Anything worth doing is worth doing right! I’m with you, Jennifer, and I know more instructors are out there thinking the same thing!
Thanks for picking up the torch on this! I hope a few minds can be changed. I know I’m trying at my gym. Thanks Krista and Jennifer!
I agree 110%. We’ve got to take a stand!
Good post. I hope those who really need to heed this advice read this info!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamen, Krista! Well said, as always.
The related phenomenon I’ve been thinking about a lot is my threshold for “intervening” when I witness something contraindicated — i.e., if I’m SUBBING a class, I wouldn’t necessarily make a huge stink out of a hand position 2.5 or a hamstring stretch on the seat (vs. the base). But now I AM, and I’m feeling less awkward about it. I can’t accept PART of a torch in the name of science and safety, after all. Failure to educate when opportunity presents may not technically be as culpable as including CI movements in training sessions — but it’s a HUGE part of the problem in perpetuating the presence of CI stuff in Spinning and other group ex classes, methinks.
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