Key considerations

Section 3: Plan and deliver an indoor cycling session

When planning any indoor cycling session, there are some key factors to consider when ensuring it is safe, effective, and enjoyable for all participants.

Key considerations

Safety/screening

When planning for any session, the first consideration is that it will be safe for anyone who wishes to participate. It is therefore advisable that all participants undergo some type of pre-exercise screening using the methods detailed in the Principles of Planning and Delivering Group Exercise (L/618/6381) unit.

Aims and Objectives of the session

An indoor cycling class should be more than just pedalling on a stationary bike while listening to high energy music and having a great workout. Establishing and communicating specific aims and objectives provides focus, gives purpose and direction for the participants. An expert indoor cycling instructor can alter and adapt the class to meet the wishes and expectations of everyone, even those with more demanding/selective fitness goals.

Planning an indoor cycling session

Whatever the session goals, the structure should still follow that of any group exercise session (as detailed in Principles of Planning and Delivering Group Exercise) unit ie:

• Warm-up to prepare the body for the activity to follow. - Mobility and pulse raiser.

• Main workout to work specific components of fitness (session type/genre).

• Cool-down and flexibility to return the body to a non-exercising state. - Developmental and maintenance stretches.

- Relaxation.

When planning your indoor cycling session you should consider the following:

The session “journey”

Rather than simply treating the indoor cycling class as a workout with a start and a finish, including a route/journey profile will greatly aid in the enjoyment for your class. A profile is a picture of an imaginary journey that you are going to take your class participants on. An effective and varied journey profile will not only help prevent boredom but also cater for different fitness goals within a mixed ability group class.

Therefore, before building your profile, you should determine:

• The expected/target group of participants

• The performance goals for the session

• The theme of your chosen ‘Journey’ eg: Race to the sun, The hills are alive, Catch me (if you can) etc.

• What elements you will include, such as: - hill climbs

- fast flat roads

- mountains

- mixed terrain

- sprints.

Create your ‘Tour de France’

Why not base your profile on one of the most famous stages of this well-known competitive race?

You could start with steady state riding and some gentle hills before entering into steep hill climbs. Perhaps within this profile, you could simulate a breakaway by isolating certain rows (or groups) to increase their intensity. This would then require an influx of pace from the rest of the class to work their way back.

Team cycling involves hard work from the front cyclists with the others drafting behind. Each group (or in a class, each row) can take their turn at the ‘front’ as the others recover. A profile like this would actively challenge the group’s aerobic and anaerobic capacities as well as develop lower body strength. Once the profile has been defined, you can decide what sort of music would fit the plan.

Choosing your Music

Since the speed and tempo of the music can be used to affect intensity, well-chosen music can add motivation and structure to a class. Additionally, it can also be used to help give visualisation and imagery throughout the “journey” and set the mood of the class.

For example, you could describe in detail the terrain and surroundings of a particularly demanding hill climb section alongside a track with a strong beat at the target cadence

Beats per minute (BPM)

Different genres of music have different beats per minute (bpm), and since the beat of the music affects the speed and rhythm of cycling, your selection can be used to assist and encourage the group to keep a certain speed.

The table below shows approximate bpm ranges for different genres:

Music genre Beats per minute (BPM) Type of profile

Hip hop/ R&B 60-110 Mountainous

House/dance 120-135 Hilly with flats (undulating)

Garage

Rock 120-135 Hilly with flats (undulating)

Drum and bass

Metal 160-190 Flat sprint

Music that is specially designed for exercise classes will always be labelled with its bpm.

Think about the type of music that would be best suited for different parts of the session (profiles). A higher bpm count is good for a sprint, but a lower bpm count may suit a long hill climb with high resistance.

For example, if you turn the pedals a full revolution for every beat of a 140bpm track, you will be pedalling at 140 revolutions per minute (rpm). You can use the same music for a slower section of the class, instead pedalling one full revolution for every two beats. Your cycling speed would then be 70rpm.

For short bursts, you can completely leave the beat behind, for example during sprinting, where a participant’s speed will very much depend on their skill and fitness level, and need not be dictated by bpm.

The great thing about using a succession of individual tracks is that you can mix and match different musical styles to create different moods and workout intensities. This may, however, involve a fair amount of juggling with different music formats and machines, unless you have access to a preprogrammable system.

Choosing music

Using the music of varying speeds will give you a range of possibilities for controlling pedal rhythm and speed and changing the content and structure of the class. Music lyrics, bpm and volume can all help to motivate clients during tough parts of the workout.

Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) licence

As already discussed in the Principles of Planning and Delivering Group Exercise unit, if your session uses music and is being delivered outside of a leisure facility, for example, a village hall you must purchase a Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) licence. PPL is the UK-based music licensing company that grants copyright licenses for the public performance of recorded music. PPL carries out this role on behalf of thousands of recording artists and record companies. The liability for classes in fitness centres is with the operators of the premises but it is always worth checking with your gym manager before playing any music.

Developmental stretches

Although generally no pre-stretching is required, it is important to stretch post workout. As the lower back and leg muscles have had the greatest demands placed upon them, then the focus for the stretches should be on these (see Principles of Planning and Delivering Group Exercise unit for details).

These stretches may be conducted either on the floor or alongside the bike for support

Planning template

The template below will help with planning. It outlines which track will be playing and how this forms part of the session. The final column ‘key instructions’ can be a really useful reminder for new instructors to put across all of their key teaching points. It may also be an opportunity for visualisation reminders which can help inspire the group throughout the workout.

Journey theme

Session component Music Hand position Riding technique and target rpm

Warm-up

Pulse rasier/Mobility Key instructions TPs and “motivations”

Main Session

Profile 1