When my younger sister first encouraged me to go to Soul Cycle with her, I was fully against this idea. The idea of any cycling class, in general, intimidated me more than I had realized. When I thought of cycling, I thought of being stuck in a room on this small bike for hours on end, being yelled at by an instructor and inevitably comparing myself to others in the class.
Being the persuasive girl she is, my sister somehow got me out of my comfort zone and I found myself nervously entering my first Soul Cycle class. I was fully expecting to hate the experience and to never return again- but I could not have been more wrong.
The employees are welcoming and understanding of everyone's different fitness levels, which was crucial for me to enjoy the experience. After checking in, I strapped on my shoes and clicked into my bike. Here we go, I was finally experiencing THE Soul Cycle, time to see what all the hype is about.
An especially enthusiastic group of people entered the room and an even more enthusiastic instructor headed to the front of the class. The lights went off and a spotlight shone on our tour guide of this 45-minute journey to sweat. I found comfort in the dark classroom, where I could not see the girl next to me working harder or looking better, I could only focus on my own workout and what I needed to be doing. Our instructor played her customized playlist, which was sure to lift my mood and excite me to endure this dreaded workout. Before signing up for a workout, Soul Cycle's website informs you of each instructor's taste in music, to ensure that you pick a workout with music you will enjoy the most. This aspect is especially smart on their part because the key to enjoying your workout is listening to a great playlist.
Throughout the hour, she guided us and cheered us on to make the most of this workout. One of my favorite aspects of a Soul Cycle class is the immense encouragement the instructors spread to everyone attending the class. She managed to make even the sourest people excited and fully present in the class. One phrase that I always hear at Soul Cycle and has stuck with me since is, "the only person stopping you from your goals is YOU." It may sound cliche, but it could not be truer.
Her encouragement and enthusiasm pushed me to complete a full 45 minutes of my most dreaded part of my day. Not only did I survive the class, but I gave every last effort I had and enjoyed every minute of it. My sister and I left the studio sweating harder than we ever had and feeling immensely proud of ourselves for enduring this high intensity work out together. Now every time I'm home, I find myself begging my sister or anyone to come with me to what I feel is the toughest and most enjoyable cycling class ever. So next time you find yourself in a city with a Soul Cycle studio, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try out what could possibly be your best full-body workout ever.
