I dread working out. I don’t find it relaxing, I don’t find it fun and I don’t enjoy anything about it. Or so I thought.

Early March 2017:

My friend Taylor and I are texting about going to Barre Code and thinking we should try somewhere else for variety. Taylor suggests Elevate, a fitness studio then only towards Papillion in Omaha.

Mid-March 2017:

Taylor and I both drive from West Omaha to Elevate for a Thursday evening CycleBarre class. I have no idea what to expect. We get there and are greeted by Sarah, the owner of the studio. We are given a pair of shoes to “clip in” and get on the bikes, snap chatting pictures of ourselves, obviously. For the next 20 minutes, we are engulfed in sweat doing what feels like both an arm and leg workout on the bike. The music is loud and it’s super dark so no one can see how much I’m actually struggling. I feel like I am literally going up a mountain with each turn of resistance. When it’s time to get off the bike, I imagine the barre section of class to be relaxing. LOL – what was I thinking? We do “hundreds” workouts for abs and use the barre for another 20 minutes. By the time the class is almost over, I feel like I could have lost 5 lbs just sweating. My butt hurts for like three days. But… I don’t hate it. I found cycling to be semi-relaxing. I don’t know if it’s because it’s dark, because Sarah plays a Top 40-like playlist or because I feel legitimately good after. I think to myself, “I might go again.”

Summer 2017:

Taylor and I text about the new studio of Elevate opening in Rockbrook, really close to both of us. We see free class trials on Facebook, but pass up the opportunity. I had just moved to Fremont and I don’t know how that would work with my schedule.

Last Week:

I don’t really know what came over me, but I felt like cycling. Since summer, I’ve gone to a few cycling classes at the Fremont YMCA, but they weren’t comparable to the experience I had at Elevate. On my way to work, I randomly decided to book a cycling class over lunch.

That Day:

I headed to Rockbrook at noon in my leggings and tank. The new Elevate studio is big and welcoming – and Sarah somehow remembered me from March! I again, clipped in with cycling shoes and was on my way. This time, the instructor had candles around her bike and there was no light in the room except for their glow. I had signed up for CycleBarre (of course), and I had the same thought of wanting the barre part to be relaxing. After 20 minutes of HARD cycling, the barre was equally difficult. I was actually more sweaty than in March and somehow made it back to work! The 45-minute class was perfect over the lunch hour and I’m already planning to go back.

So, I tried cycling and here’s what I thought. I thought I was going to hate it. I didn’t imagine it could be relaxing, fun or enjoyable. I actually ended up loving the workout, the atmosphere and the feeling of being sore once I was done! I shouldn’t have been afraid to try a new workout class, especially one that is as easy to pick up as riding a bike 😉

Elevate currently has a deal on the MindBody App you can’t miss out on and your first class is free! I encourage you to sign up for one and let me know your thoughts!