Summer Guide Spotlight: RideCulture Bellingham

An interview with Allyson Farrar, spin instructor

"I try to treat my body with the love and care I would treat my best friend - I challenge her, I push her past her comfort zone, but I also thank her for allowing me to wake up and for taking such good care of me. This is the message I want to share with anyone who takes a Ride Culture class with me."

What was your background with spin?

I took my first SoulCycle class in 2018 and was immediately hooked - it was the only workout that not only had me hustling hard, but left me seriously feeling something inside when I left - a true physical and mental journey. That year and the few following it, I dealt with the extremely painful journey of losing my father to cancer, and I firmly believe that having this outlet helped me through it.

It sounds deep, but spin saved my life - it gave me something positive to focus on, it lifted me up when I was down, and it really taught me that "you grow through what you go through," and that every hard moment in our lives brings us to where we need to be. When I found out that Caitlin (Walker, owner of Ride Culture) was opening this studio, I knew I had to take my chance to share my love of this with our community, and I feel so lucky to be part of her team.

What makes Saturdays “spicy”?

Not a lot of people know this about me, but my dad was born and raised in Mendoza, Argentina, so I grew up with a Spanish-speaking family.

Having a Spicy Saturday Latin Class is a way for me to honor my heritage and my family, and share my love of Latin and Reggaeton with our community! We crank up the resistance and add some heat to those legs while pretending for 45-minutes that we are somewhere a little spicy!

What’s your advice for someone who’s new to spin?

At Ride Culture we ride to the beat of the music, and that is always going to be the baseline for your class. The choreography that we offer you is the next step in your journey, but the first step is nailing that beat, which our instructors will always cue you with so you can follow-along.

We understand that every rider is at a different experience level so we always offer modifications and suggestions so you are able to make your ride meet your specific needs.

I always tell my class that this is THEIR ride, and I am here to give you options and guide you through it - you take what you need and leave the rest behind. And remember, I was you once, and now look at me!

I promise that while the workout itself doesn't get easier (yes, I will push you the whole time because that's what you came for!), it does start to become more familiar!

Sign up for a class or learn more:

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Photo provided by RideCulture, photo credit to Steve Johnston, @exposureleak 

Flip through the rest of the Summer Guide to Health & Wellness here!