I’ve been active since I was a child, but I found my love for sports and exercise in 2009. Since then, I’ve been experimenting with different forms of workouts. I’ve tried almost every type of exercise, both indoor and outdoor, but for the past three years, I’ve been consistently weight-lifting, circuit-training and cycling. Being physically active has become a way of life for me.

If I don’t train, it affects my mood and stress levels. It has been over a month since I started teaching Ride classes at Crank Dubai, and it has been the most rewarding experience so far—motivating and touching people’s lives keeps me going.

The power of music and movement, combined with the collective energy that’s created in class, will push you to your limits and leave you happier than when you came in. Here, I share five ways Ride will reshape your fitness routine.

The music

I’m constantly looking for music to curate the perfect playlist for class. Riding to the beat of the songs takes the experience to a whole new level and it motivates people to push themselves. The music is what leads the ride, and more than a workout, it feels like a party. Music is universal, as no matter where we come from, we all speak this language.

The movement

One of my favorite parts of Ride is coming up with dance movements—anything from pulses to pushups to tap backs. When the beat drops, we dance on the bike. Not only does this give you a full body workout, but also makes the class so much more fun.

The challenge

Unlike other spinning classes, we challenge clients with sprint intervals that are live on the scoreboard. They get to race against each other for 15 to 60 seconds and see their names up on the board.

The community

At Crank, there’s a strong sense of community between the instructors and clients. There’s team effort in class—although each person has their individual score, the actual ride, speed and movements are done as a collective group, and it feels like you’re part of a tribe. As an instructor, my role is to motivate and inspire the girls throughout the class. When we ride, we ride as a group and no one is left behind.

The experience

The lights, lasers and scoreboard at Crank take the classes to a whole new level. As an instructor, I have full control over what clients experience in class. This is where my creativity comes in, and based on my playlist, I intensify the experience by choosing the right kind of effects to match the music and movements.

Photography by Aasiya Jagadeesh