Author: Priscilla Blum
Like so many of my peers, I am an avid SoulCycle freak. For those who don’t know, SoulCycle is a revolutionary take on the stationary spin workout. Classes are usually held in a candlelit room with blasting music and taught by an eccentric instructor. I live by Soul and considered myself part of the ‘cult.’ SoulCycle is awesome. So for me, this week’s class had a lot to live up to.
Unlike at my Soul classes, the spin class at Helen Newman requires you to physically grab your bike and place it where you wanted to sit. So naturally, my friend and I headed for the back of the room.
Photo by Priscilla Blum
One of my favorite parts about SoulCycle is its supportive community. If someone is really feeling themselves during a moment or the instructor says something positive, everyone chimes in with a respective ‘woo hooo!’ During this class, the instructor announced it was her birthday, but my wooing was neither followed nor appreciated.
The class mainly focused on increasing gear, or resistance. This was intended for us to work on strength, but in reality this tactic made it nearly impossible for me to pick up my legs. The workout was, I thought, too strength oriented, especially since I find cardio to be the best part of exercising.
Photo by Priscilla Blum
Perfectly positioned behind my bike was a massive fan. One of the nicest parts of my ride were the massive gusts of wind blowing on me. It felt like I was riding a bike on a beautiful day with the wind seamlessly blowing through may hair.
The teacher was very nice and easy-going. She did not try to push people to work harder or past their comfort zone to improve, which is something that motivates me in these kinds of classes. Instead, she encouraged the class to ease into everything and only try to go harder if they really wanted to.
Overall, this class was a let-down because of the high expectations I held. But even though I can’t compare it to SoulCycle, I still got a great workout. I recommend this class to students who want to work on toning their legs in a low-intensity setting.
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