Inspiration

Black Bride Fit Club: Top 5 Reasons to Try SoulCycle! – Blackbride.com

We are excited to announce the launch of our new series the Black Bride Fit Club, which is a new monthly series that features different health and fitness posts, from fun workouts to delicious healthy eats and even ways to find balance in your everyday life. We want to help you on your journey to getting fit and healthy for your big day and beyond. Here at Black Bride we believe that health and wellness is a huge part of feeling your best and living your best life, so join us here every month to check out what's new at the Black Bride Fit Club. This month we are starting off our series with the wildly popular SoulCycle! We were first introduced to this premiere full-body, indoor cycling workout at the Oprah's Life You Want Weekend. After experiencing just a taste of the excitement with an arena full of people, we knew we had to try this motivational workout for ourselves. We recently visited the new modern and sleek SoulCycle studio at the Bryant Park location in New York City. Check out our top 5 reasons why you should add SoulCycle to your workout regimen!

 

Top 5 Reasons to Try SoulCycle:

1. It's a super intense full body workout:

We were ready to see what all the hype was about, an this intense 45 minute full body workout did not disappoint. First time riders will receive an email letting you know what to bring, what to wear and what to expect, once you register for your class. They cautioned that you should HYDRATE! Which we absolutely found to be true. Although they give you a complimentary bottle of vitamin water, you should definitely drink lots of water before the class. From beginning to end you are guided through a series of cycling moves, many of which you will not master on your first try, but your instructor will no doubt motivate you and push you every step of the way. Prepare to keep moving throughout the entire class, as that is one of the SoulCycle rules.

2. They play really great music:

This is not your average spin class. Although the atmosphere is very zen with low mood lighting (this location featured candlelight), the energy is high with loud upbeat music.  I did not recognize any of the songs being played, but the music definitely made me want to hop on the bike and start moving to the beat. Before you get started cycling your heart away, you'll have to "lock in," with their custom designed shoes, made specifically for SoulCycle bikes. Very fancy! These shoes lock you into the bike, which prevents you from slipping off while the bike is in motion.  As the intensity of the music builds, so does your movement. The music slows down towards the end of the class for a cool down stretch.

3. You leave dripping sweat:

If you are looking for a workout where you'll look cute afterwards, SoulCycle, is not for you. This is a full blown sweat session. Within the first 20 minutes, I was drenched and reaching for my white fluffy towel, which they provide. If you think you'll be sitting on your bike riding along at your own pace, think again. In fact, we spent most of the class cycling at a fast pace while going from a sitting to standing position and simulating push ups on the handle bars. Just when I thought that things would slow down a bit, we were asked to use 5 pound weights while doing a full upper body workout while riding. This was no easy task, but it felt amazing to push my body to the finish line.

4. You feel empowered:

I must admit, there were several times during my first cycling experience where I wanted to call it quits and literally throw in the towel. However, as I looked around the room and saw all those positive affirmations printed on the wall and heard the instructor calling us to push past the fatigue and saying things like "do it for you," I felt instantly inspired and empowered. The real beauty of SoulCycle is that it's a fitness class designed to strengthen your mind and your body. So while my body was definitely being pushed to its limits, my mind was set on the end goal, with the help of the instructor who kept everyone's spirits high.

5. Your body will thank you:

Just as we were finishing our last high energy sprint, the music slowed down and our instructor invited everyone to step off of their bikes for a deep stretch. Which you will be thankful for the next day. I felt the beginning stages of soreness right after class. However, as I entered the luxurious spa like changing room,  I felt surprisingly full of energy at the same time. That soreness that you will feel, is your body thanking you for giving it all the movement that it craved all day while you were sitting at your desk. Although the aches and pains increased the next day, a couple of days of good deep stretching had me back to normal and ready to get on the bike again.

If you're thinking about trying SoulCycle, it’s just $20 for your first class and about $30 thereafter depending on the location. SoulCycle shoes are an additional $3 for each class. They offer several packages for those who want to sign up for more classes, which saves you a bit in the long run.  If you want to find out more about how you can sign up for a class at your local SoulCycle studio visit www.soul-cycle.com. We want to hear from you! Do you have a SoulCycle experience that you want to share?  Or would you like to share your favorite workout experience with us! Email us at [email protected] with the subject Black Bride Fit Club or leave a comment below.

 

Written by our Wedding Features Editor, C.K. Alexander. C.K. is the creator of the Single Bride Blog and the  owner and founder of  Love Ink and Brownstone Bridal. Keep up with C.K. on Twitter here: @Love_Ink

 

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