If you've ever taken a phenomenal spin class, you know that the best instructors have a kind of magic to them—they're bursting with energy, encouraging without being cloying or pushy, and somehow manage to transform the dark, sweaty studio into a kind of communal therapy session. As such, it should come as no surprise that the top cycling studios don't choose just anyone to lead their classes. Leading rides for companies like SoulCycle, Flywheel, and Peloton requires committing to an intense selection process that includes several hours of auditions and interviews—and that's not even to mention all the work that goes into the job if you're lucky enough to make the cut.

For more insight on what it's really like to become a cycling instructor, we deferred to Emma Lovewell, an NYC-based fitness model, dancer, and Peloton instructor—a particularly coveted title since Peloton streams its classes to thousands of users across the world and there only 12 instructors with the brand who get to call this global reach their own. Below she gives us an inside peek at how her gig came to be.