SoulCycle is a global fitness phenomenon that has revolutionized indoor cycling and taken the world of workouts by storm. The company is a pioneer of the boutique fitness movement with its specialized regimen and celebrity instructors. SoulCycle has built a cult-like following of stationary cycling enthusiasts. The experience has been called a party on a bike with its loud music, energetic instructors, strobe lighting, and rhythmic choreography. Collectively, these factors enable people to view SoulCycle as not simply a chore to be checked off the box, but a reason to wake up in the morning, a highlight of the day. SoulCycle sells the key design principle of motivation to stimulate exercise. Exercise, once something highly routinized and procedural, has been redesigned by SoulCycle to be motivational and fun. Behaviorally, SoulCyce is triggering. This works in alignment with Fogg’s model. The positive words of the instructor might be perceived as the spark that overcomes the hurdle to get in shape. The upbeat tempo of the music could encourage a rider to peddle faster. A class with a preset 45-minute time frame on a Monday morning may be the signal that encourages a participant to stick to their goals. There’s also the motivation provided by the enthusiastic riders around you. The unique quality of the environment might facilitate the intrinsic motivation to exercise and truly optimize health and wellbeing.
