Y’all have heard me sing the praises of Cadence Revolution as a great way to get pre-mixed playlists for my Spinning classes.  While it has been a while since I used them, mostly because I am in the middle of my maternity leave, I still like checking out their mixes and finding new musical inspirations from their site.  This week, they began offering “the workout” — a very loose profile based on exertion levels — to accompany their mixes.  What a great way to cut down prep time even further for busy instructors who need to put it all together fast!  The workout provides very general cues, which can be taken as good or bad, depending on how much hand-holding you need.  If you are looking for a pre-choreographed, just-read-the-script kind of ride, this isn’t it, but if you just like some easy suggestions that you can take in any direction you see fit, then I think you’ll really like this new feature.   So, take a look at their latest release and see what you think! 

GroupFitPower has been honored to share the insights of a very talented and very successful fitness blogger and presenter with you in the past.  She has provided a wealth of advice to us and we are thankful she let us pick her brain for this interview.  Many thanks to Biray for taking time to answer some questions about who she is and what she does! (more…)

Here is another outstanding contribution from Biray Alsac on a topic of great personal interest to me!  Music plays a very large role in how our classes are received, so I know you will appreciate this great info from Biray!

Music Outside the JukeBox!
By Biray Alsac

It’s no secret – music can make or break any group fitness class. Without good tunes, members may tune out (or listen to their iPod while exercising to their own beat). So, instructors are always looking for new songs (or remix of old songs) that continue to engage and motivate participants.

With websites like iTunes, Napster and Pandora (a site that recommends new music based on songs you already like), there are endless opportunities to discover new material. But sometimes we don’t have time to search for new music or find different resources on the web. Read below to learn new ways to create your perfect soundtrack for class.

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If you live in the New York Area and are interested in attending a conference this fall, the folks at Town Sports International are hosting the TSI Summit the weekend of October 10 & 11.  I used to work for TSI, which owns NYSC, and I attended the Summit as an NYSC employee.  It was a great learning experience and they had an excellent array of sessions.  Although I haven’t been to a Summit in 5 years, I would still recommend it based on my previous experience.  They’ll be offering opportunities to earn CEU’s for ACE, ACSM, AFAA, NASM, NCSF, NFPT, NSCA, and W.I.T.S. as well as Spinning^® star points.  Check out their website for registration and to see who’ll be speaking and what workshops are available: Summit 08.

I wanted to share with you an invitation I just received to ECA/THRIVE! 2008 Fitness, Sports Training and Wellness Conference.  It is being held November 13 – 16, 2008 at the Miami Resort and Spa Hotel in Miami Beach, FL.  If things go according to plan, I will be in labor that weekend, so it is a no-go for me, but I want to let you know that it looks like it is going to be a great event. 

There are opportunities to get certified in Spinning, Stott Pilates. Some of my favorite presenters will be there sharing their knowledge:  Joshua Taylor is a Master Instructor for the Spinning program and a professional cyclist.  He is hands down the most exciting man from whom you can take a Spinning Workshop, IMHO.   Len Kravitz blew my mind the first time I heard him speak.  He is an expert in Fitness Science and will teach you more than you imagined about how the body works and how exercise changes the body.  Everyone has heard of Petra Kolber.  She is a staple in the Group Fitness world, as are Patrick Goudeau and Rob Glick.  There are others with outstanding resumes who will be presenting and the class line-up looks like a must-go.  If only I could!

If you are interested in checking out ECA/THRIVE! in Miami, you should visit the ECA World Fitness website:  http://www.ecaworldfitness.com.

This morning in Spinning class, I did a lot of harping about sprints.  We didn’t do that many, only two, but I had some new folks and wanted to get the point across.   Basically, we were doing the Pace Line Ride, and the concept of “pulling the line” seemed to be lost to a few who thought they were supposed to pedal fast and furiously instead of going HARD.    My first sprint description came as I needed them to focus on a heavy resistance as they pulled their team members.  The second came as we were actually doing a sprint to the finish.  However, the mechanics and the reasoning are the same, and I’m going to share the basics with you now.

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I just came across this excellent file which provides a side-by-side comparison of six certification options: Fitness Resource Associates (FRA), National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA), American Council on
Exercise (ACE), Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).  This document is a great resource if you are struggling to determine where to go to get certified to teach group fitness.  It is just a reference, and does not include every certifying body available.   But it is a great way to see you major choices in an easy to read format.  Bonus if you live in the Boston area — it includes reference to when these companies are offering workshops in your area! 

http://www.ultimatebootcamp.com/static/contact/UBC_certification_review.pdf

The Tour de France is here!  If you are looking for a great way to add some spirit to your summer classes, the tour is a great way to do it.  Today, we’ll take a look at several resources available that will help you bring the Tour to your classes.

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A recent news story about a cancelled American Airlines flight provides an excellent example of how NOT to conduct Customer Service.  While I empathize with the crew and can completely understand the outrage of the passengers, the situation was not handled very professionally, in my opinion.  While the story might be aggravating, reading it reminded me how important customer service skills are to Group Fitness Instructors.  In this post, we’ll examine how we might better mitigate student complaints and help everyone win.

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If you haven’t checked it out already, AFAA APEX’s weekend for this fall has been announced.  This year, it will happen September 19-21.  You can’t find a better deal on a group fit certification , so it is worth it to take a peek:  http://www.afaaapex.com.

And once you get registered, don’t forget to check out the guide to surviving the Primary Group Cert process! 

1. http://groupfitpower.com/blog/2007/09/25/steps-to-getting-afaa-certified/
2. http://groupfitpower.com/blog/2007/09/26/steps-to-getting-afaa-certified-post-2/
3. http://groupfitpower.com/blog/2007/09/27/steps-to-getting-afaa-certified-post-3/
4. http://groupfitpower.com/blog/2007/10/29/steps-to-getting-afaa-certified-post-4-the-practical-exam/
5. http://groupfitpower.com/blog/2007/10/30/steps-to-getting-afaa-certified-post-5-practical-exam-part-ii/