Why we should stop comparing Flywheel and SoulCycle

I get this question all the time “Kaitlin, which one do you prefer, SoulCycle or Flywheel?”

 Before I start, I want to say that I am in no way saying that one studio is better than the other. The point of this post is to directly address the differences between the two and why they should not be compared so much. 

 I started out my cycling career at Flywheel Alpharetta. If you don’t know much about Flywheel, their classes are stadium style seating and the room is completely dark and the only lights are the single one on the instructor or the two screens that project the TorqBoard during class. And what is a TorqBoard? This is where the competiveness of Fly comes into play. The Board is where, if you choose, your power score will show up and you can compete with other riders. The competiveness of Flywheel is what made me fall in love with the workout. Coming from an athletic background, I had a very competitive nature and being able to push myself harder and get to the top of the board determined how good my workout was. For those who do not want to publicize their score with the class, they can use their power score to compete against themselves from ride to ride. Most Flywheel classes are ones that you can either choose to follow the instructor or you can sit down, get into your own space and just ride. 

 Before I talk about SoulCycle, I want to add that I have taught a style of cycle almost identical to Soul. It was a hard adjustment for me to go from a total number based workout to one that just was defined by turns on a resistance knob. The only number that I could get after a class was the number of calories my Apple Watch says I burned. This was a huge adjustment for me because I had been an avid Flywheel goer for almost two and a half years at that point. 

 SoulCycle, in my opinion, it a totally different workout. I just started to go to SoulCycle five months ago, because they just opened a studio in Atlanta! SoulCycle is a rhythm based class, which means that the whole class rides together and there are a lot more movements (choreography) involved to get a fuller body workout. Soul has no competiveness in their classes and they want every rider to be following the instructors lead. SoulCycle is a place where they want you to show your personality on the bike. The room at SoulCycle is also completely dark and it is candlelit. The instructors at Soul also have more room to show their personality as they can get off their bike and engage with the class. 

 But what is the real difference? They are both just spin classes, right? 

 Well, it is up to you. I love both workouts equally and it all depends on how I am feeling when choosing to go to a Fly or Soul class. Whenever I feel like I just need a good sweat, I go to SoulCycle that is my escape for 45 minutes of the day. I go to Flywheel when I have a lot on my mind or I am missing the competiveness of playing volleyball. Some people will say they dislike one or the other, which is completely okay. Both studios also have a sense of community, and I have been lucky enough to be a part of both communities in Atlanta.  But comparing the two studios is not a valid argument because even though they provide basically the same workout, each one is unique on how it is presented to the client. 

 My advice to someone who is trying to decide between the two (or attend both like me!), go try them out! At the end of the day, staying active and healthy is all that matters.

 Comment on this post if you have any questions and want to know more!

Xoxo, 

-kk