Are you a spinning instructor?

[Bob s.]

If so, I'd love to hear about how you structure your class, and what you do for interval training, hills, etc. Here's what I do for a good extended hill climb:
1st song: Seated hill climb, agressive hand postition 3, tension varying between 4 and 6 (on scale of 1 to 10, 10 being hardest).

2nd song: combination seated and standing - 15 seconds up 15 seated, 20 seconds up 20 seated, etc. Tension varying between 5-7.

3rd songBand U2 song Elevation is great) Standing climb tension varying between 6 and 8. Standing whole song.

Sample of interval sprints: 15 second seated sprint seated agressive, followed by a 20 second sprint, then a 25 second and a 30 second. Then I reverse the pattern, going 30,25,20,15 second intervals.
Occasionally, I'll throw in a second round of stairstep interval sprints, with out of the saddle recovery to break it up. This really seems to 'get' people, since it's more difficult to recover standing.

So what are your favorite rides for class?
--Bob

 

[CatSpin]

Bob,

Don't know about you, but I find it difficult to time the intervals to the songs. I tend to find songs that have choruses that can be used as an interval. I am less concerned with the precise length of the interval so as long as it is matched by the beat in the music. Your tension levels look good and timing also seems fine.

Today we interval / tempo hill climbed to:

Pretty in Pink - the Psychedelic Furs
Elevation - U2 - you are right on with this one.
Just like a pill - Pink

You may want to add ascending and descending intervals where you start off high and work low (say 7 to 4) for the first song, spin the legs during a fast paced "speed song" (Playing in a travelin' band - Credence Clearwater Survival will do it) then go up from level 5 to 8 in your second interval song. This should tear them up.

What the class likes best are "race" tunes. Geared up at level 5 going flat out, regrouping towards the end of the song, then sprinting to the finish. The all time favorite for class is Van Halen's "Panama". PS - the last 20 seconds, gear up to level 7 and make them sprint out of the saddle.

Go get em'

CatSpin