At the beginning of 2017 my life was at a crossroad. After an energy draining year with a high workload and completing my final year of a distance-learning university degree (both on a full time basis) I felt unhappy and unsatisfied. Days blurred into weekends, which blurred into months of all work and no play. I decided that I needed to shift gears, take control of my life and to schedule in some more “me” time.

I wanted to get back into a regular exercise regime but didn’t feel like hopping on the New Year’s resolution bandwagon of signing up to a gym you only enjoy for a few weeks before losing motivation to train alone. I was looking for a motivating and empowering environment, challenging but fun classes coupled with a community spirit and great music.

Why indoor cycling? I had always enjoyed cycling and heard about a new kind of indoor cycling studios in the US and UK: I was keen on exploring the hype! Would I enjoy exercising in a dark room with loud music, sitting on a bike that goes nowhere and come out of classes drenched in sweat yet energised?

On 12. March 2017, after some online research, I was booked in for my first Velobeat class with Celine at Velocity Zurich. To say I was nervous before my first ride is a big understatement. I was worried about the clip-in shoes, the stationary bike and most importantly my stamina after leading a mostly sedentary lifestyle for far too long.

Turns out I was worried for nothing:
When I first walked in to the Velocity studio behind Zurich’s Prime Tower, Mallory was there to warmly welcome me, show me the studio and hand me some shoes and towels. She taught me how to set up my bike and clip in and out of the pedals, answered all my questions and even moved me from the back row straight to the front – making it impossible for me to hide 😉

Despite the fact my muscles were super sore after that first ride I was hooked! I felt like the entire class was part of a community, where everyone shared the same goal to better themselves. After a few weeks I felt confident enough to attend one of the Veloburn classes. Even though it was hard, it was an equally invigorating experience. To me, Velobeat is about working out while enjoying the music and having fun “dancing” on the bike, while Veloburn has a more challenging and competitive edge – seeing your name on the Velobard ranking pushes you to work just that little bit harder.

Becoming a regular front-row Velocity rider has not only improved my stamina and general health, it gives me life! As soon as I walk into the studio I switch off, forget the day and just focus on the positive energy and encouraging words from the instructors for the next 50 minutes. They really do make you feel like you can achieve anything if you just try hard enough – I love every minute of it!

I try to ride at least twice a week and I’m even considering packing my cycling shoes when traveling abroad, to visit a local studio and make sure I get my rush of endorphins – something I’d have never even considered before.

Thank you Velocity!