SoulCycle

Yes indeed, this Austinite hit up SoulCyle while on vacation in California!  For those who don’t know, SoulCycle is a cycling studio that offers a rhythm based ride to give you the ultimate full body workout and have you leave feeling refreshed, strong and sweaty!  They have locations all over the country but sadly none that are located in Austin, or even in Texas for that matter.  So, since I was in the area, of course I wanted to go and see what all the hype was about!  SoulCycle has been around for almost 10 years now, and they are known for their killer workouts that not only are meant to change your body, but change your life!

What exactly is SoulCycle?  Well, it’s a cycling class (of course) but differs from most cycling studios in the fact that it is a rhythm based class and you “ride to the beat” of a song.  So your tempo and pace depends on the songs the instructor uses on their playlists.  This can either be a fast-paced race or rhythm ride up a steep hill.  In my opinion, this makes the class go by faster and makes it way more enjoyable! You’re able to get in a groove, “dance” to the music, and have a great time. I will say that I do not have THE BEST rhythm in the world.  But with each class you attend, both your cycle and dance skills improve.

I was so fortunate that I got the opportunity to go to California and hit up one of their classes in Brentwood.  I was even more fortunate that I had friends with me who wanted to do a workout while on vacation.  Shoutout to my girls!  Even just signing up for the class I was excited.  I had expected so much, just from publicity and how everyone (including celebs) were obsessed with it!

The class was filled with 50 customized SoulCycle bikes that are made to give you the best ride.  What I really loved about the studio was that everything was clean and put together.  Rarely did you see a shoe or towel out-of-place.

Going into my first class, I was ecstatic to say the least.  I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a workout.  One, because I just REALLY love cycling, and two, because I had heard so many great things!  With the excitement came some nerves, I had signed up for an early morning class with my friends and picked a spot in the front row right in front of the instructor.  You probably think I’m crazy, and I just might be, but being in the front makes me want to work harder and prove that I deserve to be sitting in that front row.  The class started out with some out of the saddle moves to get the legs warmed up and your heart rates ready to work.  About 80% of the class I would say was done out of the saddle (which is when your butt is literally off of the bike seat and you are standing on the bike pedals).  Next, we moved into more speed work and fun moves like tap backs, push ups, side to sides, and so many more that you just need to go to experience it yourself!

Like any great cycle class, they want you to get in a full body workout, so you use small hand weights for a portion of the class (I used 2lbs) to do things like cross-body punches, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, and wide-angle curls.  This was closer to the end of the class for about 5 minutes.  I do warn you, no matter what cycle class you attend, do not be fooled by the light hand weights!  After doing these moves continually for a long period of time your shoulders begin to really burn.

After finishing the arm portion, we rode to a few more upbeat songs and then one when she turned the lights down, and had us go at our own pace, climbing up a huge hill.  This portion of the class was one of my favorite parts.  They turn the lights down, have you close your eyes, and just speak to you and encourage you.  It might sound a little weird, but for some reason it just speaks to your soul (hence their name I guess).

Their classes are so upbeat, positive, extremely challenging and overall just fun!  I had an awesome time and they did not disappoint one bit.

Although we don’t have a SoulCycle location in Austin, we do have a few studios that offer the same type of rhythm based ride like Ride, Cyc, and Love Cycle (opening in September).  All abide by the same concept and complete workouts that ride to the music and incorporate a full body workout with hand weights, push-ups, tap backs, etc.

Back to SoulCycle though, it was seriously such a great experience.  I mean the people who worked there were helpful, the studio was extremely clean, and I walked out completely drenched in sweat. Yay!

If you’ve ever been to one of their classes anywhere else I would love to hear about your experience!  You can contact me here 🙂

SoulCycle – https://www.soul-cycle.com Location: California, NYC, Hampton’s, Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester, Massachusetts, Florida, DC, Chicago, Maryland Cost: First class $25 (varies by region); $30 per class, membership packages (varies by region)

 

About: SoulCycle was founded in 2006 and is a rhythm based ride that pushes your body to new limits.  You leave feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, strong, and extremely sweaty.

Tip: If it is your first time ever cycling, I would suggest sitting in one of the back rows just because it is a pretty intense class.