Toby and my dad have been fans of spinning for several years. I… have not.

If you’re not familiar, spinning or cycling classes involve an instructor guiding a class full of people on stationary bikes through a series of “jumps,” “hills,” sprints and other movements that simulate riding a bike outside, without having to manuever around cars and dogs and other obstacles. You control your own resistance, so you can make it as hard as you’d like. And there’s music.

I’m terrible at riding a bike anyway (I fell off my bike and broke my arm in 1990, effectively ending my bike-riding career), but the main problem I’ve had in the past is that anything involving a normal/upright bicycle ends with bruised nether regions and the inability to sit down. That is definitely not my jam.

But I still let Toby talk me into going to a class at Zengo Cycle with him. I figured that if he loves it that much, I wouldn’t HATE it.  Plus, I can always use more exercise.

The first exciting thing about Zengo is that you get to wear these adorable little cycling shoes. Your first class is free, and the shoe rental is also free (for future classes, it’s $3). As a bonus, you can leave them clipped into the pedals if you (like me) can’t figure out how to get them off after the class is over. Or you can bring your own, if you have them.

You reserve your bike when you make a reservation for the class, so you don’t have to get there super early to wait in line (which has been my experience at most gyms), though you should get there early enough to put your stuff in a locker, change your shoes and adjust your bike. And adjusting your bike properly is critical: If the seat is too high or too far forward or back, it’s much more likely that you’ll end up with the downstairs bruising situation. Luckily, there are plenty of Zengo employees who can help you get all set up, and they have cushioned seat covers if you want to use one.

The class and playlist varies by instructor, but it’s always like a dance party on a bike (complete with loud dance music and very low lighting). There are hills and jumps and sprints and all sorts of other movements to break things up, and you are generally supposed to pedal to the beat, so you definitely won’t get bored. It also includes core and arm exercises, so it’s not totally lower-body focused, which is nice. You’re not allowed to talk during the class, because it’s supposed to be a time to focus on yourself, to “breathe in the good shit and breathe out the bullshit.” And you’ll sweat a lot. Like, a LOT. It’s really a good thing that the lights are off.

The studio provides clean towels on every bike, but you should bring a water bottle. I find it helpful to have a bottle with an encouraging message on it, so I can look down at it for a little extra motivation, but obviously any kind of water bottle is fine.

Anyway, I was surprised at how much I liked the class, despite not being able to keep up with all the high-paced songs. I ended up buying a few more classes, so Toby and I can go together. And though I haven’t tried SoulCycle yet, I’ve heard it is very similar (some people say Zengo is better! It is definitely less expensive). If you are in the DC area, I would highly recommend you try Zengo Cycle. Just make sure you get someone to help you set up your bike!