So here’s some real talk. Before I tried it, I believed every stereotype of Soul Cycle. I was sure it was somewhere between a religion and a cult and I was sure all of the people would be superficial and full of themselves. I was sure I wouldn’t fit in because I’m not super skinny and I definitely wouldn’t only rock a sports bra during the class.

Well, guess what. Some of those stereotypes hold true but 99% of them don’t. Yes, there were a lot of gorgeous girls wearing nothing more than sports bras. But no, they were not full of themselves. The exact opposite actually! I was blown away by the community, by how kind and sincere everyone was. My instructor was not only super fit and super motivating, but she was also beyond kind – and authentically kind.

Soul Cycle is Spiritual

I would say that Soul Cycle did feel spiritual, but definitely not a cult. I can see why it might have a cult following, but it’s not a cult. People love it because it makes you feel amazing! The instructor, the signs on the wall, all of it is there to make you feel good about yourself, to remind yourself that you’re powerful and amazing. The way my instructor spoke – she was basically the internal dialogue I should have with myself, but don’t. She said things like, “you’re powerful, you’re amazing, you can accomplish so much more than you think.” Honestly, it was the internal dialogue we should all have – it’s all about self-love and self-acceptance. If that makes it a cult, then I’m ready to join.

The Energy and Environment is Motivating

I also found the environment so motivating – not just the instructor – but the pumping music and the lights show. If you haven’t done Soul Cycle yet, it’s basically like you’re at a concert but you’re part of a community of performers. The lights go on and off depending on if you’re doing a high-intensity interval or if you’re in a cool-down, catch-your-breath phase.

I also loved that the experience could be self-paced. Having the lights low actually made me feel more comfortable in the group setting. I generally don’t love group classes because I don’t feel motivated to compete against the girl next to me. In this setting, you’re really only competing against yourself. So if you need to ease up, you can, and if you feel the energy to go hard, you can. No one is judging you and the entire time your instructor is shouting motivating things with high-intensity music.

I did receive my class for free because I was working with a brand at the event and the people from BlogHer for the BlogHer Health conference, but my review is not sponsored. I felt compelled to write this story because I was shocked by how much I loved Soul Cycle. If you had asked me before the class if I would like it, I’m sure I would have said, “I hate spinning, I doubt I’ll like it.” Well guess what, I loved it! I’m already trying to figure out how I can go again.

The One Negative

The one caveat I’d say is that Soul Cycle isn’t that affordable for the average person. It is quite expensive at between $20 and $30 per class. I personally couldn’t fathom going more than a couple of times a month at that price tag. I’m not saying it’s not worth the cost. I’m just saying that my current gym membership is $30 a month, so the thought of one class being the same cost, it just doesn’t fit into my budget. However, I definitely will try to do Soul Cycle whenever I can, and it would definitely be a fun thing to do with my girlfriends rather than go out to a meal.

Overall, I’m so glad I tried Soul Cycle and this is the perfect reminder that our stereotypes are often unfounded. If you don’t think you’d like it either, I urge you to try. It really was more than I ever expected.

Photo provided by SheKnows.