This past week my family took a vacation to the beaches of LA. Obviously knowing I was going to be spending 10 days in the City of Angels (and Kylie Jenner), I had to cram in as many Instagram-able activities as humanly possible. At the top of this list was of course, SoulCycle; so in an attempt to get a Victoria's Secret body overnight, I signed up for a class at the Manhattan Beach studio.
Class prices are $20 for first-time riders and $34 per class after that. So to put it into perspective, the average gym membership is $58, making this is a pretty pricey workout. Nevertheless, I had heard nothing but good things, “instant addictions,” and a nightclub-like atmosphere, and so I had to experience it for myself.
When I first arrived, a gorgeous secretary greeted my sister and I while Paris Hilton’s hit “Stars Are Blind” played in the background. The lobby was filled with SoulCycle attire, natural light, and white neon signs that really upped my VSCO aesthetic. We rented our cycling shoes (think a mix of clogs and tap shoes) and waited for the previous class to finish and our glamorous workout to begin.
When the door to the studio opened, about 30 bodies poured out. Each and every one of one them was dripping in sweat. I looked nervously at my sister and I knew we were both thinking the same thing: “what the hell have we gotten ourselves in to?” The only thing you could see inside the dark room were 4 candles flickering… was I about to be sacrificed to the SoulCycle gods?
Now beginning to feel anxious, we walked in and hopped on our bikes (“hopped” is a loose term, it was more of an “uncoordinated straddle”) and in came our instructor: a stunning woman with a rocking six-pack and a bad-ass tattoo sleeve. She introduced herself and encouraged us all to introduce ourselves to the people around us, “our pack”. She stressed how important it was to feed off the energy of the people around you, and then it began — she lit some more candles and began playing the coolest Drake remix ever.
The next 45 minutes of my life were a blur. I’m not sure if it’s possible to blackout during a workout, but I’m pretty sure I did. Looking back all I can remember is the instructor encouraging everyone to “face your fears and pedal harder” and wondering if I was going to to actually propel myself off the front of the bike. At one point, when we were instructed to “do push-ups while on the bike” I was convinced that I was on the verge of death, but there was no turning back now. I was in too deep. I had to persevere.
The class came to an end in what seemed like 5 minutes. As the lights began to turn on, I unclipped from bike and looked over at my sister. Sweat dripping from every inch of our bodies, we both agreed that we had just experienced what may have been the coolest workout of our entire lives. Maybe it was the fact that I had just had a near death experience, but I felt like I had not only been through an intense physical workout but a mental one, as well. Instead of feeling exhausted, I somehow felt refreshed and energized. As I limped out, I was already Googling where the closest studio to our house was.
After just one class, I could instantly see what all the hype was about. It was challenging, rewarding and absolutely nothing like I expected. Even though as a college student I don’t always have $34 to shell out on one workout, I’ll definitely be coming back every once and awhile when I need a change in routine. My advice to any future riders: keep an open mind, enjoy… and on your way out, make sure to spend $200 on apparel, you earned it.
"average gym membership is $58" : http://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/why-a-gym-m...
