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| Image via winick.us |
With one last double-check of my iPhone to make sure it's in airplane mode (that time when a co-worker called during class really scarred me...), I clip in my orange shoes and ask "Alright, 7 AM-Team Revolve, you ready to do this?!". Even though they're the first class of the day, they always bring the energy. Every Tuesday I'm amazed!
Today we're warming up to DJ Notixx's remix of Ellie Goulding's Burn. I love this track because it provides the perfect moment to take a deep breath, acknowledge all of your challenges, frustrations and disappointments and then just exhale and let them go. "Take 45 minutes to yourself to find some clarity. It's not selfish, it's totally needed," I breathe into the mic. And then we go hard. For 45 incredible minutes.
We New Yorkers are pretty intense about, well, everything. Our fitness is no exception; yet, I think we often compartmentalize ourselves in our workouts. We crave our sweaty, calorie-burning cardio in a cycling class, then want our quiet, introspective zen-fix in a yoga class. Don't get me wrong... I'm a huge fan of cross-training - it's so important. But, we're complicated creatures, and I think it's vital to always bring all three components to our workout: body, mind and spirit. Here you'll get the best results.
I want my class to give riders that option - investing everything in the moment we're in and in the work we're doing for the change we want. I'm not going to be the person running up to your bike barking in your face to give more, push harder and prove something to me. We all have those people in our lives daily, we don't need more of them.
Instead, my passion is helping people discover the strength in themselves that they maybe didn't know they had.
It's my passion to empower.
Currently, one of my favorite drills in class is to use a track that has some real emotion behind the lyric and beat (right now, I'm loving Jessie J's Who You Are and Switchfoot's Dare You to Move) and plunging the room into complete darkness. I tell the class it's all theirs to discover how strong they are and take it wherever they need to go, then I just count them into the pushes. The feeling in the room is out of this world. Riders challenge themselves even more - pushing harder, knowing they're not hitting a goal I'm setting for them. It's their goal and their moment.
Physically, my ride is going to push the limits. It's often described as ridiculously challenging, yet not impossible. That's my sweet spot. I refuse to let riders leave feeling defeated. Even if you don't hit the RPMs I call during the pushes, the thing that matters most to me is that you're fully committed to the challenge. That's the one thing I will push riders towards.
The Revolve method is spot on - we're a Schwinn studio and each instructor is certified through Schwinn. Basically, it boils down to the premise that we don't do anything on the bike indoors that we wouldn't (or couldn't) do outdoors.
My personal philosophy is that you dance on the floor and ride on the bike - two equally exhilarating activities, but totally separate at the same time. Revolve rides are authentic, and definitely the safest. My pre-class conversations always include pointing out the difference between no resistance and light resistance on the bike. If you're flying at crazy RPMs with no resistance, you'll feel a bounce in your pedal stroke; your hips, like Shakira's, won't lie and you'll be shaking in your saddle. So what? So this means you're beating your joints up, they're going to haaaaaaate you the next day, and you risk injury. Also, you're not really doing any effective work in class. You should always feel the road beneath you, even sprinting downhill requires a little resistence. It ensures that you, not the bike, are in control of the ride.
Revolve offers three rides: The Real Ride (45 minutes of cycling), The Body Ride (45 minutes, containing two segments of intense cycling broken up with an upper body weight segment in the middle) and The RIP Ride (60 minutes, containing two upper body weight segments interspersed with three intense cycling segments). I have to say, we honestly have the best workout from a cycling class that I've ever experienced.
I could gush for pages and pages, but I'll close by sharing what I love most about Revolve - our community. Hands down! Everyone belongs here, and you feel that the moment you walk in when our incomparable front desk staff greets you. Also, our instructors are out of this world. We have this awesome nurturing family environment and we love riding in each others' classes. I'm incredibly thankful to have found this place where I belong and I'm valued.
With that being said, it's my pleasure to invite you to check out our community! Your first ride is on us! Just go to our website and set up an account. Then click 'Buy Rides', select '1 Ride' and use the code FRF2012NY to get your first class free!
See you there!
Growing up as a kid who wasn't exactly the most athletic, Jonathan was surprised when he fell in love with indoor cycling after moving to NYC. Ecstatic to find a fitness program that challenged and inspired him, he now brings those qualities to each of his rides, counting himself fortunate to play even the smallest part in empowering others. He loves nothing more than seeing riders take the strength and success achieved in class and allowing it to permeate every area of their lives. Certified through Schwinn, he's been described as an instructor who has the ability to resurrect music in his perfectly curated playlists. You'll hear everything from Top 40 to the raddest mash-ups, from alternative to throwbacks. Jonathan believes there is amazing power in music; when we allow ourselves to center in on a lyric, melody or rhythm, we can achieve amazing things. You'll leave class ready to conquer whatever else lies ahead of you! To see Jonathan's class schedule, click here.
If you want to jog for cardio get a good pair of running shoes. If you want to bike then get an inexpensive used bike. Don’t get anything with gears, we don’t want maintenance problems here as we are trying to save time not add more complications to our life and besides, the idea is to get more exercise and you get more on a one speed bike than a 21speed! Make sure you get one that will let you raise the seat to the proper height.
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