This ride was inspired by one of several Add-it-On rides on Pedal-on. It’s pretty much all-terrain, but it doesn’t feel like it is all over the place. This ride has a simple structure that allow a variety of heart rates, so it’s fun, and helps the time go by quickly. Here is the gist: The whole ride is broken down into 1 minute segments. We start off with a full circuit of segments (minus one) and explore nearly all of the positions and movements in Spinning. Then, each time we repeat the circuit, we take off one of the movements until we finish. Then, we repeat the circuit, adding the movements back one at a time until we finish. Simple, fun, challenging — just what you want from Spinning! There are also many coachable moments within this style of ride, so help your students treat each new minute of movement as its own opportunity for growth and strength. Here come the goodies:
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Getting back on the bike after my maternity hiatus has been an amazing learning experience for me. I have not worked my way into a permanent class slot, so all of my practicing and tweaking has been just for me. But the new insights I’ve gained into my own body and how I’m feeling and functioning right now are only going to improve the quality of the classes I will be teaching in the future, no doubt.

In that light, I’d like to present another Endurance Profile for you to digest this week. I call it the “Know Thyself” ride, because it is meant to allow your riders to explore what is happening within themselves while Spinning. This ride will keep the heart rate under 80% for the entire duration. Naturally, if you have riders who need to top this heart rate, the ride can be easily modified for their needs without sacrificing the experience for your other students.
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I love endurance profiles.  Maybe it’s because I am one of those people who has to do things in an organized, step-by-step fashion;  I really appreciate the value and necessity of building blocks.  Endurance rides are just that and so I teach them often.

Today’s profile is just as the title implies:  The simplest endurance profile ever created.  Here are the steps:
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Today’s profile is heavily influenced by a ride I took at Florida MANIA.  It was called “Ultimate Time Trial” and it was presented by Schwinn Cycling Master Trainer Keli Roberts.   Keli is an avid road racer and had a great deal of personal detail to share with us about racing and time trialing.  It was very inspiring to be taught the technique of racing by a rider who has won road races.  Not only that, but Keli is an absolutely charming lady with great coaching ability and a constant smile.  Even at the high point of the race, she was glowing and cheering us on.  Quite motivating.

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This Intervals ride was used as part of the lesson plan I described in an earlier post, 3 Weeks of Intervals.  It is the first ride in a series of increasingly difficult Intervals rides that were designed to get my group into some harder Strength Rides.

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Our Profile today isan all-terrain ride, meaning hearts will be  all over the map.   This profile should not be used for classes of novice participants. It is designed to challenge folks with an established and well-developed aerobic base. Because it is highly challenging, pay close attention to your students and give them opportunities to rest or bow out if needed. You should also rest or perform only a recovery workout the day after to prevent injuries or overtraining. Having said that, this really is an exciting and energetic ride that will get your class jumping, literally. We are going to focus on developing our technique and strengthening our heart and leg muscles. This is also a great way to spot any inconsistencies or dead spots in your pedalling technique. During this ride, expect to learn a lot about your body, elevate your heart rate to the top of your zone, and to sweat profusely. Ready? Set? Go!

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