Though indoor fitness studios are slowly opening up in major cities and at-home workouts are still all the rage, the thrill of exercising in a group with an instructor at the helm is definitely missed among fitness enthusiasts.
Catching on to what its devotees were craving, indoor cycling studio SoulCycle seamlessly pivoted from its packed classes to outdoor socially-distanced sweat sessions on rooftops, under tents, and sometimes in parking lots adjacent to their studios last summer in a version of the trendy workout called SoulCycle Outside.
After its successful launch in the Hamptons last summer, SoulCycle Outside opened in Boston, Palm Beach, and Hoboken. And now the company is adding 20 new locations for those who are ready to sweat starting this month.
Locations for riders to clip in will include Denver, Austin, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, London, and more.
"Our goal with each opening is to give as many of our riders as possible the opportunity to ride with us, even if their home studio is temporarily closed," SoulCycle's Vice President of Global Operations, Rachelle Lamothe, exclusively told Travel + Leisure on Tuesday. "Our riders are looking for the unique mind-body-soul experience that they can only get from SoulCycle. Our 'SoulOutside' classes give them the opportunity to work out, ride to the beat and reconnect with their SoulCycle community out in the open overlooking beautiful views."
When it came to deciding which locations to launch an outdoor venue for, Lamothe told T+L that proximity to the locations' indoor studio as well as where its studios have the highest clientele were contributing factors.
Heading to SoulCycle Outside, a rider can expect the same vibrant energy as an indoor class except the music that is typically blasting through surround-sound speakers will be contained to headphones for each participant.
Indoors, SoulCycle just announced that two studios would be open for in-studio classes in New York City this week with classes at reduced capacity and masks worn throughout the entire ride, in compliance with New York state guidelines.
However, the demand for outdoor fitness is not going away — even when the pandemic restrictions do.
"While many of our riders cannot wait to return to the uniquely personal experience you get in a dark candle-lit room, others prefer the more open al fresco experience of SoulCycle Outside. Now we can offer them both," Lamothe said. "Our top priority has always been to find new ways to drive the SoulCycle experience for our devoted riders, wherever they are. While none of us could have foreseen this pandemic, we are proud of our teams' ability to innovate and respond to our community's needs, leading the way in outdoor fitness."
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