Sermon on the Bike: My First SoulCycle Experience

“Now is not the time to give up. All of us chose to be here; we are a team united together in this room.” These were the wise, empowering words spoken by Kara, the SoulCycle instructor I had for my first experience at Kelly’s Rippa’s mecca. The bathroom was decked out with photos of and quotes from the LBT (Little Blonde Thing), proving her dedication and loyalty to the cause. Apparently Lena Dunham is a fan, too, according to a cutout from “Us Weekly.”

Serving as one of two co-editors for my school's chapter of HerCampus.com has its perks, and receiving a HerCampus Back-to-School Survival Kit this year is one of them. Though the BOGO Chipotle cards were tough to beat, the nine free SoulCycle passes were the most coveted items. So, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, five of us from HC staff went to Santa Monica and had our first SoulCycle experience. Here’s what I learned:

1. You don’t know what sweating is until you’ve done SoulCycle. The shower I took when I got home was the best/most necessary I’ve ever had.
2. Upon departure, you will understand the science behind endorphins. I left SoulCycle in such a good mood that I nearly skipped to the parking structure across the street. 
3. You will never appreciate a dimly lit room more than you will at SoulCycle. Who you become in a SoulCycle room is not who you are outside of one; no one needs or wants to see anyone ‘tap it back’ (SoulCycle lingo) in a well-lit area.
4. You will want your instructor to be your best friend. Not only was Kara fun, fit, and fabulous – she was life-changing. Or at least she was for the hour I sat on my bike. If Kara-ism was a thing and she asked us to convert mid-cycle, I’m sure we would have done so happily.
5. You will want to live a SoulCycle life. The clothes, sessions, accessories? I wanted them all after the class. SoulCycle even has its own candle that I would happily burn in my house.

Would I go back to SoulCycle? Definitely. Will I become a regular at SoulCycle? Probably not. I can see myself going every once in a while, but its location and pricing makes it a little hard to justify doing consistently. I also love working out on my own. Kara was an awesome instructor, but running on my own is my favorite way to unwind and workout on a day-to-day basis. However, now that I’ve gone to a class, I can justify wearing SoulCycle’s awesome workout wear. I might even cave and get the candle.