Tag: workout routines

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Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Music Playlist & Routine For All Types of Love

Instructor listening to Valentine's Day spinning music playlist

Valentine’s Day is a great holiday to use for a themed indoor cycling playlist and workout routine since there are so many songs about love. 

But, beware! 

With everyone having different opinions about the holiday, I think it’s important to make an indoor cycling music playlist or workout routine that’s not all mushy gushy love songs — add some spunky single swag, and songs about self-love, friend love, etc. to make sure all of your riders are happy. 

Have fun with it, and don’t take the indoor cycling music playlist theme too seriously. I would look for love songs with a solid beat or high emotion to bring the energy in the Group X class, and throw in a few songs that will have everyone singing along.

Over the years, I’ve created a wide range of Valentine’s Day indoor cycling music playlists and routines. Here are a few: 

  • The relationship arc: taking riders on a journey through the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. 
  • Catching feelings: this one’s sure to give you ALL THE FEELS you need on Valentine’s Day
  • Love, love me: a playlist all about loving the most important person—yourself. 
  • Dirty secrets: a playlist all about unrequited, naughty, risque types of love.  

Reminder! As you explore these Valentine’s Day workout routines and indoor cycling playlists, remember that I like to teach my cycle class in a series that we do twice or three times through, depending on the series. So, I pick a couple exercises to make up my series, and we stick to it throughout the class. That way, participants know what to expect, so they can go big when they’re supposed to and not hold back for fear of another sprint around the corner.

Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Playlist & Routine #1: The Relationship Arc

For this Valentine’s Day-themed cycle music playlist, I took us through the arc of a relationship — the crushin’ phase, the romance, and finally the break-up.

The Series

Do the following exercises, twice through.

  • Song 1: Moderate pace with hard (uncomfortable) surges on the chorus. If your bikes have monitors, choose a fast RPM (between 80 – 100), then ask participants to add 10+ to their RPM during the chorus.
  • Song 2: Sprint intervals. 30 seconds breathless effort, 30 seconds recovery. Do this three times through.
  • Song 3: Climb (Part 1). Starting at moderate intensity seated, resistance slightly above flat road. Add resistance throughout the song, ending at hard intensity.
  • Song 4: Climb (Part 2). Keep resistance from prior song, and stand up. When you’re out of the saddle, resistance should feel moderate. Add resistance throughout the song, until you’re at hard intensity at the end.
  • Song 5: 45 seconds each — moderate, hard, harder and breathless intensity. You can add resistance, leg speed, sit or stand to increase intensity with each. If you’re using a monitor, you can ask participants to add RPM with each increase (approx. 80, 90, 100 and 110).

The Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Music Playlist:

  1. Call Me Maybe, by Carly Rae Jepsen [Warm-up]
  2. Got My Mind Set On You, by George Harrison [Song 1]
  3. Emotions, by Mariah Carey [Song 2]
  4. Buttons, by Pussy Cat Dolls [Song 3]
  5. The Other Side, by Jason Derulo [Song 4]
  6. Hey Leonardo, by Blessed Union of Souls [Song 5]
  7. Crazy in Love, by Beyonce feat. Jay-Z [Song 1]
  8. Best Days of Your Life, by Kellie Pickler [Song 2]
  9. Can’t Feel My Face, by The Weeknd [Song 3]
  10. Forget You, by Cee Lo Green [Song 4]
  11. Since U Been Gone, by Kelly Clarkson [Song 5]
  12. Fresh Eyes, by Andy Grammer [Cool Down]

Valentine’s Day Indoor Cycling Playlist & Routine #2: Catching Feelings

This Valentine’s Day cycling routine theme has me catching feelings, well, because that’s actually the name of it. All of the songs have “feel” or “feeling” in the title. And, let me tell you: this playlist is SO GOOD. Can’t wait for you to catch feelings for it, too.

The Series

The series includes the following four exercises, done three times through.

  1. Song 1: A march at moderate intensity. At the chorus, increase pace and resistance to find hard intensity, then come back to that moderate pace.
  2. Song 2: Climb. Maintain the same pace but increase the resistance periodically to go from moderate to hard intensity and from seated to standing by the end of the song.
  3. Song 3: Keep the resistance from the last song and continue to stand. Intensity should be between moderate and hard (feel free to adjust resistance slightly to accommodate). At chorus, keep the resistance and have a seat to find a hard intensity.
  4. Song 4: Keep a heavy resistance, but can adjust slightly. 30 second breathless interval with 30 second recovery.

Between each series, I added a surprise sprint song, where I yell out a random time duration and intensity level that participants must comply with.

The Playlist

Series Song / WorkoutSong
Warm-up“I Gotta Feeling,” Black Eyed Peas
Song 1: Moderate intensity march; hard at chorus“Emotions,” Mariah Carey
Song 2: Climb (Start seated, end standing)“Feel Invincible,” Skillet
Song 3: Stand (mod. intensity); sit at chorus“The Way You Make Me Feel,” Michael Jackson
Song 4: 30 sec. breathless / 30 sec. recover“Feel It Still,” Portugal. The Man
Surprise Sprints“Dr. Feelgood,” Motley Crue
Song 1: Moderate intensity march; hard at chorus“Feel This Moment,” Pitbull, Christina Aguilera
Song 2: Climb (Start seated, end standing)“Feel like Makin’ Love,” Bad Company
Song 3: Stand (mod. intensity); sit at chorus“Can’t Stop This Feeling,” Justin Timberlake
Song 4: 30 sec. breathless / 30 sec. recover“Feeling This,” blink-182
Surprise Sprints“Take on Me,” a-ha
Song 1: Moderate intensity march; hard at chorus“Hooked On A Feeling,” Blue Swede, Bjorn Skifs
Song 2: Climb (Start seated, end standing)“Can’t Feel My Face,” The Weeknd
Song 3: Stand (mod. intensity); sit at chorus“Feel Again,” OneRepublic
Song 4: 30 sec. breathless / 30 sec. recover“Good Feeling,” Flo Rida
Cool Down“Can’t Fight This Feeling,” REO Speedwagon

Want to hear the songs? I’ve added all these songs and more to my Spotify playlist here.

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This Group Fitness Instructor’s True Love? Resistance Band Workouts

Fitness instructor loves resistance band workouts

This Valentine’s Day, I can’t help but celebrate all of my loves. And let me tell you, I love a lot of things. Sweet potatoes. Margaritas. Hi-rise leggings. Ponytails that don’t pinch. Words that stick. But, at the top of my list of loves this year? Resistance band workouts.

I know I talk about resistance bands all the time, but they are seriously the perfect exercise tool to use in your next fitness class. Resistance bands are great, because everyone in a class full of varying fitness levels can pretty much all use the same resistance band and get a good workout. The bands have so much versatility — they help us get a full body workout, especially when mixed with bodyweight exercises.

When leading your class through resistance band workouts, instruct participants to first inspect their band for rips or tears to prevent the band from breaking during the exercise. Then, grab the band and get started.

Here are my five favorite exercises that you should include as part of your upcoming resistance band workouts.

  1. Lunge with Reverse Fly

Resistance band workouts: lunge with reverse fly
Grab the band in both hands and extend your arms out in front of you so the band is already taunt. Step out with one foot, and bend both knees to lower into your lunge, while also bringing your arms away from each other. Remember to keep your elbow slightly bent, but you don’t move at the elbow joint in this exercise. Instead, you’re moving at the shoulder joint to bring your arms further apart.

  1. Push-ups

Resistance band workouts: push-up
Wrap the band around your back and put your hands over the band securely. If it bothers participants to rub the band against their body, they can either put a towel between their clothes and the band or they can do push-ups without the band. From there, do push-ups as you normally would. The most important part is to make sure that the band is taunt when you’re in the plank position at the top of the push-up.

  1. Squat with Overhead Press

Resistance band workouts: squat with overhead press
Place the band underneath the arch of your shoes for one or both feet. Then grab the handles and bring your arms up so that your palms face away from your body. If this makes the resistance too heavy, then you can leave the band by your sides as you squat. You can also do one arm at a time. If this makes the resistance to weak, you can “choke up” on the band and grab the band itself until it feels more challenging.

Squat with your hands by your shoulders, and as you stand bring your arms overhead in an overhead press.

  1. Side lunge with Bicep Curl

Resistance band workouts: side lunge with bicep curl
Place the band underneath the arches of both shoes with your hands in the handles by your sides. Step out to one side, keeping the band under the arch, and bend into a side lung with one leg bent and the other straight. Then, come back to standing with your feet together and bring your arm into a bicep curl.

  1. Tricep Extensions

Resistance band workouts: tricep extensions
Place the handle in one hand, then swing the band behind your back and grab the band with the other hand. The more you “choke up” on the band, the more challenging it will be and vice versa. Bend your elbow so that it faces the front of the room with your hand behind your head. Then, keep your elbow where it’s at and bring your hand up to the ceiling.

Make sure to switch and do the other side for this exercise and the others that are unbalanced left side to right.

These five exercises will give your class a full body resistance band workout. For more exercise ideas, check out the workout routines page.

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Resistance Band Back Workouts for Group Fitness Instructors

Resistance band back workouts

I am obsessed with using the resistance band for chest, arms, legs and back workouts. Resistance bands are compact enough to fit in a purse or suitcase, so I can easily get a workout anywhere while simultaneously prepping for my next group fitness class. It’s so easy to modify each resistance band exercise, so that participants with a wide variety of fitness levels can all get a good workout using the same piece of equipment. I know I’m gushing, but seriously, resistance bands are AH-MAZ-ING.

Resistance bands will help you target every muscle group, so you can get a full body strength workout when you want it. And, as you know, strength training is mission critical for those looking to lose weight or get healthy. Strength training helps you burn more calories long after your workout is over, and is great for strong bones and a better mood.

Here are four resistance band back workouts that you can incorporate into a full-body or upper body strength plan.

 Back Workouts #1: Upright Row
Resistance Band Back Workouts #1: Upright Row

Wrap the resistance band around your feet so that the band comes out on the outer sides of your feet. Then, either grab the handles or “choke up” on the band by grabbing lower to make it harder resistance. From there, pull the bands back towards your sides as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Back Workouts #2: Reverse Fly
Resistance Band Back Workouts #2: Reverse Fly

Either sitting or standing, grab the band in both hands firmly and extend your arms out in front of you, at shoulder height, with elbows slightly bent. Then, bring your hands away from each other again squeezing your shoulder blades together. Feel free to bring your hands all the way back until they’re about an inch in front of your shoulders. You can adjust your grip to increase the resistance of the band. The closer you have your hands together, the harder the exercise will be.

Back Workouts #3: Lat Pull-down

Resistance Band Back Workouts #3: Lat Pull-down
Either sitting or standing, grab the band in one hand, holding it secure so that it doesn’t slip around in your hand. Then, grab the handle using the other hand. You want the band already pretty taunt, so feel free to choke up if the band has too much slack.

From there, with both palms facing the wall in front of you, you’re going to extend the arm holding the band above your head, so that the wrist, elbow and shoulder are all in a straight line, without locking out your arm. The other arm comes over head in the same position, then you bend at the elbow to bring your arm down toward the floor. You should feel the back muscle under the armpit working to bring your arm down by your side. You’ll bring your elbow down below shoulder height, with your wrist staying wide and slightly higher than your elbow.

Back Workouts #4: Bent-over Row

Resistance Band Back Workouts #4: Bent-over Rows
Bring your chest towards the ground until your chest is parallel to the floor, knees slightly bend. Place the resistance band under your feet, then grab either the handles or “choke up” to grab the band itself. Then, pull the band up toward the ceiling and back down, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do it. If this doesn’t feel challenging, bring your hands closer to the ground and grab the band there. That will increase the resistance and intensity of the exercise.

For more exercise ideas, check out the workout routines and playlists page.

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A Back and Chest Stability Ball Workout

Have I mentioned I love the stability ball? 🙂 There’s something about that giant bouncy ball that makes me feel like a kid again. Unfortunately for us Group X instructors, there’s a limited supply of stability balls in our studios. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t get creative in order to incorporate it into our class workout.

What I’ve found works well is to ask the Group X class to partner up, and each pair take one stability ball. Then, we’ll do the same workout twice through, and folks can do the exercises once on the stability ball and once on the floor (while their partner uses the ball).

Here’s a back and chest workout you can do on the stability ball.

The incline push-up

First, you’ll lead the class through push-ups. Participants can try to do this one on their knees, but it usually requires you to be on your toes based on the height of the ball. Place your feet squarely on the floor, and then put your hands on the top of the stability ball. I like to slightly angle my hands in order to face my fingers away from each other, because it tends to be easier on my wrist. From there, the class will lower and lift in push-ups.

Chest workout: push-up

Reverse Fly

The incline push-up transitions nicely into the reverse fly. Instruct participants to rest their lower abs on the ball, so that their belly button is roughly at the top of the ball and their legs are extended out behind them. Then, grab a dumbbell in each hand. Without moving your back, bring your slightly bent arms out to the side in a “fly” position. The elbows will be bent and maybe an inch or so higher than wrists. Palms are facing down towards the floor.

Back workout: reverse fly

Push-ups with Legs on Stability Ball

For a more challenging push-up, you can also put your legs on the stability ball. As you move the stability ball closer to your toes, the push-up gets harder. From there, keep your body in a plank position as you lower your chest to the floor.

Chest workout: push-up on stability

Alternating Rows

If you opt to do the push-ups with the ball under your calves, it’s easy to transition into alternating rows. Grab the dumbbells and maintain your plank. Then, lift one arm at a time towards your chest. Keep your elbow tight to your body, as you lift your elbow towards the floor. Abs stay tight and hips stay low to the ground.

Back workout: alternating rows

Chest Press on the Stability Ball

If you’d like a non-push-up option, you can also instruct participants to lay face up on the stability ball, so that their shoulders and head are resting on the ball. You’ll want to be in a plank position from your knees to your head, with your ankles right under your knees. Press your hips toward the ceiling the whole time. Then, press your arms up and down as you continue to press your hips toward the ceiling.

Chest workout: chest press on stability ball

Shoulder Workout with a Stability Ball

The chest press is a nice workout to combine with shoulders. You can go right into a shoulder exercise, keeping your arms straight, and moving at the shoulder joint to lower your hands towards the floor overhead. Make sure your participants are not moving at the elbow joint.

Shoulder workout with a stability ball

This is a great workout to try with the stability ball. You can provide these as options for participants, or include each exercise throughout the entire class.

For more push-up options without the stability ball, check out the three types of push-ups Part 1 and Part 2.

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“Across the Floor” Exercises for Packed Group X Classes

Group X plank hold

For the Group X instructor that grew up in dance or gymnastics class, you may be familiar with across the floor. That’s when the entire class lines up on one side of the room and takes turns doing a dance move or activity as they progress towards the other side of the room. Across the floor is great for Group X, as well, since it gives participants more room for their exercises and use their muscles in a slightly different way than they would stationary.

If your class runs on the smaller side, you might be able to cue exercises across the floor with the entire class since there’s room for everyone.

But, I’ve found it difficult to cue exercises across the floor in small studios or larger class sizes. Participants tend to run into each other and they spend a lot more time standing around waiting for others to finish.

Instead of having all participants focused on one move across the floor, I’ve started using a different across the floor technique.

Across the Floor 2.0 — Improved for Large Group X Classes

To improve the across the floor experience in larger classes, divide members into two groups. Either ask the participants to pair up, or draw an imaginary line in the middle of the room and assign a Group A and Group B.

From there, ask the first group to start an across the floor routine, such as lunges across the floor with a shoulder press with each lunge. I like to mix it up and cue a different exercise each time they go across the floor.

Then, you’ll lead the second group in a different exercise against the wall.

One option is the wall sit.

Group X wall sit

Ask that second group to find a spot on the wall, and lower their upper body down so that their hips and knees are both in 90 degree angles. Really encourage participants to get their hips low, since many will start to creep up.

The other option is a plank against the wall.

Group X plank hold

The second group can all push their toes against the wall and then scoot their arms out until they’re in a full plank.

Then, you are able to lead both groups at the same time. You can cue the first group to hold one lunge in an isometric hold at the bottom, then switch. Or, you can switch back to the second group and instruct them to do slow mountain climbers in their plank.

Once the first group goes across the floor (there and back), and arrives back at their starting point, the two groups switch. Group A will then do the plank or wall sit and Group B will do across the floor.

Once participants have done this one or two times, they’ll be more familiar and will be able to quickly get into position to do across the floor. Some classes love to have a different experience each class, and will embrace the across the floor exercises. You may find your class just doesn’t like to move from their stationary position in the middle of the floor, and that’s okay, too. Every class is different.

For more tips, check out the group exercise ideas page.

P.S. don’t mind my phone in the photos above! I believe Group X classes should always be a phone-free zone. 🙂

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2 Ab Exercises to Try in a Group X Class

2 Ab Exercises to Try

Earlier this month, my family went on a trip to Maui, and we were sure to fit in a few self-run boot camp classes while we were there. Since Group X participants are always requesting ab exercises in class, I enlisted the help of my family to showcase a few ideas you can try in your next class (beach optional :)).

Here are two ab exercises worth considering for your next group fitness class.

Ab Exercises #1: Up & Down Plank

My friend and I partnered up to show the Up & Down Plank. Start on your elbows and toes. If you’d like, you can also be on your knees. Just make sure your body is in a straight line from the shoulders to the ankles or knees.

From there, you’ll want to press up onto your hands, trying to keep your hips square to the floor. Continue to press up and down, switching the hand you start with each time.

Ab Exercises #1: Planks

 

Ab Exercises #2: Flutter Kicks

Put your hands under your hips, then straighten your legs out in front of you. Make sure your legs are about one to two feet off the ground – keep them pretty low to the ground. Lift one leg about six inches higher and then switch, bringing that foot back to the starting position and the other six inches higher.

Make the movement fast, small and quick. If you’d like an extra challenge, cross your arms over your chest instead. For a modification, don’t straighten your legs all the way.

Ab Exercises #2

These are great ab exercises and workouts to do in your next group fitness or Group X class. They’re especially challenging if you include them in a back-to-back rotation of different exercises.

For more exercise ideas or workout routines to try, check out the workout routines and playlists page.

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Shoulder Workouts for Group X Classes (Part II)

Shoulder Workouts Part 2

Shoulder workouts can make for some great Group X classes. It always feels good to leave fitness classes feeling like you had a tough workout, and the shoulder muscles are small enough that you can really work them hard even with limited equipment in the Group X studio. Earlier this week, I posted part one of this series, sharing three variations of the overhead press.

Today, I’m back to share three more shoulder workouts to incorporate into your next group fitness class.

Elbow squeeze

Shoulder workouts: the elbow squeeze

After warming up, grab a set of moderate dumbbells and bring your arms up into a T shape. From there, keep your arms in the same T shape and move at the shoulder joint to bring your elbows and hands to the front of the room. You’re making the motion of bringing your elbows and hands together, but more than likely your elbows and hands won’t be able to touch. Then, bring your arms back out to the T. There shouldn’t be any movement at the elbow, so don’t try to move your elbow to get them closer.

Bicep and shoulder combo

Shoulder workouts: the bicep/shoulder combo

With light to moderate weights, bring your arms up to that T shape, this time with the dumbbells facing your face. Then, keep your elbows where they’re at and lower your hands until your arms are almost straight, and bring them back up. This will work your biceps and your shoulders, and try to make the exercise as big as possible. When first learning this exercise, it’s going to be tough to extend those arms.

Double the weights

Michelle doing shoulder workouts with both weights in one hand

If it feels like the class has mastered these exercises, you can progress into doubling the weight by holding both weights in one hand. I will usually do this mostly with the overhead press, since the elbow squeeze and bicep/shoulder combo seem to be challenging on their own. But, holding both weights in one hand is a great way to get participants to increase the intensity.

Hope these shoulder workouts have inspired you to try some new exercises in your next Group X class. For more ideas, check out the workout routines page.

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Shoulder Workouts for Group X Classes (Part 1)

Shoulder Workouts Part 1

While I’m usually a squats and lunges gal, I also like to mix things up with some tough shoulder workouts. Especially in Group X classes, shoulder exercises are great because you don’t need to balance them like you do for chest/back or bicep/triceps. Also, they’re smaller muscles, so more than likely the group fitness studio will have weights that are heavy enough to challenge the shoulders. You can introduce compound exercises that incorporate shoulder workouts, or you can focus on just shoulders.

Here’s one of my favorite shoulder workouts. It’s ultimately one shoulder exercise with a few variations done one after the other in a series.

Overhead Press Shoulder Workout

Shoulder workouts: the overhead press

Grab a set of moderate dumbbells and hold them so your arms are in a T-shape with your elbows and shoulders in a straight line, palms facing forward. Press your arms towards the ceiling, until your arms are straight over your head. I like to press so that my wrists, elbows and shoulders are stacked one on top of the other.

Pulses

Shoulder workouts: pulses

After the overhead press, I like to have my Group X class hold the T-shape. After 15 seconds are so, we’ll “pulse”. This means bringing your arms a few inches higher and lower at a rapid pace.

One-arm Hold & Press

Shoulder workouts: overhead press & hold

Then, hold one arm in an isometric hold at the T-shape, while the other arm goes back to presses. Switch halfway through.

This shoulder workout make it easy to flow from one exercise to the next without getting bored doing the same exact thing over and over again.

I have a few more shoulder workouts on deck for my next post, which will share other shoulder exercises to try in your next Group X class. If you liked this blog post, you’ll also like my posts on push-ups and tricep workouts.