Cycle Starters

Wednesday, September 28th.

Bitsy, Sarah, Courtney and Judy joined the Cycle Starters group on Wednesday.  After our introductions, we discussed bike set up and had a dialogue about various aspects of indoor cycling.

This is a great group of ladies with serious commitment to fitness - Bravo!

I'm looking forward to working with each of you through the next few weeks.  As promised, I will bring you to a 45 minute workout level so that you can enter a regular cycle class with ease.

I welcome your questions, so please feel free to ask.

Karen

Thursday, September 28th Teen Cycle:

Welcome back Robbie, Matthew and Allie!

We covered the basics of seat height and handlebar height, bike cleanup (before and after cycling), how to put feet in the pedal cages, cadence/RPM (rate per minute), and wheel tension.  I turned out the lights, and took you through a warm-up.

At our first lesson I asked each of you to give me some information about Lance Armstrong.  If you can, please look him up and let's talk a little bit about him at next Wednesday's class.

Next week come right in, set up your and be ready to experience your first ride, complete with music and lights out.

Keep checking this blog for updates.

First Teen Cycle Class

Teen Cyclers Allie, Robbie and Matthew participated in this afternoon's inaugural class.  We covered the basics of bicycle setup:
Saddle height:  The seat should be positioned at a height allowing the rider to sit on the saddle with his/her feet on the pedals with the angle of the knee slightly bent when the foot is at 6 o'clock position;
The forward/backward position of the saddle is based on the length of the rider's torso.  When the knee is slightly bent, the rider should be able to achieve a straight line from the patella to the shoe strap;
Handlebar height is based on flexibility;
Pedals - make sure the foot is secure and the ball of the foot is in the center of the pedal.  The toe clip and strap should be snug but not tight.  Do not tighten the strap to prevent freedom of movement at the heel.
When adjusting the seat up or down; forward or backward, turn the crank (counter clockwise to loosen and clockwise to tighten); pull the pin; move the seat.  When properly positioned, make sure the adjustment pin is locked and the tighten the crank (clockwise).

Clothing - wear light, comfortable clothing.  Pant legs should not interfere with pedaling.
Shoes - low cut, stiff sole sneakers
Water - bring water with you; drink often

Wipe the bike down before and after use - the instructor will explain this next week.

Homework Assignment:
Please share some information about Lance Armstrong at next week's class.

Next week's class outline will be posted in a few days.
I look forward to seeing you next Wednesday, September 21st. Have a great week!

Lesson 1

YMCA Cycle Starters

Lesson I - Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Introductions:

Tell us who you are; what you do and why you’re here?

The Set up:

Setting up the bike...the basics:

• 40# flywheel
• Seat position/height
• Tension knob
• Handlebar height
• Foot cages
• Difference between clipless shoes and regular sneakers
• Clipless shoes should be SPD compatible clips
• Regular sneakers should be low cut for unrestricted ankle motion with a stiff midsole for arch and heel support
• All footwear should be comfortable
• Clothing and discomfort
• Q&A

Spinning Basics:

Cadence/RPM - pedal and count the number of times your right knee comes up for thirty seconds and multiply it by two; this is the Rate per Minute. Strive for 80 to 100 rpm with 90 rpm as optimal.

Pedal in perfect circles - you want to feel like you’re scraping mud off your feet. Tension should not be too tight or too loose. Incorrect tension hurts the knees - if you’re freewheeling, riding with too low tension, you will be bouncing in the seat and hurting our knees; if your tension is too high, you may harm your knees if you are not using the calf muscles.

Loosen Up - Here’s a trick: Grasp a book with both hands as tight as you can; clench your teeth, drop your head and exert as much pressure as you can. Tired? Imagine how your body feels if you’re riding while clenching the handlebars. Pay attention to your body and what you’re doing. If you’re clenching, loosen up.

Keep your head up and watch where you’re going - you deprive yourself of needed Oxygen when your head is down, so please concentrate on keeping your head up and breathe.

Personal Research - National Institutes of Health Body Weight Simulator: http://bwsimulator.niddk.nih.gov