Gym review series: Wheelhouse Cycle Club

I may not be able to ride away from my problems, but at least the music is good

Hey there, Carillon readers. If you have been following along for the month of January, you know about my gym review series. If you have not, do not feel discouraged; we will tell you what is going on and what you have missed. I have been going around to gyms in Regina and doing a review and an interview with a trainer or instructor. You have heard of my experience on a yoga mat at Oxygen Yoga, on a ballerina bar at Fit Project, on an exercise mat at Kettlebell Kickboxing, and now I will be on a stationary bike at Wheelhouse Cycle Club.

There are two locations of Wheelhouse Cycle Club in Regina: the “central” location on 1735 7th Avenue, and the “east” location on 2005 Prince of Wales Drive. So, now that you know where to go, what is the experience like? At both locations you are greeted by staff who help you check in. How you check in is based on an iPad system: you check the iPad and look for your name, and it will tell you what bike you are on. Before you go and find what bike you are on, you need to get a pair of shoes. The bikes Wheelhouse Cycle Club use involve a special shoe where they use a “clip and lock” technique. Your foot clicks directly into the foot pedal of the bike. That way your foot does not fall off. Grab those shoes, go find your bike, then click yourself in.

Once you’re clicked in, get a feel for the bike and make sure that you feel comfortable. If you look down in front of you there will be a screen. This can help guide how far you have biked and how many calories you have burned, if you are interested in that (although, note that these numbers are just an estimation). Just below the screen there is a tightening dial that you can twist left or right to change the resistance. There are three handrails for you to grab onto: two directly in front of you that are basically shoulder width apart like a normal bike, and an inner one closer to the screen, as well two bottom ones under the connection. All of these handrails are good and used for you to grab onto once you are moving and dancing in the class. If you look and feel just below your seat, you will notice that there are weights there that you can use in the class when instructed.

Now that you know where all the equipment is and you have a feel for the bike, let’s start the class! This biking class is music based. To each beat of the music is a stroke with your leg to help you stay on beat. Once you have a hang of the music, the instructor will guide you through different movements to do. You can put your hands in different positions, you can move and up down, lean to the left and right or back and forth, as well stay in one constant spot. It is really unique to think about, and once you have the hang of it, it is hard to lose the flow. Having your legs move to the beat and moving your upper body as well is super unique. It is easy to get into the music even if you are not a music driven person.

Once you have the cycling down pat (or maybe you don’t – just more reason to come back) you can add weight. About halfway through the class I was wondering to myself, “I have not used those weights, when will I use them?” I should not have asked that question! The Wheelhouse does a couple of minutes of just arm work, and trust me it is deadly.

Wheelhouse Cycle Club is a unique gym where you get a great cardio workout by trying to keep up with the beat. It is a great leg workout as you tighten up the resistance on your legs. It is also a great ab workout as you move through movements on your bike and maintain balance – plus a killer arm workout that only lasts a few minutes. Now that you know my thoughts, let’s get some information from an expert. If you attend Wheelhouse, I have a feeling you definitely know Jenna Kress, as she is amazing at what she does and she makes her classes lots of fun!

What do you like about teaching classes?

Overall, it’s the people and the energy that we create in such an empowering, fun, and nurturing space. We are free to explore, challenge ourselves through the choices we make, and we get to ride to loud music that we choose. We also have Virtual Wheelhouse Live platform that allows us to connect with new people globally!

What keeps you motivated to be a fitness instructor?

Exercise is a tool for me to help me feel good internally; it keeps me sane, so I’m always doing some type of movement daily. Exercise is a great way for us to experience how we can tap into our greatest potentials and how we can conquer our struggles; it allows us to experience how strong we really are.

What is some advice you would give someone who is wanting to try your gym for the first time?

Come with no expectation and just try to experiment and do your best where you are at. Also ask questions if you need help with anything!

We all know January is the month for “new year, new me.” What are some suggestions you have for people to not only have a new me, but to improve their healthy habits and lifestyle?

“New year, new me” isn’t something I personally connect with. I believe incorporating healthy habits or making positive changes in a lifestyle helps you actually be you, and you can make change at any point of time when you are motivated to do so, but in saying that, the new year can definitely be a good motivating factor.

Does the gym have any special promotions going on right now? If so, can you explain them?

Your first ride is free. There are also student discounts and a variety of ride packages. We film live rides of our Wheelhouse Live Platform and those are also free – we just ask you bring the energy.

There you go, Carillon readers. Now you have heard my experience of four different gyms to go to in Regina, and what it takes to get into the gym. If these articles did not get you motivated to try out a gym, maybe you can check out some I didn’t talk about. Good luck, readers! I would also like to shout out and say thank you to all the gyms for partaking in this fun series.