Cause and Effect Mp3 Profile Created By: Jennifer Sage, ICA Master Instructor Ride Objective: focus on the relationship between resistance and cadence Working cadence range: 68-108rpm Working intensity: Zones 3-5 (aerobic to anaerobic) Class Length: 60 minutes One of the most important things we can teach our students is the relationship between cadence and resistance and how it affects our intensity and ultimately our fitness and success. Too often, students, especially those who do not ride a bike outside, will pedal with too little resistance at a cadence that is too high. Because the heart rate will often be elevated, they feel like they are getting a benefit, even if power output is low (and most won’t have a power meter to tell them that). Sometimes it is the opposite. We’ve all seen students who prefer to strain against high resistance at very low cadences, erroneously believing that it is good for their fitness goals. This profile allows them to see that resistance doesn’t have to be “slammed on” to get a great workout. It is up to the instructor to educate students about this important relationship, and to guide them into choosing a cadence and resistance combination that not only make sense from a cycling point of view (even if they do not ride outside), but will help them achieve their goals of greater fitness. By choosing cadences and resistances (gears) that more closely mimic what is used outdoors, you will lead your students to greater fitness and success. This profile is designed to take students through a range of cadences, while asking them to pay close attention to the effects that it has on them – heart rate, perceived exertion, leg strain, and even discomfort. In doing so, it will help them identify where their own strengths and weaknesses are, and where their preferred cadence is. Students will learn how to be subtle in their resistance increases. Sometimes a ¼ inch turn of the knob is enough to elicit an increase of a couple of heartbeats. This is most helpful for those students who tend to add or subtract resistance with sweeping turns of the resistance knob, such as a quarter or a half a turn each time. If focusing this intently on the cause and effect of cadence is new to you and your students, you might want to introduce this concept to them over a couple of classes. For this particular playlist, you’ll see I chose songs from the mid-climbing range of 68bpm/rpm on up to 108rpm. On a subsequent profile, I might choose to expand on the theme by focusing just on the higher end (flat road, 85-120rpm) or on the lower end (higher resistance, 55-80rpm). For this profile, I’ve chosen shorter songs (less than 5 minutes) that most of my students will recognize - I want their attention at all costs! On later profiles focused just on the higher or lower cadences, I would choose longer songs, ICA Mp3 Profile Cause and Effect The relationship between cadence and resistance and perhaps more songs without lyrics so they can dissociate from the music, allowing them to go much deeper into the cadence and spend more time at perfecting it. (Upcoming mp3 profiles will show you how to do this). Note that my verbiage used in this profile is directed at students who are not necessarily used to paying close attention to cadence. If your students are accustomed to this discussion, then you would modify how much explanation you give. Also note that there is a lot of dialogue here. I usually don’t talk this much, unless there is a lot to teach them. This is an educational profile. After you’ve taught your students the “cause and effect” of resistance on cadence and cadence on resistance, the next time you teach this profile, you will not have to talk so much. You will only need to point out the obvious and give them a few reminders to pay attention. Standing climb versus a “standing flat”: Although much of this ride takes place in the saddle, it’s important to take breaks out of the saddle. I don’t usually condone a “standing flat” position for long periods (anything over about 15-30 seconds), because it’s not something that a cyclist would do for longer than a few seconds. (If a cyclist does stand up for a break – she probably would not be pedaling). If you stand up indoors, it should always be against a higher gear (more R) and hands should always move to the sides for stability, support and comfort. The traditional “standing flat” position used in Spinning® with the hands on the bars in front (HP2), unfortunately often causes students to “unfold” at the hips (i.e. stand too tall) and perch on their fingertips. You want to do whatever you can to avoid this – moving the hands to the sides of the bars helps to reduce this tendency. Also, as cadence approaches or exceeds 90rpm, it is unwise to stand up (unless you are sprinting against a high resistance, which we are not doing in this profile). This is also counter to the traditional Spinning® program allowances for a “standing flat”. The reason I do not suggest it is because very few students can maintain proper form standing up at high cadences; most lean on their hands and lose control of a smooth pedal stroke, and it usually spikes heart rate above what the rider can control. Therefore, I don’t recommend standing at cadences higher than 90rpm for longer than a few seconds. In this profile, when students stand up for saddle breaks at the higher cadences (90+rpm), encourage them to slow the legs down. Remember, the objective in this ride is to discover the effect of cadence and resistance, and that can most effectively be explored seated. Music and Beats Per Minute I use the beat per minute (bpm) of the songs to dictate the cadence (rpm) at which we ride. A song that is 166 bpm indicates a cadence of 83 rpm because you are counting only one leg as it goes around. For ease of knowing the accompanying cadence to use with that song (instead of having to do the math every time), I write it as 83 bpm, which is really the half-beat. It’s very important to realize that some students cannot hear the beat of music. If you have cadence meters, this resolves that problem. If you don’t have cadence meters, then you’ll have to have these students follow your own legs (presuming you can hear the beat), or pick out a student that you know can hear the beat and who is strong and COPYRIGHT 2011 JENNIFER SAGE AND INDOOR CYCLING ASSOCIATION 2 ICA Mp3 Profile Cause and Effect The relationship between cadence and resistance consistent with his or her cadence (if you know them well enough) and ask that person if he or she can be the guide for the students sitting further back. You can help your students by counting the tempo out loud. I use my hands to indicate how fast it is. Typically, songs are more pronounced on the downbeat (the first and third beat of a 4-count tempo). I’ll hold my hands out in front of me and move them in a circle (palms facing each other) counting out loud “1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2…” I’ll tell them “These are your feet, right foot on the 1, left foot on the two. See how fast that is?” (Right/left doesn’t really matter…it’s just an example). If I see students lagging through the song, I’ll repeat it. This is an excellent guide to help students pay attention. Can you use a cadence meter instead of the beat of the music, and use your favorite songs regardless of their beat? Certainly. The combination of the two together is optimal. But if you choose to use songs that aren’t the beat that you are asking while telling them to ride according to the cadence meter, I think you will be less successful in a profile such as this one. It’s perfectly fine in other profiles where the specific cadence is not as important to the success of the profile. If you are new to using the beat of the song to define your cadence, welcome to a wonderful experience! I think it will open your eyes to a new way of teaching. How about YOU, the Instructor? This profile requires excellent form by the instructor in order to guide students in their quest for increased leg speed, mastering the resistance and improved fitness. Do YOU have good technique at high cadences? Be honest with yourself! It’s almost impossible to teach this to your students if you cannot exhibit good form yourself. Practice this profile by yourself to discover your own weaknesses, or better yet, with another instructor so you can coach each other on excellent form. If you find that you bounce in the saddle at higher leg speeds, acknowledge that this is one of your own weaknesses and something you too need to work on. Admitting you have a weakness is not a weakness! It’s a strength; a realization that we all have areas of our own fitness to work on. Spend a few weeks practicing this and similar profiles (such as pedal stroke drills) at higher cadences to make sure you practice what you preach and can sit deep in the saddle at the required cadence with absolutely no bouncing.