I attended my first Cycle class here at URI three years ago. My friend invited me to go with her, she’d been going regularly and was loving it. I thought “Why not?” I didn’t think it would be too tough for me considering I am an athlete. Boy was I wrong. I immediately started dripping sweat and trying to catch my breath as I pedaled up the imaginary hills. It was definitely a tough class leaving me feeling very accomplished and slightly embarrassed (because I thought it would be too easy).

People may pay around $20 per class to go to a private cycle studio. How lucky are we that we can attend as many as we want for FREE? Cycling is a great workout! Paired with some upbeat tunes you’ll never want to quit pedaling!

Here I am three years later, giving Cycle another chance. Thankfully, I was able to prepare myself a little bit better this time!

How to sign up

In order to sign up use IMleagues, each class registration opens at noon the day before the class. I signed up for a 9 am class in Fascitelli on a Saturday morning.

Make sure you register online for class because they fill up! If they’re filled you can always join the waitlist.

What do I wear?

You don’t need any special clothing or shoes to wear for class, just normal athletic wear, and sneakers! 

I suggest wearing long bike shorts or leggings to prevent your legs from rubbing against the seat. I also suggest wearing a tank top and bringing a towel because you will sweat! 

Arrival

Since I commute, I arrived on campus about 20 minutes early so I had ample time to walk from the Mackal parking lot up to Fascitelli. When you arrive at the gym you swipe in at the welcome center and head downstairs, the studio is straight back on the left.

I checked in with the Fitwell attendant and placed my bag in the cubbies next to the studio.

I was feeling good, I woke up that morning with enough time to have a light breakfast (avocado toast… YUM) and a cup of coffee.

I would recommend eating before class but giving yourself enough time to digest because you bounce and go up and down a lot! Also, make sure to drink water because you’ll work up a sweat in no time!

Classes are also offered in the group exercise room in Tootell! Water bottle refill stations are located in both facilities.

Class time!

I’m not going to lie, I was mentally preparing myself for the past 24 hrs given my previous experience with the class. My plan was to be mindful when turning up the resistance, last time I took Cycle I got a little too confident while turning the switch up.

The instructor introduced herself and went through the participants making sure we had our seats adjusted to the appropriate height (about hip height).

She gave a brief overview of how the resistance switch works and we got to pedaling!

The Sweat Sesh

The music started playing and we began pedaling, starting with a light warm up I felt my legs begin to loosen up. The instructor then tells us to increase the resistance for the first riding song.

The first verse of the song begins and we start out slow….. As the chorus approached the instructor prompts us to turn up our resistance and to stand up while peddling. We were going up a “hill” my heart rate was raised quickly and I pushed through the initial shock in my legs and chest.

This repeated throughout the rest of the song and then we were instructed to turn our resistance low to cruise “down the hill”. I felt good, I adjusted quickly to the standing and made sure to keep my resistance to something I could handle.

The next song began…. During the chorus, we were sitting and standing. “UP”… “DOWN” the instructor would repeat. My legs were BURNING, but a good burn, the kind of burn that would feel good the next day as long as I stretch afterward.

At the end of class, we slowed down to cool down our legs. Next, we got off the bikes and stretched.

Once I made it back to my car I made sure to sip on some water and eat a granola bar so I didn’t feel too fatigued.

OVERALL

I’m really glad I gave Cyle another chance. After class, I felt great and it set the tone for my entire day. I wasn’t too sore afterward because I was mindful about how hard I pushed myself during class.

The instructor used a great playlist that really motivated me during the tough parts of the class.

If you are a Cycle beginner or expert I definitely recommend this class! The instructor offers modifications for all skill levels. Cycle is a great way to get a workout in, being in a class with other people is extremely motivating.

If you don’t enjoy class the first time or think it was too difficult I recommend trying it at least twice before you swear it off altogether. It took me two tries to really appreciate the high intensity and duration of this workout.

Interested in class? Check out the schedule on IMleagues and sign up! Bring a friend and motivate each other!

See ya next week!
-Leah