Firework Spin Mix (60 minutes),Live and Let Die Spin Mix (47

Firework
minutes)
Spin
Mix
(60
I was in Toronto recently visiting
family and friends.
One of my
girlfriends suggested we take in a
Saturday morning spin class at her
gym. We dropped our kidlets off at
the gym’s child care centre and hit
the bikes for an hour, followed by 15
minutes of stretching and ab work,
which was very civilized.
At the end of the class, my friend
told the instructor I teach out East and have a spinning
blog. “What’s it called?” he asked. I told him and – here’s
the excellent part – he replied, “I use that site! That’s
you? Really? Did you start it?” Yes, Yes, and Yes. He made
my day, and I was so chuffed I forgot to ask his name. So –
if you’re reading, a big shout out to the instructor at the
Boulevard Club in Toronto who taught the 9:45 a.m. spin class
last week.
This new playlist has Aussie flavour. Phazing is by Aussie DJ
Dirty South, and Witchcraft is by Aussie group Pendulum. We
round it out with Barbra Streisand, which hit #1 on the Aussie
club charts in September.
Channel Kgbs (TNT Remix) – The KGB’s (5:42): Reader Zia put
me on to this high energy tune with tongue planted firmly in
cheek (listen for the news update on Mel Gibson).
Let’s
harness that energy and use it to warm up our legs. Start
with easy spinning, then add some tension and pick up the
pace.
It’s going to be a great ride!
Phazing (Tiesto Remix) [feat. Rudy] – Dirty South (7:28):
We’ve got some rolling hills here from 0:00 – 3:40… tension
goes up one click at a time 2-3x then back down one click at a
time, with changes every 20-40 seconds. From 3:40 – 4:30 the
incline gets WAAAYY steep and it becomes an 8/10 slog for 40
seconds, but at 4:20 – relief! We’re back to rolling hills
for the last three minutes.
Blueberry (Rex Mundi Remix) – Probspot (9:38): This trance
tune has a little of everything for us. We take the first 30
seconds for recovery. From 0:30 – 2:00 we pick up the pace
for 90 seconds of steady spinning. From 2:00 – 3:55 we add
some tension and come out of the saddle for a fast climb.
Make it work, there’s a break after this. From 3:55 – 5:35 we
can take a break, but at 5:35 – 6:33 there’s a minute of
surging (a seated not-quite-sprint at 80% capacity).
From
6:33 – 7:15 we pick it up into an all-out sprint for 42
seconds. Recover for as long as you need to, then pick up the
pace again and surge to the end.
Witchcraft – Pendulum (4:13):
First sprint drill of the day.
Take 45 seconds to recover and get ready. We’re going to do
3x 45 second sprints at 0:45 – 1:30, 1:50 (so soon?) – 2:35,
and 3:22 – 4:07.
Firework – Katy Perry (3:48):
What’s a pop song from Perry
doing in this mix? I dunno, I just think it’s catchy. Perry
calls it her favourite song on her latest CD and says it was
influences by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.
(A fantastic,
meandering book – I packed a bag after reading it in high
school, intent on going on the road myself. But no, I didn’t
go.) From 0 – 1:10 come out of the saddle to an easy climb.
At 1:10 – 1:25 we’ve got 15 seconds of all-out, out-of-thesaddle sprinting – we want you breathless here. From 1:25 –
2:12 we’re climbing again and recovering. From 2:12 – 2:42
we’re going to launch into another breathless standing sprint,
30 seconds this time. Climb and recover from 2:42 – 3:14 then
there’s one last 30 second standing sprint from 3:14 – 3:48.
Barbra Streisand (Original Mix) – Duck Sauce (4:57):
Let’s do
some high tension lifts to this silly tune. It’s got Can-Con
– half the DJ duo Duck Sauce is Canadian and the Calgary
Flames just adopted it as their new goal song. It samples
‘Gotta be Home’ by Boney M (‘member them?). Recover to 1:00
then take the tension to 7:10 and give me 8 counts for 90
seconds, then 4 counts for 90 seconds, then 2 counts for a
minute to finish off the song (and your quads).
Raise Your Glass – P!nk (3:23): Reader Marianne recomnmended
this kick-ass sprinting song from P!nk that’s sure to make my
list of the Top 25 Spinning Tunes of 2010. Recover to 0:39,
then we’ve got a 24 second sprint at the chorus (0:39 –
1:03). Recover for 30 seconds then sprint again from 1:34 –
2:06 (32 seconds, but tell ’em it’s 30). Recover until 2:30
then give me a 48 second sprint (tell ’em it’s 45) to 3:18 to
finish it up.
Paradise City – N-Trance (4:31):
There’s something
delightfully contrary about mixing heavy metal and hip hop –
both sides probably view it as an abomination. We view it as
a climbing drill: take the tension to 7/10 then alternate 45
seconds each in the regular out-of-the-saddle, aggressive
(elongated over the saddle, hips up, shoulders down), and
seated positions. There’s time for two sets, with a tension
increase to 8/10 in between.
Magic [feat. Rivers Cuomo] – B.o.B (3:16): This tune’s been
on heavy rotation since I first heard it about a month ago –
I’ve been sneaking it into my classes as a warmup song. It’s
another candidate for the 25 Best Spinning Songs of 2010.
Here we’ve got it as a challenging drill for lifts. Barbra
Streisand gave us high tension slower lifts, these ones are
lower tension and peppy – 4/10 starting with 16 counts, then
8, then 4.
Dread Rock – Oakenfold (4:40): Time to wind it up, last drill
of the day, last chance to get all that extra energy out.
This is a short race – for the first 30 seconds we spin easy
while the music builds.
From 0:30 – 2:40 it’s an uphill
climb. At 2:40, siddown and hammer it to the finish line at
4:40. This one’s from the Matrix Reloaded movie soundtrack.
Stay the Night – James Blunt (3:34): Brand new James Blunt!
I had his Back to Bedlam CD on heavy rotation on my iPod for
about a year – the whole thing was just excellent.
This
song shows him to be in an entirely different place – he’s
happy. James Blunt, happy? Take a listen. Time for a welldeserved cool down and stretch.
The Bike Song – Mark Ronson and The Business Int’l (4:23):
Reader LiveinTO recommended this a propos song to wind out
today’s ride. It’s a British tune released in September 2010.
I’ve added a ratings widget (below) so you can give feedback
on which rides worked best for your class and which didn’t
(hopefully there won’t be too many of those.)
To see the
rating widget you have to click on the post to open it up. If
you use a ride, drop by and rate it or leave me a comment
about how it worked for you.
on all posts.
It’s retroactive so it appears
Live and Let Die Spin Mix (47
minutes)
I have a confession to make: when I was in high school, I was
a metal head. What can I say, I had really good grades; it
was my way of being badass. I went to the concerts, I got the
t-shirts, I played the albums a thousand times in my room
while cultivating a feeling of disaffection. I could still
whup “80’s metal bands” as a Jeopardy category. I’m a little
bit rock ‘n roll, and it’s been too long since I posted a
badass rock ‘n roll playlist.
I ran this playlist in my class tonight and got rave reviews –
people said it made them work really, really hard and
(surprisingly) they also liked the music. I wasn’t sure how a
playlist this heavy might go over. Anyway, it turned out to
be one of my more challenging rides. During the cool down I
mentioned that I’ve been home alone for two nights as my
better half has taken Kate to visit his parents. As a result,
I got my first two unbroken nights of sleep in six months.
One of the riders called out to me, “Next time you get two
nights sleep, warn us!” I guess I had a bit of extra energy
tonight.
Let It Happen – Jimmy Eat World
(3:26): This alt rock band hails from
Mesa, Arizona. Warm up your legs with
some easy spinning to begin. Around
2:30, pick up the pace.
Enter Sandman – Metallica (5:32): This 1991 hit propelled
Metallica to worldwide popularity. It post-dates my own metal
phase – by 1991 I was in law school and more egghead than
metal head. We’re going to start off this class with an out
of the saddle climb. Jack up the tension to 4 or 5/10 and
find the beat. Get aggressive for the choruses, just like
Metallica.
KGB – Backstreet Girls (2:07): I just found this song from
Norwegian rockers the Backstreet Girls, when blog reader
posted a comment looking for a song called KGB. This wasn’t
the song she was looking for (she found it: Channel KGBs (TNT
remix) by the KGB’s) but I thought it would make a great tempo
drill. So here it is: find a resistance and a cadence that
you can maintain for two minutes (but not a whole lot more).
There’s a break coming after this.
Live and Let Die – Guns ‘n Roses (3:02): I saw GNR way back
in the 80s when they opened for the Cult. I hated them and
predicted a quick demise for the band, thus ending any
possibility of a career as a record producer or talent scout.
They covered this McCartney hit in 1991. We’re going to use
it for three out-of-the-saddle, charge up the hill sprints
35/12/25 seconds, at 0:43 – 1:18 (35 sec), 1:33 – 1:45 (12
sec), and 2:25 – 2:50 (25 sec). They’re short, so I want
EVERYTHING you’ve got on these ones.
Cobrastyle feat. Mad Cobra) – Teddybears (3:00): Okay, this is
more reggae fusion than hard rock, but it’s been on heavy
rotation on my iPod since Lisa posted it on her Glamorous Spin
Mix back in June.
We’re gonna do some lifts: 8 count, 4
count, then 2 count, one minute each. If you want to switch
at a good time for the music, try switching at 1:04 and 2:10.
Augh! Those quads.
The Pretender – Foo Fighters (4:29): This song starts slow,
but it’s all badass – one great, big, juicy sprint. Split the
class into two teams, A & B. They’re going to alternate 30
second sprints (2 sets) starting at 0:34 – 2:38. Then there’s
a 50 second rest, followed by a one minute, all-out sprint for
everyone at 3:28 – 4:29. Spontaneous whoops encouraged.
Hot Cherie – Hardline (4:47): I’ve had this song in one form
or another since I’ve had a walkman. It’s originally by a
Winnipeg band called Streetheart (but I didn’t know that until
I checked Wikipedia while putting this post together). The
lyrics are insipid and suggestive, but there are no f-bombs
(ah, the innocent 90s) and the chorus has get-up-and-go
power. Besides, what’s a hard rock playlist without a cheesy
metal song? Sort of a poor man’s Scorpions. We’re going to
do an out of the saddle climb, gettin’ aggressive at the
choruses.
Speed – Billy Idol (4:18): Time for another tempo drill, this
time with surges at each chorus to keep everyone on their
toes. The choruses are at 1:00 – 1:23, 2:04 – 2:47 (including
the bridge), and 3:35 – 4:10. Every time you hear “speed” –
go! Somehow I don’t think that’s the speed Billy Idol was
talking about.
Beside You – Marianas Trench (3:38):
Let’s dial down the
intensity a bit. Take 25 seconds to recover and grab a drink,
then ratchet up the tension for this seated climb from
Canadian rockers, Marianas Trench.
Dead – Buckcherry (5:27): I didn’t know about Buckcherry back
in my metal days (they didn’t form until 1995) but I would
have been all over them back then. They’re seriously badass,
from heavily-tattooed lead singer Josh Todd to their breakout
hit, Crazy Bit*h. We’re taking this one right to the finish
line as an all-out, gimme what you got left sprint. If you’re
really badass, do ’em standing. Let’s do 15 seconds off/on,
30 seconds off/on, 45 seconds off/on then 60 seconds off/on
(ride out the end of the song). I stop this one at 4:45, as
the song winds down after that.
cool down at 4:45.
If you leave it in, start the
Free – Train (3:58): We deserve this cool down to Train’s
1998 hit, Free. Slow down your legs, take a few gulps of
water, and relax.
Just a Ride – Jem (3:20): Reader Bob put me on to this Welsh
singer-songwriter. Some perfect cool-down energy here.
I spent a sunny Saturday this week sitting on a stability ball
at my gym getting my Schwinn certification for indoor
cycling. Schwinn is big on coaching rather than instructing
and I got some really good tips from the class. I realized
that I was already doing some of the things they suggested,
like Dimensional Cueing.
One dimensional cueing provides
facts or information (“take this hill at a comfortable
challenge”).
Two dimensional cueing includes a sensory
component like a comparison, contrast, analogy, touch or
visual image (“this hill is tougher than the last one”).
Three dimensional cueing asks a question of the riders (“Are
you ready to tackle the biggest hill yet?”) I’ve also been
doing music mapping (using a song’s structure to enhance the
terrain on the ride).
The instructor coached us through a 40 minute class – much of
it off the bike – using lots of visualization. The ride was
very well-received by the class of about 20 instructors. My
own experience was marred by having chosen a bike with a wonky
resistance knob. I couldn’t get the resistance right – there
was too light and too heavy and very little in between. I
really liked that he gave us two profiles complete with music,
so we could deconstruct them on our own time, or try them out
ourselves.
Reader Mae posted a question on the Reader Playlist page that
ties into this training: she needs to teach off the bike for a
couple of months and isn’t sure how.
Frankly, I’m not,
either. I have been to classes where the instructor taught
off the bike – some good, some not so good. The point I took
away from the Schwinn training is if you’re coaching rather
than instructing, you can do it more easily off the bike
because you can talk more. The Schwinn instructor pointed out
that it’s not like a step class where you need to demonstrate
the moves constantly.
Once you’ve demonstrated good form
seated and standing, why not get off the bike and really
coach?
I’ll admit, I was too chicken to even try it when I was
pregnant and couldn’t giv’er like I wanted to. I chose to get
someone to sub my class until I was ready to go again. But
I’m intrigued with the coaching model and want to learn more
about it.
So riders – who teaches off the bike?
How do you do it?
We
all want to know!
Dynamite
minutes)
Spin
Mix
(53
I’ve been feeling the need to do a mix
of recent dance tunes.
This mix
includes a bunch of hits that have
been charting this summer, including I
Like It from Enrique Iglesias,
Dynamite and Break Your Heart from
Taio Cruz, Love the Way You Lie by
Eminem, Memories by David Guetta, Naturally by Selena Gomez &
The Scene, Telephone from Lady GaGa, Blah Blah Blah from
Ke$ha, and Airplanes from B.o.B. to wind it up.
Two Tribes – Frankie Goes to Hollywood (3:56):
to this 1984 dance hit that went to number one
New Zealand, Germany and the Netherlands, but
only #43 in the U.S.A. Either way, the song has
energy. Let’s get those legs moving.
Let’s warm up
in the U.K.,
inexplicably
great warm up
I Like It (feat. Pitbull) – Enrique Iglesias (3:52): Start
with some lifts: 8 counts for the verses, 4 counts for the
choruses. At the bridge (2:00 – 2:30) go to 2 counts. This
song was all over the Top 10 in multiple countries this year:
the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Spain, the U.S.A.,
Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Norway, Scotland,
and Switzerland.
Dynamite – Taio Cruz (3:24): Cruz is an English popstar and
this tune has catchy all over it – just try not to hum it
later. We’re going to use it for a high tension out of the
saddle climb, so take that resistance up to 6/10 and alternate
between regular and aggressive stances 45 seconds/45 seconds,
then 1 minute each.
Machines Can Do the Work – Fatboy Slim vs. Herve (5:01):
Speaking of catchy, Fatboy Slim is a lot more memorable than
Norman Cook (his real name).
We’re going to start with a
tempo drill. At 1:00, surge for 60 seconds. At 2:00, turn up
the tension a couple of clicks, and go back to tempo. At 3:00
we surge again for 60 seconds. At 4:00, turn up the tension
and go back to tempo to ride it out.
Love the Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna) – Eminem (4:23): Let’s
do a seated climb to this controversial song about domestic
violence.
At 0:25 take that tension up to a comfortable
challenge and dig in. Be forewarned: Eminem drops a few fbombs in this one, and I couldn’t find a radio edit.
Memories (feat. Kid Cudi) – David Guetta (3:31):
David Guetta
is a French DJ who really knows how to spin a tune – his music
is so darn, well – happy. It makes me want to dance when I’m
alone in my living room, never mind in a club at 4:00 a.m.
Another language warning, though: this one uses the word
sh*t. We start a ten minute out of the saddle climb here.
Are you up for it?
Break Your Heart – Taio Cruz (3:06): And what’s wrong with a
double shot of Taio Cruz? Heading into some rolling hills.
Every 10-30 seconds take the tension up a notch; after 3-4
increases, head back down the same way.
Naturally – Selena Gomez & The Scene (3:23): I first came
across this song not long after having Kate. I was out for
one of my first tender walks after getting home from the
hospital and couldn’t stop myself from breaking into a jog
(that I later regretted) when I heard the chorus of this
song. The bloom has since gone off the rose a bit, since
Canadian TV network CTV picked up the song to plug their fall
lineup of TV programs. What we’re going to do here is what
comes naturally: an out of the saddle climb for the verses,
and hard, all-out sprint for the choruses. Do ’em seated or
standing. I’m gonna stand.
High Roller – The Crystal Method (5:30):
Take some welldeserved recovery after that 10 minute hill that ended in
crazy sprints.
Rest for 1:07, then start some single-leg
training with medium-high tension 7/10. One minute each leg,
two sets. A high roller is also known as a whale and just
like Ahab, casinos look to reel them in. In Las Vegas you
need to be able to gamble with anywhere from $150,000 –
$300,000 to be a high roller. (Are you kidding me? I feel
bad if I lose
cappuccinos.)
20
bucks
at
the
casino.
That’s
five
Telephone (feat. Beyonce) – Lady GaGa (3:41): I’m a huge,
unabashed GaGa fan. She wrote this hit for Britney Spears,
who rejected it. (Can’t you hear Britney in it?) Britney’s
loss – it went on to hit #3 on the American Billboard charts
and #3 in Canada as well. On the surface, the song is about a
woman who doesn’t want to take her boyfriend’s call while
she’s at a nightclub, but GaGa says she doesn’t go to
nightclubs and the song is really about her workaholism.
We’re going to use this song for some lifts 8/4/2, at least a
minute for each.
Blah Blah Blah (feat. 3OH!3) – Ke$ha (2:52): Keep those lifts
going for a full 7 minutes. Oh yes, I am cruel.
Fire – Scooter (3:30):
The best way to get any remaining
energy out is with some sprints, so let’s go at 0:20 when the
singer shouts “go!”
15 seconds on/off, then 30, then 45
seconds. Then blessed recovery.
Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore) – B.o.B.
(3:01): Cool down with this ultra-catchy hip hop tune from
B.o.B. It took me ages to track down the name of this song
after hearing it on the radio. I thought I heard Eminem on it
sometimes, and other times not (turns out there’s a second
song, Airplanes Part II on which he does appear). Once again,
watch for explicit language.
Stereo Love – Edward Maya and Vika Jigulina (4:08):
cool down and goodbye music.
Some more
Spin it Old School Spin Mix
(51 minutes)
Hi! My name is Nancy MacLellan from Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Two years ago I started taking Cynthia’s classes as a regular
participant. Everyday at 1:00 pm you will find me in the spin
room at my gym like a piece of furniture. I was so inspired
to become a spin instructor after taking several of Cynthia’s
classes. I didn’t have much of a fitness background until I
met her. I signed up to take the training through my local
gym. That was the easiest part. It’s time to apply what I just
learned.
I was so nervous to teach the first warm up track
with Cynthia. I was like a deer in head lights. Cynthia made
me feel comfortable and encourage me to do it! Here I am! I
have been teaching Free Style Cycling for over a year with
five regular classes on the schedule.
I knew I wanted to teach more classes. I
couldn’t get enough!!! MY gym was bought
by another chain of gyms and I knew
everything was going to change. Since then
I enrolled in Schwinn Cycling training to
learn more. Still I couldn’t get enough.
I wanted to know everything about cycling
so I enrolled in the RPM training through
Les Mills.
After three months of some
serious training I heard back from Fitness
Assessment and they replied back congratulating their newest
Les Mills RPM Instructor. On top of that I enrolled in the
Body Pump training as well. I am waiting to hear back from
Les Mills for my Body Pump Certification.
Thank you, Thank you Cynthia.
You are my inspiration!!
My classes consist of the Bill Board’s top hits but I like to
spin it old school at times. Check out some of the songs your
participants will learn to love.
Now You’re Gone – Basshunter (3:32): Mixed Terrain
Pick up your shoulders and roll them up back and down.
Start off with a standing climb (feels like mud) increase
intensity around :30 seconds.
:58 seconds increase resistance, hold tension until sprint and
dial back slightly.
1:15 seated sprint for 60 seconds. There is no recovery.
2:12 you’re back on your feet with heavy resistance to finish
the hill climb. (78 seconds) Add two increases to increase
intensity.
Sandstorm – Darude (3:46): 2 – 60 Second Sprints
Overhead
stretch,
shoulder
roll,
take
a
drink,
seated
recovery.
:29 seconds (1 minute sprint seated or standing or 30 seconds
alternating positions).
1:29 recover – posture break, water (30 seconds recovery).
2:00 seated climb to keep heart rate up.
2:28 (1 minute sprint seated or standing or 30 seconds
alternating positions).
Good Vibrations – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (4:29):
Seated Rolling Hills x5
In the saddle recovery, water break.
:32 1st sprint down the hill to start the work.
:49 gear up, saddle climb, hips back, dig in.
1:12 2nd sprint.
1:28 increase gears, sit back and climb, choose your intensity
according to your fitness level.
1:52 3rd sprint.
2:06 quick drink then add a load, back to your climbing legs.
2:46 4th sprint.
3:03 longer climb ahead (48 seconds).
3:50 last sprint to the end (40 seconds).
Staying Alive (Dance Traxx Remix) – Bee Gees (3:52):
Alternating Standing and Seated Climbs
Increase resistance every 30 seconds and alternate positions.
Encourage participants to keep the same pace as the hill
increases.
Feel the Beat – Darude (4:17):
60 seconds sprints X2- I
usually play this one after a heavy hill climb to give the
additional recovery before the 1st sprint.
:58 sprint for 60 seconds (seated or standing).
1:58 recover and grab some water (posture breaks).
3:16 sprint to the end.
Jump that Rock (Whatever You Want) – Scooter Vs Status Quo
(3:26): Attacks & Racing
Recovery for 30 seconds, big turn of resistance for attack.
:33 standing attack.
:45 seated racing (maintain resistance).
1:00 seated climb.
1:27 standing attack.
1:40 seated racing.
1:53 seated climb.
2:18 increase of resistance, stay in saddle.
2:45 standing attack.
2:58 seated racing.
3:11 recovery.
I Like to Move it Techno Mix – DDR Dance Dance Revolution
(3:47): Mixed Terrain
When music starts take it Standing Tall, stretching through
the hip flexors, lifted chest.
:14 hinge forward to standing climb with the tempo (increasing
resistance to support body weight).
:30 get low, hips over the saddle (maintain tension) tuck chin
in, belly button in.
:45 increase intensity – standing climb.
1:17 get low.
1:48 mix it up to a seated climb.
2:19 standing climb.
2:50 get low (hover).
3:07 seated to the end.
U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer (4:17): Rolling Hills
Shoulder Roll, posture break.
:15 standing climb (support weight).
:44 increase intensity remain standing.
1:12 increase intensity remain standing.
1:40 1st sprint downhill seated.
1:55 standing hill climb.
2:24 2nd sprint.
2:38 climb.
3:08 3rd sprint.
3:21 climb.
3:51 4th sprint until 4:06.
No Limits – 2 Unlimited (3:45): Team Sprinting
I usually wing this one with the tempo.
two groups.
Split the class into
1st team sprints for 20 seconds, 2nd team after first 20
seconds, alternate until the end. 5 sets of 20 seconds.
It’s a Long Way to the Top – AC/DC (5:15): Standing Climb with
a 60 second sprint to finish.
Standing climb Increasing intensity every 30 seconds.
4:12 seated sprint for 1 minute, decreased slightly after 30
seconds staying close to the working resistance.
How Far We’ve Come – Matchbox Twenty (3:29): Attacks & Racing
Start with a Seated climb.
:45 standing attack (hips come forward, no contact with the
saddle, lean slightly forward).
:56 racing (maintain resistance and slid your hips back in the
saddle, dig in).
1:08 seated climb.
1:30 standing attack.
1:42 racing.
1:54 back to climb, increase intensity.
2:31 attack.
2:42 racing.
2:54 attack.
3:06 racing to the end.
Beds are Burning – Nova Space (3:23): 3 sprints
:44 1st sprint, seated sprint or standing (30 seconds).
1:20 short recovery.
1:36 2nd sprint.
2:00 recovery.
2:19 3rd sprint to the end (over 1 minute).
Somewhere Only We Know – Keane (3:49): Cool Down
flush out the legs, slow down to the tempo, recover.
Thanks Nancy! I was so touched that I’ve provided inspiration
to you, and I love that you’ve run with it and are doing far
more than me! (By the way folks, you should see Nancy these
days – she is looking very buff.)
In the “I knew it” department, a
recent Syracuse University study
reported in Canada’s Globe and
Mail demonstrated that women
burn fewer calories than men
doing the very same exercise.
Men and women ran, then walked
1600 metres at the same speed.
When running, men burned 124
calories to women’s 105.
When
walking, men burned 88 calories to women’s 74 calories.
Nothing to be done about it except to hit the gym a little
longer and eat less.
Well folks, Nancy was our last guest poster of the summer and
I’m on my last week of maternity leave. I go back to work
after the Labour Day weekend, and my husband will be home with
Kate. I am looking forward to going back to work, especially
since I’ll still have a day or two a week to spend with Kate.
I want to send out a huge thank you to all the spin
instructors who volunteered their time and expertise over the
summer to keep the blog fresh and full of great tunes and
playlists for everyone. Thank you Denise, Judy, April, Tim,
Beth Ann, Darcy, Selma, Lisa, Adrienne, Bob, Paul, Amy,
Gabriela, Jenn, and Nancy.
I am so grateful!
She Wants to Move Spin Mix
(75 minutes)
Hi everyone, I’m Gabriela a.k.a. Aeon and I hail from the good
ol’ USA (Oklahoma City) but have made Toronto my home. I love
Canada!
A little bit about me: I suffered from severe
asthma as a child and because of it I wasn’t
able to have a very active childhood. If I ever
tried to do any sort of physical activity my
asthma would flare up and it would feel like I
was trying to breathe through a plastic bag. I
still remember trying to run a mile in PE in
grade 6 – I felt like I was drowning 5 minutes
into my run. I was always one of the last kids
to finish and I really hated that because I
have a very competitive streak. In 1997 I hired a personal
trainer and part of my training included a lot of cardio.
Since my PT taught spinning, it was just natural that I would
give it a try. I was a little intimidated – the music, the
bikes, the sweat … but I knew that I could do it – I love a
challenge and by this time, my asthma wasn’t so severe … I was
hooked and never looked back! Several years later and thanks
to encouragement from friends, I became a certified cycling
and group fitness instructor. Taking this step changed my life
dramatically and allowed me to not only push myself but to
believe that having asthma was not going to hold me back from
being the active person I was meant to be. Maybe this is why I
have a really soft spot for new riders. I always try to ensure
a fun and non-intimidating experience for first time riders.
After all, I was in their shoes at one time and look at me
now! :)
For my indoor cycling classes, I have one rule: If we can’t do
it on an outdoor ride, we are not doing it inside. Therefore,
all of my rides focus on proper technique and challenging
drills that move along with the beat of the music. I am a huge
music fan and find that if I can move to the beat, I push
myself a lot more and work harder so, this is how I teach. I
play all genres of music and try to include a little bit of
everything so that riders will at least find one song they
like. I find that hip-hop with the heavy bass beats works
fabulously in a cycling class, dance music, remixes and mashups also make for an amazing ride. I like to sneak the odd
industrial or indie song, maybe an obscure 80’s tune … this is
what makes indoor cycling fun! Anything goes when it comes to
the music and as long as it flows and the energy is high,
everyone is bound to have a great workout.
A note about the tension – I ask my riders to add resistance
until their cadence begins to match the beat of the music. I
find that it’s easier to coach in this manner than to use
percentages and/or numbers. People get confused but they can
easily understand the concept of slowing or speeding up their
pace to match a beat. The challenge is maintaining the pace as
we increase the resistance.
Here’s my ride profile for this week:
Stop! (Vince Clarke Sync 82 Remix) – Erasure (6:06): Time to
get this started! Add enough tension to feel yourself pedaling
against the wind and lets go for a light run to warm up those
legs! After 2 minutes and some light stretching, come out of
the saddle for a standing run. Make sure you have enough
tension while standing to always be in control of the pedals.
So Many Girls – Usher (4:36): The wind is picking up so load
it up until your legs move in tune with the beat. Have a seat
during the bridge and pound on those pedals to keep your pace
moving to the beat, increase the tension and come out of the
saddle on the chorus.
Rose Colored Glasses – Kelly Rowland (4:01): Now we’re really
hitting a hill! We need to load it up to match the slow pace
of this song. Hit the saddle and increase after each chorus –
this should feel like we’re pedaling through thick mud. Come
out of the saddle to take it to the top.
Dominos – The Big Pink (3:46): So what’s at the top? More mud!
Let’s lower the tension just a little to reflect our new flat
muddy road and continue plowing through. Put all your power
and strength into your quads and try to double time your pace
on the chorus. Visualize yourself speeding up through the
muddiest sections to get out of them as fast as possible!
There are three 20 second sets in this song – your legs will
feel like jello at the end but that’s why we do this!
Chica Bomb (Extended Version) – Dan Balan (4:21): Whew! That
was rough! Let’s come back to the non-muddy flats and release
some tension. We are going for a light run with uphill
sprints. Let’s maintain a 75% effort for the run and as the
chorus begins, load it up into a high gear, explode out of the
saddle and give me a standing sprint. Then bring it back to a
lower gear and come back to your seated run. There are 3 sets
in this song.
Acapella – Kelis (4:08): It’s time to recover after that
madness! Let’s load it up to pace to the music and go for all
endurance on this song. Really try to keep the same pace all
the way through and be sure to drink water as needed.
Memories 2010 – David Guetta (3:31): Come out of the saddle
and continue to run. We’ll switch between second and third
position for our standing run, keep your shoulders relaxed and
elbows soft. All your weight is on your legs and you’re
focusing on your pace. This time we’re just going to hit the
saddle and add a little more effort on the chorus without
touching the tension. Your legs should move faster but you
should always feel like you’re in control of the pedals. If it
feels like the pedals are moving you, turn up the tension.
Dancing On My Own – Robyn (4:46): Let’s load it up and ride
this slight incline – increase the tension after each minute
and to keep it challenging have a seat during the bridge. This
makes the ride a little tougher without you having to touch
the tension again.
Boardmeeting (DJ Mixstar) – Timbaland (2:29): Now it’s getting
steep! Continue to increase the tension to match the slow
beat. You should crank it up enough to need to stand for the
last minute.
She Wants To Move (Jason Nevins Remix) – N.E.R.D. (3:47):
(Make sure you get the Jason Nevins Remix of this song.) It is
time for some Tabata pain people! Let’s lighten up the load
and go at about 80% for the first minute. Then we are going to
sprint hard for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds three times
in a row after which we will recover for 45 seconds and finish
up with another sent of three 20/10’s. Remember to put maximum
effort into those 20 seconds!
Name Of The Game – The Crystal Method (4:15): Yikes! Let’s
slow it down with a heavy uphill climb. You know the drill,
match your leg speed to the music and INCREASE to mimic the
increasing level of difficulty.
Candy Bottom Girls – Q-Unit (3:38): Oh no! Another muddy flat
at the top! Lower the tension a teeny bit and settle into the
climb. Double time those legs when you hear Queen kick in on
the song.
Zero – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (4:26): Continue to move through the
mud for the first minute of this song, then decrease the
tension and get ready for a long downhill run – all the way to
the end people! We are almost done so you have to dig deep and
keep those legs moving!
Renegades Of Funk – Rage Against The Machine (4:34): Take the
first 30 seconds to recover and drink some water. If this song
does not make you MOVE then you have no pulse … load it up a
little to mimic the windy flat we are on and settle in for one
fast ride! Once you find the pace that keeps YOU challenged
hang on to it! Ride it all the way to the last note!
Sandstorm – Darude (7:26): We’ve come all this way to this
last challenging drill. We’re going back to Tabata … take some
water, dig deep and get ready! We have two sets of 20/10’s
with a one minute recovery followed by THREE more sets of
20/10’s. I know we’re tired but this is the part we will
remember when we finish class! On the third 20/10 it’s
competition time – imagine that competitive friend you have
(we all have one!) riding at your heels! They are gunning for
the finish line and they want it as much as you do – you have
to MOVE THOSE LEGS! All the hard work you’ve done, all the
training and motivation comes down to these last 20 seconds
and it’s up to you to hit that finish line before your
competitive foe does … DO IT!
Khaleegi Stomp – Transglobal Underground (3:53): Victory lap
time! Your heart is pumping, your vision is blurry, you might
be hallucinating but no – that was just you hitting the finish
line and winning! Let’s take the next couple of minutes to
slow down the heart rate and the legs – rehydrate and high
fives all around.
Indra – Thievery Corporation (5:25): This part is just as
important as all the training we just did, please stay and
stretch! The five minutes we get is not enough so be sure to
incorporate stretching into your daily routine. It helps
prevent injuries and keeps you flexible!
Thanks Cynthia for having me as a guest on your wonderful
blog. I am not the best at updating my blog but I can be found
at http://www.fightfitness.ca/spindj. I post streaming play
lists and talk fitness when I can find the time. Thanks again
and cheers everyone!
~Gabriela
Thanks,
Gabriela!
What a
fantastic
playlist.
I love this
ride – I am
going to
use it with
my class on
Wednesday.
Couldn’t find a couple of the songs on
iTunes (She Wants to Move and Candy
Bottom Girls). I substituted Rock Star
by N.E.R.D. for She Wants to Move.
Folks, Gabriela uses pop-out playlists so
you can listen to songs right from her
blog. She’s included the code for her
guest post, so to hear the songs, just
click on Pop Out Playlist. Cool stuff.
I am
feeling
nostalgic.
My mat
leave is
over in two
weeks. How
the time
has flown.
Here’s a
pic of Kate
taken last week while we were on vacation
on Prince Edward Island. She’s rocking
her sunglasses and bikini, I think. I’ve
posted another pic – the view from our
cottage porch at dawn. PEI is a very
special place. Only got one ride in
while we were there – a short 26km ride
from St. Peters to Mount Stewart along
the Confederation Trail. While on the
ride, my friend’s Blackberry went off –
it was one of my dear friends calling to
tell us he’d just been appointed to the
Supreme Court of Nova Scotia! Wonderful
news.
The guest posts aren’t over yet – there
are two to go. Look for Jenn’s post on
August 22. She blogs over at Move Me
with Music – check it out. Happy
spinning, everyone.