Do you have Soul?
I remember like it was yesterday when Soul Cycle came to Chicago. It got a lot of media coverage, and everyone was trying it out. At the time I was a recent college graduate and while I was paying for a pretty expensive gym membership I knew soul cycle was out of my current price range. Now being completely honest I thought Soul Cycle was a trend that would shoot out of here just as fast as it arrived but boy was I wrong and I am glad I was wrong!
Over the years I have tried other cycle classes and some I have liked and some I haven’t liked. I would take a Lyft over after work to meet friends for these classes to get a good sweat, but something was missing for me, I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
About 2-3 months ago I was walking down the street and I walked right past Soul Cycle. I never paid attention to how close I lived from it. I’m about 3 blocks away and in that moment I decided that I was going to go home and sign up for a class and see if I liked it. So I went home signed up for a class and I was there the next day. Now I’m not going to lie to you I was extremely intimidated when I walked through that door. Soul Cycle was not like other spin studios that I have been to. I checked in, grabbed shoes and I just stared in awe at all of the people standing around to get into this class. No one was really talking which I get, but I thought that it would be a little more welcoming.
The doors open and it is now time to go in and get ready for my first class! I needed help adjusting my bike, and Soul Cycle has amazing staff they came right over and helped me. After my bike was adjusted I clip in and I was ready to go. I set my apple watch to track my calories and I zoned off into another realm next thing you know the 45 minutes was up and I was shocked. Class went by so fast, I got an amazing workout, and the big thing is that I connected with the instructor which is what I was missing at all my other spin classes. She was talking right to me, and in that moment I knew Soul Cycle is where I needed to be without a shadow of a doubt.
Before I walked out the door that day I bought a 5 class pack for an introductory rate for first timers ($100 if you have never purchased before) and I was back at class the next day. After about my 5th or 6th class I decided I was ready to make the investment of purchasing the spin shoes. For every class you don’t have your own shoes you have to pay $3 so that was slowly starting to add up. The great thing about spin shoes regardless of where you get them from you can use them on all spin bikes, and if this is now my preferred method of working out then it was time for me to purchase them.
Soul Cycle has an avid rider in me going forward. Even though I currently pay for a gym membership to a big box gym across Chicago I rarely go, because I am at spin class. This is a complete lifestyle change. Now I won’t lie to you Soul Cycle is on the expensive side with a single class in Chicago costing $32. I buy 5 class increments at $148 so when its broken down you are saving $12 or about $2 per class. At a minimum I am at Spin class once a week maybe twice so these 5 class passes are sometimes being purchased multiple times a month, but this is working for me. I push myself each and every class, and after the class I feel accomplished like I can go and concur the day.
Soul Cycle also provides themed rides they have hip hop classes, Arianna Grande vs Beyoncé, EDM, and regular classes. My very first class was Lizzo themed and I love Lizzo so I was in heaven the second we started riding. The one thing I will say about Chicago’s Soul Cycle studios is there are 4 Soul Cycles within less than a 4 mile radius so there are a lot of classes to choose from and options when it comes to instructors and music. This is something else I love about Soul Cycle. All instructors are amazing, but I do have my favorites that I like going to and I continue to go to.
Have you all tried soul cycle? If so what do you think? Leave me a comment I want to hear you spin/soul cycle journeys!