Status: ICI position statement
Audience: indoor cycling instructors, ICI members, studios, operators, employers, training providers, and riders
Purpose: To set out ICI’s position that indoor cycling sessions should be planned and delivered with clear purpose, structure, progression, and professional judgement
Audience: indoor cycling instructors, ICI members, studios, operators, employers, training providers, and riders
Purpose: To set out ICI’s position that indoor cycling sessions should be planned and delivered with clear purpose, structure, progression, and professional judgement
Executive Summary for Employers and Gym Managers
The Indoor Cycling
Institute’s position is that indoor cycling sessions should be purpose-led.
A good indoor cycling class may be enjoyable, energetic, musical, and engaging, but entertainment should not replace structure, coaching, safety, or training purpose. Riders should understand what they are being asked to do, how hard they are expected to work, how cadence and resistance should be used, and how the session progresses from warm-up to main work and cool-down.
Purpose-led design supports rider safety, effective training, mixed-ability participation, and professional instruction. It also helps distinguish well-coached indoor cycling from classes that rely mainly on atmosphere, novelty, choreography, or instructor performance.
Entertainment can support a good session. It should not be the session’s organising principle.
A good indoor cycling class may be enjoyable, energetic, musical, and engaging, but entertainment should not replace structure, coaching, safety, or training purpose. Riders should understand what they are being asked to do, how hard they are expected to work, how cadence and resistance should be used, and how the session progresses from warm-up to main work and cool-down.
Purpose-led design supports rider safety, effective training, mixed-ability participation, and professional instruction. It also helps distinguish well-coached indoor cycling from classes that rely mainly on atmosphere, novelty, choreography, or instructor performance.
Entertainment can support a good session. It should not be the session’s organising principle.
ICI’s position
The Indoor Cycling
Institute’s position is that indoor cycling sessions should be designed and
delivered with a clear purpose.
A purpose-led session is one in which the instructor understands what the session is intended to achieve and has planned the structure, intensity, cadence, resistance, recovery, and coaching cues accordingly.
This does not mean every class must be highly technical, performance-focused, or complicated. A general fitness class, rhythm-based class, beginner session, endurance ride, interval class, or recovery ride can all be purpose-led.
The key question is whether the session makes sense.
A purpose-led session is one in which the instructor understands what the session is intended to achieve and has planned the structure, intensity, cadence, resistance, recovery, and coaching cues accordingly.
This does not mean every class must be highly technical, performance-focused, or complicated. A general fitness class, rhythm-based class, beginner session, endurance ride, interval class, or recovery ride can all be purpose-led.
The key question is whether the session makes sense.
What purpose-led design means
Purpose-led session design means that the class has a clear aim and that the elements of the class support that aim.
This includes:
Riders should be able to understand, at least broadly, what kind of work they are doing and why.
This includes:
- an appropriate aim;
- a suitable warm-up;
- a clear main session structure;
- appropriate work and recovery;
- cadence choices that fit the session purpose;
- resistance guidance that supports safe and effective riding;
- intensity guidance that riders can understand;
- appropriate use of seated and standing work;
- safe progression;
- a suitable cool-down;
- options or modifications where needed.
Riders should be able to understand, at least broadly, what kind of work they are doing and why.
Entertainment has a place
Indoor cycling is often enjoyable because of music, atmosphere, group energy, and instructor personality.
These things matter. They can help riders engage, focus, return regularly, and enjoy the class.
ICI’s position is not that indoor cycling should be dull, clinical, or stripped of personality. A good class can be lively, musical, expressive, and enjoyable.
However, entertainment should support instruction. It should not replace it.
Music, lighting, choreography, competition, humour, and motivation should sit within a safe and purposeful session structure. They should not override cadence, resistance, intensity, rider control, warm-up, recovery, or safe class management.
These things matter. They can help riders engage, focus, return regularly, and enjoy the class.
ICI’s position is not that indoor cycling should be dull, clinical, or stripped of personality. A good class can be lively, musical, expressive, and enjoyable.
However, entertainment should support instruction. It should not replace it.
Music, lighting, choreography, competition, humour, and motivation should sit within a safe and purposeful session structure. They should not override cadence, resistance, intensity, rider control, warm-up, recovery, or safe class management.
When entertainment becomes a problem
Entertainment becomes a problem when it becomes more important than safe and effective instruction.
Examples may include:
Examples may include:
- choosing movements because they look exciting rather than because they support cycling;
- using music tempo even when it drives unsafe cadence;
- adding choreography that compromises rider control;
- moving rapidly between efforts without adequate recovery;
- encouraging riders to keep up with the group at the expense of technique;
- using intensity for drama rather than training purpose;
- prioritising novelty over clarity;
- treating sweat, noise, or exhaustion as proof of quality;
- failing to explain the purpose of the work;
- ending abruptly without an appropriate cool-down.
Session structure matters
A purpose-led indoor cycling session should have a structure that supports the rider.
This normally includes:
This normally includes:
- a clear start;
- a warm-up that prepares riders for the main work;
- main work that reflects the purpose of the session;
- recovery that fits the intensity and duration of the work;
- clear transitions;
- a cool-down or clear reduction in effort;
- a controlled finish.
Intensity should match the purpose
Intensity should be programmed and coached according to the purpose of the session.
An endurance session, interval session, hill session, sprint session, recovery ride, and beginner class should not all feel the same. The work and recovery should reflect the aim.
Instructors should give riders clear guidance on how hard they should be working and why.
This may involve:
An endurance session, interval session, hill session, sprint session, recovery ride, and beginner class should not all feel the same. The work and recovery should reflect the aim.
Instructors should give riders clear guidance on how hard they should be working and why.
This may involve:
- rate of perceived exertion;
- heart-rate guidance;
- power or FTP-based zones;
- talk-test guidance;
- clear descriptive cues;
- cadence and resistance guidance;
- interval duration and recovery information.
Cadence and resistance should fit the design
Cadence and resistance should be chosen to support the purpose of the session and the safety of the rider.
A purpose-led class should avoid cadence and resistance choices that are driven only by music, habit, fashion, or choreography.
A purpose-led class should avoid cadence and resistance choices that are driven only by music, habit, fashion, or choreography.
- Instructors should consider whether:
- the cadence is suitable for the riding position;
- the resistance is sufficient for control;
- the effort matches the purpose of the section;
- riders can maintain smooth pedalling;
- standing work is appropriate;
- the class can follow safely;
- newer riders can understand what is being asked.
Purpose-led does not mean one-size-fits-all
Purpose-led session design should still allow for mixed ability groups.
In many indoor cycling classes, riders will vary in fitness, confidence, experience, training goals, and familiarity with the bike. A good instructor should provide a clear session structure while giving riders appropriate ways to adjust.
This may include:
In many indoor cycling classes, riders will vary in fitness, confidence, experience, training goals, and familiarity with the bike. A good instructor should provide a clear session structure while giving riders appropriate ways to adjust.
This may include:
- remaining seated;
- reducing intensity;
- taking recovery;
- using a lower cadence;
- working at a lower RPE;
- using a different resistance level;
- choosing not to complete a movement or choreography element;
- stopping if needed.
Purpose supports safety
A purposeful class is usually a safer class.
When the instructor knows what the session is intended to achieve, they are more likely to choose appropriate cadence, resistance, recovery, progressions, and riding positions.
A poorly structured class can create avoidable safety problems. Riders may be pushed too hard too soon, asked to stand without suitable resistance, sent into intervals without guidance, denied sufficient recovery, or encouraged to chase music or choreography instead of control.
Purpose-led design helps prevent this. It gives the instructor a reason for each section and helps riders understand how to take part safely.
When the instructor knows what the session is intended to achieve, they are more likely to choose appropriate cadence, resistance, recovery, progressions, and riding positions.
A poorly structured class can create avoidable safety problems. Riders may be pushed too hard too soon, asked to stand without suitable resistance, sent into intervals without guidance, denied sufficient recovery, or encouraged to chase music or choreography instead of control.
Purpose-led design helps prevent this. It gives the instructor a reason for each section and helps riders understand how to take part safely.
Purpose supports rider confidence
Riders are more confident when they understand what is happening.
A class that is clear, structured, and well-coached helps riders know what to expect. It reduces confusion, supports new riders, and allows experienced riders to work more effectively.
Riders should not have to guess whether they are meant to be recovering, climbing, sprinting, riding steadily, or working at threshold.
Clarity is not a lack of excitement. It is part of good instruction.
A class that is clear, structured, and well-coached helps riders know what to expect. It reduces confusion, supports new riders, and allows experienced riders to work more effectively.
Riders should not have to guess whether they are meant to be recovering, climbing, sprinting, riding steadily, or working at threshold.
Clarity is not a lack of excitement. It is part of good instruction.
Purpose supports progression
Purpose-led sessions also support progression over time.
If every class is simply a hard class, riders may not develop a clear sense of improvement. They may work hard, but without understanding endurance, strength-endurance, threshold, recovery, power, pacing, or cadence control.
Purposeful session design allows instructors and riders to understand what is being developed.
This is particularly important where studios offer a timetable of different class types. Class descriptions should mean something, and the session should match what has been advertised.
If every class is simply a hard class, riders may not develop a clear sense of improvement. They may work hard, but without understanding endurance, strength-endurance, threshold, recovery, power, pacing, or cadence control.
Purposeful session design allows instructors and riders to understand what is being developed.
This is particularly important where studios offer a timetable of different class types. Class descriptions should mean something, and the session should match what has been advertised.
ICI’s expectation
ICI’s position is that indoor cycling instructors should be able to explain the purpose of the sessions they teach.
This does not mean they need to deliver a lecture during class. It means they should understand their own programming and communicate enough for riders to take part safely and effectively.
Instructors should be able to answer questions such as:
This does not mean they need to deliver a lecture during class. It means they should understand their own programming and communicate enough for riders to take part safely and effectively.
Instructors should be able to answer questions such as:
- What is this session designed to achieve?
- Why are these intervals this length?
- Why is this cadence being used?
- What should the resistance feel like?
- How hard should riders be working?
- How much recovery is needed?
- What should riders do if they cannot maintain control?
- How can newer or less experienced riders participate safely?
Relationship to ICI professional standards
This position statement sits alongside the ICI Professional Standards Framework.
It should be read alongside:
ICI Safety Standards for Indoor Cycling Sessions
ICI Cadence and Intensity Guidance
Indoor Cycling Instructor Scope of Practice
ICI New Rider Onboarding Standard
Indoor Cycling: What Riders Should Expect
Together, these documents support ICI’s view that indoor cycling should be safe, purposeful, structured, and professionally coached.
It should be read alongside:
ICI Safety Standards for Indoor Cycling Sessions
ICI Cadence and Intensity Guidance
Indoor Cycling Instructor Scope of Practice
ICI New Rider Onboarding Standard
Indoor Cycling: What Riders Should Expect
Together, these documents support ICI’s view that indoor cycling should be safe, purposeful, structured, and professionally coached.
Review note
This position statement will be reviewed and updated as practice, evidence and professional understanding evolve.
Further information:
ICI Safety Standards for Indoor Cycling Sessions
ICI Cadence and Intensity Guidance
Indoor Cycling Instructor Scope of Practice
Further information:
ICI Safety Standards for Indoor Cycling Sessions
ICI Cadence and Intensity Guidance
Indoor Cycling Instructor Scope of Practice
This position statement sits alongside the ICI Professional Standards and related guidance, including the Code of Conduct and other published Position Statements.
