All Over The Map

Simple advice for beginner spinning indoor cycling instructors

blandon — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:30:38 -0700

A new instructor asked me for advice on teaching a spinning class. I teach almost all group exercise class formats and I find spinning to be the easiest format to teach. You don't have to worry about choreography, the 8-count or the 32-count phrase. No one has two left feet in a spinning class, so everyone can take this class regardless of fitness level. Tell your participants that they decide how much resistance they want and whether they want to get off the seat or not. I never tell people how much to turn up the resistance (i.e. quarter turn). I just tell them to turn up the resistance. If we're going to climb, I might tell them we're going to turn it up every 30 seconds, four times. Then, they can decide accordingly how much resistance they want.

I think the key to a fun spinning class is music. You can't please everyone, but I try to music I think the general population will like. I pick songs that I think go with the spinning exercise. Slower songs for climbs, like Brick by Dazz Band. Fast songs for sprints, like Tequila. Tubthumping by Chumbawumba is a good example of a song that feels like interval training. You can kill about 10 minutes easily with a pyramid. One minute intervals:

20 seconds off the seat & 40 seconds on the seat
30 seconds off the seat & 30 seconds on the seat
40 seconds off the seat & 20 seconds on the seat
50 seconds off the seat & 10 seconds on the seat
1 minute off the seat & 30-60 seconds on the seat
50 seconds off the seat & 10 seconds on the seat
40 seconds off the seat & 20 seconds on the seat
30 seconds off the seat & 30 seconds on the seat
20 seconds off the seat & 40 seconds on the seat

Do a pyramid after the warmup and before the cooldown. 20 minutes total!

A lot of clubs don't have microphones in their spinning studios. In this case, I use my hands to signal when to get off the seat, especially for "jumps" when you're queuing them to get off and on the seat in regular intervals (i.e. every 4 or 8 counts).

I keep my notes (as I've formatted them on this blog) in a Tyvek CD sleeve on my towel on the handlebars so I know what's coming.

Have fun, relax, and don't overthink it. It's bike riding. If they were outside, they'd have no music and just ride or put their iPods on and just go. If you have fun, they will too!

Union Leader front page news - Marine Deployment

blandon — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:30:27 -0700

Front page - May 27, 2008
Headline: 'Ready to go' Marines say

Right-mouse click and choose "Open in a new window" or tab to see the entire front page.

1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Bravo Company Deployment to Iraq

blandon — Tue, 27 May 2008 05:47:14 -0700

On May 27, 2008, my son, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, deployed for Iraq with the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Bravo Company. The 1/25 sent 55 Marines to augment the 2/25 out of New York. They will spend the summer training in 29 Palms California before deploying to Iraq in late September for a seven-month tour.

Here is the news coverage of the sendoff on May 27, 2008 in Londonderry, NH:

Union Leader:
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline='Ready+to+go%2C'+Marines+say&articleId=7f44b37a-e309-4e44-8668-44ba12987df4

Union Leader slide show - My son and his girlfriend are in front of the yellow Mustang at 1:48 and my son again at 1:14
http://www.unionleader.com/uploads/media-items/slideshows/52608Marinesshipout/index.html

Union Leader (print version): Same article, but the photo of Kim and Christophe are on the front page and above the fold.

WMUR (local Manchester, NH ABC affiliate):
http://www.wmur.com/news/16398755/detail.html (plus video link)

WBZ TV 4 Boston (NBC affiliate):
http://wbztv.com/video/?id=62718@wbz.dayport.com
Article: http://wbztv.com/local/newhampshire/londonderry.parade.memorial.2.733352.html

The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2008/05/25/members_of_nh_based_unit_headed_back_to_iraq/

The Concord Monitor:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080526/NEWS01/805260319

The Nashua Telegraph (at the bottom of the article):
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/NEWS02/255986075/-1/YOUTH

We're counting the days until their safe return home in April/May 2009.

Cocoa Beach, FL vacation: windsurfing, manatees and more

blandon — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:00:42 -0700

We couldn't make it to Cape Hatteras this April, so we decided to go to Cocoa Beach, FL instead. I highly recommend a Cocoa Beach, Florida vacation for windsurfing, Orlando attractions, and other activities like swimming with manatees!

We stayed at Wakulla Suites in Cocoa Beach - next door to Ron Jon's Surf Shop (open 24/7). We stayed in a two-bedroom efficiency with full kitchen, dining area, and nice large living area - good for doing power yoga in the morning. We were on the second/top floor. The dining area has a big slider which overlooks the coconut trees and tall plants in the courtyard. Wakulla has a nice big swimming pool and smaller wading pool. Gas grills available in the courtyard for guest use. Wakulla has beach access for guests - a quick walk across the street. There was another building of suites on the beach too - also part of Wakulla. There were LOTS of guests on the weekends, but hardly any during the week. I think lots of Floridians stay there for the weekend. Slow ethernet access in the room and fast wireless access in the espresso bar in the lobby. I found Wakulla Suites on Orbitz and highly recommend it.

Wakulla Suites is located 8 miles from Tinho Dornellas' Calema Windsurfing at Kelly Park. We didn't sail as much since we had to rent gear and their were lots of other things to do besides sail. Calema has a wide selection of equipment. The launch area is PERFECT! Wind usually blows SE. It's very shallow except for the channel right in front of the launch. (Reminds me of Island Creek, in Avon, NC.) Their are manatees feeding right at the launch area! Rays in the water too - also like Hatteras. The wind was blowing 20+ the first day we sailed. We only sailed one other day during the our 7-day stay. It wasn't blowing as much, but it was still fun. I ran into a windsurfing "road warrior" from Fogland Beach in Tiverton, RI. Plus, there's a woman from Fogland that now works for Tinho at Calema. Small windsurfing world!

Other things to do: Orlando is one hour away. Skip Disney and go to Universal Studios instead if you and/or your kids are over the age of about 13. Roller coasters are great at Universal. Sea World and Aquatica are fun too. Feed dolphins, swim with them, and eat lunch with sharks at Sea World. Aquatica is no better than Water Country in Salem, NH, but it's a good water park. The highlight of our trip was swimming with manatees in the Crystal River!! www.manateetoursusa.com Manatees are gentle and unafraid of humans. They're very curious and playfull and will come to you. They like to be scratched under the flipper and on their bellies. The mother may even leave her calf with you to baby sit. I booked the dive through Dolphin Tours - a British tour group. The air boat ride was a disappointment. I recommend the manatee dive and the visit to Homassassa State Park package. Includes breakfast, lunch, and bus ride from Orlando. Costs range from $50-$90 pp - much cheaper than swimming with dolphins (still on my list though).

I still love Hatteras in April for a strict windsurfing vacation, but I'm really glad we did something different this year and went to Cocoa Beach!! I would go again in a heartbeat!

Hi/Lo Aerobics Choreography - 2

blandon — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:28:48 -0700

WALK UP & BACK (WALK 3, TAP 1)
4 ALT. KNEE LIFTS
VINE R&L, 1 DOUBLE GRAPEVINE
(TURNING TO OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROOM)
========================
TRANSITION:
STEP TOUCH X4 R&L - REPEATER KNEE LEFT X4
STEP TOUCH X4 L&R - V-STEP LEFT X4
========================

4 SCOOPS FORWARD
4 ALT. KNEES IN A CIRCLE
SHUFFLE BACK DIAGONAL R & L
4 REPEATER KNEES LEFT
(REPEAT OTHER SIDE)
========================

4 SLOW SQUAT-JACKS (JUMP OUT, JUMP IN)
§ 4 SINGLE HEEL JACKS
§ 4 V-STEPS
========================

SQUAT PULSE-4 & JUMP UP
8 PLYO SQUATS (HI OR LOW IMPACT)
========================

SIDE LUNGES: X4, double, single
BACK LUNGES: X4, double, single
========================
HEELS FRONT: 8 low impact - 8 Plyometric
facing each wall
8 KNEE LIFTS
8 INNER THIGH LIFTS
8 KICKS
8 HAM CURLS
========================

BACK LUNGES: X4, double, single
(WITH THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC!!! MAKE THEM KEEP UP WITH THE BEAT!!)
2 LAPS WALKING
2 LAPS LOW SKIPPING
2 LAPS HIGH-KNEE SKIPPING
2 RUNNING LAPS