I am very open about the fact that I hate the gym. I don’t like the concrete walls, the loud machines, and the constant presence of gym bros. The concept of working out in public where everyone can see me struggle has never sounded like a fun time to me. My easily distracted brain doesn’t enjoy lifting things over and over again or squatting a hundred times. I applaud all my gym friends who are stronger than me; I want to be as ripped as them. Suffice it to say, I always thought exercise would have to be a summer outdoor activity for me to enjoy it. I love biking, rollerblading, swimming, and hiking, and just assumed all summer I would have to lay about doing nothing.
As a chronic pain sufferer, one day I found myself googling the best exercises for my symptoms. My father is an athlete, and he had always been encouraging me to exercise for both my mental and physical health. He is a semi-professional cyclist and he has always been trying to get me on a bike. On my deep dive, I read that cycling was good for people who have joint pain- I was immediately intrigued. Right away I started researching various gyms in the area that offered cycling classes, comparing the cost per class and what other benefits they offered.
I eventually decided on FireCycle Studio in Waltham, MA. They’re just an 8-minute drive from campus. I had even successfully convinced my roommates to take the first class with me at 8 am on a Saturday. I was absolutely nervous going in, but our instructor Jordan made sure we understood everything about the bikes and how the class worked. The first class was grueling. I spent a significant amount of it just sitting in the saddle and trying to catch my breath. Despite the difficulty, it was one of the most fun things I had ever done. The room was dark except for the occasional colored lights that would come on for different songs. The music was blasting, and everyone was working so hard. By the end, my friend and I were filled with adrenaline and hysterically laughing at the fact that we couldn’t feel our legs.
My friend didn’t end up coming back with me, but I’ve been going to spin classes ever since. By the third class, I was officially obsessed. I love feeling strong and powerful as I work harder in every class. I love being able to see the changes it’s made to my body, and how ripped I’ve become; I can absolutely feel it helping my chronic pain. I love the blasting music and the colorful lights. I love the bonds I’ve made with the instructor and my classmates. I’ll be so sad when I go home for the summer and have to find a new class, but I’ll definitely be back at Fire Cycle in the fall. If you’ve ever found exercise boring, I highly recommend trying a spin class.