Free Workout Friday - Indoor Cycling Ride

Free Workout Friday

Indoor Cycling - Just the Ride I Needed

A ZONING Fitness Workout

Guest Contributor, Official ZONING Specialist, Kay Mamo

Kay is a friend of mine from the fitness facility that I used to work at years ago, Edward Health and Fitness Centers in Naperville, IL.  Kay was one of my Heart Zones students.  She was excited about using heart rate to train for her first triathlon.  She believed in it so much that she got certified as a trainer so she could teach others about heart rate training (Heart Zones). She became a "champion" of heart rate training, shouting out the benefits to all who would listen.  She started weight loss programs using heart rate.  She started fitness programs, bootcamps and small group training using heart rate.  In fact, Kay doesn't teach anything that doesn't include heart rate.

She knows that heart rate training (and now, ZONING Fitness, in particular) is what works.

She likes that the Blink heart rate monitor is the easiest heart rate monitor out there to use.  She likes that it flashes just three colors - blue, yellow and red - which correlate with the user's intensity.  She knows that intensity is what gets you healthy and makes you fitter.  See how it's all linked together?

The Indoor Cycling Movement

I've been around indoor cycling for almost 20 years.  I've seen Spinning grow with an almost "cult-like" following.  Several manufacturers followed suit in the '90's, with bikes and training programs.  Then, came along Heart Zones Cycling, a training program that worked on every bike out there.  Sally Reed and Sally Edwards (author of The Heart Rate Monitor Book for Cyclists, the Heart Rate Monitor Workbook for Cyclists, and Heart Zones Cycling) wrote the books and original training program.  I came along as a third partner and ran the nationwide certification program called Heart Zones Cycling.  We trained thousands of indoor cycling instructors around the country in a program that used heart rate to train people on indoor bikes.  Our philosophy was simple.  In a time when "spinning" was getting a bad reputation because of it's "high, hot and hard" rides, Heart Zones Cycling was actually training people, using sound training principles.  This is what makes people fitter.

Heart Zones Cycling was for everyone.  It was for the individual who stood outside the "spin" studio, fearful of stepping through the doors, fearful of getting beat up by the instructor in spandex shouting and standing on a bike.  Heart Zones Cycling would encourage this person to "ride by their heart rate", keeping their intensities at a lower level until they were ready for a little more challenge (i.e. heart rate). It was for the elderly man, who had a heart condition last year.  Heart Zones Cycling would encourage the man to use his heart rate as his guide, knowing that the beta-blockers he was on would suppress his heart rate.  It as for the triathlete in the back row, the one that would come to class several days a week.  For this person Heart Zones Cycling could frame the workout that was right for the athlete and their training specific plan.  Finally, it was for the person who just wanted a workout.  Put a heart rate monitor on this person, and they could see goals and their fitness levels improving with the right kind of training.

Just the Ride I Needed

This is what Kay Mamo does.  She has become a local, and now national champion of heart rate training, officially, ZONING Fitness.  She has recorded a podcast for ICI Pro, a members only group that is a resource for indoor cycling instructors around the world.  She has written workouts and training plans and 365fitt is proud to bring you one of Kay's great indoor cycling workouts.

As an individual, pull the workout up on your iPad, or print it out and ride indoors on your trainer.

If you're an indoor cycling instructor, print it out, sync it with the playlist, and use it in class.

Just the Ride I Needed - workout
Just the Ride I Needed - description (cueing notes for instructors)
Playlist on Spotify (please "follow" Kay and Just the Ride I Needed)
ICI Pro Website (Indoor Cycling Instructors)

Heart Rate Monitors

Twenty years ago, I walked into my cycling studio with a heart rate monitor station - a bag with 20 heart rate monitors that I hung over a door.  When you came to my cycling class, you checked out (borrowed) a heart rate monitor.  Today, I urge everyone to buy their own heart rate monitor for a variety of reasons.  I like the Blink because it's easy to use in a class situation.  You don't  need to see your numbers, just follow the blinking light (great in dim studios).

Want to get hooked up with a set of Blink heart rate monitors for your classes or for yourself?  I have plenty of Blinks in stock and will "loan" them to you on consignment for 30 days.  After 30 days, you'll need to buy them, or return them to me, cleaned and in the original undamaged packaging.  Ask me how to get your program, whether it's a cycling class or a bootcamp, or even your small group personal training, going using the Blink and ZONING.

It's just so easy.  Have fun with your workout today!

Live 365fitt,
Kathy

Free Workout Friday - Monthly Workout Plan

Sometimes, you just need someone to give you some organization so today's Free Workout Friday- Monthly Workout Plan will carry you forward an entire month.  This plan includes all the aspects of a well balanced program, for an all-over body workout, although it is probably a little light on stretching. 

This program is appropriate for intermediate levels of fitness because of the "volume" of activity - 5-9 hours/week, depending on the week.  Beginners should cut all work by 50% for starters, and gradually build up duration and intensity.  Individuals who are more advanced, can simply increase duration and intensity, but should maintain the progression from week one to week four as a build in total load.

• Cardio can be done on any piece of equipment that you choose, or, outside with your choice of activity, biking, running, walking, skating, or swimming!  The intensity is described as easy, moderate or hard, which is pretty self explanatory.  I have also used the colors blue, yellow and red which correspond with the Blink heart rate monitor.  A heart rate monitor is an excellent way to make sure that you are adding variety- both easy and hard - to your workouts, giving you lots of variety and challenging the heart muscle appropriately.
• Strength training for core, arms and legs has been specified in duration only and is not specific as to what exercises you might do or how much weight you might lift or resist.  Please consult any of my other free workouts for suggestions on specific exercises.  A qualified health professional or personal trainer is an excellent resource for muscle specific exercises.
• Stretching can always be incorporated at any time, for any duration.  Always start with light stretching for major muscle groups first.

Finally, all good programs include an element of rest and recovery and play.  Rest is essential to helping your muscles recovery and rebuild from work and fatigue.  It is only when you rest that your muscles repair and make themselves stronger.  You should also include an element of play in your workouts because the more fun you have with them, the more likely you are to enjoy and stick with your workouts every day of the year.

Enjoy - live 365fitt!

Free Workout Friday: Total Body

You'll need a little bit of a push to get through today's free workout:  Total Body With Intervals! Tough it out, and you'll be glad you did.  Here's how to adapt it for yourself:

Everyone starts with a 5 minute warm-up that is easy and conversational.  Everyone can also spend the next 5 minutes building intensity.  That means that your effort increases.  Now, here's where we begin to make a distinction;  individuals that are new to exercise, should increase intensity a little, while individuals who have been exercising regularly can increase intensity a bit more.  Your body should be adequately warmed up.

After the build, you'll be 10 minutes into your workout and will be ready to begin the interval set.  The goal of intervals is to give you variety, change your metabolism, and make your heart stronger.  The more you change your heart rate (adding variability), the more your fitness improves.  Here are some tips:

• Beginners should change their heart rate (or effort) just a little, while intermediate and experienced individuals should change their heart rate as much as they are comfortable (or slightly uncomfortable).
• How much you change your heart rate is totally up to you.

• For best results, use a heart rate monitor (see below)

• Use the grips on most machines, if working out indoors and look for a 5-20 beat change, depending on your fitness level

•  If working out outdoors, use a heart rate monitor, or play a game of "fartlek", which is increasing your speed or tempo to the next streetlamp, corner or tree, then recovering to the next corner or tree, etc...

• Use perceived exertion on a scale of 1-10 (modified Borg) for rpe (rating of perceived exertion):

"Easy" is conversational and breathing is fine; 1-3rpe

"Moderate" is more "strained" with increased breathing and conversation more difficult; 4-7rpe, and

"Hard" is where breathing is deep and rapid and conversation is difficult; 8-10rpe

• These intervals are equal parts work and recovery in a 1:1 ratio.  That means that you will "go hard" for 1 minute, followed by a 1 minute easy recovery.

A heart rate monitor is one of the best ways for you to know if you are exercising at the right intensity.  For example, using a Blink heart rate monitor (available on my website), you can pre-program YOUR thresholds (easy to do with my help, or with this youtube demonstration).  Then, your very own heart rate monitor will blink "blue" when easy, "yellow" when moderate, and "red" when hard.  Individuals new to exercise would therefore complete their intervals using just blue (for recovery) and yellow (for moderate).  Individuals who have been exercising for awhile, may choose to use either blue or yellow for the recovery and "red" for the hard.

And...while supplies last, you can get a copy of Sally Edward's newest book, ZONING, Fitness in a Blink with any Blink heart rate monitor purchase on my website.

The rest of the workout is a total body workout, if you're not sure of anything, please let me know and I'll demonstrate it for you with a Youtube video or answer it on the blog.

Have fun!

Kathy