The fast rolling road

This is a one-hour long mix that started off as something put together to help the time go by on the indoor trainer, where I like to keep a high cadence 90-110rpm if not training anything specific and just need to get the legs moving a bit. Since then, however, I've used in different ways and it's even useful for a time-trial effort. If you ride to the beat, it gradually picks up as you go along - if you don't want to increase intensity, you will have to change down gear at some point!

Profile

It's going to look a little something like this:

You can ride this in a number of ways:

1 - increase intensity as the ride progresses, similar to my last profile, the Energy Mountain; use the quickening rhythm of the music to guide you.

2 - a steady output all the way through (if riding to the beat, don't forget to change down)

3 - intensity rising to a crescendo, then descending back down.

4 - a bit of a warm-up, then flat out time-trial effort for 30-45mins before cooling down.

You can download the full hour-long mix here.  If you want a 45-minute version, start at  around the 15min mark to leave you a 6-min cool down.

Playlist

Aeternal - Paul Oakenfold
Deep Space - John Stanford
Awake to your senses - Tya
Heaven - Emer Kenny
Closer to madness - Jesse Cook
Supreme illusion (Nickodemus mix) - Intelligent Electron
Kiss Kiss - Holly Valance
La camisa negra - Juanes
Days go by - Dirty Vegas
New day - Allain Bougrain Dubourg & Arno Elias
Sun - Susnik Luna
Clubbed to death - Rob D
Shine - Aswad
Centre of the sun (Solarstone's chilled out mix) - Conjure One

Now ride the fast rolling road, without that annoying headwind!

Energy Mountain

It's been a while, so here's another of my favourite rides, inspired by Lou Atkinson and Mel Chambers at Hemsby Fitness Fiesta last year.

This is a 35-minute climb that's designed to start comfortably but with gradually increasing intensity and energy, passing through different training zones or, as I coach them, "phases".  These phases are not meant to be sudden but gradual - I outline them at the beginning and it's up to each individual rider to determine when they're in that zone and to think about whether it's too early, e.g., to be going above threshold, and should they hold back or increase the intensity.

To those unfamiliar with training zones or without HRMs: Phase 1 is basically a warm-up on a climb, trying to wake up your muscles gradually; Phase 2 is using those muscles effectively at a good steady pace but with breathing starting to get a little faster; Phase 3 is a more determined effort, really using one's strength, i.e., riding at tempo pace; Phase 4 is just under lactate threshold, only doing so because we're near the summit, otherwise we'd stay in Phase 3 for longer; Phase 5 is when you see the summit, get a second wind, and say "what the hell, let's go for it!"

The exact timings for each Phase are up to you and your audience.  However, in my mixed version, I save Phase 5 for the final 3 minutes, using a speeded-up Saltwater as inspiration for digging deeper, reaching higher and going that one step further.

Profile

Phase 1 - finding your climbing legs (65-70% of MHR)
Phase 2 - getting into the climb (70-75%)
Phase 3 - pushing the pace up the climb (75-80%)
Phase 4 - looking to the top, in a rush to get there (80-85%, sub-threshold)
Phase 5 - racing to the top (85+%, above threshold)

You can download the 35-minute mix here. 

The warm-up and cool-down are yours to choose - the first 45 seconds are to be included as part of a warm-up, the climb then goes on until 35:37, i.e., 35 minutes of constant climbing.

One final point - I've not only mixed it but also done it so that it starts at 60rpm and ends at 75rpm; the change is so gradual, spread out over the entire 35 minutes, so you will not notice how it speeds up.  I've done this both for the benefit of those who ride to the beat and to give it a sense of how you would start up a climb at a steady speed, gradually getting more confident and picking up speed, finishing at race speed.

Playlist

Drifting away - Faithless
Look inside your head - Sander Van Doom
Sanctuary (The Traveller) - Origene
Ten seconds before sunrise - Tiesto
Dark and long (Dark train) - Underworld
More and more - white label vinyl, artist unknown
Coolio - again, a white label, any ideas?
Saltwater - Chicane feat Maire Brennan

Enjoy your climb to the summit of the Energy Mountain!

Personal coaching

After being asked many times about how a rider should train for a specific event, riding techniques, nutritional strategy, etc., and given some informal coaching sessions, I've decide to offer my services to a wider audience.

Whether you're after an intensive 3-month plan to get you at your peak for a specific event or personal coaching sessions to help you reach your peak on your own training schedule, I have knowledge and experience to share with you to meet your goals.

For a full breakdown of services and prices, please click on the "Personal Training" link on the right. Services and charges are adaptable to suit your needs, so please do email me to see what I could provide for you.

Train better, not more!

Just a minute!

How does a long, extensive interval differ from a short, intensive one? How important is recovery? Find out yourself with this ride!

After a suitable warm-up, it's a series of intervals ranging from 8 minutes long down to just 1 minute, all with just a minute for recovery. Imagine that you want to get to the top of a short climb for each interval - the first couple of intervals are long enough that the effort levels off around 80-85% MHR; these are working at the level of endurance and strength. Then next two intervals are shorter, so require a little more intensity to get to the top of that same climb before time runs out, around 85-88% MHR; these start recruiting a higher level of strength and power. The 4- and 3-minute intervals require a much higher level of power to reach the summit, so that HR is around 88-92% MHR. The final two intervals are all-out efforts, 92%-max, as there's no time for building up the intensity. The only way to really fire up the power in the final interval is to add lots of resistance in the first 15secs and then accelerate and sprint the final 40secs to the finish.

You will find that minute's recovery is barely needed after the first two intervals; definitely needed for the next pair; just enough to catch one's breath in the third pair; and nowhere near enough for the final two. The lesson? The higher the intensity, the longer the recovery should be - below lactate threshold (approx 85% MHR) recovery is not really necessary; extensive intervals above threshold require around 2:1 ratio of effort/recovery; for intensive intervals the ratio is closer to 1:1 and for all-out efforts it's more like 1:2 or even 1:4.

Profile

Flat road - 9 mins
Interval - 8 mins / Recovery - 1 min
Interval - 7 mins / Recovery - 1 min
Interval - 6 mins / Recovery - 1 min
Interval - 5 mins / Recovery - 1 min
Interval - 4 mins / Recovery - 1 min
Interval - 3 mins / Recovery - 1 min
Interval - 2 mins / Recovery - 1 min
Interval - 1 mins
Cool down - 8 mins

You can download the hour-long mix here

Playlist

My friend - Groove Armada
Acacia house - River Gods
Insomnia - Faithless
Rio Grande - The Day After Tomorrow OST
Sun - Slusnik Luna
Groovin' with you - The Gentle People
Sunstroke - Chicane
Nothing more - Nitin Sawhney
Shine - Booty Luv
Maximus - Gladiator OST
It's a rainy day - Ice MC
Lullabye for Katherine - Marta Sebestyen
Hungarian - Bond
Remembering Rafe - Pearl Harbor OST
Song 2 - Blur
Figurines - Gladiator OST
The Bait - Mission Impossible 2 OST

Life happens...

Yep, I've been away a while, I know. A few hours after making a New Year's Resolution to put weekly rides on my blog, I contracted a serious bout of gastroenteritis that knocked the wind out of my sails for most of January. A great way to spend the first day of the year... in hospital with two bags of IV to keep me alive! It's amazing how it can take so long to get up again from such a fall. I think it may have been the norovirus that's been spreading in the UK this winter - a week after I visited my local hospital, they announced they had an outbreak that's now spreading across the area... just call me Norovirus Rob!!

Along the way, I attended the only (so far) Kranking instructor course in the UK - although it's spread quickly in the US, Italy and Germany, it's yet to make an impact here in the UK. I think that may be due to the gym chains that make up a much larger slice of the market here than they do abroad. I think they'll likely be initially taken up by independent gyms or facilities that cater to athletes with a disability. Watch this space, as this will catch on faster than Spinning ever did!

So, I'm now back in full health, starting to train seriously once again and, as you can see, I'm back on the blog! For starters, if some of you had problems downloading the first of my mixed rides, I have made it available again for your downloadable pleasure!

Next ride coming soon...

Zen cycling

A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?"

The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying the sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the first student, "You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do."

The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!" The teacher commended the second student, "Your eyes are open, and you see the world."

The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel."

The fourth student replied, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings." The teacher was pleased, and said to the fourth student, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming."

The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle"

The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said,

"Ahh.... I am your student!"

Group exercise makes you happy!

Two posts in one day... making up for lost time! I saw this article on the BBC News website, which is very relevant to anyone wondering the purpose of group exercise and whether they'd be better off going solo:

Group exercise "boosts happiness"

Exercising together appears to increase the level of the feel-good endorphin hormones naturally released during physical exertion, a study suggests.

A team from Oxford University carried out tests on 12 rowers after a vigorous workout in a virtual boat. Those who trained alone withstood less pain - a key measure of endorphins - than those who exercised together. Writing in Biology Letters, the authors speculate these hormones may underpin an array of communal activities.

It has long been known that physical exertion releases endorphins and that these are responsible for the sometimes euphoric sensations experienced after exercising. They have a protective effect against pain. But researchers from Oxford University's Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology found this response was heightened by the synergistic effect of rowing together.

After 45 minutes of either rowing separately or in a team of six, the researchers measured their pain threshold by how long they could tolerate an inflated blood pressure cuff on the arm. Exercise increased both groups' ability to tolerate pain, but the difference was significantly more pronounced among the team rowers. This, they said, was a measure of an increased endorphin release.

As well as potentially improving performance in sport, the researchers speculated that this endorphin release may be the mechanism that underpins the sense of communal belonging that emerges from activities such as religious rituals, dancing or laughing.

"The results suggest that endorphin release is significantly greater in group training than in individual training even when power output, or physical exertion, remains constant," said lead author Emma Cohen. "The exact features of group activity that generate this effect are unknown, but this study contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that synchronised, coordinated physical activity may be responsible."

Carole Seheult, a sport and exercise psychologist from the British Psychological Society, said the findings were entirely credible. "Rowing is a sport which requires real team work and endorphins could well foster that process. But more generally we know from experience that exercising in groups is good for people at many levels, it's motivational, it's social. Groups sessions really do work."

Spinning class(es): Endurance climbing

The simplest profiles usually make for the best rides, especially when the music is chosen and mixed well, but it takes a lot of work from the instructor to make sure riders don't lose focus and let their effort levels drop. The two rides below are based on a very simple profile: warm-up, lots of climbing, cool-down. No jumps, no sprints, no surges, no distractions - just climbing at a steady tempo, seated or standing.

Sounds hard but bear with me - if you set out on a 5-min climb, how much intensity could you handle? If I ask you to go for 50 mins, would you go at the same intensity? I hope not or you're the guy who sprints ahead of the field at the start of a climb race, only to be overtaken after the first switchback... never to be seen again!

So why a constant climb at the same tempo? By controlling our effort, there are two benefits:

(1) in the green zone (65-75% MHR) you'll be training your muscles, joints and connecting tissue, getting them used to that constant effort under a specific load (resistance). It's much like finding a comfortable weight and lifting it 100 times - it improves muscle endurance. This is the base upon which we can work further, as it will help prevent injuries due to excessive loads.

(2) in the yellow zone (75-85% MHR) you'll also be pushing your muscles to a higher limit of endurance, so much so that you're challenging your body to respond. It will do so by becoming stronger and better able to handle such efforts. One of two effects will then take place - either you can handle a greater load at the same HR or you'll have a lower HR while pushing the same load.

In either zone, this is the type of training that cyclists will spend most of their time doing - building a winter base as a launching pad, then improving their strength and ability to ride along at 40kph with minimal effort (I wish!).

As an instructor, you'll have to find your own motivational speaking notes - it's not easy to let 50mins pass without any instruction as to movement, changes in tempo, etc. but it is very beneficial and your riders will thank you for it. I'm sure some will say could do without me talking too! To help break up the time, I've put together the following profiles and used the Sunlounger Continuous Dance Mixes:

Profile 1 - Sunny Tales

Warm-up: 4 mins

Then alternating seated/standing climb, timing as follows:
45-min class: change every 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, and 1 min
60-min class: change every 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1 min

Cool-down: 6 mins

Profile 2 - Another Day on the Terrace

Warm-up: 3.5 mins
-----------------
Loop:

Seated - 1 min
Standing - 1 min
Seated - 2 min
Standing - 2 min
Seated - 3 min
Standing - 3 min
Optional adding of resistance
-----------------
Three loops for a 45-min class, four for an hour's

Cool-down - 6 mins

Playlist

No mix from me this week - you can find the Sunlounger albums on iTunes, where they also include a bonus mix of the Chill and Dance CDs of both albums.

I hope it all makes sense - it's easier to ride than to write! Feel free to ask any questions, if you want clarification.

Extra classes!

And at a brand new Spinning-only studio in Putney. The idea is probably one more familiar to those on the continent or in the US, this is a studio with nothing but Spinning... by which I mean that all instructors are "proper" Spinning instructors and include four of the UK's Master Instructors. There is no annual contract and classes are booked on a pay-as-you-go basis (a block of "tickets" may be bought to lower the cost).

It'll represent a new challenge for me, working with MIs that I know and from whom I can learn, and it's good to feel part of a close-knit team that is working together to the same end. That's not always possible in a gym that's part of a larger chain of health clubs, although I've been lucky with clubs at which I teach.

So, if you're in the UK or are visiting on holiday, book yourself a class online at the Pedal Studio website. Doesn't have to mine - all the instructors are excellent.

A new era begins!

Colour zones - what's that all about?

I've been asked a few times about this in my classes and alluded to it in my previous post - why am I using colours to indicate heart rate zones and levels of effort?

I've always referred to the "red line", your lactate threshold (LT), and the red zone beyond it, where all effort is doomed to be short-term due to its intensity. This is where oxygen is in short supply, breathing is uncontrolled, lactate is accumulating rapidly, legs start burning and we're all waiting for the instructor to tell us we only have 5 seconds left, because that's all we feel we can do. Definitely "red"... as in red alert!

While I was in Miami attending the Kranking seminars and workshops, Johnny G & Co. explained that they used colours to represent HR zones, as this was more easily interpreted by the members than numbers and percentages. Initially, I didn't see a problem, as I like numbers - I've always been more logical than arty. But, having taken part in a Power Kranking session, I could see how the concept really worked in practice. The colours become an indication of your state of being - not working, relaxed, comfortable work, uncomfortable, panic stations - and were more easily communicated by the instructor and, for my part, more easily assimilated when focusing on the task at hand.
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This concept was so simple and yet practical, that I resolved to introduce it into my Spinning rides. So, here are the colour zones, highest to lowest:

RED - approx 85% to 95+% of MHR - above LT
YELLOW - 75% to 85% MHR - the uncomfortable Strength zone in Spinning
GREEN - 65% to 75% MHR - the more comfortable Endurance zone
BLUE - 55% - 65% MHR - the relaxed Recovery zone
GREY - below 55% MHR - warm-up and cool-down only!

These zones worked even better when combined with a Suunto or Activio HRM system. This is where everyone is given a heart rate monitor strap and their data is transmitted to a central system that projects their HR on a large screen. Everyone is given a nickname, so there's no "naming and shaming" - only the individual knows whether they're really working hard enough, not recovering, etc. The Suunto system was used by the Kranking team and this also gave a clear block of colour along with the percentage of MHR. Not tried the Activio system yet but will use it this weekend, as the Pedal Studio has it.

So, next time you hear me asking you to bring your effort down into the blue zone, it doesn't mean I want you to enter a walk-in freezer!

Spinning class: Take to the hills!

A new year means a new training programme, starting with rides aimed at building a base level of fitness. I've written before about the importance of building an aerobic fitness base before attempting to take it one step further. This will take 2-3 months of training. So my plan for Jan-Feb is to work on smooth pedalling, cadence, a natural ease of movement, comfortable and steady aerobic rides, while at the same time allowing the hard core cyclists to work to their potential if they chose to do so. Not everybody's training cycle is the same!

In these cold, wintry conditions (it's -10c as I write this) the human body cries out for warmth-inducing, steady-state exercise, rather than the extreme anaerobic intervals that push you into your "red zone" (85-95% MHR). At this time of year, going into that zone can damage fitness levels rather than improve them - only after a solid aerobic fitness base is established, can that foundation be built upon to increase strength and ability to take punishment. The following is an endurance "green zone" ride but can also be ridden as a "blue" or "yellow" zone ride. More about the colour scheme in my next post!

Profile

The road is one out of town, on a smooth flat road heading towards the hills and the nearest mountain. So our cadence will be fairly quick at the start but the increasing gradient (i.e., resistance) as we get into the foothills and nearer to the mountain will naturally slow down our cadence so that we can maintain our effort level. Endless possibilites with imagery but it is a case of gradual incline, heading higher and higher, looking back at some point to see how far we've come just by applying a constant and moderate effort. No need to punish yourself to achieve something and conquer your own mountain.

For the first third of the ride, it's best to stay in the saddle so that our HR doesn't rise too quickly. Once resistance is gradually added and cadence slows to approx 95rpm, we can take saddle breaks and do some short periods of running out of the saddle. Then we see the sign telling us we've started the climb up to the top of our mountain, which will take us around 20 minutes to complete, always gradual though, never with a sudden change of gradient.

There are two possibilities with this ride - either you'll keep an even effort level throughout or you'll find yourself getting carried away and be gradually increasing your effort level as you approach the end of the ride.

New feature! You can download the whole hour-long ride here!

Playlist

Release the pressure - Leftfield
Eurydice - Sleepthief
Medina - Urban Trad
If you had my love - Jennifer Lopez
Boomerang - Cirrus
Rain - Mantra & Robina
The sun rising - The Beloved
Breaking away - Chieli Minucci
Sky fits heaven - Madonna
Sunstroke - Chicane
Douceur - Jerome Hameau

It's only just begun...

...and I've already mapped out my activities for 2009! I thought, when I left my desk job, that I'd have to do a "proper job" at some point but it looks like I'll be so busy that I'll be getting complaints from my riders that I'm always going "on holiday" instead of Spinning with them! If you're interested or would like to join me on any of the following, here's my list for the year (so far - there may be more!):

February
ECA convention in New York in the last week, mostly Spinning with Josh Taylor, Jennifer Sage and Iona Passik. Will also do some Kranking at one of the gyms with Krankcycles.

March
I'll still be in New York for the first week, doing a bit of tourism with my mother, some more Kranking if I can fit it in. I've been to New York eight times for work, this will be the first time as a camera-happy tourist. This time, I won't go anywhere near the UN, I may get asked to do some work!

April
Spending the last week at FIBO, a fitness trade show in Essen, Germany. I'll be joining the Kranking family to demo the Krankcycles and, hopefully, become a fully-fledged trainer. Apparently, they'll be taking orders for the Krankcycles but Rick and I are planning on bringing back home two of the demo cycles.

May
On the first weekend, I'll be cycling in the Alps with Rob (who, usefully, owns a chalet in Valmenier). A season opener, first taste of the Alps.

The second weekend sees me in Hemsby, as I did last year, for Schwinn Revolution - 14 rides over the weekend and good endurance training.

Then I'll be in France and Italy with Jennifer Sage and a group of lucky riders, as we ride in the French Alps, catching the Giro d'Italia as it goes over the Izoard on its way to Sestriere, before moving to Tuscany and catching two of the stages in and out of Florence.

As soon as I come back from that, it's time to start packing and head out to Miami for the annual WSSC spinning convention. Aside from the heaps of ideas I hope to pick up, I'm looking forward to meeting my online friends on the lobby couch (apparently, it's the designated meeting area for us!).

June
Not definite yet but I've been asked to be a guest instructor in Jamaica, so it would be ideal to do this on the back of Miami, maybe spending 3-4 days of rest on the beach before a weekend of special rides.

July
Another busy month starts with the Marmotte on the first weekend.

Then, hopefully, it will be joining Jennifer for another week-long cycle tour in the Pyrenees, again catching a stage of the Tour de France.

Should a second cycle tour in the Alps go ahead, we'll have some days in between the two, so Jennifer and I can research some rides and ride the Ventoux (depending on how I feel after the Marmotte, I may attempt the Cingles de Ventoux)

The second tour would see us riding with another group in the Alps and Provence, catching what hopefully will be Lance Armstrong racing to victory and the maillot jaune on the Ventoux.

August
After a couple of weeks of normality, it's time to head out to France again, this time for a "proper" holiday. A couple of weeks at my mum's holiday home in Languedoc will end with me riding the Laurent Jalabert sportive - shorter and with not as much climbing as the Marmotte but that might make it tougher (no holding back if it's only 130km!).

September
I've got nothing penned in for the month, so I may look to ride one of the remaining races... just to make sure I don't get lazy!

October
There may be another Schwinn event, so that would keep me happy for the month.

Another possibility is to ride one of the autumn Classics in France or Belgium.

November
ECA Miami anyone? If anything, it'll be an excuse for some warmth on a cold month in the UK.

December
Rest! I think I'll need it...

Spinning class: Disco Fever!

I never thought I'd say this but I was inspired to put together a disco theme ride by one of those pop star reality TV programmes (X-Factor). I know, I know - but it's better than watching Strictly Come Dancing on a Saturday night!


Usually, I think of a ride profile before choosing music to match. In these types of ride, however, I put together all the relevant tunes before weeding out the not-so-good ones. Then I look at what's left and see what type of ride looks best, weeding out a few more if they don't fit that profile. The other thing I wanted to do was use "updated" versions - whether remixes, mash-ups or sampled tracks. You'll see what I mean from the playlist below.

Other than just enjoying the music, there's no particular aim other than to work as hard as you want and in control (i.e., 65-85% of MHR, although 70-80% is ideal). There are no real breaks, to encourage riders not to overdo it. Essentially, it's three loops - a slow climb, while increasing resistance, which then increases in speed (and thus effort level) by approx 10% before it's back a flat road. If, with gradually increasing resistance, HR is up to 75% by the end of the first part of the climb, it should finish the climb at around 85%. The flat road can be used as recovery as an option, especially for beginners.

Warm up - 4 mins
Climb - 15 mins
Flat road - 3 mins
Climb - 9 mins
Flat road - 5 mins
Climb - 15 mins
Flat road - 3 mins
Cool down - 6 mins

Playlist

Love's theme - Barry White
Working my way back to you - Detroit Spinners
Rasputin - Boney M
I will survive (Barcode Remix) - Gloria Gaynor
That's the way I like it - KC and the Sunshine Band
D.I.S.C.O. - Ottawan
Y.M.C.A. - Village People
Popcorn - Hot Butter
Stayin' Yeah - Usher vs. Bee Gees
I feel love is a stranger - Donna Summer vs. Annie Lennox
Can you 1999 it - Prince vs. The Jacksons
No more tears (enough is enough) - Kym Mazelle & Jocelyn BRown
Greatest trickster - Sister Sledge vs. Kelis
Funeral pyre - John Powell (from Bourne Supremacy)
I'm goin' down - Mary J Blige

Go on, admit it - you were singing along as you read the playlist!

Spinning class: Halloween

Okay, I know it's cheesy and I'm not one known for his theme rides... mainly because I only do them at Halloween, Christmas and whenever it's carnival in Brasil. But I do draw the line at fancy dress - not suitable clothing for exercise - nor do I compromise on the amount of work to be done on the ride. I may be no fun but I don't care - you'll work hard and LIKE IT... or else we do some interval training instead! Hehehehe

So, here's how it works. After a long warm-up that gradually builds up HR, we start climbing, gradually adding resistance to prepare our legs for the onslaught. The main block of work is a pyramid. It starts with a slow, heavy climb before picking up the cadence by approx 10%. A slight drop in resistance may be needed if it's too tough - we can't let our HR get too high.

This keeps going until the "point" of the pyramid - a very fast climb or a hard flat road, depending on your point of view, where we're running away at top effort (HR 80-85%). Without thinking, you may find that the level of reistance at this faster cadence is higher than you'd otherwise have - your legs have gradually got used to working at heavy resistances, before easing off some of that resistance, increasing cadence and then maybe adding some of that resistance back on again.

A quick, 30 second break, before we resume our way back down the pyramid - slower leg speed, which means higher resistance. Cadence drops by 10%, so resistance acts as compensation. Again, you may find yourself working harder than you'd have thought - just when you think you can't work harder at a set cadence, it drops and your effort level drops... so you increase it some more!

Just when you think you're safe from harm, you realise you still have a final climb to go and, along the way, you'll be chased by demons and goblins blah blah blah (can you tell I'm no good at this cheesy talk?). Anyway, the reality is that we have three sprints on a hill - 40secs, 30secs and 20secs, with about a minute in between. The sprints may not be easy but the recovery in between certainly won't... as you have to keep climbing! Resistance remains the same throughout and the sprints - accellerations, really - are achieved by increasing cadence as much as is possible with all that heavy resistance. Recovery, well, you just slow down to a steady climb.

Time the last track well and, at the end of the final sprint, you'll hear a huge sigh/gasp/breath of relief from the riders... just before the voice of the tracks kicks in with "There is hope!"

Happy haunting, fiendish friends!

Warm-up - 9 mins
Steady climb - 6 mins
---------------------
Climb @60rpm - 4 mins
Climb @65rpm - 4 mins
Climb @70rpm - 5 mins
Fast climb / hard flat road - 5 mins
Climb @70rpm - 4 mins
Climb @65rpm - 3.5 mins
Climb @60rpm - 6 mins
---------------------
Sprints on a hill - 5.5 mins
Cool down - 8 mins

Playlist

High priests - Michael Flatley
Riders on the storm - Snoop Dogg ft. The Doors
Somebody's watching me - Beatfreakz
Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr
Breathe - Prodigy
Nightmare - Brainbug
Voodoo people - Prodigy
Firestarter - Prodigy
Vater Unser - E Nomine
Thriller - Michael Jackson
Keep hope alive - The Crystal Method
Spirit's lament - Michael Flatley
Angels will help you - York & Ginger Macenzie

I'm sure they make it up as they go along...

A while ago I opened a thread on Pedal-On about a blog I'd found that had me in hysterics but for all the wrong reasons. Today, I had reason to refer to it so I thought I'd put here my original post.

I came across this site while browsing other blogs. I'm not one to overly-criticise other people's technique unless clearly unsafe but this certainly caught my eye!

"Purpose: strengthening and toning the hamstrings, glutes, and butt. First, add a lot of tension on your bike. Then a bit more. This set is not about fast legs, but about form, technique, and isolation of the hammies/glutes/butt. (already looking suspect) Then rest on your forearms. (here we go...) Lean forward forward as far as possible and get into a comfortable position. (did he say comfortable???) Most of your weight should be supported by your forearms resting on the handlebars. (WHY?? Why do something so utterly stupid?)

Next, thrust your hips back as far as possible, “Like you have to go to the bathroom in the desert and you are afraid a snake might bite you.” Thrust ‘em back! Then, mentally, make sure you are landing on your toes. Lasly, lift your butt up as high as possible. “Moon the moon!” Your goal is to try and get your butt higher than your shoulders. Even if you cannot do this, aim for it. In sum, you are leaning forward, hips back, butt up. (WTF ?)

Focus on keeping that butt-up! It takes 30-45 secs to explain this (try a 2-hour lecture on biomechanics) to the class and to have everyone get into proper position. When they do, remind them to breathe slowly and deeply and to keep the butt up! Climb like this for 3-5 minutes. You should feel a bit of a pain (really?) behind each of your kneecaps which will slowly crawl up the hamstrings and settle in your lower butt. Pain is good! (only if you inflict it on someone else, I bet!) Halfway through the set, carefully have the class increase the tension. (so I presume they take one of their load-bearing arms off the handlebars to do this?) Remind them of maintaining proper form (hahahaha - unintentional irony!) — lean forward, hips back, butt above the shoulders. It is easy to get tired and sloppy with this set. When you are done, your bootie and hammies should feel like they have been thrashed… in a good way! "

You can see the replies on Pedal-On in the thread here.

I think I would truly want to hit him if he ever tried this in a class in which I was participating. Yet, people think he's "awesome" - perhaps meaning to say "awful"....

Why do I do it?

Lately, I've been teaching so many Spinning classes that I've barely had time to rest, let alone go out on the road with my bike. So I started to wonder whether I was still doing it out of a passion to train and educate people or had it got to the stage where I'd take any class just for the money (i.e., a job)? Today I got my answer.

After a strength-building and hard-working class, involving an exhilirating 51-minute climb, one of my fairly regular riders approached me and thanked me for an excellent ride. Thank you very much but - and I'm trying not to let my ego push in here - nothing unusual. Then she said that she had been much heavier when she first started coming to my classes but had since lost a fair amount - it was only then that I noticed she did indeed look much healthier... funny how you get used to someone's weight loss if you see them almost every week.

Anyway, she wanted to tell me of her experience of cycling while on holiday. She and her husband went to cycle on a route that included some minor (but not insignificant) climbs. She said that the classes had prepared her to ride at a manageable and steady pace, as well as giving her the strength to finish the ride. She seemed pleased at that and I'm happy that there's yet another convert to the cycling cause! However, then she told me the bombshell: her husband rushed past her on the first climb (typical macho male reaction... sigh!) but, when she caught up with him at the top (by keeping her effort under her threshold), he was still recovering from the effort. It gets better: she then tells me she finished three hours ahead of him. Presuming that he didn't stop at the pub on the way, that is an excellent advert for good old fashioned hard work.

She told me I was "awesome" but I think she's the one who's awesome - chapeau! And tell your husband to come to my classes!

The art of sprinting

If you've been watching the Tour or, especially for readers in the UK, read the sports pages of a newspaper, you will have marvelled at just how good a sprinter Mark Cavendish really is. Four victories in a single Tour are a rarity and, in someone so young (23), truly awesome - he's already proving to have more potential than Mario Cipollini and Alessandro Petacchi. If this, combined with the British cyclists ruling the sport at the moment, don't instigate interest in the media and the population at large, then cycling as a sport is doomed to play second fiddle to other sports at which... well, we suck.

Anyway, back to sprinting. I've been asked a lot lately about it - why I don't do it in my classes, what it really should be like, proper technique and how to improve it. Well, let's start with what sprinting is NOT - it's not about how fast your legs are moving. Many instructors will ask their members to pick up their leg speed to 130+rpm, some even asking them to pedal as quickly as possible, resulting in a flurry of uncontrolled and pointless activity. Many members like these "sprints" as they feel as if they're working really hard. Absolute tosh - they're doing the equivalent of pedalling downhill, as they will have insufficient resistance to apply any power to the pedals. In fact, it's so pointless that the freewheel was invented to allow us to relax while the wheels go ever faster downhill. Work is measured in power output - no resistance, no power... no matter how fast you pedal. Therefore, no resistance, no work. The key elements of a sprint are power, acceleration and a high cadence.

Too many novice riders will put their chain into the highest gear and then try to accelerate - this is a very slow build up, although it'll feel very macho. Instead, they should be using a slightly lower gear to accelerate faster to a high cadence (95-110rpm), then shift to a higher gear and raise the cadence again. With practice comes knowledge of exactly which gear is best suited for a top-level effort - it's not ideal to have to change gears 3-4 times in a sprint! Say you know you can handle 110rpm at a gear that's 9 (out of 10) - your fast pace before your sprint should be in gear 7, shifting to gear 8 once the sprint starts (when you "kick") and then up to 9 once cadence has reached 110rpm. Keeping your feet moving fast is the key to being able to accelerate quickly and the ideal situation is one where you do not reach your maximum cadence until the finish line - gear 9 at 110rpm on the final few seconds. If your legs are moving too quickly or top cadence achieved too soon, you have underestimated your power output and will begin to lose ground (unless you shift up yet again).

As for power output, it's a difficult point to illustrate unless you have power meters on your bike. The maths, however, is rather simple. Imagine what some instructors refer to as "sprints": 130rpm at gear 2. Say this gives 130 watts of power output. To a bystander, looking at the fast cadences, will think it amazing that anyone can work so hard! However, the equivalent in a proper sprint and all-out effort of gear 9 at 110rpm would be around 500 watts. How does that translate? Well, imagine your driving a Fiat Cinquecento at full speed... as you're overtaken by a Ferrari at full speed. Which car will win in a true sprint finish? Which is pushing out more power, more work? Which is using more fuel? Sounds negative for the Ferrari but, in humans, fuel = calories, so wouldn't you rather be using more of that fuel?

In my classes, I've only ever taught surges, accelerations on a hill and short bursts of extra effort - they are sprints of sorts, in that they require the sort of intense effort detailed above. However, the effort required to perform a sprint similar to those of Mark Cavendish, Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, et al, would require a jump from 500W to over 2000W... beyond the realm of indoor bikes, let alone the capabilities of the riders - but that doesn't mean we can't do our best!

PS - if you have Keiser M3 bikes in your gym, fitted with a power meter, and have wondered what it would take to beat Mark Cavendish... imagine a climb at 60rpm at the highest gear (24). Then it's time to begin your sprint: with that same gear you bring your cadence up to 110rpm!

PPS - don't try it at home and certainly not unsupervised. Oh, and don't blame me if you can't walk afterwards....

Spinning class: Tour de France - Stage 17

The big one and, probably, the deciding stage of this year's Tour - to stand any chance of wearing the maillot jaune in Paris, any contender must put some time into Cadel Evans before the final time trial. So expect attacks even as early as the Col de la Croix de Fer.

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After our usual warm-up, the road starts rising imperceptably into a long, hard climb. We'll need to vary between seated and standing but make sure your HR doesn't rise too high, save your powder for the later climbs. Strong and steady rhythm, with smooth pedalling, is the key here. Any tension will be revealed by the time we reach the top of the Galibier. Then we ease downhill but not for long - the road rises briefly up to the Telegraphe before heading downhill again.

Another long climb but, this time, we can start forcing the pace - push a strong tempo, trying to split the field and leave them for dust. Strong, continuous pressure, HR will be around 80-85% the whole way. Then another donwhill section to recover before the road starts rising again ahead of the final climb of the day - L'Alpe d'Huez. This is it - over 2000 miles of riding and this is the moment of truth. Do or die. Your one and only chance to beat your opponents. On this climb, you'll attack twice - a short, 30-second burst at the halfway point, to find out who's got the legs to follow you; then the final minute all-out effort to the finish line. HR may reach 95-98% but it doesn't matter - you're almost home and every second counts!

Warm-up - 4 mins
Gradual incline - 1.5 mins
Hard seated to standing climb - 21.5 mins
Downhill with small climb in the middle - 4 mins
Hard seated to standing climb - 14 mins
Downhill, rising to a shallow incline - 3 mins
Hard climb with sprints - 5.5 mins
Cool down - 6.5 mins

Playlist

Epona - Enya
Das glockenspiel - Schiller
Walking on fire - Evolution feat. Jayn Hanna
Light a rainbow - Tukan
Nebuchan - Frank T.R.A.X.
Passing storm - Ottmar Liebert
Lawrence of Arabia - Kleopatra
Invisible - Tilt
Hymn - Moby
Smack my bitch up - Prodigy
Third eye - Bhakta

Spinning class: Tour de France - Stage 16

Another stage in the Alps, with more hors categorie climbs, with a rare visit over the highest road in Europe. There is no mountain-top finish, where the best climbers can gain a lot of time by making an all-out attack, so chances are that the favourites won't attack each other except for keeping the pace high and hoping one or two will crack. The showdown is more likely to be during the next day's stage - it's very easy to lose five minutes on a climb like Alpe d'Huez.

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As usual, we start off in the neutral zone for our warm-up, before the road goes on a "false flat" - one of those roads that looks flat but requires effort in order to keep going forwards. So we add resistance but keep our cadence high (for a climb), standing out of the saddle for brief periods to keep that cadence as the resistance gets harder. That will take us to the bottom of the first of the long climbs, where we get into the climb by gradually adding resistance until we have to stand to keep our momentum for the final five minutes.

One climb finished and we can enjoy the downhill slope to our second and final climb. Once again, the road rises but not so much of a false flat this time - the effort is clear and should be felt in the legs... so keep that cadence and add resistance to keep the pace high! That was the easy bit, now we climb in earnest - keep adding resistance while maintaining a steady cadence. If necessary, stand up to keep that cadence but the climb is long and you want to spend most of the time in the saddle. A very brief respite as the road dips before it rises even steeper than before - stand up and power your way to the top of the highest road in Europe, where you'll be able to see all the way to the Mediterranean!

It's not over yet - now you've worked so hard to keep the pace high on the final climb, you'll need to keep it high on the downhill into Jausiers. Fast cadence with resistance all the way to the finish line and the cool down. Now rest ahead of tomorrow's stage to Alpe d'Huez!

Warm-up - 4 mins
Running with resistance - 5.5 mins
Seated to standing climb - 6.5 mins
Downhill recovery - 3 mins
Slightly uphill road - 3.5 mins
Strong seated climb - 6.5 mins
Heavy climb, seated to standing - 6.5 mins
Active downhill, no recovery! - 3 mins
Cool down - 6 mins

Playlist

One wish for me - Miguel Migs
Shake your body - Shy FX & T-Power
Shiva Moon (moon nectar remix) - Prem Joshua
Hymn - Moby
Gypsy Rhapsody - Bond
Tour de France Etape 2 - Kraftwerk
Insomnia (Monster Mix) - Faithless
Una giornata uggiosa - Bandabardo
Prikansa ritual - Ravi Chawla

Spinning class: Tour de France - Stage 15

Today (or this week, as I teach at different gyms and so change my profile once a week), we're heading into the Alps after a rest day and four days of flat stages. I'm expecting this stage to be one where the pace will be kept high by the leading contenders, to separate themselves from the mere mortals. No suicidal attacks, as the stage to Alpe d'Huez will be foremost in their minds...

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We start off in the neutral zone, the bit between the depart fictif and the start of the stage... known to our Spinning classes as a warm-up! Quite short but don't worry, we have plenty of time to get into the ride with a steady seated climb, gradually increasing resistance to find our climbing legs. With that same resistance, we continue up the same long climb, varying between seated and standing to make sure we spread the workload and make it more manageable while adding resistance if able to do so. For the final five minutes of the climb, we can afford to keep that strong resistance, knowing that a downhill recovery awaits. Breathing will be heavier and more rapid as we get closer to the summit, as is evident from the heavy breathing of the cyclists on the "Tour de France" track. The air is thin up here but push yourself even harder for the final two minutes.

Phew! Almost 20 minutes of climbing and we're not done yet! Luckily, we can recover during the fast downhill and, if we want to, the flat section too. However, it's not really flat - we keep the tempo high but, for two 30-second periods, we turn up the resistance as the incline rises slightly and push harder to use that momentum to get us over that hill and back to the flat road. Can be challenging if you want it to be - riding along with a tailwind at 110rpm, then the resistance kicks in and you try to maintain a high cadence... HR will rise rapidly but it's over soon enough. That takes care of the Sprint and 3rd Category climb.

Then we begin our second and final climb - again we build that resistance up to our previous high levels until, with four minutes to the summit, we take a turn off the main road and head up a steeper gradient. We can't take anymore in the saddle, so we stand up to use the power of our quads to push through that resistance and keep our momentum. No attacks on this stage but we should be pushing to our very limits (and beyond!) right to the line. HR will likely be 85-90% for the final section. Strong, hard effort - simple profile but by no means easy!

Warm-up - 4 mins
Seated climb - 6 mins
Strong climb, alternating seated and standing - 8 mins
Hard climb, seated to standing - 5 mins
Downhill recovery - 3 mins
Flat road with rolling hills - 3 mins
Hard climb, seated to standing - 9.5 mins
Cool down - 6.5 mins

Playlist

Life in mono - Mono
Twisted by the pool - FAC15 feat. Cathi Ogden
Love on my mind - Freemasons feat. Amanda Wilson
Tour de France - Kraftwerk
You don't love me - Dawn Penn
Sans papiers - Bandabardo
Future (Evolution mix) - Magic Solutions, Randy Garcia & Rube
Don't cry - Seal