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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I am really hard to impress.  At least, when it comes to buying stuff.  I have what my grandma calls the blood of a “Scotch-Irish Indian” which accounts for all or most of my penny-pinching, value-searching, non-impulse-buying characteristics.  I’m a tough sell, and for good reason — I worked hard for this money and I’m not a fool to be soon parted with it!

That said, when I find a product that I find particularly valuable or that is money well-spent, I enjoy sharing it with the friends I think can benefit from it.   That’s why I want to tell you about a program I joined just before Christmas 2007, called iTRAIN.  iTRAIN is an excellent place to download workouts to your iPod/mp3 Player for use on traditional cardio equipment or in the weight room.  At first, I was skeptical of the concept.  I mean, I am a Fitness Instructor for goodness’ sake.  I can do this stuff on my own, right?  However, I went for it and have gotten several benefits from using the program.
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Who doesn’t love free stuf?  Here, I have amassed a collection of music freebies, from streaming music, to free mp3 downloads, to other cool tools you can use.  Happy surfing!

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I know it’s quite en vogue these days to be “Anti-Valentine’s Day” and that trashing one of the most benign holidays left in our culture is the way to go.  However, I offer you a challenge.  Whether you have someone special to honor with a romantic sentiment, or you accuse Hallmark of hijacking the day, I challenge you all to find a way to share the love with someone who doesn’t have it as good as you do. 

Last night I had the privilege of getting on board with a fundraiser that will raise money for Pattison’s Academy.  The kids at Pattison’s Academy have multiple disabilities that make it nearly impossible for them to have a quality of life you and I would find bearable.  Their families struggle daily with their care needs, and schools (namely here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina where I live) do not have adequate facilities or staff to provide the therapy and learning opportunities they need.  I have pledged my time and money to support a 4-hr Spinning Marathon to benefit this very deserving group of kids and the people who care enough to give them a better life. 

 Today, on the day dedicated to showing others how much you love them, I encourage you to find someone who needs your love and share it with them.  Even if you are anti-Valentine, there is someone out there who could use your hug, your smile, or your presence today.  You could make a donation to a cause that improves the lives of others, or take some time to be with the infirmed, the elderly or the lonely.  It doesn’t have to be grandiose — every small act of kindness has larger effects than we realize.  Don’t hold back on sharing the love!

 Happy Valentine’s Day!

If you are looking for a way to end the need for watching the clock during a Circuit Training or Intervals class, or if you just want fun sound effects to signal the next exercise, you might enjoy this tip.  For this tip to work, you must be able to play both a CD and iPod over the speakers at the same time.  If you can only hear from one at a time it won’t work.  If you can, read on….

Basically, I made tracks that are silent, except for ending with a bell that sounds like the end of a boxing round.  They are 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 minutes long.  I make a playlist based on how I want my Circuit workout to go.    For example, I want do to 10 rounds of 3 minutes of cardio and 2 minutes of a resistance exercise so I use the 3-min and 2-min sound effects alternately in the playlist, for as many rounds as I need.  Then, I copy it to my iPod.

 During class, when it is time for the first interval to begin, I start the playlist.  Every pre-determined time interval will be signalled by a nice “Ding Ding Ding.”  It is fun!  It takes a little bit of manipulation because you have to make sure you can hear the sound effect over your music, but once you’ve got it, you don’t even have to think!  All of your energy can go into the workout or the coaching.

If you want to give it a try, here are the sound effects.

If you are like me and promise yourself on a regular basis that you will wake up earlier to get more done, but just can’t seem to shake the habit of staying in bed until the last minute, this tip is for you.  Granted, the usefulness of the tip has limited shelf life:  Today is Friday, November 2 and tomorrow night we’ll set our clocks back one hour in honor of Daylight Savings time.  Of course, you can mimic your own version of Daylight Savings time any day of the year.  However, if you are reading this on Friday or Saturday, here’s the tip:  DON’T CHANGE YOUR CLOCK.  That’s right.  If you keep operating on your current schedule, you will naturally and normally wake up one hour earlier than the rest of the DST-honoring world.    On Sunday morning, with your clock unchanged you will wake up when your clock says it is your usual wake up time.  For me, this is 5:30 am.  However, the actual time of day will be 4:30 am, and after doing my usual morning routine, I will have that one extra hour I have been desperate to obtain.  An extra hour to give my dog a bit more exercise, to start the day with prayer and meditation, to get myself organized instead of scrambling to cover my bases throughout the day…. 

Try it yourself.  See if it helps you get up earlier and get more done.  If you are reading this and missed daylight savings time, you can try to fake it by setting your clocks one hour ahead and operating on that time.  I have trouble with this one, because I can’t outsmart myself.  With the DST trick, I keep going on my natural rhythm, so I don’t anticipate needing to talk myself into the correct time.

Good luck!  Happy early rising!

If you have ever tried and failed to get your heartrate monitor to work with your underwire bra, I have the answer.  Yes, even while working out, I like to lift and separate, so I wear underwire under my sports bra for a more feminine look.  However, the wire prevents my heart rate monitor from picking up the signal of my chest strap.   So…..  I scooted the chest strap around, and moved the sensor to my back.   The signal is back to perfect.   It doesn’t stay up quite as well, so you’ll have to tighten and tuck to get it to stay.

Hope that solves a dilema for you as well!

I recently joined an excellent group, and I wanted to share the site with you.  If you haven’t checked them out already, they are well worth the visit.  It is an amazing community of indoor cyclists from all over who generously share inspiration, playlists, rides, advice, personal stories and more.  After 2 minutes of reading the forums, I am bursting at the seams with new ideas and thoughts about how I am can improve my classes.   I can’t wait for you to try them:

Pedal-On.com, The Independent Voice of the Indoor Cycling Community

Have a great weekend.