It has been a hectic 2 weeks (without internet) but things are finally coming together and I am loving life in Michigan. I accepted a full time job at lululemon and absolutely love working there. I am also going to finally start teaching spin classes in 1-2 weeks at a new gym that opened near our house and Don has already been promoted to bike shop manager…things are really working out well so far. I will post pictures of the new house soon 🙂
Things have been a bit crazy the past week. I gave notice to my work that I am leaving and they gave me the time off which was really nice. So I have been keeping busy with applying for jobs, doctors appointments, CPR certification, packing and of course Spinning and some R & R on the rooftop 🙂
The family came into town last week and it was my cousin Andrea’s first visit to the city…so it was really fun to be tourists! You can read Don’s post about all of our tourist activities the past 2 weeks here: http://donaldcumming.blogspot.com/
I went for a long rollerblade the other day and was amazed at how slow I felt. I thought I was in better shape than the beginning of the summer but I can definitely tell I have been working the same muscle groups on the bike and spin classes. It was good to switch it up with rollerblading and I want to go a few more times while we are in the city to get my speed back.
We are getting really close to the big move…this weekend!! I cannot believe how fast it is coming up. Lots to cram in the next few days, dinners/lunches with friends and trying to see everything on the bucket list!
I was at the gym this morning testing out the new spinning profile I made, there were no bikes available so I actually just did an elliptical workout to see if the music would make sense with the profiles. I cannot wait to have a workout room in my house when we move…people a the gym are weird sometimes…for instance, I was on an elliptical machine and there were 2 machines open to my left, another 3 to my right and several more open behind me and this girl comes and gets on the machine right next to me…so awkward…don’t they see the other 8 open machines that aren’t on top of me? Anyways, I had fun testing the music with the profiles. I’m excited to actually try it on a bike but it was still an excellent workout on the elliptical (minus the jumps and different climb positions).
Here is the new work out…Enjoy!
Profile:Endurance Building and Intervals- increasing and decreasing heart rate by following periods of intense activity with active recovery (Fat Burner.) This is a long ride (58mins).
Warm up: Jason Derulo- Ridin’ Solo
– Seated Flat
Interval- Enrique Iglesias- I like it
– Seated flat/ increase resistance- Pos. 2 standing flat with gradual increase to medium resistance
Hill #1- Boys Like Girls- Heart Heart Heartbreak
– Pos. 2 Standing Climb with Medium- Heavy Resistance
Interval – Club Can’t Handle Me ~ Flo Rida feat. David Guetta
– Seated Flat- med resistance/Increase resistance- Standing Run- Pos. 2 (repeat)
Hill #2- Misery- Maroon 5
– Pos. 3 Heavy Hill Climb back off to Pos. 2
Interval- Maneater- Nelly Furtado
– Seated flat, increase to medium resistance and accelerate at the chorus
Hill #3 Get Low- Standing
– Pos. 2 (med-heave resistance) to Pos. 3 (Heavy resistance) standing Sprint on Hill during chorus (“get low”)
Endurance – Don’t Stop Believin’ Radio Edit ~ George Lamond
– Seated flat add gradual resistance with cadance checks
Hill #4 One Republic- Secrets
– Standing Climb/Seated Climb
Jumps- Two more lonely people- miley cyrus
– Medium Resistance- Pos. 1 to Pos. 2 (8 count jumps), Hold Pos. 2 for Chorus, back to jumps quicken jumps (4 count)
Hill #5 Paralyzer- Finger Eleven
– Standing Climb (Medium resistance) Pos. 2, Chorus- Crank resistance to very heavy and sprint climb in Pos. 3
Interval- Telephone- Lady Ga Ga
– seated flat with seated sprint with medium resistance at chorus
Hill #6 with Endurance- Devil Inside, INXS
– Sprint on Hill while increasing resistance (start with medium- heavy end with very heavy) with cadance checks
Interval- B.O.B.- magic
– Standing Flat in Pos. 2, increase to medium resistance and sprint in Pos. 3 at chorus
Cool down: Bitter Sweet Symphony
– 3 mins seated flat to bring heart rate down, 3 mins stretch
Don and I have made a bucket list of places we want to visit before leaving the city.
Bucket List:
Amazing burger…had to wait in line for an hour but well worth it. The shakes were not that impressive though and there weren’t any bathrooms…so beware if you go…don’t drink a 16 oz diet coke right before u go like I did…
This was an interesting place in Brooklyn and more for Don then me. It’s a New York Institution and has won NY’s best steak 26 years in a row! The atmosphere was a lot different from what I was expecting…it is a very casual place to say the least. The food was excellent, however I am more of a filet type of steak eater…this was a porterhouse only place. Don loved everything from the fat pieces of bacon as an appetizer to the huge steak! I enjoyed the shrimp cocktail, creamed spinach and baked potato most!
We checked a few places off the list over the weekend when Don’s Dad came to visit. We also went to NJ to visit Aunt Joelle, Uncle Roy, Liz and Matt- we had a nice dinner at their country club to say goodbye before we head out of the city. It was a great weekend with family and next weekend my side of the family comes to town so we can check a few more places off the list!
As you all know I was certified a few weeks as a spinning instructor. Here is how my day went:
I started the day by taking a 45 minute train ride to the Brooklyn NYSC for the orientation. When I arrived there was only one other girl there so we waited for others to arrive. Once more people came in we headed into the cycling studio. People started setting up their bikes and putting on their bike shoes…I didn’t really understand why because I knew we would have a lecture on how to properly set up the bikes before we did our first ride.
Finally the Master Instructor, Anthony arrived. He had us fill out some waivers, introduced himself and gave us his background information. He was actually a REAL Cyclist and was on a race team for 3 years before he became a Master Instructor. I found this tibit extremely interesting because my husband always tells me “real cyclists don’t spin” blahblah…so I was really excited to go home and tell him this exciting news!
We then did a quick introduction of ourselves, there were about 20 other people and the majority were not instructors. A few personal trainers, one other group fitness instructor, a cyclist, a triathlete, a stay at home mom….it was an interesting crowd. I was really surprised that I had more experience and a more qualified background than the majority attending this orientation.
We then began going through our manual and learned how to properly set up a bike. We partnered up and practiced setting up bikes for each other. Then we got on and started spinning, we were on the bikes for about 1.5 hrs. We reviewed all sorts of techniques and I learned A LOT- Mainly that every other so called spinning class I have gone to was actually a “cycling class”. This is because they do not follow the strict guidelines set by the official Spinning organization. In addition to proper bike set up, we learned the correct hand positions and when to use them and how to use cadance checks throughout the ride. We then took a 45 minute break for lunch – it was nice to have a break. We then came back to the freezing cold room and reviewed Phase 2 and Phase 3 of our manuals. This consisted of heart rate monitoring, energy zones, designing profiles for class and how to develop good, safe, effective training plans for our students.
We concluded the day with a second 1 hr ride- it was a tough one after sitting around for 8 hrs, but felt great. It was really exciting to take a Master Instructors class!
I survived the orientation and actually really enjoyed it. I took the online assessment about a week later and passed…it was really easy, if you went to the orientation and have the spinning manual in front of you it’s a breeze.
Anthony also kept mentioning that learning all of this means nothing until you are actually up in front of a class teaching. He highly recommended to get on lists and start teaching right away. Now I just have to get my CPR/AED certification and then I will be ready to teach! I’ve already stated applying to get on substitute lists, so hopefully I can start teaching soon!
Here are some recommendations for the orientation: Wear Layers- our room was freezing- I was so glad that I had a hoodie, one lady actually went and bought one during lunch because she was so cold! Also, bring extra clothes, comfy clothes for the lectures and 2 cycling outfits. Bring snacks and lots of water and of course have fun! I loved it 🙂
I made my own spinning class workout that I tested out this morning at the gym. I didn’t actually teach it, just made it up for a class that I will teach in the future.
It was a lot of work… I had to make “profiles” which consist of different movements and positions used throughout the class. You typically need 9-10 profiles with 1-3 different positions for each profile…so that took a while to get it all together and make a flowing class. Then I had to match it all to music which took even longer….but was fun at the same time!
I had no idea how much work went into making up a spin class…now I appreciate my spin instructor even more! I’m sure I’ll get better at it once I get used to it.
The class I made was hard…the goal was strength training and consisted of hills and a few sprints on climbs. I was struggling towards the end. I don’t know how I’m going to talk and instruct while doing the workout…good thing it is encouraged that instructors get off their bikes and walk around and check on students. I can’t wait to actually teach it to someone, it had some fun songs and was a a killer workout!
Here is the song list:
1. Warmup:Â Pheonix- 1901
2. Natasha Bedingfield- Touch
3. Jimmy Eat World- Authority Song
4. Kesha- Take it off
5. Pitbull- I know you want me
6. Timbaland Feat Katy Perry- If we ever meet again
7. Ricky J- Whatta night
8. Matisse- Better than her
9. Edward Maya- Stereo Love
10. Cooldown: Shakira- Gypsy
11. Stretch:Â Matisyahu- One Day
http://bikefitness.net/2010/08/02/spinning-class-makes-for-a-better-biker/
I found this article interesting since my husband and I are always debating whether spinning classes can be used for road bike training. Road biking, I will admit is much different from a spin class, however I do agree that classes can help you train for the road, you just need to know what you are doing.
After a lovely weekend in buffalo visiting the family I had to go back to work yesterday. It helped to think about how I only have a few weeks left. Yesterday was a pretty dull Monday.
Today on the other hand is off to a great start! I went to my 6am spin class followed by a 30 minute absolution class. It was a tough spin this morning, especially since I was not able to spin at all last week due to a kidney infection. But it was great to be back and an awesome way to kick off my day. Today in class we simulated a tour of the Catskill’s with our focus mainly on medium hill climbs with standing hill sprints. I kept thinking of everything I learned at my spinning orientation (proper hand positions and adding tension to my flat rides etc…i will go into more of the spinning orientation details another day) it was tough, i think it will take a few more classes to kick some of those habits. Our next class (Thursday) we will finish the Catskill’s tour- she said it will consist of hard to very hard climbs..something to look forward to i suppose! After that we did an ab workout with some yoga moves incorporated in which felt amazing. I was feeling so energized when I got back to my apartment- I was motivated enough to blow out my hair and even do a quick clean of the bathroom! All this productivity and it’s not even 9:00! Nothing like a good morning work out to get you feeling energized for the day ahead!
We are gearing up for a big move to MI in exactly 1 month. It will be a nice change from the hectic city life and it will be amazing to move into a house- no more rent…woohoo! The best part of the house (aside from it being located on a beautiful lake) is that it has a 2 car GARAGE! One does not appreciate a garage until they live in a small nyc apartment with a bike fanatic husband who stores 7 bicycles in the closet. Finally, no more grease marks on my beautiful dresses, what more could a girl ask for?
If you have been lucky enough to find that special someone, getting married is definitely a major life change… if not, no worries! Here is another way I changed my life…
I have been living in NYC and have been sitting at a desk for the past 2 years and to be honest, quite miserable. I was very active growing up and missed activities and coaching (I danced and figure skated competitively since I could walk). I was engaged to an amazing man, it should have been the best time of my life but something was bothering me…I just wasn’t as physically fit as I once was. It was time for things to change and bring back the happy/outgoing/fun loving Lindsay that I once was…
I’ve always loved my spinning classes, but I was going here and there and was not being very consistent with them. So I made a goal to attend cycling and ab classes 2 times per week and not miss a class for 4 months straight. I did it and it worked! I was able to shed that unwanted post-college weight (13 lbs!) and was fit for my wedding! I can honestly say that cycling classes have changed my life.
Now that the wedding is over doesn’t mean that I will go back to my old ways, I love my spinning classes so much that I became a certified instructor. I cannot wait to share my passion for spinning and help people change their lives!
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