First off, I should probably start off this post with saying that this post is (unfortunately) not sponsored by Soul Cycle.
That being said: yesterday I went to my first Soul Cycle class, and… I get it.
Okay, before you start rolling your eyes, understand that I also get where people who haven’t been are coming from, too. I never really got the hype either. I was like: okay, it’s a spin cardio class. My gym has those – lots of gyms have those – what is so special about this one specific place? Why should I pay extra to go to these classes when you can just go to the classes provided by my own gym?
Oh boy, was I naive.
First off – like many things deemed ‘basic’ and/or things that have a lot of hype behind them – there’s a reason for that.
If you’ve ever been to a non-Soul spin class before, you are probably like what I was like pre-July 4th, 2017. What’s so special about a spin class? You go, you sit in a dimly lit room with other people on spin bikes, and you listen to the instructor, focusing on your RPMs and resistance and you climb hills and do sprints and intervals. Now, I’m not knocking other spin classes – they’re great. It’s a great workout and the class environment is awesome. But… it’s no soul.
First off, there’s none of that ‘focus on your RPM’ junk. You bike to the beat of the music (which as a musically inclined person, is so much more preferable than just RPMs – because when those don’t match up with the beat, it’s a nightmare for someone like me). And speaking of the music, it’s LOUD. In the best kind of way. You get lost in it and almost forget that there’s copious amounts of sweat dripping off of every surface of your body. And since the class I went to was on the fourth of July, there was a lot of Bruce Springsteen on our class’s playlist, and it was amazing.
Second, they actually incorporate arms! It’s genuinely a full body workout – with arms, legs, abs, intervals, sprints… it’s perfect.
Thirdly, and possibly most importantly- the environment is beyond any other workout class I’ve ever been to. Everyone is there to have fun and work it out. The instructors are the perfect mix of motivational and drill sergeant and make you want to kick your own butt on the bike. The walls are insta-worthy and actually pump you up with their motivational sayings plastered along them.
What I’m getting at is I cannot stress how amazing Soul Cycle is. I highly recommend it. And I will continue to both highly recommend it and religiously attend these classes.
Now, if you’re not a fitness class or cardio person, of course I’m not going to come find you and drag you to the studio. But if you were on the edge of considering going – do. You will not regret it.
