Fitness Roadtest: Psycle Life

Posted on 28 September, 2016

One thing that I will say for certain about Psycle Life is that you won’t find anything like it in Canberra.

In fact, if you want to feel a little bit special, or like your fitness with a little bit of ‘luxe’, then you’re going to want to give Psycle Life a spin (sorry).

First things first, Psycle Life is, at its core, a cycle studio. Now, I know a lot of people who have been too intimidated to try cycle classes, and more often than not it’s because they’re afraid that they’re hard.

Well, they are. Trust me, you are going to sweat. However, one of the best things about these kinds of classes is that they’re entirely scalable – you are in control of your resistance (or how difficult it is to push the pedals) – so you can adjust the level of difficulty to suit your fitness level.

“In opening Psycle Life we wanted to create an inclusive community within an exclusive setting,”, says Harry Konstantinou, Managing Director of The Club Group.

If The Club Group sounds familiar to you, I’m not surprised. They’re the force behind the many Club Lime facilities peppered throughout Canberra, but this facility is something totally different.

What makes it so special? Where to begin…

I tried three classes at Psycle Life and the first thing I noticed on each visit was the personal greeting from the staff. They’re always friendly and you get the strong impression that they really want you there, you’re not just another number. In fact, you have to book in for each class and reserve a bike, so the staff address you by your name, show you to your bike and you can even pre-order treats like protein balls, shakes, or sports drinks to be waiting for you at your bike. The friendly team will even wander in halfway through the class and offer you a fresh towel or complimentary bottle of cold water.

The second thing I noticed was the bathrooms. They are so luxe – more like something you’d see in an interior design magazine than a gym. There’s large showers with big raindrop showerheads, plenty of lockers and room to change, beautiful basins, and a halo light feature that’s just perfect for taking selfies… or you know, applying your makeup post sweat session.

The classes themselves are high energy, challenging and fun. The bikes are all brand new and really easy to use, the studio is lit with little faux candles and the lights are totally adjustable. That was my favourite part of the class: when the instructor dims the lights. The low lighting and loud beats make you forget about what you look like, your day at work or the grocery shopping you have to do after class and kind of lose yourself in the moment – I think this is where they’ve really nailed their mantra of “spiritual fitness”.

“We have tried to realise a place where you feel comfortable completely submitting to the rich music, are inspired by the modern setting, and feel supported by our instructors in a place that fosters a sense of belonging,” says Harry. “We believe in a healthy mind/healthy body connection and this studio creates a third space where people can find balance between the two.”

If the zen doesn’t tickle your fancy, then perhaps the competition will.

“We are the only facility in Canberra to offer our riders Performance IQ technology, where your performance data is collected and can be emailed to you straight after the class. This enables you to closely track your progress, and if desired, compete against your friends.”

Harry says the team have already seen this become a motivating factor for people, because it allows you to push beyond what you thought you were capable of.

Another thing that sets the classes apart is that they incorporate resistance training. Don’t throw the barbell away just yet – I wouldn’t say it’s a standalone strength workout, but the use of light dumbbells and exercises using your own body weight (like push-ups on the bike frame) do add interest and an extra challenge into the class.

I also really liked the teachers. I knew a few of them including Sherry Smith from my days at Club Lime, where I remembered her classes would be absolutely packed with regulars who couldn’t get enough of her energy and enthusiasm.

Harry says “we were very fortunate that we had a number of motivated, experienced people already within our ranks that resulted in all of our program development being completed in-house.”

In other words, every aspect of the classes and facility has been designed by industry experts with experience, which has resulted in not only an effective workout but a really personalised, luxurious fitness experience. Try it for yourself – visit their website and register for your first three classes for free.

the essentials

What: Psycle Life
Where: Unit 107, 50 Eastlake Parade, Kingston
Contact: Visit www.psycle.life, call 1300 73 99 88 or email hello@psycle.life