George Bernard Shaw once said, “You see things, and you say, Why? But I dream things that never were and I say, Why not?”
For Kimberly Cartwright, founder and owner of the indoor cycling studio Om of Motion, the quotation carries weight.
“Om is my Why not?’” Ms. Cartwright states on her website, omofmotion.com.
On the second Saturday of April, Ms. Cartwright stood in front of a spinning class living up to the aspirations and motivations stated on her site.
“One of the things you get from coming here is seeing me go through my life. It’s like a reality TV show,” she told her class of 11 women, all of whom were preparing for the class by cycling at their own pace as a warm up. “It’s going to be a good class,” Ms. Cartwright said. Then she cued up the music on her silver laptop and began streaming videos to a 60-inch flat screen television.
This was Video Spin, an hour-long session of spinning while watching and listening to music videos.
“The music is all connected,” said Ms. Cartwright. During this class she played a mash-up of hip-hop, pop and rhythm and blues. Beyoncé was followed by the folk rock group Mumford & Sons.
Like the music, the spinners are a varied group, ranging in age from 20-something to 90-something and representing every town on the Vineyard.
There’s something for everyone, Ms. Cartwright said. She offers 20 different classes six days a week. Her signature class is Buddha Bike, a 30-minute meditative cycle practice integrated with guided imagery and mindful movements. There are also guest instructors such as Katryn Yerdon who teaches Acclimation Spin, an introductory class for those recovering from an injury or for people just starting out.
“There’s no real peer pressure to do more than you’re capable of doing,” Ms. Yerdon said of Acclimation Spin. “You come in and do your own spin based on your ability. It’s a safe environment and we can make this work for you no matter what age group you’re in. Someone who is 45 and extremely fit can be next to someone who is 93 who walks in with a cane, and they’re both getting a great workout.”
“But it’s the coolest thing when someone who is 93, who walks in with a cane . . . does her spin routine and walks out with the cane tucked under her arm,” said Ms. Yerdon. “The benefits of doing a spin class is that your body will be able to do more things in your daily life.”
One of the elements that makes Om of Motion unique is the semi-circle bike layout.
“Rarely are bikes in a studio in a circle,” Ms. Cartwright explained. The typical cycle room set up has bikes in a pyramid formation, creating a competition aspect, she said. “The circle means everything is equal, everyone is on one level and no one is better or less, nobody is expected to carry the whole bunch, we’re in this together.”
The colors both inside and outside of Om of Motion reflect chakras or energy centers. The exterior is lavender while the interior is decorated with various shades of green and maroon, creating a Zen-like sense of calmness, with a timeless feng shui feel.
“It’s my dharma, my spiritual path,” Ms. Cartwright said of Om of Motion.
Aquinnah Witham of Chilmark has been spinning at Om of Motion since it first opened, in June 2011. “I love this class so much I look forward to it the night before,” she said.
Ms. Witham isn’t alone. Meryn Boraski recently moved to Vineyard Haven from Boston. She’s been frequenting indoor cycle studios for five years and was pleased to find one on Martha’s Vineyard. “Hands down, this is one of the best spin classes I’ve ever taken,” she said of Video Spin.
Her stationary bike neighbor, Milla Muller, was visiting the Island for a week when she took the April 13 Video Spin class. “I’ll probably be back,” she said while smiling at the end of class, wiping her face with a towel and cooling off with a swig from her water bottle.
Ms. Cartwright opened Om of Motion 22 months ago with a business partner, Triva Emery. “I couldn’t have done it without her,” Ms. Cartwright said without hesitation. Now she runs the business on her own, a dream she envisioned and made real.
At the bottom of the Om of Motion website is Ms. Cartwright’s founder statement.
“I want for all of my sisters to have a place where movement activates breath, that becomes dreams, that take shape . . . that turn this woman, body, community, world into a place of celebration.”
Om of Motion is located at 505 State Road in West Tisbury. Visit omofmotion.com.
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