Joyride Brings a New Spin to Your Workout

With the mercury on the rise, exercise enthusiasts have to bring their workout indoors, but it doesn’t have to be in a traditional gym.  At Joyride, a new indoor cycling studio located at 1200 Post Road East, you can continue your fitness journey even when the temperatures soar. 

Westport residents, Rhodie Lorenz, Debbie Katz and Amy Hochhauser opened the studio in June, “We’ve had a really good response,” said Katz.  “We opened in June, which is not an optimal time, but our busiest month has been July.  We were pleasantly surprised!”

The 4,000 square foot studio is Westport’s only gym that is dedicated to the indoor cycling, or “spinning.”  Although spinning classes have been around for years, it’s currently experiencing a renaissance thanks to the popularity of Los Angeles and New York City’s spin-gyms and their celebrity clientele (Kelly Ripa and Tiki Barber). 

Joyride’s exclusive training method is provided by Owner and Creative Director, Rhodie Lorenz, who taught spinning and Pilates at several local fitness centers before joining forces with Katz and Hochhauser to open Joyride. “The method is based on my experience and blends the cardiovascular benefits of spinning with Pilates principles, specifically focused on form and breath,” explains Lorenz.  She says that unlike big-box gyms, each instructor at Joyride is trained by her to ensure a consistency in standard and level in each class.

During a typical 50 minute spinning class, participants engage in interval training, both aerobic and anaerobic, to increase the rider’s fitness level and provide optimal cardiovascular training.  During the last ten minutes of class, light weights are introduced to provide an upper body workout. “Mixing it up challenges the body,” explains Lorenz. “A good fitness program requires three things, cardio, strength training and flexibility.  This program provides all three,” she says.

Lorenz says that participants can burn roughly 400 to 600 calories in one spinning session, depending on fitness level and how hard one works during the class, but she stresses that it’s not just about calories, “It’s about increasing your metabolism.  The more fit you are, the more calories you burn, even when you are not working out.”

Katz says that people of all fitness levels are welcome, “We created an intro class for that purpose. For people who’ve never been to a spinning class there can be a level of intimidation.  The intro class demystifies the experience – it’s low key and allows you to go at your own pace.”

“When you come to one of our classes you become part of a community.  It’s a personalized experience,” Lorenz says, “We are the happy place that people look forward to coming to, people say it’s the best hour of their day.”

Joyride is located at 1200 Post Road East, 203-349-5454, www.joyridewestport.com