Showing posts tagged Spinning
THE TRUTH ABOUT SOULCYCLE
I’m writing a piece for The Huffington Post about visiting spin studios when you travel. It’s a fun thing to add to your itinerary and helps you stay in shape while you’re on the go. Soul Cycle, the wildly popular NYC spin studio where I taught from 2007-2009, seems to be the source of the resurgence of private spin studios (or at least the first to be nationally successful).
It’s hard to articulate the SoulCycle experience – dark room, loud music with a heavy beat, Swinn bikes lined up close together, inspirational instructor, dynamic ride that you can only do on an indoor bike – all of that sounds predictable. But the SoulCycle ride accesses some part of you that is screaming to get out and play! In the darkness, you can open yourself up to a personal journey and catharsis I’ve never felt in any other group fitness class. (Read one rider’s experience here). With this final piece and flawless branding, they’ve created a cultish following that packs their studios every hour and generates tons of press to the point that SoulCycle seems perfect.
As and instructor there for 3 years and a person who knows that nothing in life is perfect, I thought I’d give you the honest-to-goodness truth about Soul Cycle.
1. The ride is in fact the most exciting, uplifting, and fun fitness experience I’ve ever known. Period. It’s not THE HARDEST; it ‘s the one that keeps you mentally in shape to keep up your fitness routine. In other words, worth every penny.
2. If you allow yourself to let go of your to-do list in your head and get lost in the ride, you will change as a person.
3. Riding as a “posse” and not doing your own thing, you will ride harder and get stronger. Follow their instructions and learn how to ride their way.
4. Spinning does not make your legs “bulk up.” Think about it, it’s thousands of repetitions with light resistance that tones your legs, not make them huge.
5. Their many movements to make the class more dynamic and fun helps to isolate muscle groups, strengthen your core, and pull in your waistline.
6. All instructors are not created equal, but they’re pretty darn close. I like: Stacey, Laurie, Kym, Lori A, Janet, Melanie, and Sue.
7. You can’t rely on the class to be your only source of fitness. Even though the class includes an “arm segment” where you use weights to tone your muscles, it’s a cardio workout and you need to lift weights on other days.
8. You don’t burn as many calories in a spin class as you think you do. According to my heart rate monitor, I only burned around 420 per class (45 minutes), which is what I usually burn when I lift weights for 1.5 hours. In an hour BLAST900 class, I burn 600 calories.
9. FlyWheel was started by one of the founders of SoulCycle, Ruth Zuckerman, who I love and admire as a woman. I used to take her class often because that woman has serious soul. Ruth had to change the game to make her Flywheel different. By adding a computer to the bike, your ride focuses on RPMs and the power you are actually exerting. There is a big screen overhead so you can see how you compare to others in the room. The ride itself is in no way as introspective or as fun, in my opinion, but it’s challenging. If you don’t know SoulCycle, FlyWheel is a solid ride I bet will be a 100 times more exciting and productive than whatever your gym offers.
10. The SoulCycle family is not as inviting as you might want it to be. All of the staff works hard and efficiently. If you want in on a more personal level to join the inner circle party, you’ll have to make the effort to get to know the instructors and the other riders. When you do, you’ll appreciate the connection.
When I write the HuffPo piece you’ll have more perspective on what other studios offer in different cities. Unfortunately there’s not a lot out there that’s why you should make an effort to spin when you travel to the big cities. If you’re in NYC or LA, you now know where to go :)
The Truth About SoulCycle
I’m writing a piece for The Huffington Post about visiting spin studios when you travel. It’s a fun thing to add to your itinerary and helps you stay in shape while you’re on the go. SoulCycle, the wildly popular NYC spin studio where I taught from 2007-2009, seems to be the source of the resurgence of private spin studios.
It’s hard to articulate the SoulCycle experience - dark room, loud music with a heavy beat, Swinn bikes lined up close together, inspirational instructor, dynamic ride that you can only do on an indoor bike - all of that sounds predictable. But the SoulCycle ride accesses some part of you that is screaming to get out and play! In the darkness, you can open yourself up to a personal journey and catharsis I’ve never felt in any other group fitness class. (Read one rider’s experience here). With this final piece and flawless branding, they’ve created a cultish following that packs their studios every hour and generates tons of press to the point that SoulCycle seems perfect.
As and instructor there for 3 years and a person who knows that nothing in life is perfect, I thought I’d give you the honest-to-goodness truth about Soul Cycle.
1. The ride is in fact the most exciting, uplifting, and fun fitness experience I’ve ever known. Period. It’s not THE HARDEST; it ‘s the one that keeps you mentally in shape to keep up your fitness routine. In other words, worth every penny.
2. If you allow yourself to let go of your to-do list in your head and get lost in the ride, you will change as a person.
3. Riding as a “posse” and not doing your own thing, you will ride harder and get stronger. Follow their instructions and learn how to ride their way.
4. Spinning does not make your legs “bulk up.” Think about it, it’s thousands of repetitions with light resistance that tones your legs, not make them huge.
5. Their many movements to make the class more dynamic and fun helps to isolate muscle groups, strengthen your core, and pull in your waistline.
6. All instructors are not created equal, but they’re pretty darn close. I like: Stacey, Laurie, Kym, Lori A, Janet, Melanie, and Sue.
7. You can’t rely on the class to be your only source of fitness. Even though the class includes an “arm segment” where you use weights to tone your muscles, it’s a cardio workout and you need to lift weights on other days.
8. You don’t burn as many calories in a spin class as you think you do. According to my heart rate monitor, I only burned around 420 per class (45 minutes), which is what I usually burn when I lift weights for 1.5 hours. In an hour BLAST900 class, I burn 600 calories.
9. FlyWheel was started by one of the founders of SoulCycle, Ruth Zuckerman, who I love and admire as a woman. I used to take her class often because that woman has serious soul. Ruth had to change the game to make her Flywheel different. By adding a computer to the bike, your ride focuses on RPMs and the power you are actually exerting. There is a big screen overhead so you can see how you compare to others in the room. The ride itself is in no way as introspective or as fun, in my opinion, but it’s challenging. If you don’t know SoulCycle, FlyWheel is a solid ride I bet will be a 100 times more exciting and productive than whatever your gym offers.
10. The SoulCycle family is not as inviting as you might want it to be. All of the staff works hard and efficiently. If you want in on a more personal level to join the inner circle party, you’ll have to make the effort to get to know the instructors and the other riders. When you do, you’ll appreciate the connection.
When I write the HuffPo piece you’ll have more perspective on what other studios offer in different cities. Unfortunately there’s not a lot out there that’s why you should make an effort to spin when you travel to the big cities. If you’re in NYC or LA, you now know where to go :)
Find new group fitness classes around you in one click.
I am a HUGE fan of group fitness classes these days because I just can’t motivate myself to go to the gym. I never thought I would feel that way, but here I am, looking for excuses every day. So, to combat this and get in a solid 1 hour workout, I carve out the time in my schedule for my trainer or a class.
GoRecess.com is a new site that instantly locateds the kind of workout you’re looking for near you. You put in the type of exercise - yoga, cardio, bootcamp, spinning, etc - your location, and the radius you are willing to drive (or even better jog or bike!). GoRecess then creates a detailed list like you see above. Such a great concept because I’m always looking for a way to change up my workout.
Also, most studios will offer their first class for free, so if you’re on a tight budget, you can jump around for a while while you save up some cash and settle on your favorite.
If you’re in one of the cities I frequent, I reccommend these studios and gyms:
New York:
- SoulCycle - where I used to teach spinning
- Equinox - take the 30/60/90 class
- Physique 57 - Total body toning. Will get your booty tight!
Los Angeles:
- Soul Cycle - just opened in WeHo!
- Equinox - group classes are totally worth the membership
- UpDog Fitness - for spinning and yoga. Take classes from Colin and Reilly. Meredith for yoga.
- Fitness Factory - “garage” style hideout where celebs train. Sam Upton is the best!
Houston:
- Fit Gym - where I teach spin
- Next Level Fitness - smaller and more affordable gym. I train with Cederick and box with Jason
- Joy Yoga - my favorite yoga in Houston!
- Yoga One
- Cura Yoga
- Define - like Physique 57/barre method. Great for toning.
Atlanta:
- Blast900 - most intense full body workout you’ll ever have
- Eclipse 1 on 1 - training only. I love Jeff and Julius.
- Stellar Bodies - SPX training
- Urban Active Gym
Austin:
I know I’m missing some; I can’t hit them all! Please share your favorites in the comments below. If you use GoRecess.com, let us know if you were pleased with the class you attend.
(P.S. Sorry for the blurry picture. PC’s just don’t have the same quality of screen grab as a Mac. I’ll replace it tomorrow!)
HOW TO SET UP YOUR SPIN BIKE
Anyone decide to take up spinning in 2012??
Whether or not your a beginner or a seasoned rider, you should know how to set up your indoor spinning bike so that you can utilize it safely and efficiently.
In this video I give you the basics on how to maximize an INDOOR bike. You’ll notice I don’t set Becky up to train for an outdoor ride. My philosphy is that you can maneuver on an indoor bike in so many ways to strengthen your muscles and condition your body that you cannot on an outdoor bike. TAKE ADVANTAGE. Use a full range of motion to stand tall to isolate your quads, ride long and low to turn on your guts and hamstrings, and keep your chest high to keep your core engaged. Video on this to come. For now, just set yourself up comfortably!
Beginners read more here on how to get started.
Once you realize how much you enjoy riding, please invest the $100 in pair of cycling shoes. It makes a world of difference in the ride, your efficiency and strength, and most importantly on your body mechanics.
As you may or may not know, I’ve been teaching “spinning” (indoor cycling is more appropriate as I don’t teach Jonny G) for 5 years and riding for 10. My style is that of Soul Cycle in NYC, where I taught for 3 as a means to earn much needed cash while living on the little island. The problem is when I left New York and LA, I was left without a group of riders who have the same energy and enthusiasm (and rhythm) so I continue to teach in Houston to carry on my coastal style.
I’m not going to lie, finding a good teaching is probably the hardest part about spinning. Hopefully you’ll find someone you click with and gives you more than just a means to burn calories. The catharsis in the exercise is so much more rewarding.
If you’re in NYC or LA, try to ride with one of these instructors. Worth every penny for the physical and mental challenge!
- Stacy, Laurie, Melanie at Soul Cycle in NYC (multiple locations)
- Colin Kim teaches at both Equinox Weho and Updog Fitness
- Reilly (above with a huge smile after kicking my butt) is at both locations as well
- Keith Irace and Eileen O’Connell only teach at Equinox Weho
** Equinox classes require advance sign up online
*** I am LOVING the super soft sweat pants I bought at Updog last time I was there.
I’m teaching spin at Soul Cycle tonight. Other times I’ll be teaching: Sunday @ 10:30am, Monday @ 10:45am, 5:30pm (I’ve missed it so much!)
Today’s Mix:
- More Time, Need to Breath
- You Make My Dreams, Hall and Oates
- Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson
- First Time, ??
- Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill), Wyclef Jean
- Because of You, Ne-Yo
- 24, Jem
- The Walk, Imogen Heap
- Low, Flo Rida
- Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson
- Shut up and Drive, Rhianna
- Let Me Go, 3 Doors Down
- Space Between, Dave Matthews
- Summer Breeze, Seals & Crofts
Despite the fact I was/am absolutely exhausted, I woke up bright and early to spin at Equinox (my friend Darryl is the only instructor there worth going to).
Feeling energized, I came home with 7 apples to try out the juicer my mom gave me for Christmas. Delicious and fresh, the juice was amazing. Not to mention there are more nutritional benefits AND I’m not hungry to scarf down an egg white sandwich.
This model is Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer Pro for $119.96.
The cleaning wasn’t bad either. Thanks Mom!
