Happy & Healthy

New York ontmoet Amsterdam

Yes, we can soul cycle

It was already buzzing through the city. Soulcycle would come to Amsterdam. You know, spinning (cycling very hard) in the dark with candlelight to hard hits (think Michael Jackson, J. Lo, Usher, etc.). In New York, you can find a soul cycling gym on almost every corner of the street, and you're not crazy at all if you hop on your bike at 6 in the morning. The real stars (Kimmie K, DvF, Sarah Jessica Parker) get on 10 minutes later and are also a bit earlier finished. In the dark, so no one sees them.

Elke, editor and translator of Amayzine International, hopped on our own bike to the very first soul cycling class at ROCYCLE, founded by Rogier van Duyn.

A kind of hotel

A ticket for a ride might be a bit of a shock. We're talking about 18 euros. But then, the changing rooms are indeed sparkling clean, there’s a row of bottles from my favorite brand Zenology in the shower, and there are freshly washed towels. It’s definitely worth that amount. And I haven't even mentioned the bin with cotton pads and hair ties. That’s something you always forget, but it’s right there for the taking. Everything has been thought of.

On the bike

In the room, there are at least 50 bikes, each equipped with two weights and a small (sweat) towel (even more service!). The lights go out, the candles are lit, and it can begin. You can choose between a 45-minute class or an hour. Whatever you choose, you will be exhausted. You continuously cycle at a high pace, and the resistance (or the heaviness of pedaling) is constantly adjusted. And then you alternate between standing, sitting, standing, and sitting again, and you do this with weights. All of this happens to incredibly loud dance music. Deephouse, pop, hip hop, R&B, or soul. So nice, you might almost forget that you are training hard. And also nice: no one sees your sweaty face, so somehow you try even harder.