Why We Choreograph Our Cycling Classes to Music
In the years since indoor cycling first became popular at health clubs, we have noticed that studios and gyms tend to approach the sport in one of two ways. They either give members access to indoor bikes and let them do their own thing – perhaps with the help of a trainer – or they offer high-energy cycling classes choreographed to music. We prefer the latter option here at Mcycle.
Do not misunderstand. Straight up cycling is still great exercise. In fact, there are plenty of outdoor cyclists who bring their exercise routines indoors when the weather dictates. They just get on their bikes and simulate outdoor rides. That's awesome. But not everyone has the interest or discipline to do that sort of thing. That is where spinning classes come into play.
Whether you call it indoor cycling or spinning, here's what you can expect from a typical Mcycle class:
A high-energy environment
An enthusiastic instructor
Appropriate and energetic music
Choreographed movements.
Like so many other studios, we choreograph our cycling classes to music on purpose. It is not just to entertain. We use music to accomplish what we couldn't accomplish by simply sitting our guests on bikes and telling them to do their own thing.
The Many Different Cycling Positions
Choreographing classes to music is rooted in the understanding that there are multiple cycling positions. Where static riders tend to limit themselves to just the sitting and standing positions, cycling classes go much further. A good instructor utilizes a variety of positions including seated flat, standing flat, recovery, standing climb, and more.
We have found we can utilize more of those positions if we choreograph our routines ahead of time. In so doing, we give guests a more complete workout and enough variety to keep them from getting bored. And boredom is the last thing we want in a cycling class. Bored riders tend to pump up the RPM meter and then coast. Not good.
Creating More Enthusiasm
We have also discovered over the years that choreographing routines to music makes our instructors more enthusiastic. Their enthusiasm stems from their passion for leading their students through the choreography. They know the routine ahead of time. They know what they are trying to accomplish with each move and each position.
Choreographing also allows our instructors to make use of more enthusiastic words and phrases. They can encourage with what they say, immediately followed by demonstrating what comes next. Guests tend to feed off the instructor's enthusiasm; both are driven by the energy of the music.
The Music Changes
Underscoring all of this is the fact that music itself changes. Some songs are more energetic than others. Different songs have different rhythms. But even within a single song, there may be changes in tempo, rhythm, and intensity that can be used to seamlessly adjust the cycling workout.
For example, a song that gets more intense and crescendos at some peak point represents an opportunity to modify a workout by increasing resistance, changing position, or opting for more intense moves. The workout can be aligned with what the music is saying to create a better overall experience.
It would be easy to encourage our guests to take static rides for 30 minutes or so. It would be easy to program bikes to simulate real-world outdoor rides. But we want more. Our indoor cycling classes are designed to ensure our guests are fully involved, fully participating, and taking maximum advantage of the benefits of indoor cycling. We achieve that by choreographing our routines to music.
And now you know.