Out of India Spin Mix (47 minutes)

I liked Slumdog Millionaire, but I was utterly taken with the soundtrack.  Anything I play repeatedly on my iPod finds its way into a spin mix, so I decided to try a playlist made up of songs from Slumdog Millionaire, rounded out with some other Indian-influenced tunes.

I really wasn’t sure whether the playlist would fly or not – especially when I told a friend, who responded, “You’re doing an entire class of Indian music?”

Yep.  I did.

I worried about it.  In fact, I almost chickened out and played one of my safer go-to playlists instead.  I’m glad I didn’t.

At the outset, I asked my class to be ruthlessly honest: was a ride through India something fun and different, or was it not exactly one of my better ideas?

Out of a jam-packed class, four riders stayed behind to tell me they liked it, and two gave mixed reviews.  One rider liked the ride overall, but found it hard to get into O Saya, the first song.  The other rider said she found the music too repetitive, it wasn’t her favourite, which I very much appreciated.

If you use a lot of visualization in your classes, I think the ride could work very well, especially for those who’ve seen the film.  It’s also tougher than it looks – my average and maximum heart rates were about 8-10 beats higher than usual during this ride.

You know your class, and whether this is a ride they’d enjoy.

O… Saya – A.R. Rahman & MIA (3:34):  The ride begins with pounding drums and instantly you know you’re going to a different place today.  A.R. Rahman is a huge star in India, and I can see why.  His soundtrack won a Golden Globe and the music is up for three Oscars.  Warm up your legs and do some dynamic stretching.  Use visualization to bring riders into the ride.

Jai Ho – A.R. Rahman et. al. (5:19): Alternate between seated and standing climbs: 15 seconds seated, then 15 seconds standing, repeat for 30, 45, and 60 seconds.  I fast-forward through the last minute of this song (which is quiet) and finish the drill at the beginning of the next song.

Pjanoo (Club Mix) – Eric Prydz (7:31):  Finish the previous drill and take about 30 seconds for recovery and to explain the next drill.  The drill starts when the drums come in at 1:55.  I broke the riders into two groups (A & B) and had them alternate a 60 second surge (not quite a sprint), with 60 seconds of recovery, keeping the resistance around 4 or 5/10.  Advanced riders could choose an out of the saddle climb during the recovery, then sit for the surges.

Ringa Ringa – A.R. Rahman et. al. (4:15): High tension lifts – and I do mean high: resistance at 8/10 or 9/10.  Start with 8 counts, then 4, then 2.

Mausam & Escape – A.R. Rahman (3:53):  We’ve got 45 seconds to recover, then get the tension to 4/10 and climb easy from 0:45 – 0:60 while the music builds.  We’re doing two attacks, starting at 0:60 – 20 seconds for a standing sprint, 10 seconds seated sprint, and 30 seconds for recovery.  Repeat, then fast forward to the next tune.

Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke) [Hi-Lectro Remix] – Panjabi MC (5:39):  A wicked, wicked seated climb.  Start with the resistance at 4/10 and find the beat.  We’re going to maintain that cadence for as long as we can.  Increase the resistance every 30 seconds.  When it’s too much to remain seated, stand up and keep going.

Jugni (Kuldip Manak) – Panjabi MC and Kuldip Manak (4:52):  We’ll finish with a long out-of-the-saddle climb that spans two songs.  (The titles are the same, but the songs are different.)  Take the resistance down to 4/10 because the pace is fast.  I found both songs while rooting around on iTunes for some Indian music to fill out the playlist.

Jugni (Remix) – Sneha Khanwalkar et. al. (4:43): Keep climbing!  Get all that energy out, get what you came for.

Dreams on Fire – A.R. Rahman and Suzanne (4:09):  Time for a well-deserved cool down and stretch.  If you prefer a more up-beat cool down song, check out the funky version of Paper Planes (DFA Remix) by M.I.A. on the soundtrack.  At 5:49, it’s a bit longer.  I will confess, the original version of Paper Planes makes me nearly homicidal, though it’s topped the charts for so long that I must be in the minority.

Latika’s Theme – A.R. Rahman and Suzanne (3:09):  An extra cool down song.  If I used Paper Planes, I’d take Dreams on Fire for the extra cool down.

If you try this ride, drop me a comment and tell me how it went for you.

World’s Best Breakfast

When I was a kid, I hated oatmeal.  It was gloopy, gelatinous, bland, and all-round disgusting.  No amount of milk or brown sugar could disguise it, or turn it into something I actually wanted to eat.

These days, I’m a huge fan of oatmeal.  What changed?

The first thing that changed is how I make it.  Turns out, I didn’t hate oatmeal, I hated gloopy, runny oatmeal.  Still do.  I make oatmeal from steel cut oats, using a little less water than is called for (4 cups water to 1 cup oats), and boil the oats until they have the consistency of mashed potatoes.  When they’re done, I add a bit of salt, and a quarter cup of wheat germ, which adds a pleasant, nutty flavour and tons of nutrients.

I make enough for a week – it keeps just fine in the fridge.  Portion out a quarter cup, sprinkle two or three teaspoons of water over it, microwave for 2 minutes, and voila! instant breakfast.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp. brown sugar.

It’s the add-ons that really make the oatmeal shine.  I add 1/4 cup blueberries (buy them frozen and cover them with hot water while the oatmeal is in the microwave), or 1/2 banana (sometimes both), plus 1/2 oz nuts – usually raw almonds, but also walnuts, pecans, whatever I have on hand.  Maybe some raisins or chopped dates.

When it’s ready, you have a breakfast of about 350 calories, 9 grams of fibre, 11 grams of protein, tons of nutrients, and minimal sugar.  Plus, every ingredient except the brown sugar is on Dr. Jonny Bowden’s list of the 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.  And it’s delicious.