Hi, I’m Lisa. I happened to be in LA when Johnny G first debuted spinning, so I was an “early adopter,” spinning with just a handful of others & a boom-box in a gym at UCLA where I was in grad school back around 1995. But, it wasn’t until 2007 that I took the plunge and started teaching. I love it and have been teaching indoor cycle classes for 3 years now; I’ve also branched out and teach TRX and Pilates as well. I live in the Silicon Valley, so it’s a busy, type-A crowd around here. My class sizes range from 15-30 – I love ‘em when they’re packed! I like mostly pop/rock music, but mix it up too, with occasional techno, disco, Beatles, even Neil Diamond & Glee. I hope you enjoy this playlist & would love to hear any comments or questions.


 [About the photo: I asked a student to snap a photo of me after class last week. Turns out I don’t look nearly as good as I feel after teaching for an hour. I decided to spare you the sweaty overheated portrait, and instead photo-shopped my head onto Lance’s body.]

(Title inspired by my 4 y.o. daughter who  learned how to spell “glamorous” after listening to this playlist with me.)

This ride has 4 hills with 1 interval song after each hill. This is a “no recovery” ride (meaning take your breaks when you need them, I haven’t choreographed them in).

[Tip: I like to play interesting background music for the 5 minutes or so while people are coming in and setting up their bikes. It gets their attention and sets the mood. A good one is Kalandero from Cirque de Soleil.]

Listen to the Music (DJ Malibu Mix) – The Doobie Brothers  (5:01):  I always start with a flat road, just enough gear that you can feel a bit of tension as you round the front of the pedal stroke, gradually adding as you warm up and need to adjust to maintain that flat.

HILL #1

The Gambler (World Cup Final Version) – The R Team (3:13):  This song is very controversial in my house. My husband hates it. But he’s not the one with the keys to the cycle room stereo.  This is the start of hill #1.  Combination hill, start seated, add gear to slow cadence and climb. Stand and add gear  0:55 – 1:15, sit down & hold that gear, stand and add gear again 1:47 – end.

Glamorous (Radio Edit) – Fergie (4:06):  Still climbing, start in saddle, add gear at 0:45 and 1:30, stand 2:30 – 3:10, sit and pick up cadence a bit, add a touch of gear at 3:40 and take cadence back to the beat to the end/top.

INTERVAL #1

California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) – Katy Perry (3:56):  Take maybe ½ a turn down; you’re off the hill, but on a rocky dirt road. 3 sets of jumps coming. Add a touch of gear at 0:40 and 0:50, jump from 0:50 – 1:25, 1:55 – 2:30, 3:20 – end.

HILL #2

Love Lockdown – Kanye West (4:30):  Add gear, Stand at 0:55, pull hips back and get low 2:00 – 2:15, then sit down (gently!), add a touch of gear, stand at 3:03, hips pull back 3:35 – 4:05, then set it down again.

Holllaback Girl (embarrassingly I resorted to the “Mix Masters” version trying to keep it clean) (3:21):  we’re going to do a little passing on the hill, not full sprints, but cadence “surges.” Starting in the saddle, first surge is 0:22 – 0:38, second surge 1:15 – 1:30, add some gear, Stand at 1:50, third surge is 2:05 – 2:20, add another touch gear to get to top, final surge is 2:58 – 3:15.  (Note from Cynthia: the explicit version is by Gwen Stefani and uses the word sh*t).

INTERVAL #2

Where’s Your Head At – Basement Jaxx (4:44):  Flatten out and pick up cadence, prepare to do “drafting.” I usually split the class up into 2 groups and instruct them to find a cadence they can stick with the whole song, but play with the gear. When their group is in the “back” they are more in their comfortable zone, when it’s their turn to “pull forward” add about ¼ turn without slowing down and feel the wind resistance and drag of your buddies behind you. Starting at 1:35, alternate 30 seconds each.

HILL #3

Butterfly – Crazy Town (3:37):  “Stairstep” up this hill, meaning every time you come out of the saddle add about ½ a turn, and every time you sit down take off about ¼ (or half of whatever you chose to add). Cycle thru that about 4x.

Supermassive Black Hole – Muse (3:29):  I lifted this shamelessly from our fearless leader Cynthia. Same drill, ‘cept on a hill:  Climb/surge C: 0:00 -0:15, S: 0:15 – 0:32, C: 0:32 – 1:02, S: 1:02 – 1:35, C: 1:35 – 2:25, S: 2:25 – 3:12.

Cobrastyle – Teddybears featuring Mad Cobra (3:00):  I’m groovin’ on this song this week. I love it and I hope it earns me back any cool points I may have lost by playing a Kenny Rogers cover earlier. Finish off the longest hill today with a seated climb. We’re holding the cadence, but adding gear 3x “passing thru the crowd with gear instead of speed” add at ~ 0:35, 1:15, 2:00.

INTERVAL #3

Desenchantee (Radio Mix) – Kate Ryan (3:41):  Adjust gear and get on a flat road and increase cadence. Go around 2 turns and hit headwind, add about ½ turn and slow cadence a little for those headwinds at 0:58 – 1:30 and 2:25 – 3:00.

HILL #4

Paper Planes – MIA (3:24):  Standing climb, straight up, just keep adding gear. Do a “seated gear check” at 1:40 – 2:00 (means take a seat and see if people look like they’re really on a hill, adjust gear as nec. and then resume standing climb).

Boom Boom Pow – Black Eyed Peas (4:11):  Ok, iTunes did not warn me that this song has explicit language, so poor Gwen got supplanted by the Mix Masters but BEP here says sh*t more times than I can count. Whoops. But once I’ve paid iTunes my $1.29, my classes are gonna hear it.  I don’t get paid enough to buy multiple versions of the same song dangit!  Finish off this last hill strong. Start in the saddle, then stand at 1:00 +, around 1:45 Fergie wails “time to get down ” and that means we need to pull our hips back and get down, then set it in the saddle and pick up cadence a bit 1:55 – 2:30, back to beat, then stand at  2:50, 3:20 pull hips back again, sit and increase cadence a bit  3:50-end.

INTERVAL #4

Self Control (Club Edit) – Paffendorf (3:29):  You are *Not* tired! “It’s all about self control.” Gather your strength. Finishing on a flat into a headwind with 2 passes. You can see the 2 riders you want to pass before you hit that yellow tape. Let’s go. Pass #1 is 40 seconds, start increasing cadence at 1:13, pick it up even more at 1:27, finish it off at 1:55. Pass #2 is 50 second start at 2:40, pick it up even more and give whatever you have left from 2:55 to end.

RECOVER & COOL DOWN

Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) (feat. Freshlyground) – Shakira (3:23):  Easy flat as folks catch their breath and recover. Gradually reduce speed and gear.  (Note from Cynthia: This is the official 2010 FIFA World Cup Song.)

Poker Face (Glee Cast Version) [feat. Idina Menzel] – Glee Cast (3:40):  continue cool down and then quick stretching. Shout out to any fellow Gleeks out there! Woot!

Thanks Lisa!  I love Cobrastyle and downloaded it right away.  Also love Waka Waka and it’s timely with the World Cup.  I’m not a Gleek – haven’t really watched it.  I was a Lostie and I adore The Big Bang Theory.  Speaking of the World Cup, look for a couple of World Cup rides on the Reader Playlist page very soon.  Did you get to spin with Johnny G?  Tell us all about it!

Next up is Jen on June 22.  She blogs over at Leave it on the Bike – check it out.

And folks, I’m officially back on the bike – I will be covering a colleague’s Wednesday 5:30 p.m. 50 minute spin for the rest of the summer, then going back to my old Thursday lunch class… or maybe both?  We’ll see.