Hive Mentality

However, a recent survey found that women feel they have to “fight” for space in the gym and with an underlying notion they shouldn’t take up “too much space.” This is the opposite approach spin studios take — with instructors encouraging riders to move their bodies in big ways.

New studios are continuing to open and change the narrative. Abica Dubay, founder and co-owner of the standalone studio, Cyclst8, which opened in 2023, holds her team to certain moral standards with “a zero-tolerance policy for drama, gossip, and bullshit,” creating a welcoming environment. 

WHY SPIN CLASSES FOSTER BONDING WITHOUT LIMITS
A contagious synergy occurs during cycling, allowing participants to “engage more effectively; pushing past limitations and fostering team building,” said Sarah Jeffries, former psychologist. 

This mentality comes from what Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist, coined as a “hive switch” — where moving together in time can create a superorganism, through which we’re able to “lose ourselves temporarily and ecstatically in something larger than us.”  

A SoulCycle studio in Brooklyn Heights enforces a “no phone policy” so that riders can be fully present in the moment; ensuring mutual respect with the removal of all distractions and creating felt safety through thousands of pedal revolutions. 

MUSIC MATTERS
Music also creates a “sense of safety and connection” with recent studies illustrating how it “can quiet parts of the amygdala, the part of the brain that experiences fear, and amplify parts of the brain associated with memory and meaning,” according to Katina Bajaj, cofounder of health startup, Daydreamers. “This creates the perfect blend for having ‘peak’ experiences,” she added.

This heightened state is further induced by the nightclub-inspired environment. “The dark room creates disconnection from the outside world. It eliminates the feeling of competition or comparison,” said Mady Martin, co-owner and instructor at Cyclst8. Martin added, “Music is a universal uniting force. People bond over music they like, music that inspires them, and, in our classes, the music that moves them.”

SHARED ENERGY
With over 20,000 classes under his belt, Philip “PK” Kessel, Bay Club instructor notes that “the power of shared energy” differentiates this type of workout from other group fitness classes. “Indoor cycling creates more of a mini-community than other formats,” said PK. “The combination of movements and music creates an environment where only effort becomes important—not strength or speed.”

Part of this sensation comes from the release of oxytocin, which Haidt puts as the “glue that binds people together,” creating trust from physical touch. The more arm taps from fellow riders spurs the ability to surpass limiting beliefs and mutual support. The ignited feelings of camaraderie are also experienced by instructors.

“Even though I’m technically solo up on that stage, there’s this incredible sense of connection with the class,” said Lindsey Koester, spin instructor. “It’s empowering to guide the room and feel the energy you create as an instructor reciprocated back to you,” she added.  

CHOREOGRAPHY CAUSES A
“HIVE” MENTALITY
Mirror neurons aid in initiating the hive switch, evoking imitation. When instructors demonstrate choreography, something instinctual occurs with the bass existing as a unifying heartbeat. Haidt refers to this as muscular bonding, which “enables people to forget themselves, trust each other, and function as one unit.” Movements designed to be performed in unison further the impact of indoor cycling because, according to Haidt, “even tapping out a beat together makes people trust each other more.” 

“There’s nothing better than when the beat drops and everyone’s nailing the choreography. Ultimately, it’s not just a workout; it’s a whole experience that feeds the soul,” Koester stated.  

Jeffries seconds Koester’s sentiment, “It shapes them into an effective form of group therapy, powerfully elevating motivation while fostering unyielding community bonds”—a notion that purposefully contrasts with the thought that women shouldn’t “take up space” at a gym.