I begin my walk up Thayer Street from Wriston Quad to the Nelson Fitness Center. Today I’m lacking a certain enthusiasm. An enthusiasm that is bright yellow and grapefruit scented. That offers free Orbit gum, endless hair ties, face wash, and tampons. Torn away from these thoughts, I continue my trek to the gym with my head held low. I enter the Nelson and fumble to get my swipe card out for a subpar workout. One that is lacking in vibrant accoutrements and extremely small workout clothes adorned with the iconic wheel logo and the word “SOUL” printed everywhere. My workout at the Nels will never be as good as SoulCycle.
My SoulCycle world has not yet combined with my school world. I keep my love for powerful, synchronized cycling with a group of twenty women and three men to the confines of my hometown. My SoulCycle t-shirt lays hidden in my bottom drawer, afraid to see the light of day. It doesn’t want to face the ridicule from my peers. It knows what they’ll say: that it is a product of a capitalist enterprise. Okay, you caught me. I don’t want people to know that I am a hardcore SoulCycle enthusiast. I know it’s a fad, but I love it. There, I said it. I love SoulCycle.
I’m embarrassed to confess my love for SoulCycle because I am aware of the hate that it gets; I’ve seen that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt episode. But put aside all the ridiculousness surrounding the SoulCycle cult and just admit that the workout is incredible.
The music is the best part. An overwhelming euphoric high consumes my body when I’m cycling in beat with everyone else. It is at this moment that my cycling transforms into dancing. I start bobbing up and down, nodding my head, and mouthing the words to Major Lazer’s “Bubble Butt.”
The instructors have become my own personal celebrities. Having an instructor call out your name mid-cycle to praise your arm presses must be exactly like having Beyonce graze your cheek with her hand. Their inspiring words make me want to climb up that hill without lowering the resistance. They make me want to walk out of the studio and not immediately collapse on my couch when I get home – which is what I end up doing anyways. But the SoulCycle instructors make me want to do something productive afterwards. It’s the thought that counts!
What I love most about SoulCycle, though, is that it makes me love working out. For someone who avoids walking her dog around the block once, this is an impressive feat. With this newfound love, I have become a healthier and more active person. This alone makes SoulCycle completely worth it, even if admitting it makes me look pretty basic.
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