“I got into boutique fitness through exposure,” Briana Owens, Owner and Creator of Spiked Spin, told Travel Noire. “I’m now bringing exposure to my communities.”
Spiked Spin was created three years ago after Briana realized there was a lack of diversity in the boutique fitness space. The Queens native frequented boutique fitness studios but never saw people who looked like her running them.
“Wellness is a sensitive area. If you don’t see people who look like you, you won’t feel included,” says Briana.
She sent out a mass email blast simply saying “come ride with me” and the response was incredible. From there, the brand continued to grow and on November 16, she officially opened her brick and mortar location in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood.
Briana chose this neighborhood as a way to reach underserved communities that may not otherwise have access to these types of classes and experiences. She aims to make her classes as accessible as possible by eliminating as many barriers as she can that may keep people away.
She and her team are constantly engaging with local residents to see what it is they need from her in order to come into the studio, whether it’s creating more time slots or changing the length of the classes that are offered.
“We don’t want to be just another “get in where you fit in” gym,” Briana explained. “We want to be as accommodating as possible.”
Spiked Spin is open every day with classes mostly taking place in the morning and evenings. They offer hip hop cycling classes while also paying homage to some of Brooklyn’s greats. The walls and bathrooms are decorated in murals paying tribute to Biggie, Jay-Z, Fabolous, and the Queen Bee Lil Kim.
“We want to remind the community of its richness,” says Briana.
To learn more about Spiked Spin or to sign up for a class, head to the website www.spikedspin.com. You can also find Briana and her team on Instagram: @spikedspin.
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