I’m leaving New York next week, but I refuse to believe it. There are too many restaurants, parks and coffee shops still on my to-do list, I’ll really miss my hands-on, bustling internship and I just love the vibe of a busy city. I’m addicted to being here.
But last night, I did have the chance to cross off something I’ve been excited to try. SoulCycle! I attended my first class at the West Village location with an old friend, and here, I give you a crash-course in this bumping celeb-workout craze. You can read about my experience and see if it’s something you’d like to try. Let’s ride!
Okay, so let’s start with the basics. For a while, I didn’t even know what SoulCycle was, let alone why it’s so popular. Isn’t it just spinning class for celebs? I thought. Nope. So here’s a mini-rundown.
What you need to know about SoulCycle
• What it is: This intense, but fun workout is essentially a fast-paced spinning class with a hint of yoga and a pulsing dance-club scene. Pretty mindblowing, right? Complete with SoulCycle bikes (basically, your standard spinning bike with special hooks for your cycling shoes), large scented candles, motivational/modern/gorgeous typography with inspirational quotes glistening on the otherwise white walls and a DJ-esque station for the highly determined and fit instructor. There are even two 2lb weights under your seat for during the workout. Pretty kick-ass!
• What you need: You have to wear your most expensive LuLulemon outfit. Just kidding, kind of. I wore a supportive workout top from LuLu, but I totally didn’t have the right bottoms. My aerie skinny-crop leggings were falling off me and I wished I had something tighter. No one was wearing running shorts, either. The special shoes for the bikes were rentable for $3, but most SoulCycle-enthusiasts had their own. Interesting. Also, hydrating during this workout was imperative. Bring a big bottle of water!
• Where they are: According to its website, SoulCycle is based in NYC, but has recently spread to California. It’s popularity is booming in prominent areas such as the Hamptons, SoHo and San Francisco. But the question is… will the company continue to add locations only in heavy metropolitan areas? One studio is opening in Short Hills, New Jersey this fall, but no word on any others. That’s a shame. Obviously, this workout is expensive at 35 bucks for a class. The party is pricey, but worth it if you can spare the cash. Celebs from Kelly Ripa and Lady GaGa to Bradley Cooper are swearing by it.
• Why it’s so huge (in my opinion): The scene is dimly lit, but the workout isn’t. By SoulCycling, you can focus on you and your workout—not really who is around you, which is great. If you’re a celeb, people can hardly recognize you in the low lights, too (ha.). The weights involved are also awesome for a full-body workout. During the workout, we spun on both low and high resistance, bouncing up and down and side-to-side and pedaled up some intense hills. The music, compared to a typical spinning class, was 10X better in that it was loud, bumping and kind of motivational. I liked the rap and the electronic sounds during my workout. Completing a mini-strength sesh at the end of the ride made my day; I enjoyed winding down with the free weights. It was a great change up and a great over-all experience.
Pictured: The standard SoulCycle bike. It goes for $2,200.
Attending a SoulCycle class though, metaphorically, reminded me of all of the 20-something New Yorkers out there. They’re fresh out of college, determined and more than anything: career-hungry. None of them can wait to get their hands on that juicy job—the one that pays well over a typical starting position but only buys them a 12×12 multiple bedroom apartment on a corner street in Manhattan. Is that even worth it? To these novice New Yorkers, it is. It all is. And the way that these new New Yorkers tackle their careers is the same way that they exercise. They go hard, and they’re go getters.
So imagine that YOU are working out with these people. These job-hungry, motivated, fit and hard-working young people. This pack of young women and men is intimidating!
Unless, of course, you find yourself fitting into that pack. And I did. I do. I am career-hungry, driven, motivated and most of all, passionate about this city. I don’t want to leave it. My soul won’t be leaving it. And SoulCycle reaffirmed that, so I’d say it was a successful ride. Would you try it?!
Photo credits: SoulCycle.com
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