I spent my Sunday night working up a sweat under neon lights in spandex, clapping along to beats by Disclosure, Jay-Z and Iggy Azalea. No, I wasn’t at a club. I was at SoulCycle.
The indoor cycling company’s first D.C. studio, which opened Aug. 5, uses a combination of fast-paced EDM beats, a club-like atmosphere and synchronized group exercises to kick your cycling into high gear. And as a self-proclaimed fitness freak, I’ll tell you this: SoulCycle lives up to the hype.
When I arrived at the M Street studio for an evening class, I immediately noticed a positive, high-energy vibe. The bright yellow walls were covered with motivational – yet not corny – phrases like, “Our own strength surprises us every time,” and the staff seemed genuinely excited to host the growing crowd that was waiting to check in at the front desk.
The contagious positivity was enough to make even the studio’s trademark, a skull and crossbones, seem inviting.
I followed other members of the sold-out class to a studio in the back, which felt more like a concert venue than an exercise room. A Beyoncé song was already pounding through the surround-sound speakers, and the room was lit only by a few red strobe lights and three large candles.
Rows of stationary bikes formed a square around the center stage, where our instructor, Kathleen, a redhead with a killer six-pack and the motto, “Let’s turn it up and get sexy,” would direct the class. As soon as it began, the room turned into a full-on club scene, and Kathleen became the DJ.
“I’m gonna fuck with you here a little bit. It’s for your own good – I promise,” Kathleen said, laughing, before telling us to up the resistance levels on our bikes.
Soon I understood the studio’s method – and realized how genius it was.
Unlike other cycling studios that mandate specific resistance levels, SoulCycle gives you full control over the resistance dial, which does not display numbers. This way, you can’t be intimidated by your neighbor’s level or self-conscious of your own.
After choosing a personal resistance level, we followed Kathleen as she cycled to the speed of whatever song was currently playing on full blast, slowing down and increasing resistance for slower beats then speeding up and decreasing resistance for the drop. This method made cycling feel like a group dance, and – dare I say – made it really fun.
And though the room’s darkness was off-putting at first, it ended up serving as a huge relief. Dim lighting meant no more worrying about sweat stains or comparing your speed to your neighbor’s. It left cyclists to focus on their workouts stress-free. As cheesy as it may sound, SoulCycle puts you in your zone.
Unfortunately, SoulCycle does have one fatal flaw: the price. One 45-minute class will set you back a whopping $30, although first-time riders can score a class for $20. The studio offers package deals, but none will save you more than $4 per class.
Aside from the high price, SoulCycle provides the perfect workout, or I should say anti-workout: Motivating, stress-free and entertaining.
