Recently, I decided to try out one of the new popular trends among teenagers; cycling. Cycling classes gained a following from social media stars who go to SoulCycle, a trendy cycling chain.
While the Raleigh area does not have a SoulCycle, they do have equivalents such as CycleBar, which is where I took my class.
A bonus is that I got my class for free since I never took a class before. I signed up for a forty-five minute class that promised a fun cardio workout. Little did I know what I got myself into.
Upon arrival, I met a couple of the staff members who helped me get my cycling shoes and set me up on my bike. They decorated a locker for me that I could use during my class and offered me water or any other drink I would need.
Getting set up on the bike seemed fairly simple: You lock your feet in the pedals and adjust how far you want your seat up or back. The major downside is since I got to class twenty minutes early, I ended up sitting on the most uncomfortable bike seat.
One of the fun things about cycling classes is the tv where they broadcast everyone’s progress throughout the class. So if you do well, the instructor sees and offers encouragement. Justin, my instructor, began the class by getting us warmed up and starting us off with an easy bike. He also put on some EDM and dance remix, which really motivated me during my class, especially the remix of Lady Gaga’s song “Telephone”.
The exercises range from quick sprints and push up presses, where you place your hands on the center console and pulse. In total, I felt pretty good for the first three songs, but then, I started losing my endurance.
While riding, we used bars that weigh either four or six pounds, and we do a series of curl ups, overhead pushes and twists. It finally hit me at this time — that I was not as cut out for cycling as I thought I was. Honestly, I stopped riding my bike during the weight session and as a result, did not gain any points.
For the last five minutes, I gave it my all and went through all my sprints as if I trained for the Olympics. Unfortunately, that did not change my overall score, and I finished in last place. However, I did enjoy my time in the class and I genuinely enjoyed the idea of working out as a group. The instructor really tried to make my first class the best possible experience.
If you’re interested in trying a cycling class, be prepared for the hard workout, and the bruising pain for the days following. Even if I never try the class again, I still enjoyed my time and would recommend Cycle Bar to a friend. For more information, go to https://www.cyclebar.com.
