Mental training or mind/body training begins with an instructor’s personal development. As teachers and coaches, it’s important to train at a higher and deeper level than the level at which we are instructing our riders. To maximize the mental aspect of the Spinning® program, it’s essential to give students “food for thought.” As an instructor, you are the emotional component of Spinning, empowering your students through metaphors, inspirational stories and life perspectives.You must remember that students process these suggestions and thoughts in extremely individualistic ways; they have different life histories, so think how differently your students would interpret different statements like this one:

No matter what you are going through, be happy where you are. Don’t take for granted what you have. You have everything you need. Use what you have, keep an open mind and an open heart.

Teaching mentally and emotionally allows you to speak to your students on several different levels. Understanding the depth of your own mind/body connection will assist you in giving more opportunities to your students. This is why you, as an instructor, must go deeper in your own development before hoping to offer more depth in your Spinning classes.

• Polish and nurture your self-awareness through diligence and process.
• Train on the bike—alone, without music, in a dark room.
• Revisit the training profiles in the Spinning Instructor Manual.
• When training, practice deep listening and remove any mental distortion or distractions.
• Allow all your senses to work together until your body finds complete calmness and openness.

And most importantly, remember that the body follows the mind.