SoulCycle: the indoor cycling class famed for its cult-like following has continued to grow in popularity over the past ten years, and has a special place in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of college students, moms, and celebrities across the country.
The blaring music, practically pitch-black studio, and walking motivational quote instructors attract many who are looking for a fun yet challenging workout, and have the means to spend $30 on a single class. While SoulCycle is beloved by those who are into it, of course there are negatives- as there are with anything in life.
The thing that makes SoulCyle worth it for me personally is how amazing I feel mentally afterward. While cycling nonstop for 45 minutes with the majority of the time involving dance moves that permit only seconds of rest time in the saddle guarantees soreness the following morning, you will definitely leave happy on the inside.
SoulCycle instructors provide a loop of constant encouragement and motivation while you power through their (sometimes) insanely difficult sequences, and it is impossible not to feel like you have accomplished something once you get to the final song.
The whole theme of the classes is to leave the studio better than you came in, both inside and out.
All forms of exercise can be stress relievers, but there is just something about peddling your legs as hard as you possibly can during a SoulCycle class that makes you momentarily forget about anything bad that has happened to you during the week. SoulCycle allows you to let go of accumulated stress and negative energy that can make you feel lighter than any amount of weight loss possibly could.
Even though there is no talking allowed during classes, SoulCycle is still an amazing workout to do with friends. What is better than working on individual self-improvement surrounded by your best friends and great music? Dragging friends to their first-time classes has been memorable bonding experiences with my sister at home, and new friends in college.
Having such a deep love for SoulCycle makes it easy to become blinded to the fact that there are some negatives to becoming #addicted, and to the culture of the company overall.
Cycling is a great form of cardio which is an integral part of heart health, yet some sources claim that the dance moves you do during classes can cause injury if performed incorrectly, and do not add significant cardiovascular benefit.
The other notable negative about SoulCycle that I personally have an issue with is their lack of inclusiveness. The company is very clearly marketed towards a very specific demographic, and even if you have the financial ability to regularly attend classes, it can be very intimidating to walk into a studio filled with people who for the most part look exactly the same. Of course, this mostly depends on the location of the studio you attend, but even looking online at the lists of instructors across the country there is a notable lack of diversity.
If you're willing to shell out the $30 for every class or take the $10 discount for buying a series of multiple classes at once, go for it. If you love something and it has a positive impact on your life like SoulCycle does for many, do it as much as you are able. The ability to have fun while simultaneously burning calories and negative energy continues to make SoulCycle one of the most attractive exercise classes on the market today.
Who wants to be stuck in the regular gym every day anyway?
