Equinox cycling classes are getting an upgrade. Here’s what to expect from your next workout.
Equinox’s indoor cycling classes have long been a fan-favorite, thanks to their results-driven programming, powerful playlists, and uplifting instructors. Now, they’re being reimagined to help amplify your high-performance lifestyle.
Members can choose between beats-focused classes, which are driven by the music, and metrics-based classes, which emphasize stats like watts and RPM, says Steven Goldsmith, senior manager of cycling and Precision Run at Equinox.
Beloved workouts like Anthem Ride (which ditches metrics altogether and allows you to get lost in the music) and Beats + Bands Ride (previously named Cycle Beats + Bands, which incorporates upper-body resistance band work) will still be offered at Clubs.
New to the lineup is Beats Ride, a rhythmic cycling class featuring simple, safe choreography. You’ll still use the console — the degree of which will vary from instructor to instructor — but the beat is always the foundation, says Goldsmith.
“That rhythm will always be the base — our home base to come back to,” says Goldsmith. “But there's also a little bit more play within that category and that ride now. We have things like ‘two back, two front,’ ‘four back, four front,’ tap backs, and upper-body pulses, and we've not had those before.” The ride's choreography adds just enough variety and playfulness to your workout to keep your mind guessing and body challenged. As always, the choreography is offered to members as a bonus, not a requirement to complete the class.
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If you prefer stone-cold facts to gauge your intensity, turn to the new Precision Ride class. The workout begins with two minutes of “easy work.” Then, you’ll perform a four-minute drill called “the prime,” says Goldsmith. You’ll pedal through various levels of effort, and your personalized easy, moderate, hard, and very hard effort levels are automatically calculated. The console also tallies your “prime,” the average of all those intensities that serves as the base of your workout.
Throughout class, the instructor will encourage you to find your prime in your live wattage, or go slightly above or below it. This unique Equinox class feature allows for accountability; you know exactly how hard you should be working at each point in class and have real-time data that shows how you’re stacking against it.
“The great thing about having that drill at the beginning of every class is it meets that person and their effort and their energy level where they are that day,” says Goldsmith. “And it also takes into account the differences on the bikes, because some bikes are calibrated a little differently.” Over time, you might have a rough idea of where your prime lands, so if you rush into class late one day, you still can hop on a bike and have a base to work off of, he adds.
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Whether you love to dance out of the saddle, pedal to the beat of your favorite tunes, or keep close tabs on your watts as you ride, Equinox’s new cycling programming offers something for everyone. Book your next class on the EQX+ app.