Written by Jonah H. Beukman
Why do we come to B/SPOKE? Maybe it’s to hear some great music or to be a part of a community. Maybe it’s to leave the outside world behind for a set time without distractions and fully immerse ourselves in a workout that redefines limits and pushes boundaries. We generally want to feel mentally and physically better about ourselves. We want to be on a path leading to a healthier and more balanced life.
Positive changes in the body will lead to similar changes in our lives outside the studio. You may not know it, but when you hop on the bike or hit the mat, you’re learning more than just how to perform simple movements in set sequences – you’re also learning how to better navigate the world outside the studio. Below are three quotes taken from instructors during class and explanations of how they apply to life both within the studio and outside of it.
“Everything we do in here is temporary.” – Aly Raymer, Senior Lead Instructor and Director of Talent
The workweek can be a slog and sometimes the journey to getting to 5PM on Friday can feel like an eternity. Some days can be great – leaving us feeling healthy, accomplished, satisfied with who we are and what we do. Others are the exact opposite – leaving us feeling unmotivated, directionless, unfulfilled. Within the workweek, life can hit us with the unexpected and challenge us in ways we never thought possible. What if we applied Aly’s lesson of treating everything as temporary to those challenges we face daily? A lot of challenges that come up are just like a hill sprint – difficult and sobering in the moment. But if you put your mind, body and strength into it, it will usually pass with you continuing to move forward, breathless but powerful afterwards.
“Leave everything at the door.” – Christina Muccio, Instructor
Quieting our minds can be difficult, especially with daily overstimulation, work pressures, and our constant use of technology. B/SPOKE classes are meant, not only to sweat for a full 45-minutes, but to also be completely unplugged. Mooch encourages riders to leave everything at the door, from the mental and physical barriers (leave those darn phones outside!) and just focus on the beat of the music. By connecting to the beat, you connect every part – mind and body – and enter a meditative state. Nothing else matters when you are on the bike and that can be an extraordinarily freeing feeling. Don’t think about what song is next, when the jog is over, or what you have to accomplish after class and you’ll find yourself getting even more out of your ride. You’ll start to feel these changes immediately during your ride, and then begin to experience the ripple effects – and this is when you will start to find that fitness ignites a holistic change throughout all aspects of your life. Let go, and just R/DE!
“When things start to get uncomfortable, that’s when you create change in your body.” – Katie Barrett, Lead Instructor
There are always times when class can get uncomfortable – the last part of the core workout in TRAIN, the last 30 seconds of the arm song, or the last sprint of a fast-paced out-of-the-saddle jog. When the uncomfortable happens, some may hear a doubting voice that tells you to sit down, that coasting is okay, that taking a water break or some gear off is acceptable. As KTB says, these uncomfortable moments are when we start to grow and change. Comfort zones are so easy to fall into and stay in. We rationalize the zone by telling ourselves that it is what we need to be in at any given moment. If we stay in the comfort zone, then how will we ever grow? It’s only when we push through those obstacles that we start to see changes, both mentally and physically. That’s when you start to realize that the uncomfortable may not be so bad after all.
B/SPOKE is a community of strength, courage, power, and fearlessness. In 2018, may we get uncomfortable, recognize that everything is just temporary, focus on mindfulness and recognize that we are all connected. We are all on a journey toward bettering ourselves and leading a healthier, more balanced life. Here’s to getting there, one tap back-press-push up-combo or renegade row/plank at a time.
