SC Originals: JAMIE SZTOSER

Reading JAMIE SZTOSER's q + a, you begin to realize how interconnected all the SC Originals are! SoulCycle was slowly building by word of mouth when Jamie came at the request of her friend Lindsay Weiss and her sister Marissa Kay! Jamie's answers are so heartfelt and inspiring we might have to honor her request and follow her to Hoboken! Thank you, Jamie!

Me, Laurie, Marissa Kay and my brother-in-law David

How long have you been riding at SoulCycle?

I have been spinning since July 2007.

How did you stumble upon the rear lobby?

My best friend, Lindsay Weiss, read about SC on Daily Candy. She went first with our other friend Joanna and then they somehow convinced my sister, Marissa, to go too. I REFUSED. Growing up as a dancer, I was convinced that the only form of cardio that I would ever enjoy was a hip-hop class at Broadway Dance Center. I was also under the impression that I was "skinny" and "fit" and didn't need as much cardio. Not sure who I was kidding. Ha. Finally, I got jealous of the time my 2 best friends were spending with my sister without me and I caved 3 months later. My first class was with Laurie Cole... and every single class I have taken since (with the exception of a few subs and trials here and there) has been with Laurie Cole. She has become more than just a fitness instuctor to me...she is a friend, a confidant, a counselor, and an inspiration.

What brought you back a second time?

I didn't HATE it the first time. Actually, I kind of enjoyed it more than I wanted to admit... I think that the kicker was the emphasis on music. Again, as a dancer, my whole life revolved around rhythm and movement. The fact that music is such a huge part of SC was an enormous selling point. Also, I liked that it was dark. Ha. Then I just got plain addicted like everyone else :)

How has the studio changed since you started? What has stayed the same?

The pure energy that illuminates throughout every studio has been the same since day one. Unless you go, you don't get it...it's something intangible. Something you cannot even try to describe. It's a pulse...a heartbeat...an underlying sense of devotion, commitment, strength, and comraderie. Going to spin is not exercise for me. It is therapy...a release, a place to be myself, a place to close my eyes for 45 minutes and (in the words of Laurie) "breathe for the first time" most days. Obviously SC has grown tremendously since those days 4-5 years ago...new studios, new faces, new policies ...but the "core" is still the same. As we enter into this new era, we do it as a team.

What's a UWS memory that stands out for you?

There are too many to list. Just to name a few, though: I lost 25 pounds in that room. I got engaged in that room. I got married in that room. I became an aunt in that room. I made new friends and contacts. I began to love exercise, fitness and wellness. I became part of a community again for the first time since I left my dance studio/high school/college/sorority. I met Laurie. I changed my life.

To sum up: I LOVE SOUL CYCLE. Besides my friends, family, work, and husband...it's my favorite thing/place in my life. Sometimes I love it more than anything else I just listed (HA!) As I move into the next phase of my life, I hope to be able to keep it as close to my heart as it has been for so many years (AKA OPEN IN HOBOKEN...I'm sick of the commute. LOL.)

Posted September 9, 11