Best of 2009 Spin Mix (42 minutes)

Here we go, a 40 minute ride with some of the best songs that 2009 had to offer.  The profile is simple: Climb/Sprint/Lift, Climb/Sprint/Lift, and a 7.5 minute, two-song hill climb to the finish.

January and February are key months for people to return to exercise.  Classes will be full and you’ll have more new riders, so you’ll likely spend more time setting up bikes, cueing drills, and encouraging people to take breaks, drink lots of water, and ride their own ride.

Two things I usually tell classes with new riders: don’t expect to be able to do all the drills, all the way through at first.  It can take up to 2-3 months of regular classes to get there.  That can be a surprise for people who are transitioning from other sports, like running.  It’s the same in reverse.  For me, a 40 minute run feels much harder than a 40 minute spin class.  The second thing I always tell new riders is to expect a sore butt after class.  This goes away a lot more quickly – 4-5 classes, and they’ll never be sore again.  If it’s really bothersome, a $10 removable gel seat cover or a pair of bike shorts can help them make the transition.

I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas (4:49):  This song has been on heavy rotation on my iPod since it came out.  It’s one of those tunes that just makes you want to move.  Warm up your legs with some easy spinning and throw in a few dynamic upper body stretches.

Sexy Bitch (feat. Akon) – David Guetta (3:16): I am such a bad feminist for liking this song… but I do.  It reminds me of a lawyer I knew when I was first practicing.  He was about 25 years older than I was and continually said inappropriate things to women.  But the thing was – it didn’t come from a place of malice.  He adored his wife, and thought highly of women.  You could just tell.  I had a huge soft spot for him.  And this song is kind of like that.    Let’s tackle some small rolling hills to get going.  First, we climb out of the saddle, then sit down and sprint.  For an extra challenge, do the sprints standing.  Here we go!  First hill: C: 0:15 – 0:30, S: 0:30 – 0:45.  Second hill: C: 0:45 – 1:15, S: 1:15 – 1:45.  Third hill: C: 1:45 – 2:45, S: 2:45 – 3:15.

Love Drunk – Boys Like Girls (3:47): More sprints?  Sure! Three of them: 30/45/50 seconds at 0:48 – 1:20, 1:45 – 2:28, 2:38 – 3:28.  Wanna do ‘em standing?  You bet!

Right Round (feat. Ke$ha) – Flo Rida (3:27): Crank that tension up to 6 or 7/10 and  do some random lifts: 4/8/2.

Love Game (Chu Fu Ghettohouse  Fix) (feat. Marilyn Manson) – Lady GaGa (5:21):  We deserve a 45 second rest.  Give your shoulders a roll and take a big drink.  The second large hill starts here.  This one’s a fast standing climb.  We’re going to alternate between regular and aggressive stances, 15 seconds each, then 30, then 45, then 60.

Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry (3:19): More sprints, this time at each chorus: 15/15/45.  They’re at 0:47 – 1:02, 1:29 – 1:44, and 2:22 – 3:07.  Shorter sprint intervals are the perfect time for new riders to try a standing sprint or two.

No You Girls – Franz Ferdinand (3:40):  More high tension lifts – 7/10.  Do 8 counts to the bridge, then 4, then 2 for the choruses.

Good Girls Go Bad (feat. Leighton Meester) – Cobra Starship (3:18): Okay, there’s only one big, 7.5 minute hill between us and the showers.  Roll the tension back to 4/10 for this fast climb.  Take a posture break and switch to a standing jog for the choruses.  Remind new riders and those who’ve been away from the bike for a while to take a break when they need to.  The transition between songs here is a natural spot to kick back and reload.  Advanced riders, keep it going for the whole 7.5 minutes.

Fire Burning – Sean Kingston (4:03): Keep the climb going, and keep it fast.  This time we’re going to do at least three tension increases, while maintaining the pace.  Shoot for pleasantly thrashed by the end of the ride.

Africa (feat. Culture) [Radio Edit] – Karl Wolf (3:52):  Ahhh….. we made it.  Roll the tension back to 2/10 and take a few minutes to spin easy.  We’ll lower our heart rates and do some static upper body stretches on the bike, then climb off and treat our quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves to nice long stretches.

Down (feat. Lil Wayne) – Jay Sean (3:32):  Some extra cool-down and goodbye music.

In the I-Knew-I-Loved-It-Loud-Department, a recent study out of the University of Western Ontario that was reported on MSNBC and in the January/February 2010 of Women’s Health magazine found that when active women listened to their favourite workout songs at different volumes, they exercised hardest while listening at the loudest level.  Loud tunes had the greatest effect on strength-training moves.  Women cranked out an extra 7 leg presses while listening to the loud music over their regular volume, and an extra 10 reps over what they could do without music.  But you can have too much of a good thing: cranking the tunes over 85 decibels repeatedly can cause hearing loss.

Spinning Music’s Top 25 Spinning Tunes of 2009

Here is Spinning Music’s second annual list of the Top 25 Spinning Tunes of the year.  Overall, it’s not the bumper year that 2008 was, but there are lots of great songs for every type of drill, including warm ups and cool downs.

You may notice a few obvious choices missing – Hook Me Up and Untouched by the Veronicas, Use Somebody and Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon, So What? by P!nk, Poker Face and Paparazzi by Lady GaGa, I’m Yours by Jason Mraz.  All charted in 2009, but they didn’t fit Spinning Music’s criteria – to make the 2009 list, the song had to be released in 2009.  These songs all came out in 2008.

The top Spinning tunes of 2009 are:

1.  I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas (A+ for positive energy)

2. Sexy Bitch (feat. Akon) – David Guetta (for a clean version, try Sexy Chick by GG)

3. Right Round (feat. Ke$ha) – Flo Rida

4. Don’t Trust Me – 3OH!3 (terribly offensive lyrics but one of the catchiest tunes of the year)

5. Africa – Karl Wolf (this hip hop version has sweet cool down energy)

6. Fire Burning – Sean Kingston

7.  Love Game (Chew Fu Ghettohouse Fix) (feat. Marilyn Manson) – Lady GaGa (okay, this song came out in 2008 but the remix rocks and is a legitimate pick from 2009)

8. Good Girls Go Bad (feat. Leighton Meester) – Cobra Starship

9. Sugar (feat. Wynter) – Flo Rida

10. Love Drunk – Boys Like Girls (one of the better sprinting songs of the year)

11.  Tik Tok – Ke$ha

12. Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry

13. My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson

14. Jai Ho! (You are my Destiny) (feat. Nicole Scherzinger) – A.R. Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls (the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack came out in late 2008, but this version of Jai Ho! dates from 2009)

15. Bang Bang (feat. Adam Levine) – K’naan (one of the most challenging jump songs I’ve ever used)

16. Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas

17. New Divide – Linkin Park

18. Watch Me Move – Fefe Dobson (hard to find outside of the Canadian iTunes store)

19.  Down (feat. Lil Wayne) – Jay Sean (more great cool down energy)

20. I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) – Pitbull

21. You Found Me – The Fray

22. Live Your Life (feat. Rihanna) – T.I.

23. Bad Romance – Lady GaGa

24.  She Wolf – Shakira

25. No You Girls – Franz Ferdinand (one of the few songs on the list that is good for jumps)

What do you think?  Did I get it right?  Did I miss any of your favourites?  What were your top Spinning songs of 2009?

Fitness Magazine just published their own list of the Top 100 Workout Songs of the Year in the January 2010 issue.  My favourites from their list include Check My Brain by Alice in Chains, Permanent Heartbreak by the Friday Night Boys, Break Your Little Heart by All Time Low, Anywhere but Here by Mayday Parade, and Solo by Demi Lovato.

Look for a Best of 2009 playlist in a week or two.

Spinning Music’s Top 5 Playlists of 2009

Feliz Navidad from Mexico!  My better half and I are enjoying a year-end break on sunny Isla Mujeres.

Thank you so much to everyone who dropped by the blog in 2009 and special thanks to all of the spin instructors who contributed comments or playlists or songs. My favourite addition of 2009 is the Reader Playlists page – it is full of playlists I wish I’d made and songs I wish I’d found.  It’s one of your favourites, too – one of the most consistently visited pages on the blog.  If you are looking for a New Years Playlist, reader Adrienne just posted one on the Reader Playlists page, and it looks great!

2010 is going to be a big year for me.  I’ll be taking a break from teaching spin for a few months around the end of February as my better half and I prepare to welcome our first child in early April.  I’ll be back to work (and teaching spin) in September, 2010.

I am still working on the list of the top 25 spinning tunes of 2009 – look for it in early January.

Here are the top five playlists of 2009, with page views.  Two playlists (Gonna Make You Sweat and Summer Rush) made the top 5 list last year as well.

1.  Gonna Make You Sweat Spin Mix (43 minutes)     7,518 views

2.  Rock ‘n Roll Spin Mix (43 minutes) 4,365 views

3.  Feel Alive Spin Mix (47 minutes) 4,000 views

4.  C’mon ‘n Ride It Spin Mix (45 minutes) 3,323 views

5.  Summer Rush Spin Mix (36 minutes) 3,291 views

Best wishes to everyone for a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2010!

Hallowe’en Spin Mix (60 minutes)

Regular reader Beth Ann posted a beastly Hallowe’en ride on the Reader Playlists section of the blog.  She inspired me to create a Hallowe’en ride of my own.  (Thanks, Beth Ann!)

Speaking of scary stuff, I mentioned in the last post that I’ve picked up a brand new Tuesday night class from 6:15 – 7:15 p.m.  By brand new, I mean hardly anyone shows up for it.  The gym added three weeknight classes in the same timeslot about a month ago and all three instructors are hurting for riders.

I work at a gym on the main floor of an office tower, so lunch and right-after-work classes are by far the most popular.  I’ve got my work cut out for me to build this new class.  I’ve been plugging it in my Thursday lunch class, updating my Facebook status to mention it a day or two before I teach it, and put up signs throughout the gym and in the cycling room to let riders know there are some new options on the schedule.  I’ve also been offering free passes to non-members and  e-mailed some of my regulars who find it hard to get to 5:30 p.m. classes to tell them about the new offerings and ask them to forward the note to anyone who might be interested.

I’ve built a class from scratch before – my first class was a Monday lunch hour class in a new timeslot.  I remember that it took months, but it was so gratifying when I got to the point where most of the bikes were full every week.  I gave that class up to my grasshopper, so now I’m faced with building a class again.  Readers, have you built a class from scratch in a new timeslot?  What strategies did you use to grow the class?

Sympathy for the Devil – The Rolling Stones (6:19): We’re going to warm up with a classic that everyone knows.  Longer classes need longer warmups.  You’ve got six minutes here to get riders comfortable, do some dynamic stretching, and even a few surges at the end.  For surges, pick up the pace by 10% or 20% for a set interval – usually 30-60 seconds, before dropping back to a recovery pace.  This is a simple profile of hill repeats: climb, sprint, then some lifts or steady spinning, followed by another hill.

Enter Sandman – Metallica (5:32):  I love this song.  It’s one of those few heavy metal cross-over songs that don’t drive non-metal folks crazy.  First hill: we’re going to take the resistance up to a 4 or 5 out of 10 and come out of the saddle for a five and a half minute leg-stretcher of a climb.  Get riders to increase the tension just a bit (say, one click) every 30 seconds while maintaining the fast cadence as best they can.

Time Warp – Little Nell, Patricia Quinn, and Richard O’Brien (3:19): This is the most famous song from the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show, a 1975 British parody of sci-fi and horror films that is the longest-running release in film history.  It’s been playing continuously in theatres for more than 30 years.   Cinemas began showing the film at midnight to enthusiastic American audiences who show up in costume, talk back to the characters, and throw toast.  We’re going to time warp into some sprints for 50/40/15 seconds starting at 0:28 – 1:22, then 2:02 – 2:40, 2:57 – 3:08.

(Don’t Fear) the Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult (5:06): Here’s a chance to play with cadence a little bit.  Take 60 seconds to recover, then increase cadence by 10% for a minute, then to 20% above your recovery pace for the third minute.  Take it up to a sprinting pace for 30 seconds, then back down to 20% for a minute, and ride out the song at 10% increased cadence.

Thriller – Michael Jackson (5:11):  This playlist is probably the only place people are going th hear Blue Oyster Cult chased with a Michael Jackson tune.  Second hill: it’s time to get out of the saddle again for a well-deserved leg stretch.  Throw in some posture changes here – aggressive stance, regular stance, standing jog, and seated 30 seconds of each, followed by a tension increase.

Monster Mash – The Misfits (2:38): Time for a pace line!  Split riders into two or three groups (guys/gals, front/middle/back row) and let each group set the pace for 30 seconds before falling back and letting the next group go.  For the last 30 seconds, everyone joins in to sprint to the finish line.

Ghostbusters – Ray Parker, Jr. (4:05):  What could you do for this song besides lifts?  Come on, let’s start with 8 counts, moving to 4 counts for the choruses and back to 8 counts for the verses.  If you’ve got a fun-loving group, get them to shout, “Ghostbusters!” at all the right spots.

Supermassive Black Hole – Muse (3:29):  Okay, we’ve had a bunch of songs for the older set, now let’s do a seated climb for the under 21 set.  This song counts for a Hallowe’en mix because it’s on the Twilight soundtrack.  Plus, it’s a rockin’ tune.  Third hill starts here.

The Devil Went Down to Georgia – The Charlie Daniels Band (3:44): More sprints – whee!  They’re at 0:56 – 1:17 (20 sec), 1:31 – 2:01 (30 sec), 2:16 – 2:46 (30 sec), 3:06 – 3:40 (35 sec).

Tales from the Crypt Theme (Workout Mix) – Power Music (2:02): Two minutes of steady spinning at a purposeful cadence.  Pick the highest cadence you can maintain for two solid minutes.

Who Made Who – AC/DC (5:16): Cripes, it’s the fourth (and last) hill.  I’ve got the live version of this song, so I start it 30 seconds in.  Take the tension to 4 or 5 and come out of the saddle.  Settle in for five minutes of rolling hill – tension goes up once or twice, then down, then up again.

Voodoo People (Pendulum Remix) – The Prodigy (5:11): What goes up, must come down.  Recovery and a drink until 0:55 when the fun starts again.  Sprint 15 seconds on/off, then 30, then 45, then 60.

Black Cat – Janet Jackson (4:51): I’ve been wanting to use this song in a mix for a long time.  Let’s do some high tension lifts: 8 counts, then 4 counts, then 2 counts, then back to 4 and winding it up with 8, one minute each.

Highway to Hell – AC/DC (3:59): One more drill before the cool down, one last chance to get that extra energy out in this out of the saddle climb.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run to this song.  It always gives me a little extra energy.  Draw on that energy here – turn up the tension and match the cadence.  Each time a new verse starts, we’re going to change position, from regular to aggressive, and back again.

Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon (3:25): We made it!  Have a seat, dial back the tension, and take a big drink.  Spin easy for at least a minute, then do some static upper body stretching as you gradually slow down your legs.  Finally, some lower-body stretching off the bike: quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves.

Black Magic – Kreesha Turner (4:17): Some extra stretching and goodbye music.  Happy Hallowe’en!

Got a Hallowe’en tune that’s perfect for spinning, or created a Hallowe’en mix of your own?  Post it here in a comment.

Supermassive Spin Mix (58 minutes)

I have news that’s too big not to share.  Regular readers will have noticed that I haven’t been adding posts much lately (okay, not at all since July.)  The reason was that I hadn’t taught a spin class since July.  I took a couple of months off from it because my better half and I are expecting our first child in early April 2010.  We are absolutely delighted.

Now, I don’t want anyone to think it’s necessary to give up spinning during pregnancy.  The old advice to “keep your heart rate below 140 bpm at all times” is way out of date and was meant for sedentary women in any event.  These days, the advice is generally to keep doing what you have been doing, but don’t try to do more, and don’t overheat, dehydrate, or go above an RPE of 12-14 (somewhat hard).  Pregnant exercisers should always be able to pass the “talk test” and never exercise to the point of exhaustion.

I wasn’t sure if I could teach spinning and keep my heart rate down, or avoid overheating, so I took a leave for the first trimester.  I continued to ride on my own and outdoors.  Now that the first trimester is safely behind me, I’ve been eager to return to teaching.  I picked up a new hour long Tuesday night class and taught it for the first time tonight.  I gave up my Monday lunch class to my grasshopper, Nancy, but kept my 40 minute lunch class on Thursdays, so I’ll teach two spin classes a week.  Throw in a couple of yoga classes, a couple of weight-training sessions, and some outdoor cardio on weekends, and I’m hoping to be in fighting shape to deliver in April.

Here’s the playlist I used for my class tonight.  There’s lots of Canadian music here: Jully Black, Massari, Fefe Dobson, Lola, Attack in Black.  I got good feedback from the six riders who came out for this new class, including one request for the playlist.  The pace line drill worked especially well – I find they do, especially in smaller classes.

Running – Jully Black (3:48): Warm up with the latest single from Toronto R&B singer Black, a perfect song for getting your legs going.  It’s going to be a great ride!

Megalomaniac – KMFDM (6:08):  Ease into things with some surges starting at 0:45.  15 seconds on/off, then 30 seconds, 45 seconds, and 60 seconds.  Surges are short periods of increased cadence that are not all-out sprints – perhaps 80% of maximum capacity.  (Longer classes merit a longer warmup – surges are an ideal transition.)

Supermassive Black Hole – Muse (3:29):  This song has been on heavy rotation on my iPod since I discovered it on Gabriela’s spin blog.  It’s also on the Twilight soundtrack.  We’re going into two songs of rolling hills, alternating between climbing (in or out of the saddle) and sprinting: first hill: C: 0-15 S: 15-32, second hill: C: 32-1:02 S: 1:02 – 1:35, third hill: C: 1:35 – 2:24 S: 2:25 – 3:12.

Sexy Bitch (feat. Akon) – David Guetta (3:16):  Guetta is a French DJ.  This song has been getting heavy airplay, without a lot of bleeping, perhaps because it’s nearly impossible to make out the word b*tch in the chorus.  Listen to it carefully before you use it in your class – it pushes the envelope and some gyms may find it unacceptable.  There is a clean version on iTunes called Sexy Chick (Power Remix Radio Edit) by GG, which also runs 3:16.  Let’s do some more rolling hills: fourth hill: C: 15-30 S: 30-45, fifth hill: C: 45-1:15 S: 1:15 – 1:45, sixth hill: C: 1:45 – 2:45 S: 2:45 – 3:15.

Body Body – Massari (3:42): Whew, we need some recovery.  Take 50 seconds, then start with some jumps: 16 counts, then 8, then 4 counts, about 60 seconds for each.  Massari is a Lebanese Canadian R&B/hip hop singer.  His debut album went gold.  This song is one of his latest.

Watch Me Move – Fefe Dobson (1:58): I love this short, feisty gem of a song from Toronto artist Fefe Dobson.  I hear a bit of Avril Lavigne and the Veronicas in this one.  The whole song is one big, juicy sprint.  Split the class into two groups (I used men and women) and have them sprint 30 seconds on, 30 off.

Paparazzi (Demolition Crew Mix) – Lady GaGa (3:54):  Regular readers know that I’ve loved Lady GaGa for a long time.  This remix is perfect for a seated climb with a few resistance increases.  I like to offer a bit of a breather half-way through hour long classes.  This song serves that purpose but will keep heart rates in the aerobic range.

High Heels – Lola (3:39): Like Sexy Bitch, I have mixed feelings about this song by new Canadian artist Lola.  There are no crude words in it (that I can tell, anyway) but every feminist bone in my body rebels at the lyrics.  But the beat… the beat.  It’s the classic rock dilemma.  While Lola puts on her high heels and black miniskirt, let’s do a standing climb with several resistance increases.

Music is Pumping – Porn Kings v. Flip & Fill (5:51):  Regular reader Tim suggested this song and I just love it.  I did a pace line drill with a twist.  Each rider took a turn setting the pace for however long they wanted; when they tired, they’d give a wave, fall back, and the next person took over.  While waiting for their turn at the front, the other riders maintained a strong, steady pace.  We had a great time with this drill and the riders really gave ‘er when it was their turn to go.  (Thanks, Tim!)

Major Tom – Shiny Toy Guns (4:22):  We need some recovery time after that drill.  Rest for 20 seconds, take a drink, and give your shoulders a roll.  We’re back to surges – 60 seconds on/60 off.  This song would also suit surges of varying lengths.

To Get Down – Timo Maas (3:33):  Another of Gabriela’s finds.  Maas is a German DJ.  We only have three songs left in the class, so make them count.  Get all that energy out.  This is the last out-of-the-saddle climb of the day.

I Begin to Wonder – Dannii Minogue (3:40):  A special shout out to reader Sheryl Wright in Saudi Arabia for suggesting this great sprinting tune.  We’re going to do three sets of sprints: 30/45/30 at 30 – 1:02, 1:42 – 2:28, and 3:01 – 3:32.

Blood (In the Tracks) – Attack in Black (3:34): This Canadian indie-rock band hails from very near my hometown in Ontario.  We’re going to finish up with a steady spin.  Find a cadence you can maintain for the entire three and a half minutes, settle in, and close your eyes.  It’s just you and the bike.

Drowning – Saving Abel (3:38): Cool down and stretch with these Mississippi rockers.

I Can’t Dance – Genesis (4:01):  One of these things is not like the others.  This tune is considerably older than the other music in this mix.  I listened to it again recently.  It’s funky and it’s got attitude.  Use it for a bit of extra stretching time and as goodbye music.

Readers, did you teach spin while you were pregnant?  How did you continue to provide an energizing class and stick within your doctor’s guidelines?  Tell me about your experience.

Breathe, Stretch, Shake Spin Mix (44 minutes)

My apologies for being AWOL for the last month.  I’ve had family visiting and just got back from summer vacation on Prince Edward Island.  It was a wonderful week on the beach, riding, and golfing – a sport I just might be getting the hang of, in a double-bogey, multiple-mulligan sort of way.

This is a mix of new, never-before-seen-on-the-blog tunes.  It veers from dance to pop to hip hop to rock, and showcases two Canadian artists – Beast, and K’naan.  The profile includes an intense 17 minute climb, followed by some surges and lifts.  It winds up with some sprints to the finish.  I cribbed the lengthy climbing idea from reader Tim, who posted a great playlist with a quad-busting 23 minute climb on the Reader Playlists page.  If you’re mulling over a Michael Jackson tribute class, readers Denise and Judy both posted all-MJ playlists on the Reader Playlists page.  (Thanks to all three of you for covering with new material – much appreciated!)

Before we get into today’s mix, I have to give a shout-out to another Canuck, Gabriela, the Toronto spin instructor who blogs over at SpinDJ.  I visited her blog last night and downloaded a whole bunch of new music based on her suggestions.  We have very similar musical tastes, and Gabriela uses playlist.com to make her music available to listen right from the blog – a nice touch.  I added a link to her blog under Other Sources for Spinning Music – surf on over and check it out.  I bet you’ll like it, too.

The photo?  Canadian readers will recognize the Tim Hortons sign for the Canadian cultural icon that it is.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Timmies, it’s a chain of coffee shops named after the NHL player who started the business in the 1960s.  Tims has over 2,800 locations across Canada and 400 in the United States, including some brand new locations in NYC.  Okay, here we go:

I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas (4:49): What an upbeat song.  I’ve got a feeling that this is going to be a good, good ride.  Take the resistance up to 3/10 and give me some fast, strong legs.  We’re headed for a 17 minute hill, folks, so we have to be ready for it when we get there.

E-Pro – Beck (3:22): Oh, frig.  We’re at the base of this hill, and it’s the biggest one we’ve ever tackled.  We’re going to need breaks… water…. and fortitude, but we can do it.  Just take it at your own pace, and dial back the tension for a break when you need to.  (Advanced riders, skip one or more of the breaks between songs.)  Keep your cadence at no less than 60 RPM to protect your knees.  If you’re slower than that, dial back the tension a bit.  The songs naturally encourage the proper cadence – just let the beat drive you up the hill.  We’re starting seated, resistance around 5/10 with progressive increases every 60 seconds.

Finger Prints – Beast (4:33): This tune from Montreal band Beast has been on heavy rotation since I heard it on the CBC Radio Show, “Q.”  Wicked, wicked, wicked.  You didn’t dial the tension back, right?  Good.  Settle in at 8/10.  Around 2:00, take it to 9/10 and stand for the rest of the song.  It’s like riding through mud, a slog all the way.  Pace yourself – we’re not even half way.  If you prefer, you can coach the whole climb seated, standing only for LoveGame.

Breathe Stretch Shake – Mase (3:17): Break time!  Take 30 seconds of easy spinning, then roll the tension back to 5/10.  More progressive tension increases.  Don’t come out of the saddle – yet.

LoveGame [Chew Fu Ghettohouse Fix feat. Marilyn Manson] – Lady GaGa (5:21): Finally, a chance to pull out the stops.  Come out of the saddle and finish the slog to the top with a standing climb. Sure, the beat is fast, but we’ve got the energy for it.

Fine Without You (Radio Edit) – Armin van Buuren (3:18): We did it!  Time to spin out all that tension we’ve accumulated over the course of the 17 minute climb.  Drop the tension back to 3/10 and go back to fast legs, alternating 30 second surges with 60 seconds of active recovery.  The 60 seconds should still include strong legs and a purposeful cadence.

Bang Bang – K’naan (feat. Adam Levine) (3:07): Such a clever song, with clever lyrics and a hummable chorus.  Let’s do some lifts, low tension (4/10).  It’s a fast beat so we’re going to stick to 16 counts.  This was a free songs on iTunes.  K’naan is a Canadian hip hop artist.  He was born in Somalia and lived there during the civil war.  He comes from a musical family – his aunt is one of Somalia’s most famous singers.  K’naan and his mother fled Somalia and joined his father in New York City.  The family later moved to Toronto, Ontario.

New Divide – Linkin Park (4:30): You didn’t think we were going to get away without sprinting, did you?  Two sprint songs, back to back here, to take us through to the cool down.  There are four sprints here, of 15/40/60/30 at 0:19 – 0:34, 1:08 – 1:48,  2:21 – 3:18, 3:35 – 4:05.

Love Drunk – Boys Like Girls (3:47): Is it just me, or does this song remind you of something by Avril Lavigne?  Ashlee Simpson?  Kelly Clarkson?  While we figure it out, let’s do one more set of sprints to take us to the cool down: 30/45/50 at 0:48 – 1:20, 1:45 – 2:28, 2:38 – 3:28.  (It’s actually from this Boston band’s eponymous debut CD.)

Her Diamonds – Rob Thomas (4:40): This single from Thomas’s latest CD is charting right now.  Slow down and enjoy the pace while we cool down and stretch.

New York New York – Ryan Adams (3:47): Some extra stretching and goodbye music.

I’ll admit it…. I love to go out for dinner.  I live downtown with all sorts of restaurants nearby: Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Italian, Latin, Indian, Turkish, Lebanese, English, Mexican, Greek… all within a 10 minute walk.  But according to CBC’s Marketplace, eating at sit-down restaurants can be far worse for your waistline than chowing down at McDonalds.  If you only go out for dinner a few times a year, no big deal, have whatever you want.  But what if you go out for dinner once or twice a week? Here are some strategies for coping with restaurant food:

1.  Have a snack before you arrive at the restaurant.  If you sit down ravenous, you’ll make bad choices.

2.  If you can’t have a snack beforehand, start with a broth soup or salad with dressing on the side.

3.  Decide on your priorities.  Do you want to have an alcoholic drink?  Dessert?  An appetizer?  Some bread?  Pick one only.  (This rule seems particularly unfair.)

4.  Ask about half orders and lunch sizes, even if they’re not mentioned on the menu.  Try ordering an appetizer as your main course.  (I tried this on vacation and was served a child-size bowl of soup as an appetizer, even though it wasn’t listed anywhere on the menu.  Perfect!)

4.  Consider eating until you’re full and leaving the rest of your meal behind.  It’s wasteful, but if you take half the meal home to eat another day, you’re essentially eating out twice as often.  (If you can’t bear to leave it, bring the leftovers home as a treat for another family member, or even your pet.)

5.  Whenever possible, share the portion with your dining companion(s).  (Another way to ensure no leftovers to take home.)  This trick works particularly well with desserts.