reaction cycling

[SPINFREAK]

Has anyone been throught the certification process for Bally's Reaction Cycling? I'm an instructor there and must get certified to keep my job. I plan to take the classes next month. How does it compare to Spinning? Thanks.

[Legspeed]

I just went through the Reaction certification and I have to say, it was the best of any other certification I've taken.....by a wide margin. In comparing it to the Schwinn, Precision, and MDA cert processes, I thought the Reaction program was reasonably grounded and took a no-nonsense approach. No silly rules about hand positions, no bogus movements like hovers, jumps, or rhythm releases. It's grounded in HRM principles, but recognizes that HRMs are a rare toy for indoor cycling and doesn't rely on HR percentages to define the ride. Instead, it offers a simple and easy-to-understand scale for cueing the different levels of exertion. Best of all, it teaches the necessary components of effective cueing.

There was a practical and a written test at the end of the class. The written was open book, but the questions weren't lifted verbatim from the manual. You have to pay attention during the class and are expected to understand what you read. The practical was fun, you got about 5 minutes to lead the class, cueing them through your choice of effort.

To be honest, I started with a pretty cynical attitude. I mean, geez, how many cycling certs does it take? However, as the class went on, the master instructor was able to make the agonizingly familiar parts seem new and engaging. For sure, the MI can either make or break the class. Not sure where you are located, but if you're in the Southwest region, try to take Elizabeth's class. She conducted one of (if not the) best certification classes I ever attended.

Expect to be a far better instructor after this training. I sure was.

[CancunCarol]

Ask Meg He is very knowledgeable on that subject.

[AC]

I took it. I thought it was a very "dumbed down" version designed to get poorly informed instructors back into some sort of reasonable method of instructing. Cadences below 110 are obviously foreign to a vast amount of instructors. The exertion zones or levels take a lot of verbiage to get across. Cadence is cued to BPM's of music, which is not all the controversial, but for doing profiles based on the length of songs, which is not necessary if you are more advanced into editing and mixing on a PC.

I'm sure the presenting team is very competant, that was not the issue. My participants have asked to go back to doing EZ type profiles. I can do Reaction classes using a common sense approach combining fundamentals from both "books".

There is nothing "wrong" with the Schwinn/Reaction method. Any type of education like this is necessary after spending time with a peer group that was certified 6 years ago and have not done all that much to keep up with changes or improvements in JohnnyG Spinning over the same amount of time.

I feel for my own purpose, there is more to offer in a more rounded apporach to contintuing education from JohhnyG and that team than the Bally's program, that I will stay with as a prerequisite to my employment.

[Guest]

I somewhat agree w AC on Reaction Cycling.
I did not like my Reaction Cycling MI.
This person was not a MASTER in cycling for sure --
This person had an attitude problem and admitted to
not owning an outdoor bike.

[labo]

"It's grounded in HRM principles, but recognizes that HRMs are a rare toy for indoor cycling and doesn't rely on HR percentages to define the ride."
WOW I can't disagree more with that statement....I teach at 3 clubs, 2 Spin, 1 just 'cycle'.....I would say that 90% of my participants have HRM's due to the fact that the instructors make it known how important they are. Most instructors I work with think HRM's are important for ALL cardio work and are quite successful getting their participants to use them and understand them.
When people don't have HRM's I lend them out and within 2 months they usually have their own.....t

so, it's "better" to blow off the 10% that don't have an HRM?

[labo]

wow back to slamming people again....is the forum back?????

WHAT I SAID...is that the majority of people who cycle at the clubs I'm affliated with wear HRM's so its not just the elite atheletes who use them. If f we as instructors do a good job of promoting the importance of HRM's most people will see the benefit, because it is a true benefit not something we are makingup! I personally have 2 extra HRM's that I lend out in class and will give my personal HRM to a client if those are in use. Plus believe it or not I'm bright enough to cue BOTH HR percentages and perceived exertion as any good coach should

[AC]

Just to get back on message. Reaction Cycling is an adequate place to start as an instructor, but it does not offer the same creative energy that JohnnyG Spinning does. Forget the basic complaints (you don't like HP1 or rhythm releases). There is just more going on than with the Ballys/Schwinn method.

After several years of reading, taking rides, investing in continuing education and investing in music, I just have a problem with going backward as an instructor.

[texasred]

I took the Reaction Cycling training. It was a good program, all though I (as did 99% of the class) was already JGSI and I would even venture to say that most of the class had already taken some CE's as well. With that being said I don't know how overwhelming it was for the one who hadn't any indoor cycling training or had never taught an indoor cycling program. For me, I didn't see the need for the 2-day course, I think it could have been covered in 1 day. But then there wouldn't have been enough time for each participant to complete their 5 minute practical and written exam. I felt like HRM's were not going to be focused on much anymore, more of an RPE. When I got back to my respective studio the HR and RPE charts had been taken down and replaced with the one new Reaction Cycling chart. There was a lot of emphasis on BPM, but I felt it was to be used more of as a tool rather than "the way" to check cadence. I took one of Barb Kane's classes at WSSC Miami last year where she used a metronome during class. (The Reaction Cycling MI did a similar thing.) Basically Barb's profile consisted of a standing flat at 90, 100, and 110 rpm. It was tough! But with that metronome (and it wasn't going loud the entire ride) it put you back on track. Barb also walked around the room clapping the same beat and when she got to me I knew I either needed to speed up or slow down.