Hate the Gym? Then Try This…

Hate the gym? Well, this alternative might be for you and St. George has a few places to check out if this sounds like the right fit.  

SPIN CLASS! 

Now here me out, I know this is still gym-esque but there are a ton of differences that make this 100 percent better than going to the weights or treadmill. I am not a fan of the gym or gym culture in general. I have been to a few in town, and I just find them to be boring. No matter what music I play, what videos I watch, or what goals I set, the motivation seems to just pitter out.  

So, I thought I would try a spin class on the recommendation of a good friend of mine from AZ. We used to figure skate together and she constantly raves about her spin classes.  

After looking through a few local options, I decided on The Hype which offers a free first class to locals.  

I was honestly not sure what to expect and just put on some workout clothes and headed out for the 9 a.m. class on Sunday morning. I walked in with “deer-in-the-headlights" eyes and was immediately helped by a lady at the front desk.  

She asked my shoe size, handed me a pair and the instructor Nicole Saxby helped me to a bike.  

Now, I did do a few things prior to this. I downloaded the app, checked out pricing, selected the 45-minute class and picked my bike. It was a super cool feature of the app, and it was easy to use! 

Saxby looked me dead in the eye and told me to sit down when I needed to. So, I did.  

The energy was FANTASTIC and though it was mostly female during my class, there was a mix. So, yes, guys do spin class too.  

Again...I HAD NO IDEA WHAT ANY OF THIS ENTAILED.  

The special shoes get locked into the bike so you can’t escape, I mean hurt yourself with your foot coming loose. There's a sweat rag prepared for you and the lights dim when class starts. It very much felt like one of those immersive movies or rides at a theme park at first.  

Then, you start cycling. The music pumps and the dimmed lights add to cooling down the room. Everyone looked ready to do battle (not me, I still had no clue what was happening). The instructor yells at you positively and you start.  

Don’t get me wrong, the first bit was such a struggle but between the music, the positivity and the cool lighting, I wasn’t bored at all. I felt that I could push myself and when I needed to sit down, I did.  

A judgment free zone.

The woman next to me was very helpful and helped me with the weights located on the back for the arms portion. Yes, it’s a FULL BODY workout.   

The music was great, and the instructors really know what they are doing. One thing Saxby yelled out during the class that has stuck with me is, “working out isn’t a pain, it’s a privilege.”  

Saxby yelled out “only two songs left, you can do this.” I genuinely thought this was one of those tactics where they just keep telling you one more and it's actually five more. Nope, the class just flew by, and I had FUN. 

A lady came in to give off cooled down (eucalyptus?) rags and boy, did we need them. However, everyone was smiling and despite my jelly limbs, so was I. It was the first great workout I had had in YEARS.  

So, if you hate the gym this could definitely be for you. In fact, I highly recommend it and I will be signing up for five more classes later this week at The Hype because honestly, they can have all my money for that kind of experience.  

If you’re interested, here is a link.  

Let me know if you have or are planning to try a spin class and how it went!