April 2019

Meet Jocelyn, more commonly known as Joc – a Vancouver Instructor with a heart of gold and mega passion for sweat. Joc commands the room with power and grace – always focusing on form while encouraging you to get lost in the music. Get to know Joc and how RIDE has impacted her life.

Where did you grow up?

Halifax, Nova Scotia! I moved to Vancouver in 2012. Thought I would stay a year…never left.

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

Of course! JJ actually taught my very first RIDE in 2016. Marqelle, our Yaletown Studio Manager, then encouraged me to audition after about 6 months of riding Michael Kong’s 6AM classes religiously.

He taught a RIDE in March of 2016 (Ciara theme, of course), and I cried on the way home because I had never in my life felt that powerful. I think that was the moment.

How would you describe your teaching style?

Simple and powerful. My style is very athletic and focuses on building strength and endurance. My choreography tends to be simple so you will focus harder on engaging your muscles and pushing yourself. My goal is for your class to be the hardest you physically push yourself, so you become better after every RIDE.

Best part of being an instructor is…

Creating a space for my Riders. For whatever it is they need…a huge physical release and a crazy workout, or to work through whatever is going on outside the room. We’ve all been there, so I consider it a privilege to be able to give my people that opportunity.

Track you’ve had on repeat

Ok…Impossible to pick.

In February I did a few classes at the Ossington RIDE, and Emily Palley-Samson (killer instructor, monster babe, I could go on) blew me away. Everything about her class…but her music was SO GOOD. We share a love for dancehall and obscure UK rappers, so I’ll throw in Boasty by Wiley, Steffllon Don, Sean Paul and Idris Elba just for her.

A few more by specific category 🙂
Alesso – Tilted Towers
Blast Off – Gesaffelstein + Pharrell
Let Em Know – Jeezy
A special one: Slow Up – Jacob Banks

AM or PM RIDES?

PM. Something extra grimy about a night RIDE. I love getting into that room with the intention of leaving the day behind.

Favourite way to sweat outside of RIDE?

The All City Athletics 8-count! And Travis Dunn’s Kondi class, without a doubt 🙂

How has becoming a RIDE Instructor changed you?

In a funny way, being an Instructor and holding myself to a very high standard, has forced me to be more gentle with myself. I tend to be incredibly hard on myself. As an Instructor, you have to be a bit unflappable. Things will go wrong, and our classes can get a little crazy. I’ve learned to roll with it, accept myself, and not beat myself up.

Go-to quote or words to live by?

Don’t get on the train.

For my friend Maddy (who better be printing off this article for the fridge)…she taught us a lot about dealing with stress and anxiety from her yoga training. When things come at you, you can acknowledge and sit in your feelings when you need…but let the train pass. Just don’t allow yourself to go down the path of negative self talk. Just don’t get on it.

Who motivates you?

My wonderful friends. I’m extremely lucky to have a very tight pack behind me. They truly hold up the mirror and force me to look in, whatever the situation.

Favourite book?

Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami, and The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

What’s your #1 life hack?

Packing a candle when I travel. Cozy home vibes anywhere in the world.

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

Coffee shop and brewery crawling, and always at the beach in the summer.

Any hidden or not so hidden talents?

Well…I used to be in a choir in high school. And *I THINK* i was a pretty good singer. I also am very excellent at drinking wine and assembling charcuterie boards.

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

My sisters. I’m the youngest of three girls, and I live across the country from them. We all live in different cities and lead very different lives…what I would give to be able to see them more.

Best memory since you joined RIDE?

I have a few.

Our summer of training at UNDRGRND in Lonsdale feels like 100 years ago…but that was special.

Every shared moment with Marlon between our 5:15PM and 6:20PM classes on Wednesdays (in Yaletown…hit us up). You know those work friends who just understand exactly what’s going on as soon as they look at you? Marlon is that one for me.

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

It’s so easy at first to get super caught up with “performing” and hitting every single beat… Don’t think about it so hard! Focus on form and tension, and just go.

What has you stoked on life right now?

I just turned 29 and am genuinely so stoked for this entire year! A lot of love and wonderful things to dive into.

What does RIDE mean to you?

RIDE changed everything for me. It showed me what I was capable of, when I didn’t always believe it before.

RIDE with Joc – find her on the Hamilton and Kitsilano and Lonsdale Schedule.

Meet Elizabeth, or better known as “Pipes” around the Oss studio. Liz has been instructing since we first opened our Ossington doors, offering classes that are the perfect mix of fiery and approachable. Get to know Liz and be sure to hit up her Saturday 11:45AM RIDE to start your weekend off right.

Where did you grow up?

Vancouver. I’ve lived in Toronto for 5 years now.

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

Yeah – it was Michael’s class in Vancouver and I thought it was the best kind of crazy.
I realized I wanted to be an Instructor when I heard they were opening a Toronto studio and I was in a soul crushing job at the time to get my accounting designation. I thought teaching spin on the side could be a source of some happiness and WHOA was I right. I am so grateful for it.

How would you describe your teaching style?

Someone described it as sweet but savage haha.

I’d say it’s a little something for everyone? I don’t stick to just one style of music and I try to give different options of difficulty to people – if it is their first time or their 100th. I don’t want anyone to come to my class to coast, but I also know everyone is starting somewhere different. Show up and just do you.

Best part of being an Instructor is…

Seeing people first come to RIDE who claim to ‘hate cardio’, ‘don’t have any rhythm’, etc. and fast forward a couple months and they’re absolutely killing it front row and they’re so proud of how far they’ve come.

Track you’ve had on repeat?

One of my favourites since UNDRGRND days has been Indian Summer – Jai Wolf. I’d play it every class after arms if I could, but realize that would probably be annoying.

AM or PM RIDES?

AM – no better way to start the day.

Favourite way to sweat outside of RIDE?

F45. The cardio days always leave me so gassed and the strength days compliment RIDE really well. Also, I like that I know what to expect no matter the location – whether I go to the Trinity Bellwoods location next to my condo or in Seattle when I’m traveling for work.

How has becoming a RIDE Instructor changed you?

You learn to think on your feet pretty quick. If you don’t, something going slightly wrong could completely derail 50 people’s class. Some standout curve balls have been: someone fainting mid-class, breaking a glass candle holder, and playlists shuffling out of order. Things will happen that are completely out of your control so I think it’s just about not dreading it and making the most of it. I think I’ve definitely learned to bring that into my everyday life too!

Go-to quote or words to live by?

Normally not a big quote guy, but a friend posted this the other day and I really liked it: “You are not obligated to slow down your bloom so people can meet you at a level they are comfortable with. Your growth is too important to dim the light within you for someone still trying to find their own.”

Who motivates you?

I’m pretty self-driven. I’m motivated by wanting to get a little bit better each day.

Favourite book?

Don’t wanna pick just one, but I recently really liked Scar tissue on Anthony Kiedis.

What’s your #1 life hack?

Hydrating face masks and compression socks when you fly…not cute, but I’m on a plane for work a lot and this honestly has been a game changer.

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

Finishing up teaching the 11:45AM class, and, depending on the weather, either going to Pilot for a matcha latte or to Trinity for some sun in the park.

Any hidden or not so hidden talents?

I came 3rd in a breakdancing competition once.

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

Present: Oprah – I love anything she touches (podcasts, TV shows, books) and am convinced we would be fast friends. Comin’ for you Gail.

Past: My Grandpa. Some of my favourite childhood memories were spent with him chatting over a pot of tea.

Best memory since you joined RIDE?

Probably a tie between 1) the Spice Girls RIDE where Cat just strut around in heels for an hour, Ash butchered a British accent and I got a lollipop stuck in my pigtail and 2) the Ossington tire pop-up RIDE.

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

Get out of your head! Get yourself present in the room; focusing on the beat and the form.

What has you stoked on life right now?

I’m obsessed with oat matcha lattes. I have pretty much one a day. Sometimes two. An old co-worker and I are thinking of starting a matcha blend subscription service. Keep your eyes peeled…

What does RIDE mean to you?

Physically, after a class, I’m absolutely pooped, but on the flip side, I leave mentally feeling SO refreshed. As someone who doesn’t do down time or relaxing well (read: borderline hyperactive), RIDE is just about the only time I can turn my brain off and just be present in what I’m doing. RIDE means, no matter how the rest of my day has gone, I’m about 50 minutes from a great mood and a fresh perspective.

RIDE with Elizabeth – find her on the Ossington Schedule.

Meet Brendan – a Toronto Instructor who joined the roster in 2018, but take his class and you’d assume he had years of RIDE under his belt. Brendan teaches with an infectious love of sweat, music and physical challenge, all while creating a welcoming, authentic and smile-inducing vibe. You can feel his love and appreciation for the RIDE community in every class.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Whitby, Ontario.

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

Very vividly actually, I was on bike 15 and a friend of mine brought me to the studio telling me how much I’d love it. Little did I know it was a RIDE vs. Young Money class which just brought back this rush of high school nostalgia in combination with this new vibe I had never experienced before. It honestly took me such a long time to come to grips with wanting to be an Instructor, spin was always something I told myself I wouldn’t teach so I could just enjoy it as a Rider but thankfully Alex fulfilled her responsibilities as Lead Instructor and pushed me out of my comfort zone and I signed up for the auditions.

How would you describe your teaching style?

I would describe my teaching style as energetic and empathetic. I do my best to make sure everyone knows what they’re doing, and I want to ride WITH the class so that we go through the tough parts together. This makes sharing those high’s so much sweeter (and sweatier).

Best part of being an Instructor is…

The best part of being an Instructor is the interplay between teaching the class and the class impacting you in return. If you are lucky enough to have clients message you or tell you after class that being there “turned their day around” it makes you feel special and you want to reciprocate that feeling to every single client in the room. Alternatively, that moment when a new song starts and you hear a “WOO!” from a spot in the room you wouldn’t think to hear a peep from it is like a shot of straight adrenaline.

Track you’ve had on repeat

Stutter (Double Take Remix) [feat. Mystikal] by Joe

AM or PM RIDES?

Both in the same day would be LIT…but I’m a big AM guy.

Favourite way to sweat outside of RIDE?

Barry’s Bootcamp, Studio Lagree, or if I’m lucky enough (and smart enough) I’ll be front row centre in any one of Meg Coffey’s incredible yoga classes at Yoga Tree.

How has becoming a RIDE Instructor changed you?

Being a RIDE Instructor has changed me by constantly challenging me. It never gets easier and I feel the same nervous energy before every class. It also made me feel at home in a city I always fantasized about living in growing up.

The entire community at RIDE made me want to do anything to try and fit in. It took me a long time to realize that since the core of RIDE is authenticity, if I wanted to be a part of that I *sighs for the cliché* had to be myself. It’s so effing true though…but that’s the beauty of RIDE is that if you just be yourself, you will feel better and have a more authentic experience. When that happens it’s the realist thing because it’s actually YOU that’s getting better, not some “version” of you.

Go-to quote or words to live by?

“When your roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind”

Who motivates you?

My Family.

Favourite book?

Freakonomics or Leonardo da Vinci or Thug Kitchen.

What’s your #1 life hack?

Get excited about breakfast, it helps you fall asleep and gets you pumped to wake up in the morning…also, life is too short for bad coffee so get that good stuff and start your day off rrrrrrrrright.

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

Either instructing a class and about to take one right after or taking a class and then instructing right after.

Any hidden or not so hidden talents?

I played the drums for a long time and was in a RUSH cover band in high school. Since the drums aren’t the most “apartment friendly” musical instruments I stick to guitar and also really love to cook.

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

Da Vinci would be my like “television answer” but he’d probably just be drawing on his napkin the entire time…so I’d choose Robin Williams. I idolized him and whether it was his ability to make me laugh until I cried or just straight up cry, he was one of a kind and meant so much to so many people. I mean Aladdin AND Good Will Hunting?? #RANGE

Best memory since you joined RIDE?

My best memory probably was during a fellow Instructor’s community class. At that point I still felt on the outskirts of the community as I didn’t really know that many people at RIDE yet and even though I was on the schedule, I still felt super self-conscious.

This particular memory happened on a Sunday where I taught at RIDE in the morning and then Alex came to my Lagree class later on and we both walked to the studio to do Emily’s community class in the afternoon.

Halfway through class I realized I wasn’t thinking about anything other than just riding and this overwhelming sense of happiness swept over me and to this day I don’t think I’ve ever felt such a high in a class. The combination of seeing a new friend teach such an insanely incredible class in front of such a supportive and enthusiastic community instilled in me this sense of belonging I had been longing for.

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

No matter who you are or what your perception of “spinning” is, you belong at RIDE. Accept that.

What has you stoked on life right now?

Making Toronto home. I’ve fantasized about calling Toronto home and RIDE has helped me realize that in a big way…that and more tattoos.

What does RIDE mean to you?

RIDE means growth. It pushed me out of a comfort zone I didn’t even know I was stuck in, it gave me friends I never thought I’d get the chance to make, and it challenged me emotionally which I never thought a “workout” could do. It continues to make me feel as though I am an authentic part of something…like if the cool kids invited you to come sit with them at lunch time…but instead of lunch….you all rode stationary bikes to incredible music, in a candle lit room, and then cheered and cried and waved towels around and then gave each other sweaty-elongated hugs afterwards?

Yeah….RIDE means everything to me.

RIDE with Brendan – find him on the Ossington Schedule.