Q&A with Spinning® Master Instructor Jeff Krabiel | California, USA

About My Profiles and Rides

Q: What song never gets old?A: The songs that are the hardest for me to find are the ones to begin class with. Those songs have to have solid rhythms, consistent beats, and a steady energy. One song that I’ve trusted to fill that role for years now is Children by Robert Miles. To me, it never gets old.Q: What is your favorite ride profile?A: I like ride profiles that explore singular skills or movements. I’ve taught classes on jumping at WSSC the past few years and it’s been a lot of fun. I love to introduce people to unique structures and symbol combinations that reinforce basic skill sets. It opens their eyes to new possibilities and (hopefully) helps them appreciate the program a little more.Q: What are your Spinning essentials?A: My essential clothing needs for classes include long sleeve t-shirts, black hats, and socks from Spinning.com  (black of course). I also have to have rubber bracelet bands on my wrists when I ride a Spinner® bike. That one, I can’t really explain…but it’s an essential for me. I love to collect them if anyone wants to send me some.

My Favorite Things

Q: What is your favorite part of being a Spinning instructor?A: Being a Spinning instructor means I can share fun music with energetic people. For that hour, we are emotionally connected and able to inspire one another. When it goes right, it’s an amazing feeling. I try to tell new instructors to ride “with” their students, not “for” them.Q: Describe someone who has recently inspired you to continue your coaching as a Spinning instructor.A: I’ve always been driven by the response of the participants. I’m inspired by playing a small role in helping someone reach their fitness goals, gain confidence, or begin a new career.As a coach, I feel I’m getting better every year. I’m finding more effective ways to communicate with both words and visuals. The need to constantly improve on my former self, drives me to continue coaching.

What I've Learned

Q: Tell a story about an embarrassing moment that changed your outlook on coaching.A: Back in the days of CDs, I was always searching for new music in used record stores. Hollywood, California. has a few of them and I’d love to spend my days off looking for new and unique music.One time, I found an 80’s retro CD with all sorts of fun, recognizable songs. It was released by Ford as a promotional tool for people who bought a new car. I immediately placed it in my Spinning CD wallet that I used when I presented workshops. At one particular workshop, the CD I always used was not performing well. For whatever reason, it was skipping around. I decided that was a great opportunity to use my new 80’s CD. I put it in for the last ride of the day and the reaction was wonderful. The attendees got the vibe right away and began to get into it. What I didn’t realize, was that this particular CD was a “sampler.” That meant that every song faded out around the ninety second mark. So, not only was playlist too short, the songs were fading out way too quickly. Needless to say, the enthusiasm of the students also faded out after a short period of time. Lesson learned; listen to music before using it in a class situation.Q: What is one training tip or mantra that you follow every day? A: Bring your best every day. Training sessions may not always go well, but it’s vital to enter each workout with the intention of giving it your all. I can handle the disappointment of a poor class, but I’d never forgive a less-than-all-out effort (from myself).

20th Anniversary as a Spinning Master Instructor (MI)

Q: What were the most unexpected changes in the Spinning Program over the past years? A: The idea of adding visuals to Spinning sessions has been around for a long time. Instructors made that connection early and they often suggested that pictures, videos, or movies should accompany rides to enhance the overall experience. So that was not unexpected. What I didn’t anticipate, was the level of expertise and proficiency that we see today. When I look at what instructors like Josh Taylor and Scott Schlessinger are able to achieve at WSSC, I’m completely amazed. They are able to use visuals as compliments to their rides, not distractions from them. It’s an amazing art form when it’s done right.Q: When was the most memorable year when you felt there were more changes happening with the Spinning program? A: An important moment was when Luciana Marcial-Vincion took over as MI team manager. The previous people that held that position were not nearly as energetic, focused, fair-minded, or talented as her. She conducts herself in a highly professional manner and she expects the same response from all of the Spinning MIs. I appreciate her more every year.Q: Do you have any advice for current Spinning instructors that want to become Spinning Master Instructors?A: Be ready to handle challenging situations. When you leave MI camp you are armed with knowledge of the program and a script to present workshops. Both are very useful. The part of presenting that can’t be taught is the challenge that certain situations present. These experiences are each unique. When you encounter them, try to learn what could have been done to prevent them from occurring again.

We want to hear from you! Contact us at news@spinning.com, you could be featured on our Community site!