RIDE OR DIE | Kyle Salive, RIDE Instructor

Get to know Kyle – also known as the Ossington Spin God. Known for his full-house RIDES and hip-hop heavy playlists, Kyle’s classes have a pre-game vibe that gets the mirrors steaming – even at 7am on a Thursday. He offers a unique combination of intensity and compassion – he’ll push you to work your hardest, and you’ll always feel like he has your back.

Where did you grow up?

LaSalle Ontario (right outside Windsor).

Can you remember your first RIDE class? How long did it take until you realized you wanted to become an instructor?

My first RIDE class was an audition to become a RIDE instructor. I knew right away I wanted to be an instructor after first meeting Ashley, but I was wildly underprepared for what RIDE was and what level of class I was going into.

How would you describe your teaching style?

I expect a lot out of my riders and it’s definitely tough but my main goal is to make sure everyone feels connected to the music, to themselves, and to each other. I try to create an environment where people don’t ever think twice about yelling, pulsing a little harder or bigger. RIDE for me is the best social experience and should always be fun – even when you are fully exhausted.

Best part of being an instructor is…

When you see everything click and a rider fully gets it. People always ask me what makes RIDE different and when I answer the question I usually start putting my hand over my heart and tapping my chest a bit as I’m trying to explain and I say “It’s a feeling”. There are no words to fully explain it – but I can definitely see when someone “gets it”.

Track you’ve had on repeat?

Hurt to look – Swae Lee

AM or PM rides?

PM – I want my RIDE to be the equivalent of a pre drink.

Favourite way to sweat outside of RIDE?

Barry’s Bootcamp and F45.

How has becoming a RIDE instructor changed you?

Confidence. It took 6 months and many conversations about who I was as a person but the training made me more confident in my choices and made me realize some of my personality traits that I wasn’t present to. Put spotlights on yourself and raise yourself on a platform and it amplifies the good and bad.

Go-to quote or words to live by?

Better to be quiet and thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt.

Who motivates you?

My fellow instructors. We all share music and talk about stuff we want to do and try and it’s crazy being in someone else’s class when they drop a new song you’ve never heard or say or do something you wouldn’t think of. We all push each other in the best most positive way.

Favourite book?

The Amazing Adventures of Kavilier and Clay.

What’s your #1 life hack?

If you order Ubereats/popeyes on your way home it will cut down the amount of time you’re sitting and waiting for it.

Where can we find you on a Saturday afternoon in the city?

At The Local.

Any hidden or not so hidden talents?

My only talent in the world is being calm. It’s bad sometimes because maybe I’m too calm……….

If you could brunch with any person (past or present), who would it be and why?

Just had to chat about this with a colleague and we decided that you wouldn’t want to go after someone who you idolize (Kanye West) because you wouldn’t want to be gushing about how amazing they are. “I’m sure you get this all the time but you’re the best and this thing you did means so much to me” – that kind of person. So that being said I’d go for this guy who hosts these Youtube videos I’ve been watching lately done by Complex called the Blueprint. His name is Noah and he’s like a Creative Director or something but I think his proximity to all these amazing creatives and business geniuses would yield some cool lessons and stories and he’d have a lot of insight to provide.

Best memory since you joined RIDE?

Coming into the studio for the first time was mind-blowing. We had been doing the undrgrnd and training for a long time then seeing it all be real and come to life was the best. Also taking all the instructor’s classes in Vancouver when we went out there to train just showed me what was possible. They were doing things I couldn’t even dream of and seeing how advanced their riders were and what they were doing. We didn’t have our own studio at the time and I was like “Oh shit this is what it actually is.” We were riding for 6+ hours a day but it was so fucking cool.

#1 piece of advice for someone looking to have a killer RIDE?

The times when you want to freak out and squeeze the handlebars and try that much harder are when you need to breathe and relax the most. Through training I would try to force a lot of things because I wanted to get it faster. But to get the beat, stand up on fast legs, pulse on beat etc. – you actually have to slow down and get out of your head and not overthink it. It’s so counterintuitive but it’s the only way I can explain it to people.

What has you stoked on life right now?

Gratitude has me stoked on life. Being grateful for what you have and realizing that if you’re a spin instructor and have a full time job and have a friends that care about you and you can order uber eats your life is probably pretty great.

What does RIDE mean to you?

Community. Seeing everyone talk after class, show up to our events, go out with us after and then do it again the next week is something you can’t buy. Front desk, owners, instructors – we all love RIDE and doing what we do and it shows.

Catch Kyle on the podium RIDE Ossington – view schedule.