Since last fall, the Flywheel ‘Stadium’ has been a place that I have called a second home. As I mentioned in my post about FlyBarre, it is a place where instructors become friends and each class has an opportunity to set a personal best. I think what drove me to try Flywheel initially was that I had tried a few spin classes in Arizona last summer at a place called the Madison Improvement Club. Their spin class was unique in that it’s called ‘Party on a Bike’ and the class is done in the dark with back lights and occasionally a live DJ. The concept of going to workout at 10am on a Sunday and feeling like I was in a club was interesting and created the a unique mix of a hard workout + good music. Having seen posts about Soul Cycle and Flywheel becoming the ‘thing to do’ in New York and LA, I checked out the Flywheel website and found that they had a studio in Philadelphia! I took my first class and was hooked!
It took me a few months to come back, but when I did I committed. The unique thing about Flywheel is that each month you have a chance to earn a free tank-top by simply accumulating enough ‘power.’ Though I could go to a store a buy a workout shirt for a lot less than a monthly membership, it’s the hours of energy, heart and soul that are put into earning that shirt that makes it worth it. Flywheel’s motto is Never Coast and that is something I have connected with. In life it is important to enjoy the ride, but it is also important to never just glide by. There are plenty of times where I have wanted to take the easy way out and sometimes I do (I’m human), but walking into the studio multiple times a week reminded me that it is important to always try and give 100%, even if it’s giving 100% to relaxing. One of my goals through the rest of the year is to make that motto even more of my daily life.
Back to why I fly..
You can read how the class and scoring system works on their website, but what the website won’t tell you is that when you walk into the stadium in any city, the instructor is just as excited to talk to you as you are to talk to them. Have a song request? Tell them or tweet them and chances are it will get played the next time you are in class, sometimes with a shoutout. Need a hand setting up the bike? Ask anyone, even another rider, and they are happy to help you. Flywheel is unique because it is more than just a class, it’s a community (check out the #flyfam hashtag on instagram). Anyways, I want to give a special shoutout / thanks to some amazing instructors in Philly who I have enjoyed riding with and have missed this summer!
> Nicole Hinterberger
> Ryan Wood
> Amandah Povilitus
> Tal Meirson
> Hannah Lee
First classes at Flywheel are free and if you’re a student like me they offer a pretty great discount. Check it out here: flywheelsports.com
– AS.
