Apparently there's a proper way to eat a cupcake.



....and. Apparently there's a proper way to teach an Indoor Cycling Class... but first the cupcake story. Curious? Its interesting so Read on.... you will like this. It will all make sense soon.... Trust me.

I was over at Food Beast - a blog about eating (yes... it's an obsession). And came across this fun article about how we all apparently have been eating the good 'ol cupcake incorrectly all this time. ​Yup... it's true.

I was interested and then got to using my old "noodle"to think about how we can be better instructors... but that comes after this...(pun intended) 😉

How to Eat a Cupcake, Like a Gentleman! "Ever since our exploitation of the hidden properties of a Ketchup Cup, followed by the discovery of proper Tic Tac container usage, we've been inundated with e-mails regarding other things in life we are also doing wrong. One of those things? The cupcake. I know, I know, don't tell me how to eat a f-ckin' cupcake -- I said the same thing to our content director Geoff when he started telling me about a cupcake-eating-tactic he picked up from some friends, who had picked it up from various corners of the Internet. I've been haphazardly eating cupcakes through my nostrils for years, and I'm just now hearing about a way to properly eat them?!Apparently, there is a maneuver that should completely eradicate any of the awkward eating techniques traditionally involved with eating a cupcake. The proper way conveniently offers up the ability to enjoy a cupcake without getting frosting on your face and consequently a proper frosting-to-cake ratio in every bite. How?Use a couple of your firm fingers, twist off a bottom portion of the cake, and tack it on top of the frosting to make a sandwich. No frosty mess, no bites without frosting, all things good." See original here: http://www.foodbeast.com/news/so-apparently-weve-been-eating-cupcakes-all-wrong/

Ok? What the Heck Has this to Do with Indoor Cycling?

​I was reading this old but really great post at the Ideafit site called "Eat your cupcake and have it, too!" Have a read (ITS VERY GOOD) and then lets get down to the really big issue at hand as an instructor these days about the what and how I mean by being a Rock Star Instructor...

Eat your "cupcake" and have it, too! "Have you ever eaten a cupcake from the Magnolia Bakery in New York? The cake itself is delicious—rich and flavorful. The icing is smooth and not too sweet. If you ate the cake alone, it would be a little dry; but if you ate only the icing, it would make you sick! Indoor cycling has something of a “cupcake” personality. Some instructors are technical, athletic-based coaches. Their classes are safe, sound and strong. Members love connecting with these purists (the cake). Other instructors are creative and use visualization, cuing and choreographed patterns in conjunction with music. These classes are entertaining and keep members engaged (the icing). Can you imagine how delectable the workout is when the icing meets the cake? You have the delicate job of creating a workout that appeals to a wide population. Because there is no real “choreography” on the bike, it is your responsibility to be creative without forgetting the true basis of the workout: cycling. This is where good cuing comes in. Associative cues relate directly to the physical tasks at hand: controlled breathing, abdominal engagement and cadence. These cues keep students on task with solid technique and are necessary for safe and effective exercise. Associative cues are the “cake,” the foundation. Dissociative cues take students’ minds off the task at hand and send them on a journey. These cues are the “icing” (delightful, but too much of it can make you sick). According to The Nautilus Institute™, the primary goal in an indoor cycling class is to recognize the session as a cardiovascular workout (yes Power and Watt dudes! I hear you! - but - the base is cardio). Therefore, develop a heart rate profile first. From this starting point, layer on technical, associative goals to help students achieve solid technique. The icing on the cake is your mindful cuing, creative music choices and philosophical offering....." Read original article here: ​ http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/sample-class-performance-driven-indoor-cycling

You Just Had the Cupcake... What does This Have to Do with Being a Rockstar?

​I love the metaphor of our class profiles having both the "cake" side - that is - the pure training we deliver on "a bike."

Lets not forget its a bike.

Not a "real bike."

But a bike none the less. Its not a weight rack, nor TRX machine, rower, or Bosu ball - just a bike.

Therefore the main event - the one basic fitness product we deliver every class is a cardio training event.

Remove the music, the motivation, the lights... its training on a bike. Got it? Lecture done. Ok...that's the cake side of the story.

But no one buys a cupcake without - what? Icing?

Actually, lots of use just eat the icing but thats a story for another day 🙂

The argument is that when you buy a cupcake you want the cake and the icing! And think about it. Its a cupcake because its a little cake to a lot of icing - proportionally = the question is what are YOUR RIDER LOOKING FOR!!! In your studio!!!!

​And Then There Was Icing !!

What is icing in the studio? Oh, man! Have you been going to all the Facebook groups in our community. Nothing caused more sh*t than to mention a "tap back" - a "jump" or heaven forbid an RPM of >120 (BTW where the hell did that come from - no-one outside rides ever over 120 RPM grrrrr!... but see I just got sucked into it lol).

To the outside purist they frown at all the so called crap we get up to. With smug smiles they sit there in classes and look down their noses (so no hate mail please). Some may think the following:

To Our Music - they say give me my own! I have my own iPod thanks

To Motivation - they say​ I got's my own thanks - you ever done a century? lol

To our drills and cuing to get Riders into the zone - they say no thanks. Let them eat CAKE... this is my SUFFERFEST... 😉 ba bah ba ha ha ha... etc

I SAY - Let them eat "cake" and the "Icing"

​Let me stir the pot here! Most Indoor Cycling classes (i did not say all) should NOT BE TAUGHT TO PURIST TASTES.

FTP'er's be damned (said with love!)

Yes its a bike. And Yes that determines the "workout." But it does not take away that we need some damn ICING here folks....

I agree with almost everything said by the so called "real rider" community. No issues. That's our cake.

But sometimes this get taken over by the idea that we "really are riding inside." Nope. Its indoors. Its a "group class." Its very structured and almost everyone in the class is not "training" for a Tri or century or the like.

Actually, most are de-conditioned and at best recreational riders. Most are looking for things that a rider "training" outside does not want. They want friends in class. They want to be inspired. They want you to know their name. Sometimes I think they want the Cheers bar on a bike... and I mean that in the most positive way. But most of all they want to feel better leaving class physically and emotionally than when they came in!!

They want some "cake" but more than that they want that damn ICING!!

And as we all know ICING has lots of flavours. We have chocolate. Mint. Coffee, Mocha.. and on and on. You get my point. Depending where you teach in the country the "tastes" will be very different - sometimes to extremes. Urban New York indoor cyclists (read Soulcycle) are very different than the small town Mid West YMCA. Thats the issue in a nutshell. The YMCA guy might bomb in the NYC studio (probably not BTW - I love my YMCA peeps). But I bet that lots of Soulcycle "guru's" would cause much eye-rolling in many a studio around the country. ​

​So You Want to Be A Rockstar Instructor - deliver the "Right Cake" and the "Right Icing" for Your Riders!

Every instructor who wants to be more than good (you all are good BTW in my opinion - you got balls doing what you do! 🙂 ) But to be great is figure out the right "cake" and the right "icing."

Is that hard -no! (I'll help if you are new)

Is that easy - no too! (I see us screwing it up all the time)

If it was easy then every studio would be full and I would not hear of all those instructors who give it up and never use their certifications!

Today it seems we have three camps "claiming" to be the voice. The sufferfest vs Dance Squad vs The Real Rider - at the very extremes. And that's fine. Because Riders can CHOOSE. But for the rest of us. We need "cake" and we need "icing!" Variety! Studios need riders who stay or they shut down and Riders need fun and fitness orientated classes. Its a mix folks!

There is lots of room here as long as its safe, works to the RIDERS GOALS, and because I'm an icing guy​ better be entertaining with some wicked and nasty music!! Case closed. (Oh i see the hate mail now...lol...bring it!)

How to Teach, Like a Badass and Rockstar Pro!

Like the video above we make a little cupcake sandwich in every class - whether you believe me me or not your Riders are hungry for both the cake and the icing! Substance and sublime!

Musical structure, lights, mantra, passion communicated, knowing your rider name, image, ... all this and more ARE important to your Riders. The question is exactly what is import to yours!

So this is a taste of our "Badass" vs "Rockstar" that is "Cake vs Icing" - series of notes/lectures/rants about all the crap they don't teach you in the generic books out there and 8hr "how to be an indoor cycling" (no hate mail on this one too ok! It's good stuff but it won't elevate you to Rockstar status) circuit​...in this series we do the Ninja learning on the "cake" and become "Badass" and learn to whip up the entertainment and marketing needed to deliver the right tasting "Icing.." Its a mix.. and that's why we call it indoor cycling mixes... music, motivation and methods to serve the indoor cycling community.

PS - it should be obvious that there are instructors and studios that focus way to much on the cake or the icing... most of us are in the middle. But again - it depends doesn't it.​ Who am I to judge!

... oh I love a good rant! THAT REALLY FELT GOOD. But first. Did this help? Seriously. Agree/disagree? It's all good. I'm just a dude with a blog who is passionate and loves to teach indoor cycling. I'm not the end and be all of this. Leave a comment below or on our Facebook page here.

Signing out! Matt aka DJ Cyclemixes. Be a Badass and a Rockstar Instructor today!​ 😉

Want to Learn to be a Badass AND a Rockstar? Like this article? Then join our community of indoor cycling freaks. Never miss material like this that is created to help us all become better at the best job in the world! Dedicated to people like you! = Indoor Cycling and Spin Class Instructors! Badass Rockstar?

​

​

​

Enter your text here...