The following was written by ZuriGirl on mygirlfriendguide.com/2018/09/20/velocity-indoor-cycling/

Swamped by work, plus the drama that life brings along – don’t we all just really need something to turn the mind off and relieve the stress (a.k.a some quality self-care time)? Searching for something new and challenging, a little bird told a Zuri Girl “Why don’t you try Indoor Cycling? It’s awesome!” and that’s how she tried out Velocity.

To be honest, Zuri Girl was hesitant at first because she barely remembered the last time she was actually on a bike… nor was she a big fan of Cardio – the typical “what-if” or “will I make it?” were hindering her from giving it a try. Turns out that there was nothing to be concerned about. Once you step in the dark room with the Velocity logo glowing on the side, the epic music will lead you to an intense 50 minutes of workout fun.

First Time Fears

The first try-out took place on the Rooftop of Holmes Place Jelmoli, which was a special event to celebrate the 2 Year Anniversary of Velocity. Feeling the sunshine and wind, and clipping into the pedals was a great experience. After the ride, Zuri Girl started a chat with a frequent rider and she said “It’s actually even better in the studio. With the darkness you can focus more on yourself and the sound system is great”.  Motivated by the avid rider, Zuri Girl headed to the Velocity Studio located right next to Hardbrücke train station, just behind the Prime Tower.

Which Class is for Me? 

There are two types of classes at Velocity, Veloburn and Velobeat. If you’re the high-intensity lover, go for Veloburn, as it will literally burn your legs with crazy interval training. Be prepared to feel your heart racing as you spin your legs, and sweat dropping heavily all over your body. Time to time, the instructor will show the “Veloboard”, which displays your intensity level and calories burnt. As the board will show the entire list of riders, it will make you challenge yourself even more as you participate in the competition.

Velobeat is intense as well, yet it feels more like a workout party. You just need to get used to the rhythm of the music and push yourself along. It’s all about the beat, and the instructors have carefully curated playlists. You can check out the type of music the instructors like to spin with before class on the Velocity website. In both class types you’ll work your core, arms and legs. Class ends with a head to toe stretch to help speed recovery.

What to Expect

All you need for the class is determination, gym clothes and a water bottle. Velocity guarantees a great time, and from the moment you walk in the door you’re surrounded by positive vibes. As you check-in, the front desk staff will hand you a big towel for a shower after the work out and one small towel so that you can wipe the sweat from your body during the workout. Also provided free of charge is a clean pair of cycling shoes that will lock you tight into those pedals! The shower facilities have shampoo and body wash, and hairdryers so that you can freshen up after class to head to work or out for the evening. If you forget anything, Velocity has lululemon and Sport.Les clothing, HeyLife juices & coconut waters, bars, and re-usable water bottles so you only sweat the workout.

The instructor and staff will help you get set-up on the bike properly – they show you how to clip in the cycling shoes, and how to set up the saddle and handle bar heights. Make sure the saddle is the same height as your upper hip, and hop on after it’s locked in tight.  Adjust the saddle slide so that the distance between the saddle and handle bar is equal to the end of your elbow to the tips of of your fingers. Last but not the least, to clip in your shoe push the pedal down to the bottom and give a few wiggles until you feel the “click”. After you’re all set just enjoy the ride along with the epic music, sweat and smiles!

The first 5 minutes, Zuri Girl was already out of breath but with a sip of water and encouragement of the instructor time flew by. “Jawohl!” “Yesssss stomp it out!” “You’re doing a great job!” “Beautiful” – suffering yet enjoying the burn in the legs, imagining a mountain or green field you’ll forget all your worries. As you walk out of the class, the instructor will give a much deserved high five. After all, you’ve hopefully made through the work out by pouring your heart out to make the most out of every single minute. You will get hooked with the pain and positive vibe the Velocity community provides.

Every week there are different theme rides and events at Velocity. Once there was a 90-minute class which was 45 minutes of Veloburn plus 45 minutes of Velobeat. So tough but so worth it! On occasion guest-teachers from abroad teach at Velocity too! And in August the Urban Tri took place, which started with 30 minutes of yoga, a 5K run and a 30 minute ride with Live DJ. The event ended with healthy food and cocktails. So keep your eyes open for the creative calorie killer classes!

The best part of all? Velocity is opening two new studios this Winter in Zurich Enge and Zug. Keep a look on their social media channels, website and newsletter for announcements.

Written by Zuri Girl Lillian…Spent her childhood in Hawaii, and growing up in South Korea, Lillian ended up in Switzerland after getting mesmerized by its beauty. She enjoys experiencing different cultures, traveling around the world, open to all culinary journeys and meeting new people.  In love with art galleries and movie theaters, you can find her chilling by the lake on a sunny day or wandering around exploring the city!  Follow her on Instagram