The Profile

Giro Stage 10 Excel Spreadsheet

Giro Stage 10 PDF File

The Music

Here are the complete playlists, minus the songs that aren’t available from either vendor:

These aren’t on iTunes:

• 2. United State of Pop 2008* (click me)
• 9. DJ Earworm – Funky Goes to Hollywood (click me)

*: I had originally used a mashup that I can no longer locate! I have replaced it with a fun mix by DJ Earworm.

Here’s this week’s Step Choreography. We had a lot of fun with it, especially all the “down down up ups.” I threw in a funky kick move on top of the bench in Combo 2. If you’re not a fan of flair, then 2 marches can be substituted nicely. This is probably how you will layer anyway.

I also found several “Top 40 DJ Mixes” on Napster that we got to jam out to. I am a huge fan of Lady GaGa — she’s been played lots on the radio, but I haven’t gotten tired of her yet! She’s on Volume 10 of My Fitness Mixes Top 40 DJ Mix. It’s 30 minutes long, so I threw Volume 9 in there too. You guys are going to have a blast! JUST DANCE!

Here are the links and then the moves:

Music

Top 40 DJ Mix Vol 10

Napster

Top 40 DJ Mix Vol 9

Napster

Moves

Combo1

Turnstep A-Step x2 (16) (this moves you around the bench)
L-step (8)
Leg side corner-to-corner (8)

Combo 2

2 knee repeater (4)
March L-R on the floor, L-R on the bench (4)
4 alternating lunges L-R-L-R(8)
Kick the left foot across (count 1) kick the left foot to the left side (count 2) **this can be funky or functional — it’s up to you to have some fun!
Step down L-R (count 3 4)
Charleston (4)
Karate Knee (8)

Combo 3

Criss-Cross Repeater (8)
Mambo Cha-Cha x2 (8)
Basic 360 (4)
Over the top x2 (8)
Mamba (4)

• Total Workout: Ibiza Dance Mix – 30 Minute Non-Stop Fitness Music Mix. (130 – 134BPM)
  • 
  • Napster
• iSweat Fitness Music, Vol. 69: DJ Mixes
  • 
  • Napster
• iSweat Fitness Music, Vol. 74: More Madonna
  • 
  • Napster

Option Two:  Adjust the settings of your CD Burning software.  You’ll need to check the help files for the specific software that you are using.  These options may or may not be available depending on what program you are using to burn your disc.  I can already tell you that if you are using Windows Media Player you are stuck with those gaps, because these options don’t exist.  However, some software, such as Roxio CD Creator and Nero, allows you to modify your burn settings to get the results you want.  After you create your burn list, select your options or settings feature and look for the following:

1. “Disc-at-Once” – as opposed to “Track-at-once.”  All by itself, this setting won’t do anything about the gaps in your CD; but, Disc-at-Once recording is a prerequisite for being able to control the length of the gap (down to zero seconds).
2. “Length of Pre-Gap”/”Pause Between Songs”/etc — They all have a different name for it, but look for the setting that explicitly says “Remove the gap between songs” or allows you to set a pause length of zero seconds between songs.  This might be a setting that applies to the entire disc or to each individual song.  You’re going to have to hunt around in your help files to figure out what actual steps to take.

Even with these settings selected, you may still experience a brief hesitation or a click as the CD moves on to the next song.  It usually isn’t long enough to throw off your counting, but it may be just annoying enough to drive you to try the next choice…

Option Three:  Become a DJ with Audio Editing Software.  I have been using Sony Acid Music ($55), which is really intended for musicians.  With editing software, I can lay out tracks, add cross fade, match up beats, figure out the BPM of any song, add sound effects, and a number of other fun things!!  I don’t recommend Acid Music for you, unless you are a musician on the side and want to produce your own demo tapes.  Instead, there is DJ software available that does similiar things in a much more intuitive format.  Ones to shop around for include:  Sony CD Architect ($130), MixMeister Express ($50), or Free Audio DJ Mixer (Free).  Please note:  I have not used any of these titles and they don’t come with any explicit recommendation.  I only checked the features to get an idea that they would accomplish our goal — it’s your job to shop smart this time!!

As a fitness instructor, you are always looking for ways to spice up your next class to make it memorable for your participants. What a more perfect reason to add some themed music to your classes this week and weekend?  No, you don’t have to go crazy and further saturate their ears with notions of cupid and hearts and doilies, but you can give a nod to Hallmark’s greatest accomplishment. If you haven’t already put the finishing touches on your Valentine’s Playlist, check out these suggestions on iTunes and Napster.  There is something here for every style: warm ups, cool downs, step, sculpt, Pilates, yoga, Spinning, boot camp… These lists are not just for my cyclists! You’ll notice there are two separate lists since V-Day is sort of a love it or hate it kind of holiday.    Enjoy the music!

Valentine’s Songs for the Haters

 Play All on Napster
Play all on

Valentine’s Songs for the Lovers

Play All on Napster
Play all on

What I took away from her presentation and the ride was a new appreciate for time trials and how to structure a class around them.  After guiding us through the appropriate heart rate ranges and describing the race atmosphere to us, we were off on both an Individual Time Trial and then a Team Time Trial.  The profile here provides only an Individual Time Trial.   After a nice “long” warm-up (it’s about a third as long as a real racer would warm up, but we’ve got time constraints!), riders race against the clock, because that is what a time trial is.  In a time trial, racers start in intervals of :30, so it is just you, your bike and the road, fighting to get to the finish line with a faster time than all other riders.  Therefore, you ride at the peak of your aerobic zone for the length of the race, finally pushing over the AT at the very end.  It is intense, it is a huge challenge, and done right, it can be immensely fun.  It is basically a strength ride (SEZ), because you want to push 85% for the majority of the ride.  However, with the long warm up and big AT push at the end, it might be better classified as All-Terrain.  Whatever you call it, it is not for beginners, so make sure you’ve taken precautions and thoroughly trained your riders for this type of ride. 

I’ve put together a playlist and a ride structure that adapts what I learned from Kelli to my class and my rider’s abilities.  The ride itself is attached as a PDF here: individual-time-trials.  Download and Enjoy!

 Listen to the entire playlist:  

 Spinning: Individual Time Trial on Napster

Individual Song Links

So I admit it, I am a weak Step instructor.  How, then, does one explain why one of the more popular classes at one gym where I teach happens to be my Step class?  Is it possible to teach Step using the K.I.S.S. forumla and still keep die-hard Steppers satisfied?  I dare say it is.  Here are my secrets to satisfying all ends of the Step Spectrum.

Radio Play 

The most important element to my class is that I use a format called Radio Play.   If you aren’t familiar with the Radio Play concept, I invite you to check out what Kelli has to say about it over at FitClasses.com.  Basically, I load up my mp3 Player with hot songs from Napster with bpm of 125-140 and treat every song as a unique experience.  There is a natural break between songs where students can hydrate, refresh, and reload.  Every week I pick a new playlist.  Even if I repeat the more popular songs, there is always something fresh to play.

Keep It Super Simple! 

Every song has a unique feeling, and thus a unique set of moves that will flow with the song.  Some songs are heart-pumping, high-repetition drills, others are fun and dancey.  The best part is that there is practically no choreography.  I have taken out the element that frustrates both me and the novice participant and replaced it with simple, energizing moves that match the energy of the music.  Because the music and the moves flow together, everything feels more natural.  Occasionally,  I will work in moves that are more intricate by layering them up across two or three songs.  No confusion and no more walking out because they just couldn’t keep up.  By providing something for everyone, no one leaves disappointed.  Or dry.   We also eliminate the dreaded “holding pattern.” and we also do not hvae to slow down for demonstrations or practicing hard combos.  The non-stop action, which only pauses if the member chooses to rest between songs, provides the workout most steppers want.

Try it Yourself

To illustrate my concept, I am attaching a PDF file for my most recent Radio Play class and links to the playlist at Napster.  The “theme” is all Dance Remixes of fairly recent hits.  You’ll notice that the steps are very very very simple.  I infuse “flavor” into every move, which keeps it from being as dry and as dull as it appears on paper.  Work through the steps and add in extra difficulty or grooviness as your style and members demand.  I also recommend that you take the Workshop at FitClasses.  It is a great way to keep a popular and highly-effective Group Modality from further dividing your Steppers!

The whole playlist: 

Radio Step – Dance Remixes on Napster
Song By Song:

Thnks fr th Mmrs [Lenny B Long Term Memory] by Fall Out Boy
Don’t Stop The Music by Rihanna
Just Fine [Main] by Mary J. Blige
Beautiful Liar [Freemasons Club Remix] by Beyoncé and Shakira
Ain’t No Other Man [Junior Vasquez Radio Mix] by Christina Aguilera
Wait For You (Nevins Synth Club Mix) by Elliott Yamin
Since U Been Gone [Jason Nevins Club Mixshow] by Kelly Clarkson
Because Of You [Sunfreakz Radio Edit] by Ne-Yo
Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

Radio Step – Dance Remixes Choreography List

Have fun, and if you try it out, let me know how it goes!