Dani California

I often get asked if I start planning my rides with the music or the profile first.  Honestly, it's a bit of a split, but heavily weighted on the side of the profile.  I really think about what and how the students have ridden lately and where our training needs to go.  Only one facility where I teach requires me to do a certain type of "training" each class.  Everywhere else, it's all by my planning.  However, I do like to keep us on some sort of a program, even if it's loosely designed, and I keep track of every class I've taught.  

Not today. Today's ride started with the music, and it was a collaboration.  I wish I could take 100% credit, because it works so well.  We did not use exactly the same songs or profile, and each of us brings our own personality to the ride.  I would hope the same holds true for those who borrow ideas from this blog.  It's great if you want to use the exact ride I put out there, but I think it's even better if you get an idea and then turn it into your own.  

So, we are riding to just 3 bands: The Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, and the Rolling Stones.  They come in blocks, and this creates a nice flow, same type of sounds and rhythms, that change before it gets boring.  I love this one and plan to try it with other groups that work well together.  It's obviously heavy on the rock and roll, which lends itself to using resistance and really getting down and dirty, into the legs to do the work.  

1. Soul To Squeeze/The Red Hot Chili Peppers (warm-up)

Get ready...

2. Cabron/Red Hot Chili Peppers

Seated flat road.  Every 30 seconds, push the pace, hold for 30 and then drop back for 30. Repeat through end of song.  We should be more than warmed up, HR is up and those little drops of sweat are forming on our forearms...

3. Dani California/Red Hot Chili Peppers

First hill, out of the saddle, into a standing climb.  Breakaway at the chorus (3x), add a gear when each breakaway is over, then hold steady to the top.  Now we're breathing, now our bodies have gotten the message that we are here to work.

4. Snow (Hey Oh)/Red Hot Chili Peppers

Seated flat.  Set the gear at a good strong flat road pace (80%), then leave it alone.  This song is 5:35 minutes and each minute we are going to increase our cadence until the last minute is an all out breakaway.  Anyone can "sprint" for .30 seconds, but can we hoooold on??

5. Tell Me Baby (Rhythm Scholar Club Mix)/Red Hot Chili Peppers

2.5 minutes in a seated climb, adding 1 gear at .90 seconds.  Then, we start some switchbacks: 15 seconds in the seated climb and a 45 second surge out of the saddle, picking up the pace.  We do this 4 times.

6. Magnificent (Dave Aude' Club Remix)/U2

Same drill as above, except it's all done on a flat road.  2.5 minute seated flat (1 gear).  Then, 15 sec. seated flat followed by 45 second standing flat run or breakaway in the seat (4x).  Finish with about 60 seconds on the flat road.

7. Angel of Harlem/U2

Seated climb, 3 gears (after the hill starts), keeping pace steady. Gear #1 takes us out of our comfort zone.  Gear #2 leaves the comfort zone way behind.  Gear #3 makes us want to come out of the saddle.  Now.  

8. Walk On/U2

Continuing the longest hill of the day...add a turn of resistance and come up to a standing climb, adding 2 gears, approx. 1 each minute.  Then, when there are 2.5 minutes to go, we pick up the pace and hold that new pace until the top of the hill.  Gear does not change, we don't slow down.  

9. Honky Tonk Women/The Rolling Stones

Seated flat. 3 minutes. Nothing changes.

10. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction/The Rolling Stones

Seated flat with 20 second breakaways, 10 seconds off,  you'll do about 7 or 8 total.

11. Gimme Shelter/The Rolling Stones

Final hill, push to the finish line.  I let the class choose what climbing position(s) they want.  We will add 3 gears here, approx. 1 a minute, without slowing down.

12. Paint It Black/The Rolling Stones

Now, all the gear is on and we are going to race it to the top.  Very simple, pick up the pace a little bit every .60 seconds (2x for this song), in your climbing position, without reducing the resistance, until legs are screaming.  Finish line is at the top of this hill.  

13. Tear/Red Hot Chili Peppers (cool-down)