NEW STUDIO IN CALGARY TAKES FITNESS BUFFS FOR A SPIN
New Calgary studio cashing in on Soulcycle trend — without the pretensions
Picture this: You are in a dimly lit room, manic music blaring at decibels usually reserved for Red Hot Chili Peppers concerts. You’re clad in figure-flattering Lycra and someone is shouting commands that are simultaneously thrilling and frightening. Your muscles are quivering, the sweat is dripping, and you’re letting out guttural noises that cannot be distinguished as pleasure or pain. No, you’re not living out a dungeon scene from 50 Shades of Grey. Although there is a similar sadistic element at play here, you, my friend, are experiencing the torture-cum-joy that can only be found in a group spin studio.
Since the emergence of New York-based indoor cycling chain SoulCycle in 2006, the concept of spin class has been gaining momentum as the ideal method of torching calories and achieving a “celebrity body.” It doesn’t hurt that many a celebrity can be found in SoulCycle’s studios across New York State and, since the fall, in Los Angeles. The first to introduce upper body workouts into a traditional spin format, owners Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice have now built a hard-bodied following that came for the burn but stayed for the carefully designed SoulCycle experience. Every detail of SoulCycle’s classes, from the lighting design and music, to the look of the instructors (they are mostly actors and dancers by trade) and their motivational speeches, are all part of the production. And apparently, this show is a hit. Cutler and Rice’s mission to help people enjoy the experience of exercise has been accomplished for many customers. As an added bonus, they also developed what Vanity Fair deemed the world’s first “luxury fitness cult.”
If the notion of sweating profusely alongside 39 other endorphin junkies appeals to you, here’s the good news: you don’t need to wait for a trip to New York or L.A. to experience a combination spin and upper body workout. You can make it part of your regular workout regime in Calgary thanks to the new One Cycle Spin Studio. The brainchild of Paul and Elmira Barry, owners of Hot Yoga on 17th and Hot Yoga on Crowfoot, the studio just opened its doors in Mission last weekend.
While the Barrys recognize SoulCycle as a “very strong and popular brand” and are aiming to offer something more than the typical fitness-class experience, they aren’t looking to recreate Soul’s “cult-y” vibe. “We created One Cycle with a vision of ‘oneness’ in mind—with a goal of bringing people together to move and breath as one, in a safe, welcoming, and very fun environment,” explains Barry, a 39-year-old yogi who has called Calgary home for the past 14 years. “In our experience with yoga, when you can create a unified community, it is a very powerful thing.” One Cycle will have the same connected feeling clients experience when they visit one of the Barry’s yoga studios, just with an even more energized feel.
The Barrys also are not looking to create the somewhat elitist feel that comes along with SoulCycle’s $32 price for a single 45-minute workout. Those truly addicted to Soul’s formula of sweat and spirituality, like Kelly Ripa and Lady Gaga, are even willing to shell out the $60 per class required for the “SuperSoul” package, which grants front-of-the-line access to class reservations. That’s right, just like at the hottest nightclubs, if you want to cut the line (or reserve a bike, as the case may be), you’d better be someone important, or at the very least, have a very important-looking bank account. Calgarians, on the other hand, need only shell out $17 (a pretty standard dropin fee for most yoga studios and fitness classes in the city), to get their wheels turning at One Cycle.
If it sounds like One Cycle is offering Calgarians all the upsides of SoulCycle’s formula without any of the pretension attached, that’s the point. You get the chic-looking studio, complete with topof-the-line spin bikes and Zen-infused design. You get the ripped instructors, the high-energy music, and the mood-boost that comes with it. Most of all, though, you reap all the physical benefits that come along with a maximum calorieburn workout with minimal impact on your joints.
While SoulCycle was criticized by a number of exercise physiologists when it first introduced the concept of a total body workout on a stationary bike, it is now thought that as long as enough focus is put on form and alignment, and the weights used are in the three-pound range, the potential for injury is no greater than a workout out of the saddle. “We have worked with some of the most qualified industry professionals to develop our spin programs,” Barry says. “In just 45 minutes you will lengthen and strengthen leg muscles, encourage core stability, tone biceps and triceps, and improve cardiovascular health without any of the pounding on your joints that comes along with so many other forms of cardio.” Whether you are a spinning enthusiast from way back or are just looking to shake up your fitness program this winter, One Cycle is worth a visit. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you, you might find yourself addicted.