Awesome Spin Studios in NYC (That Aren't SoulCycle)
When Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice opened SoulCycle in a small studio on Manhattan’s Upper West Side they changed the game. It was 2002, and the concept of boutique fitness didn’t really exist yet. Charging upwards of $30 for 45 minutes of indoor cycling was a tough sell at first, but as word spread of a sweat-drenched, full-body workout with awesome playlists and a yoga-like spiritual element, classes began to garner waitlists.
In the proceeding decade, thanks to the unprecedented success of the SoulCycle model, the market exploded. There are now hundreds of spin studios in New York City aspiring to offer clients an experience that takes them beyond the monotony of the gym bike. Here are five of the best.
1. IMAXShift
Gym, Sports Center
The DUMBO location is essentially a movie theatre, complete with a gigantic screen and booming audio, that provides the rider with a totally immersive workout.
Instructors and the in-house creative team work together to blend music (think new tunes and remixes aplenty) with intense visuals, so one moment you’re soaring over vertical coastline at sunset, before drifting through the infinite galaxy, and then riding an abstract virtual velodrome. The whole journey is perfectly choreographed in a way that distracts from how tough the workout is and 45 minutes seems to pass in the blink of an eye.
2. AQUA Studio NY
Fitness Studio, Gym, Swimming Pool, Health Spa
3. Studio 360
Yoga Studio, Gym
This class is all about balancing the body. If you’re a spin fanatic with strong legs and under-used arms, poses like Chaturanga will help build strength in the upper body. It’s also great for maintaining flexibility in the hamstrings, which tend to be short and tight in cyclists. You’ll leave feeling like you got an extremely well-rounded workout.
Gothic, vampy, edgy and irreverent, The Monster Cycle feels like a cross between a nightclub and Lady Gaga’s lair.
Playlists are curated by the team of instructors, who are way cooler than you are, so don’t expect to hear too many mainstream chart toppers. The room is lit only by black-lights and TV screens playing artsy videos that correspond to the soundtrack, and peddling fast and hard to the rhythm is encouraged.
182 Lafayette St, New York, USA, 10013 +1 646 692 4703
Every ? ? should be adorned w/ #leather
A photo posted by MNSTR CYCLE (@themonstercycle) on Mar 17, 2016 at 7:12am PDT
4. Peloton Cycle
Store
The live classes are hosted and broadcast from Peloton’s studio in Chelsea, where riders can view their metrics thanks to state of the art technology, tracking their improvements and smashing goals as they go. Join one of the live music rides where the DJ and instructors vibe off each other, taking the nightclub ambiance to the next level.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.