Indoor cycling instructor course
Shift your career in fitness up a gear with this energetic group indoor cycling qualification
Discover how to plan and teach energetic and original studio-based cycling classes with this ease with this indoor cycling instructor qualification. Break free from the pre-choreographed programmes and discover how to develop your own unique cycling format.
YMCA accredited and CIMSPA endorsed
Fully loaded with high-energy practical workshops
No ongoing license fees or renewal charges
If you're looking to become a qualified group indoor cycling instructor and discover what it takes to create freestyle, energetic and creative studio cycling classes, you've come to the right place. This high-powered course packs in knowledge and choreography, so strap in!
Build on the popularity of Spinning, RPM and other indoor cycling formats with our Level 2 Indoor Cycling Instructor course. This is an essential qualification if you are looking to start your own indoor cycling programmes outside of the pre-choreographed, branded cycling formats. This is also the only Ofqual regulated indoor cycling programme.
The popularity of indoor cycling continues to grow, with new trends and spins on the exercise format emerging all the time. Studio cycling classes provide a range of health, fitness and social benefits, and these classes are always in-demand, especially when they are well taught.
Our indoor cycling instructor course is delivered entirely online, combining comprehensive eLearning, short theory lectures and high-energy practical workshops showing you how to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to the studio. Also, layered into the programme are a number of theory and practical activities which you’ll also need to complete to achieve this qualification.
While you will have unlimited access to a strong team of experienced instructors throughout your studies, we also strongly recommend that you connect with a local indoor cycling instructor and that throughout your studies, you shadow, participate, and maybe even team teach parts of a class to build your knowledge, skills and confidence. This will help you get the most out of this programme.
Whether you are a gym instructor or group exercise to music instructor, indoor cycling presents an excellent opportunity for you to upskill, developing more knowledge and skills to expand your career prospects and earning potential.
This course is designed for those who already have experience of, and a passion for, group indoor cycling classes. If you have limited experience in studio-based cycling, you’ll still be able to enrol providing that you meet the entry requirements, but you will need to give yourself more time to become more familiar with the format.
The award version of this group indoor cycling course is specifically designed for qualified fitness instructors that hold a full Level 2 qualification (e.g. gym instructor, exercise to music instructor).
If you don't currently hold a full level 2 fitness instructor qualification, you will need to select the Certificate version of the course, which will cover more generic level 2 units, like anatomy and physiology, health and safety, and supporting clients in a fitness environment. These units will already have been completed by those holding a full-level 2 qualification.
The Certificate version of the course will carry an additional fee to cover the cost of the extra units. So, when you complete this qualification as a Certificate, you'll be awarded with a full Level 2 Certificate in Group Exercise Instruction (group indoor cycling).
First and foremost, you will need practical experience of participating in indoor cycling classes on a regular basis, including spinning or RPM. If you don't have this experience, we recommend that you start taking 2-3 classes per week, at least during the home-study period of your course. Being familiar with the bike and the structure of sessions will prove incredibly useful when you start learning.
On enrolment, you'll need to decide whether you are completing the 'award' or 'certificate' version of this qualification. If you're already a fitness instructor/personal trainer, then you only need to complete the award. If you have no fitness qualifications, then you'll need to complete the certificate.
Feel free to contact our Careers Team if you have any questions or need some friendly advice.
This Level 2 Indoor Cycling Instructor course is fully endorsed by YMCA Awards and CIMSPA.
All of the learning content and materials you need to achieve this qualification are included. From the moment you enrol, you'll have access to our online Learner Engagement System (LES) where you'll be able to access the eLearning, complete the learning checks and participate in the theory and practical workshops.
If you don't have a bike at home, we recommend that you go to the gym and use one there, accessing the cycling classes on your phone or mobile device. This is the best way to truly get the most out of your online studies.
On completion of this level 2 indoor cycling instructor course, you'll be able to teach your own indoor studio-based cycling classes, either in-person or virtually if you so wish. You'll also be qualified to do this 'license free' and without having to pay any ongoing subscriptions to any of the pre-choreographed brands.
You might also want to consider some additional training to be able to teach other styles of group exercise. Our range of yoga teacher training courses or Pilates training courses are incredibly popular with our group exercise graduates.
This qualification is fully mapped to CIMSPAs professional standards and is worth 10 CIMSPA CPD Points.
Our learning support service is second to none which is why we have such a strong reputation for training excellence. When you enrol on this group indoor cycling instructor course, you'll have unlimited access to a team of experienced group exercise professionals, not just a chat box! Support is available as and when you need it, and you can contact our tutors via:
Group indoor cycling is a high-energy class where instructor and participants alike, unleash all their energy and power as they embark on an exhilarating and uplifting cycling journey together. As an instructor, you'll need to set the pace, both in terms of your cycling speed and your energy and passion, as you create an atmosphere that empowers all your participants to achieve their full athletic potential. Group indoor cycling should be an electrifying and uplifting experience that ignites your students passion, leaving them craving for more.
Throughout the course, we'll teach you a wide-range of knowledge and skills that will allow you to create the above experience.
History of indoor cycling
Benefits of indoor cycling
Indoor cycling formats
Cycling profiles
Injury avoidance strategies
Musculoskeletal demands of cycling
Physiological demands of cycling
Mechanics of cycling
Phases of cycling
Bioenergetics
FTP and power thresholds
Working to the beat and phrase
Selecting appropriate music tracks
Legalities of music
Structure and arrangement of music
Suitable music genres
Meeting individual needs through music
Warming-up and cooling-down
Flexibility on and off the bike
Aerobic conditioning
Lesson planning
Indoor cycling methods/techniques
Lactate threshold and OBLA training
Functional threshold training (FTP)
Zone training
Teaching and instructor skills/styles
Working with music
Signs of over-exertion
Monitoring intensity
Cueing - visual and verbal
Effective teaching positions
Motivational strategies
*Images and videos are for illustration purposes and may not depict specific course materials.
Over the years we helped to launch hundreds of careers in studio and indoor cycling. Here are just a few of the leading health club brands and operators our graduates have gone on to represent.
Throughout this interactive online group indoor cycling instructor course, you'll complete a range of formal and informal assessments to ensure that you have the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver safe and effective group indoor cycling session. The formal assessments are standalone assessments that you must pass to be able to achieve the qualification. Your knowledge will mainly be assessed via the online workbooks and the indoor cycling session plan. This session plan will be used to help you prepare for your practical assessment. When you feel ready for your practical assessment, you'll need to record yourself delivering a group indoor cycling class to a group of 4-6 participants, and submit this to us online for marking.
Our learning support team will be on-hand to help you prepare for all assessments so that you are best placed to meet the required criteria.
Here at HFE, we have been delivering group fitness instructor programmes, like the indoor cycling instructor course for almost 20 years. If you're considering a career as an indoor cycling instructor, you might be interested in the information below.
Indoor cycling has been a major feature on the group exercise timetable of most health clubs ever since Johnny Goldberg first introduced it to the fitness industry in the 1990’s. Since then, indoor cycling has gone from strength-to-strength and continues to trump many other forms of group exercise.
The popularity of indoor cycling has been such that many gyms and health clubs have opted to move these classes on to the gym floor for all to see, or build dedicated cycling studios with bespoke light and sound systems to ensure they create the right atmosphere.
If you’re looking to become a group indoor cycling instructor then you can rest assured that there will be plenty of demand for your services for years to come. If you want to know more about this exciting indoor cycling instructor course, feel free to reach out to our Careers Team who will be more than happy to assist you.
As a qualified indoor cycling instructor, you’ll become a beacon of motivation, inspiring your participants to push beyond their limits as they work towards achieving their health and fitness goals.
As for you, once you’re qualified you’ll be able to work anywhere instructing group indoor cycling, including:
On completion of this Level 2 Award/Certificate in Group Indoor Cycling, you’ll be a fully qualified instructor able to deliver studio-based cycling classes in any exercise and fitness facility.
This is a regulated Ofqual qualification that is certificated by YMCA Awards. It’s also fully endorsed by CIMSPA because it’s mapped to their group exercise standard. This qualification represents the highest and most recognised indoor cycling course in the industry.
Indoor cycling programmes like Les Mills RPM and Spinning aren’t qualifications, but instead are instructor CPD courses which need to be completed in addition to other fitness instructor qualifications.
Unlike these and other programmes, this qualification never expires and so there is no need for recertification or renewal. Although it’s important to underline that it is best practice to complete regular CPD training.
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