Why Investing in Indoor Cycling Coaches Is the Key to Studio Growth and Member Longevity

Studio Insights by Sarah Morelli, Co-founder of Athleticum & International Presenter.

The lights dim. The music builds. The wheels start to turn — that familiar rhythm that connects a room of strangers through shared effort.

Indoor cycling has always been one of the most powerful and accessible group experiences. Yet across the UK and Ireland, too many studios are scaling back or removing their cycling spaces entirely.

At last year’s HCM Summit, industry leader Philip Mills warned of “the danger of removing cycling studios” — explaining that in doing so, clubs risk losing not just a key revenue stream, but one of the most loyal and consistent communities in group fitness. We couldn’t agree more.

At Athleticum®, we’ve seen first-hand that when cycling is done right — supported by structured programming, confident coaching, and the heritage of Spinning® — it remains one of the most consistently attended and profitable formats in the studio. The issue isn’t the category; it’s the quality and consistency of delivery.

💡 Members Deserve More Than Just Another Ride

When classes become a predictable mix of intervals and playlists with little progression or purpose, members disengage. They might still enjoy the music, but they stop seeing results.

Today’s rider expects more. They want coaching, not just instruction — someone who understands why a workout works and can translate that into meaningful progress.

In a recent interview with RIDE HIGH Magazine, Lise Kuecker, founder of Studio Grow, observed that “we’ve diluted what it means to be a great instructor.” That statement strikes at the core of the issue: without structured education and ongoing professional development, even passionate instructors struggle to maintain impact.

🎓 Coaching, Not Instructing

A skilled indoor cycling coach knows how to:

• Structure sessions using scientifically grounded training zones.

• Use rhythm, resistance, and recovery to create a cohesive training experience.

• Coach inclusively, offering challenge and safety in equal measure.

• Build connection that keeps riders loyal and inspired.

When that level of professionalism meets passion, classes stop being workouts — they become transformational experiences.

📈 The Business Case for Upskilling

Education isn’t an expense; it’s a growth strategy.

Studios and clubs that invest in their coaching teams consistently report:

• Higher member retention – great coaching keeps people coming back.

• Greater class occupancy – structured programming creates results members talk about.

• Lower instructor turnover – supported coaches stay and grow.

• Enhanced reputation – your facility becomes known for excellence, not just access.

Put simply: a club’s profitability and culture are reflections of its coaching quality.

But investment in people should go hand-in-hand with investment in equipment. Too often, clubs choose the lowest-cost option for their indoor-cycling solution, forgetting that these bikes are among the most heavily used — and sweated over — pieces of equipment in the entire facility.

The race to the bottom on price inevitably becomes a race to the bottom on quality, reliability, and ultimately, member satisfaction. Cheap solutions may appear to save money up front, but they increase maintenance costs, downtime, and frustration over time — eroding both trust and efficiency.

When clubs combine well-trained instructors with well-engineered bikes, the result is consistency, confidence, and longevity. Every ride feels as good as the first — and that reliability builds loyalty that lasts.

🧬 Why Cardio Coaching Still Matters

Strength training may be having its moment, but the science on cardiovascular fitness is indisputable. Improving VO₂ max — the body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently — remains one of the most powerful predictors of long-term health and resilience.

Indoor cycling, when coached with intention and structure, is one of the safest and most effective ways to develop VO₂ max across all populations. It supports heart health, mental clarity, and energy — the foundations of active ageing and longevity.

As an industry, we need to reframe cardio not as calorie burn, but as longevity training.

🎶 Where Education Meets Experience

Upskilling isn’t just about certification — it’s about transformation.

Advanced pathways such as the Spinning® Instructor Certification and Advanced Spinning® Certifications (including Rockstar and SPINPower®) equip coaches to merge science with soul. They learn how to:

• Coach with data and emotion in equal measure.

• Build and deliver authentic stage presence and communication.

• Create experiences that move riders both physically and emotionally.

That’s where real differentiation lives — in the ability to deliver rides that change how people feel, move, and think. The social value of this is in the billions as demonstrated by the report commissioned by EMD UK, the National Governing Body for group exercise.

🌍 Spinning® and Athleticum® — Leading the Standard

For more than 30 years, Spinning® has remained the iconic global brand and education leader in indoor cycling — setting the benchmark for safe, effective, and inspiring coaching.

In the UK and Ireland, Athleticum® proudly represents Spinning® as the trusted education provider and equipment partner, empowering studios to elevate coaching, improve business performance, and create lasting member experiences.

Together, we believe the future isn’t fewer cycling studios — it’s better ones.

💬 The Future of Indoor Cycling

Our industry doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel — it needs to value the people turning it.

When instructors grow, members thrive.

When studios invest in quality — both human and mechanical — loyalty follows.

And when coaching meets craftsmanship, the ride becomes more than exercise; it becomes the heartbeat of the business.

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Coaching Team?

Whether you manage a leisure trust, multi-site facilities, boutique studio, or university performance facility, the path to stronger, smarter, and more inspiring cycling starts here.

Athleticum® offers the opportunity to train or elevate your entire team in Spinning®, tailored to your facility’s goals and members’ needs.

📞 Contact us to arrange a discovery call and explore how we can build a complete coaching-development plan for your studio.

👉 Learn more

Because when your instructors grow, your members — and your business — grow with them.

#Spinning #InstructorDevelopment #RockstarInstructor #SPINPower #StudioGrowth #GroupFitness #VO2Max #Longevity #IndoorCycling #FitnessEducation #athleticumfitness #LiveTheRide #LoveTheRide

(Sources: Philip Mills, HCM Summit 2024; Lise Kuecker, StudioGrow interview with RIDE HIGH Magazine 2025. EMD UK Social Value Report 2025.)