My TOP 5 Blogs For YOUR Ride Inside

With this post, I celebrate fellow fitness / indoor cycling bloggers!
There are many more than the ones included here, but these are my TOP FIVE.
If you haven’t checked them out yet…start today. You can also find many on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.
For each one I include a brief introduction, a link to the website and some clips from their ABOUT narrative from their website.

INDOOR CYCLING MIXES
This is one BAD ASS music resource! Thanks for including FOR THE RIDE INSIDE.com as one of the best on the web!
http://www.indoorcyclingmixes.com/welcome
I am your indoor cycling wanna be DJ aka Cyclemixes and welcome to my blog – this my gift to you – an online diary of musical sorts but even better a personal “mixtape” of my great obsessions as they relate to health and fitness as seen through the eyes of me – a spin instructor.
My goal is to create powerful indoor cycling mixes and provocative rants and raves. It’s here to challenge, inspire and inform you. If I am of good service perhaps one day Indoor Cycling Mixes will be admired world wide no less as one of the most acclaimed voices of spinning instructors and our fans. I invite you to help me get there.
The Aestheic of this blog of is that of a “mashup” and of a “mixtape”: and is the merging my obsessions into a narrative soundscape arc – which I hope you share – some are obvious like of course indoor cycling, Music, health, art, diet,fitness …others are not.
When I started as a spin instructor I became fascinated by the role of music in my classes. I started using remixes and mashups almost immediately – shying away from “commercial” pop. Looking back when I first created mixtapes, I was confronted like many music fans of my generation with the practical and aesthetic challenges involved in the mixtape format.

LEAN LENA
Lena has several awesome resources for new indoor cycling instructors, including a Mentorship Program! She also posts about more than just cycling and music if your interests go beyond the Cycle Studio.
http://leanlena.com
“Lean Lena” is a personal blog and an information resource for fitness professionals specializing in teaching Spinning®/Indoor Cycling, TRX® and Yoga.
Written and owned by Lena Hershey the blog features detailed class plans for Indoor Cycling instructors, TRX® workout routines, articles on Yoga and Mindfulness and healthy recipes.
Lena Hershey is a full time fitness professional, a certified Spinning® instructor, TRX® Suspension Training Instructor and a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200).

CHRISPINS
Chris proclaims that as indoor cycling instructors, “we are DJ’s”…agreed!
https://chrispins1.wordpress.com
I first started this blog for my spin class participants because they were always asking about the music that I play in my classes. This was the easiest way I could think of to share my music with them.
I fell in love with Spinning when my gym finally purchased Spin bikes and started a program in 2008. I loved everything about it and before I knew it, I was creating my own rides and playlists to work out to on my own. Even though I had been athletic and fit my whole life, I felt stronger and more fit (and I was having more fun) than I ever had.
Another instructor noticed my enthusiasm and persuaded me to become certified to teach in 2009. Our program was growing and we needed more classes and another instructor. I never thought I could do it, and I questioned myself even after becoming certified. In addition, I had just watched another member become certified to instruct and fail miserably. I didn’t want the same thing to happen to me, so I told the gym at the time that I would be happy to sub, but I didn’t want my own class. Well, I started subbing and I fell in love with Spinning in a whole new way. People wanted more and I immediately started my own class and have helped to add many new classes since then.
I truly enjoy helping others and seeing them succeed and have fun reaching their fitness goals. I also really enjoy helping other instructors and sharing what I’ve learned in the process.
You can find me teaching 2-3 cycling classes a week at the Oneida Tri-Valley YMCA

THE DANCING RUNNER
Chelsea is an amazing athlete, motivating instructor and dedicated blogger. Watch for a daily post Monday through Friday…my favorite day of the week is Wednesday when she posts her latest sweet ride profile and playlist!
https://thedancingrunner.wordpress.com/
I love cooking, traveling, and most of all staying active. It hasn’t always been that way. Even though I dabbled in a few sports growing up – mostly ballet, tap and jazz as a pre-teen – I was not a very athletic kid. I was definitely more into the school choir and writing for the newspaper in high school. Writing and fine arts – definitely up my alley. Working out, not so much.
When I graduated high school in 2002, I decided to go to college out of state – at Hampton University in Virginia, thousands of miles away from my home in Plano, Texas. They had a great journalism school there so that is where I decided to begin my study in television. I definitely spent my fair share of time partying, which included late night food binges on pizza and all kinds of junk. Eventually my weight reached an all time high of 200 pounds. I was obviously not happy with it.
Finally after that reality check and stepping on the scale being over 50 pounds heavier than my normal weight I decided it was time to make a change. My mom, even though she didn’t have much weight to lose, said she would join Weight Watchers with me. I took the plunge and joined. Thus began my weight loss journey. About a year or so went by and the weight started coming off. It was all about moderation and portion control – and really just changing your overall lifestyle. I stuck with the plan and started working out…I even started working at a women’s fitness facility in Virginia called Curves for Women while I was in college. I lost a majority of my weight in college and graduated a fitter, happier person.
Today, I have run over 20 half marathons and 15 26.2s – and counting! I am still working as a producer in television and now teaching spin classes on the side at 24 Hour Fitness. I also taught dance for over a year and I loved it. It has been an amazing journey and I can’t wait to see where God takes me next.

THE BIKE CAFÉ
Cynthia was the inspiration for me to join the world of Fitness blogging, shortly after I became Mad Dogg Athletics / Spinning certified. She has a great ear for music that plays very well in the Cycle Studio…especially the EDM genre. I think that after Hockey…Canadians really love their Indoor Cycling!
http://thebikecafe.com
Great music is one of the things that makes an indoor cycling class. The right song can give you the push you need to climb to the top of a hill, or sprint for 20 seconds longer than you thought you could.
I started this blog (formerly named Spinning Music) to offer other Spinning/indoor cycling instructors and enthusiasts a place to share favourite songs and playlists. I will post the playlists I use in my own classes, along with ideas for songs to use for particular types of drills. I’m a huge fan of Canadian music so I try to showcase Canadian artists as much as possible, especially newer ones. I will say this right up front: I believe in paying artists for their work. That’s why I absolutely refuse to download or play pirated music.
The latest addition to the blog is The Bike Cafe forum, a place for folks to ask questions and receive answers from experienced indoor cycling instructors from all over the world. Drop in, pour a cup of coffee, and join the conversation.
I took my first indoor cycling class in 2003 and immediately got hooked. I started making my own playlists and cycling by myself when I couldn’t get to a scheduled class. When I showed my trainer the playlists on my iPod he commented, “If you like indoor cycling that much, you should teach it!” It was the push I needed to take the training.
I started teaching indoor cycling classes at my gym in February 2008. I love teaching classes as much as I love taking them. (That’s me on the left, with my sister, before an outdoor ride.) I am certified through Schwinn but I also draw on elements from other programs in my classes.
When I’m not on the bike, I enjoy yoga, writing fiction, and cappuccino. I live by the ocean in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with my husband and our daughter.

Hats off to these and all the other bloggers that make such an important contribution to the world of wellness, fitness and STUDIO CYCLING!

Enjoy the Ride!

FOOTNOTE…
Other blogs from larger studios, equipment / program providers and industry advocates include: ICA (Indoor Cycling Association), Spinning/Mad Dogg Athletics, Soul Cycle, Flywheel, Les Mills RPM, etc.