Cyc Fitness Hell’s Kitchen

While most of us New Yorkers avoid Times Square like the plague, the quality of spin classes provided by Elena at Cyc Hell’s Kitchen make braving the tourist crowds worth it. Her beat-based spin classes couldn’t be more fun (or hard!), with the amazing benefit of being super affordable as far as boutique spinning studios are concerned. Elena’s class was jam packed and she knew how to work the crowd, leaving us sweating, smiling, and wondering when we’d be back for more.

RUNDOWN

WORKOUT

Have you ever wondered how to cure your Saturday morning hangover? Well, according to Elena Koshivaki, master Cycologist (sounds like a doctor to us!), a 45-minute spin and sweat sesh is your answer! We entered the spin studio at 11am and went right to business after Elena gave a brief rundown of the class to the newbies in the room. Right away, we were up in third position on the bike, tapping it back to the beat of the music. Three songs in and we were 1-2 sprinting to an awesome Beyonce/Jason Derulo mash-up, and a few songs later, we were stomping it out to an amped up version Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”. Two weighted arm songs were included: the first one working arms and obliques while simultaneously riding the bike, and the second a seated boxing song. Fast forward to the last song where we brought it home with a series of sprints to the beat of Adele, and we finally reached the cool down, with our feet back on solid ground after being clipped into the bike for a sweat-inducing 45 minutes.

INSTRUCTOR

Elena Koshivaki is a “Master Cycologist” at Cyc fitness, which, from what we can tell, means she is awesome at her job. Elena has a definite following at Cyc, where she teaches at all four studio locations several times per week. She has mastered the art of in-class motivational speaking that sounds like it comes from a truly genuine place. She knows exactly when her riders need that extra push on their bikes, and when she can just sit back and let the music do the talking. Speaking of music, her playlists are on point, running the gamut from EDM house music to remixes of top 10 pop songs to quieter indie songs. She makes a point to call out riders by name in class for an extra motivational push, and her bike-riding skills are enviable. Her energy is contagious and the “scene” in her class feels more like a Friday night dance party than a morning workout.

SPACE

Cyc Hell’s Kitchen is located just next to the hustle and bustle of Times Square – a little slice of hell we usually like to avoid, but if you plan your subway exit well, you’ll emerge from the depths of the MTA right next to the studio and avoid the mayhem. The front desk staff at the entrance checked us in and offered us (free!) spin shoes to use for the class. There are plenty of lockers around the main spacious studio waiting area, as well as in the not-so-spacious changerooms. The women’s changing room has two toilets and two showers, and is more than a bit cramped in the post-class hustle. Be mentally prepared to bump sweaty shoulders with other riders post-class, and wait in a decent line for a shower. The showers are stocked with all the necessary products (except for face wash, which is a downside), and they also have deodorant and hair dryers available. There is plenty of Cyc merch for purchase outside, as well as water bottles and snacks.