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Sunday, April 26, 2015

Spinning Profile - Hustlin'

After a two-song warm up, this ride will take you over four hills, a bonus hill with some HIIT-style intervals in the middle, a warm-down, cool-down and stretch. It goes pretty quickly and is a nice balance between speed and climbs. The jumps help to keep things interesting. My participants commented that it was a challenging, but fun, ride.


Playlist - all songs available on iTunes

1. My Type - Saint Motel 3:26
2. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars 4:31
3. This Time (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Husky & Matt Meler 5:02
4. Party Right (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Darryl D'Bonneau 4:38
5. Starstruck (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Thomas Brown 5:11
6. Hustlin' (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Crazibiza, Dave Aude, & Vassy 4:36
7. So Good (Hed Kandi Fit & Fab Edit) - Pray for More & Inaya Day 6:39
8. King - Years and Years 3:35
9. No Words - Eric Hassle 3:33
10. Crave You - Flight Facilities ft Giselle 3:55

The Ride

Warm up to My Type. Flat highway, moderate cadence, working on form and getting comfortable with the bike.

Continue to warm up to Uptown Funk, increasing resistance just before the chorus, then taking it up out of the saddle for a standing run. Resistance is scrubbed off after each chorus except for the second last, giving a nice little seated climb before the last standing run of the song.

The next five songs work together to create a cohesive piece of music, approximately 26 minutes long. Start with four hills: 1:00 seated flat, increase resistance for a 1:00 minute seated climb, increase resistance again for a 1:00 minute standing climb, 30 seconds of jumps (four or eight count, participants' choice), sit and decrease resistance for 1:00 minute downhill. (Some participants will use this downhill minute as recovery.) At the end of the downhill minute, return to the seated flat by increasing cadence, adjusting gears as necessary. Continue pattern through all three remaining hills.

At the end of the final downhill minute, start adding resistance, one or two gears at a time for a total of three adds over three minutes. The next three minutes are spent on six HIIT intervals - :20  of high effort (speed), :10 seconds rest, then repeat. Coach participants to stay under 120rpm, controlling speed by adding resistance, if needed. Once six intervals have been completed, resume climb, adding resistance at least two more times over two minutes.

The warm down song follows the same pattern as Uptown Funk, but with less intensity. Seated flat, then increase and stand on the chorus, scrub back and repeat. I like to stay standing for the last minute, optionally working in some light jumps.

Cool down - moderate resistance, moderate speed. Coach breathing techniques and form. I like to run through some upper-body stretches, starting roughly 1:30 before the end of the song.

Stretch - off the bike, please. Calves, quads, hips/glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors. Take your time; you have almost four minutes to stretch the lower body.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Feeling Taxed


In honour of tax season, and to celebrate finishing and filing my 2014 return, I have compiled a list of the top five things that I think fitness instructors should be able to deduct from their taxes.

1. Hair ties. This includes elastics of all shapes and sizes, stretchy headbands, barrettes, bobby pins, clips, clamps and pieces of shoelace. Not only do we have to purchase them in bulk, they are usually lost after only one wearing. (Coming soon - six part blog series called "Where does everything go?!?" On a related note, why is it that I am constantly buying and losing perfectly nice bottles, but I can keep a janky old Dasani bottle kicking around for months?)

2. Body wash. Specifically, my one-litre, pump-top bottles of tea tree and mint body wash which I can only buy during a full moon at one of two inconveniently located stores. Come to think of it, I really should be allowed to deduct my travel expenses, too. 

3. iTunes purchases. God help me. 

4. Expensive water bottles. Please see above.

5. Black capri-length yoga/workout/running pants. Actually, let's go a step further here and say that perhaps the government should just send us new pants every month. Like child tax credit checks! Because, to be completely honest, I just spend all of my cheques on new yoga pants anyway.

Anything you would like to see added to this list?

My Group Fitness Schedule - April 26 to May 2

Do one thing every day that scares you. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Sunday, April 26
12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Monday, April 27
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Tuesday, April 28
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, April 29
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC
8:00-9:00pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Thursday, April 30
6:10-7:10am Group Power, Rady JCC
4:30-5:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Friday, May 1
Mini vacation - no scheduled classes!

Saturday, May 2
Mini vacation - no scheduled classes!

Monday, April 20, 2015

My Group Fitness Schedule - April 19 to 25

There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. ~ c.s. lewis 

Sunday, April 19

12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC - April 2015 launch!

Monday, April 20

6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre

Tuesday, April 21

12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Wednesday, April 22

6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC
8:00-9:00pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Thursday, April 23

6:10-7:10pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:45-6:45pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Friday, April 24

12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, April 25

12:15-1:00pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Friday, April 10, 2015

My Group Fitness Schedule - April 12 to 18

No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everyone on the couch. 

Sunday, April 12
11:00-12:00am Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Monday, April 13
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Tuesday, April 14
7:00-7:45am Fit 45
12:00-12:45pm Fit 45
6:30-7:30pm Group Power, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, April 15
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
12:00-12:45pm Fit 45
6:30-7:15pm Ride, Rehfit Centre

Thursday, April 16
7:00-7:45am Fit 45
12:00-12:45pm Fit 45

Friday, April 17
6:15-7:00am Ride, Rehfit Centre
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, April 18
12:15-1:00pm The Ride, Rehfit Centre 

Friday, April 3, 2015

My Group Fitness Schedule - April 5 to 11


The first time I see a jogger smiling, I'll consider it. ~ Joan Rivers

Sunday, April 5
Easter Sunday - no scheduled classes

Monday, April 6
6:15-7:00am The Ride, Rehfit Centre 

Tuesday, April 7
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC
5:30-6:15pm The Ride, Rehfit Centre

Wednesday, April 8
6:15-7:00am Group Power Express, Rehfit Centre
9:15-10:00am Group Cycle, Rady JCC
6:00-7:00pm Cycle/Yoga, Rady JCC

Thursday, April 9
No scheduled classes!

Friday, April 10
12:00-1:00pm Group Power, Rady JCC

Saturday, April 11
12:15-1:00pm The Ride, Rehfit Centre