CLASS FORMAT

WARM-UP TO SET PUSH POINT AND ALIGNMENT

I begin all my classes with a brief warm-up to promote body awareness and to prepare the body for the more rigorous demands of the cardiovascular segment of the class. This helps raise the internal body temperature which increases blood flow and oxygen to the working muscles. We also use this time to get a feel for the bike, set push point and adjust alignment. Current available research indicates that static stretches (meaning they involve no motion) after a warm-up segment have no beneficial effects associated with pre-exercise stretching and may do more harm than good. Dynamic stretching following a warm-up segment is considered safe and effective but serves no real purpose so this part of the warm-up segment has been omitted.

CARDIOVASCULAR SEGMENT

This segments lasts 40-45 minutes and is designed to keep the heart and breath rates elevated. We do not use heart rate monitors in class or stop to take heart rate checks so we rely on perceived exertion and how hard we are breathing to monitor our intensity levels. During peak intensity levels you should be breathing hard but not out of breath. A good rule to follow is if you can breath with your mouth closed you can push yourself a little harder and if you are gasping for breath you need to back off a little. Recovery segments will be included to re-hydrate, take a couple of deep cleansing breaths, shake out tension, etc.

COOL DOWN AND STRETCH

The cool down and stretching segment of the class is approximately 5-10 minutes and is necessary to gradually reduce the heart rate to resting levels and prevent excessive pooling of blood in the lower extremities. The rhythmic contractions of the legs act as an important muscle pump to help return blood from the lower extremities to the heart. Without such activity blood pooling in the lower body can result in reduced blood pressure, dizziness and (in exceptional cases), cardiac arrhythmias. If you need to leave class early, please begin your cool down segment about 5 minutes before you leave. The stretching segment is designed to lower the heart rate further and includes static stretching to help prevent muscle soreness, enhance flexibility, and reestablish the body's equilibrium. It also promotes faster removal of metabolic wastes.