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Founded in 2006, the company has 82 locations across the country including three in Westchester, N.Y. (Scarsdale, Bronxville and Rye Brook).
If you haven't been -- their 45-minute indoor class features cardiovascular training, muscle sculpting and rhythm-based choreography set to energetic music -- you no doubt know someone who has.
And who's raved about it.
Folks -- men and women alike -- love it to the point of extremes. The company serves approximately 70 million people and counting.
Spearheading the challenging exercises are the trainers who motivate and push patrons to their limits, offering a sweaty spiritual vibe that draws in riders with a godlike following.
So, how do they do it? And what makes this workout so phenomenal? This being the time of new year resolutions and get-in-shape promises, we went to SoulCycle Instructor Julie Ferrer for some insight.
Daily Voice: Why do you love SoulCycle?
Julie Ferrer: How much time do I have?! I could name a million reasons as to why I love SoulCycle, but the number one thing is the people.
As a whole, it's the best community in the entire world. One that trusts, inspires, and is constantly creating a space of unbelievable strength, courage, and love for not only themselves but each other.
DV: What's your advice on staying motivated?
JF: Set goals, make it fun and part of your routine and grab a friend. Small goals or big goals -- whatever the size -- make them tangible with your everyday life. I always suggest starting small and building from there.
Making it fun and part of your routine is easier said than done, but it's the days where you don't want to do it, but you do it any way that are the most rewarding.
Lastly, grabbing a friend, whether they join/help/hold you accountable, is always helpful. A friend tends to give you that extra push when you'll need it the most. Or a picture of Justin Timberlake can also do the trick...
DV: Any advice on healing sore muscles, blisters, or any other effects of working out?
JF: Specifically for sore muscles, I swear by the basics of drinking enough water, foam rolling and stretching on the regular, but I'm also a huge fan of cryotherapy.
I've been doing cryotherapy for about six months and have drastically seen a difference in my recovery time and the way my legs feel after a crazy week of teaching. It has so many awesome health benefits and I especially love how quickly it reduces swelling, soreness, and gives me a boost of energy.
DV: What's your favorite type of workout playlist and why?
JF: My favorite is a mix of contemporary/pop dance remixes and EDM (Electronic Dance Music)/house music with some big drops. I was always a fan of this type of music when I was a rider because it made me feel like I can just let go and let the music get me through the class, but I'm also a sucker for those songs that make you really feel something.
I believe music is extremely therapeutic so I love a good song that makes you want to cry/laugh/smile because it reminds you of something special. For example, "Pompeii" by Bastille will always remind me of running the NYC marathon in 2015. It got me through some of my toughest miles.
DV: What would surprise people to know about SoulCycle?
JF: I recently spoke to someone who had never been to SoulCycle and it was partly because she couldn't find a "beginner" class. She was shocked to hear that all classes are the same and there are no entry level classes.
No matter the class, we welcome beginner and advanced riders. I explained for the beginners, the instructors will give plenty of options throughout the class and coach them through how it's supposed to feel.
By no means is there an expectation to be able to keep up with it all in the first class, but to focus on the basics because once you get those down, everything else will fall into place.
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