Picture a Buddha statue – the highest symbol in yogic culture – and immediately the idea of unshakable faith, mental discipline and fearlessness come to mind. Ask a professional cyclist what it takes to complete a 100-mile race and you’ll hear about similar self-mastery. Trevor Tice, CEO of Core Power Yoga (CPY), has always appreciated the similarities between power yoga and the sport of cycling, and now he’s investing in both.

Making his mark with sweaty, core-centric yoga classes, Tice selected the bike that would serve his members’ needs best – the RealRyder® Indoor Cycle. This “unstationary” indoor bike actually leans and turns, emulating the same functional, core-centric movement you feel on the real road.

“The lateral movement adds a whole new dimension to the experience. You’re not only getting your arms more involved in the workout, but it’s also more specific work for the core… just like the type of yoga we offer at Core Power Yoga,” says Tice. “We wanted to provide this as a value-add, so that our members could move away from the gym and be completely fulfilled spiritually, mentally and physically at Core Power Yoga.”

Read more on RealRyder and Core Power Yoga by clicking here.

When the RealRyder® International team travels across the globe presenting at fitness industry trade shows, we get all kinds of questions about the RealRyder® bike. Some inquiries that are particularly common from those who’ve never experienced our bike include, “Is it possible to lock the bike in place so it does not move?” Or “Excuse me… but I think there’s something wrong with your bike. Do you know that it’s moving?” (no joke!)

Another question that’s far more frequent is the purpose of this blog: “Is the RealRyder workout harder than a traditional stationary bike workout?”

Before you bust out with a definitive answer, we believe it depends on whom you ask. Take Kathy Wilder, a dedicated RealRyder Indoor Cyclist at 501SPIN in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Now in her 50s, Kathy has been extremely passionate about fitness her entire life. She was an avid runner in her 20s. She’s always known maintaining muscle mass and keeping her heart strong and healthy is important as she ages. Yet, while most baby boomers are complaining about stiff knees or achy backs, Kathy wakes up each day confronting a 32-year battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

“I remember waking up one day and the lower half of my body was completely numb. Then, I woke up another time and my upper body was completely numb. We didn’t have MRIs in the 1980s, so I had no clue what was wrong with me, so I just kept on moving through life with random, scary symptoms,” said Kathy.

Over the years her condition worsened. Her six-mile daily runs came to a gradual halt. Leg exercises with weights became too much for her lower body to tolerate and inevitably, balance became an issue. Fast forward to today, Kathy finds it difficult to complete a half-mile walk with her husband, whom she used to enjoy hours of walking with around the city. The burdensome obstacle that prevents her from being physically active begins in her legs.

“My legs start to feel like Gumby. I get a spasm in my low back and dull pain radiates up my spinal muscles,” says Kathy.

Determined to keep her body moving, Kathy decided to try a new gym and fitness facility in her neighborhood called 501SPIN. What initially attracted her to this facility was the upper body ergometer machine (think cycling using your arms), which she believed would work well for her, given it excluded the lower body. While getting acclimated to the studio, Kathy discovered the facility’s uniquely fun and dynamic RealRyder® Indoor Cycling classes. Curious about the new bikes that could tilt and lean, she decided to try a class.

“I was afraid of falling off the RealRyder bike at first. I wasn’t worried about the bike tipping over. I was concerned about my problems with balance!” says Kathy. “But I realized I just needed to get used to it and take it slow.”

And that’s just what Kathy did.

Today – thanks to Kathy’s courage, and an inspirational teacher named Dawn Doll, whom she credits as a major influence and motivational force -  Kathy told us, “I’m able to complete an entire class. I’m able to stand up and ride, which I never thought I could do. The fact that the bike moves and simulates turns, and improves core strength is really helping me.”

Newly enlightened and deeply moved by Kathy’s incredible story of personal triumph, we decided to ask her the ever-popular question that newbie RealRyders often ask us:

“Do you think RealRyder Indoor Cycling is harder than traditional cycling?”

Kathy: “It’s not harder. It’s just different. And most importantly, the classes are fun!”

How many times have you heard “I can’t do that” when it comes to trying a new fitness routine or piece of equipment? Okay lower your hands, we see you! One RealRyder studio owner and instructor is tackling the “can’t” and taking away the FEAR (yes, we said it!) many people have when it comes to indoor cycling. Posted on the walls of her studio: The only one who can tell you “you can’t” is you. And you don’t have to listen!

Lisa Flood Wisentaner opened Nantucket Cycling Studio in March of this year and is already being asked “When are you adding more classes?” and “When are you adding more bikes?” from her clients. Lisa’s approach is one of the many reasons her clients return and people continue to seek her out. She removes the element of fear from indoor cycling with her innovative 5-week Beginner series.

Many studios offer introductory classes, but Lisa wanted to take a slightly different approach, building a community for people trying indoor cycling or RealRyders for their first time.  Clients sign up for a 5-week program that breaks down the class, adding 5 minutes of class time each week, working together toward their first full length class.

The first and second classes focus on the basics – setting up the bike to their individual measurements, learning how to control resistance, finding balance on the bike and a few more concepts. The classes progress to the more abstract ideas that only an experienced, RealRyder® Certified Instructor, like Lisa, can provide: learning your rate of perceived exertion, how to build your relationship with the bike and progress into your “zone” during a workout session. Every class starts with a review of the previous class and builds progressively with each session. After their “graduation” from the beginner series, “fears” and “can’t” no longer exist in participant’s exercise lexicon.

There’s also the elements of camaraderie and the accountability created when people begin a program together. Lisa knows her customers from the beginning and they look forward to progressing their workouts with her. And for the Nantucket Cycling Studio Ryders, Lisa has placed an order for more RealRyder bikes and is adding a new instructor and classes to the schedule.

How do you remove the fear and take away the “can’t” for potential clients and students?

RealRyder is hard at work on its installments featuring studios across the United States that have taken their indoor cycling studios to the next level (see our first installment on Real Ryder Revolution in metro-Detroit Michigan). What is their secret to selling out cycling classes, creating waiting lines and leaving their customers hungry for more? Watch the second part of this installment, featuring Qi Ryders, to learn more about the secrets to their success!

“Every month has been better than the last.”
“In 5 months I’ve never had one class not sell out.”
“Customer retention has been easy. We just put them on the bike.”
“RealRyders provide 100% more benefit – to everything.”

Qi has an incredible story in terms of its business success, but the classes featuring RealRyder® ABF8 bikes have also changed the lives of their participants. Below we have the story of how RealRyder changed the life of one of Qi’s top trainers and their Boxing Director, Nick Spinosa.

Nick has been on his feet for most of his life, growing up working his family’s restaurant in Pennsylvania. As an avid athlete, Nick played many sports – baseball, football, basketball – and continued to play baseball at the collegiate level at Penn State. He also developed a love and passion for boxing, which runs in his family. Nick’s grandfather was  a professional boxer.

Nick’s love of sports and time spent on his feet caught up with him. During his collegiate years, while playing both baseball and boxing, Nick had to undergo surgery for damages to his feet, also dealing with arthritis pains from being on so many surfaces. Surgeons had to fuse the bones of his feet together in a series of surgeries. Three surgeries, in fact. Not an easy thing to swallow for an active person. And that wasn’t the end.

Following college, two additional surgeries (for a total of 5 surgeries on his feet!) the newly-minted kineseology grad headed out west to live with his brother in Denver, Colorado. Nick said he could barely walk or bend over when he arrived in Colorado in early 2010. It was time to get back in form. His brother proceeded to introduce him to Chris Lindley, one of the co-owners of Qi.

The two hit it off immediately, bonding over boxing and the Army-style workouts Chris provided at Qi. Enter the RealRyders at Qi. Nick was re-learning to walk when RealRyders arrived at Qi, and with the RealRyder® ABF8′s, he was able to accomplish his goals of walking again, becoming physically active and shedding weight gained over multiple surgeries. Nick is now 60 pounds lighter, teaching at least 13 filled or sold out classes a week and directs the Boxing programs at Qi. Nick’s personal triumph is one of the many stories we are proud to highlight and share. Qi continues to make an impact in the Denver community and on the lives of its participants and employees.

Do you have a story to share? We would love to feature your story on RealRyder’s blog!

We are looking forward to one of the biggest fitness industry events in the world. The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, IHRSA, was our topic in an earlier blog this week, and we’re ready to roll out details on why this trade show is going to be so much fun! Adding to the excitement of IHRSA is the release of our brand-new promotional video (RealRyder Indoor Cycling 2011) and collaborations with some of the biggest names in the fitness industry.

RealRyder is teaming up with big names -  Motionsoft, Total Gym and Gatorade for amazing giveaways and experiences at IHRSA. RealRyder will be giving away 2, AFB8 bikes in conjunction with the Motionsoft, via text message. You can stop by their booth (#1026) for the details on entry and ways to win. Each day, a random winner will be selected to win a RealRyder Indoor Cycle or a Total Gym.

If you’re interested in going to IHRSA but haven’t committed yet, we have two ways for you to save on the trade show passes. Our promotional partners, Motionsoft have passes to offer! IHRSA is also offering an exclusive promotional code for their Facebook fans.

We only have one question … a Are You Ready for our Ryde?

• Thursday, March 17th: Beginning at 11:00am, we will be offering 15-minute classes on the only indoor cycling ride that moves you!
• If you complete one of the mini-classes, you will receive our RealRyder Messenger bag, perfect for the conference or on-the-go wherever you are!
• Friday, March 18th: We’re up bright and early at 6:00am! The RealRyder Performance & Hydration Station, Fueled by Gatorade – G Series Fit
• Ryde Real every 30 minutes, with classes ending at 8:30am. And no need for extra gear – we’ve got you covered with the brand-new G Series Fit drink and Gatorade towels, as well as a brand-new RealRyder t-shirt!