What do you teach? 

I am a master instructor at The Monster Cycle and have been teaching there for four years. I'm also an RYT (registered yoga teacher) and have been teaching since October 2017.

Why did you start teaching? 

I got into cycling because I used to work in streetwear, an industry that has many challenges as is but is — especially at that time — male-dominated. I needed an outlet to let out frustration. I found MNSTR, and we partnered up on a merch collaboration with the brand I was still working for. When I left that company, I started riding more and became more involved with the brand. At that time, I was doing a lot of my own nightlife stuff — programming for venues and DJing parties, so the musicality was an easy fit when I was asked to come on board to teach.

What do you love most about teaching? 

When it comes to cycling, the most rewarding thing is creating a space for people who would not normally try group fitness. The industry felt pretty exclusive for a long time, and it only now feels like there's something for everyone. I teach classes to a lot of alternative music — my most popular rides are an "emo night" class and "metal Monday." This has built a community of people who feel like they aren't being accommodated by other instructors and brands.

Cycling is also a great modality for individuals new to fitness as well as people who are die-hard, longtime riders because the resistance and the drills can be modified to work with whatever's going on in your body. Teaching yoga came a little later on for me, though I have been practicing since I was a teenager. Similarly, I like offering something different to my clients to be more inclusionary. I don't speak in Sanskrit, I don't chant, and I always share multiple options so that no one feels forced to try movements they don't understand or know won't work for their bodies. Yoga training also helped me personally learn to let go a little and be less competitive and to not push myself to the point where what I'm doing no longer benefits me. I try to share that mindset with my students.

What is the current state of your studio? 

In addition to teaching at MNSTR, I am also the programming and partnerships director. We are currently closed, though several of my staff and I are offering virtual workout programs and playlists. We're launching new merch this week to distribute proceeds to our out-of-work studio staff. We hope to re-open when the current climate shifts to a safer state, but there is no date set in stone yet.

What virtual classes are you offering? How can people find those classes? 

I currently teach a variety of classes daily on Zoom, ranging from 15-minute stretch sessions to musically themed 30-minute cardio and bodyweight classes. I'm introducing new programs and concentrations weekly. This week, I led a mini-workshop on planks — I kept seeing people do this plank challenge on Instagram with really bad form and wanted to help people avoid this! My class schedule is emailed out every Sunday (after 60 mins of Goth Yoga) and the Zoom meeting links are shared daily in my Linktree, found in my Instagram bio. The email list sign-up is there as well. I share some of the programs, along with playlist mixes, so that people can do them on their own time too.

What is your biggest takeaway regarding COVID-19? 

Personally, I've seen our community band together in a really positive way, whether it be asking what they can do to help our business, donating to charities and causes we share, getting more involved in government, and just reaching out to each other in general. A lot of people are suffering right now, even without factoring in medical and mental health. While not every day can be good, I've seen people go above and beyond to stay connected, ask how they can help and offer support.

What long-term affects do you see COVID-19 having on the wellness industry? 

Unfortunately, I don't think every brand and instructor is going to bounce back to "normal" for some time. People may be afraid to travel to studios and participate in group classes. We'll likely cut our class capacity to reduce the risk for a while, as I'm sure many others will do. Streaming platforms with memberships are likely going to stay successful, but many people (myself included!) will want to support their favorite instructors, whether that's via streams or returning to classes when it's safe.

We've all had to improvise and get creative to stay involved, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's been more challenging coming from a small business — the Peletons and Daily Burns of the world were ready to go, but the little guys like us were not, leaving behind a modality that is not easily accessible to everyone. We don't have professional streaming equipment, and most people I know are not prepared to purchase a bike for their home. We explored renting ours out, but in NYC, it's rare that anyone will have the capabilities to come pick them up and bring them up into their four-story walk-up apartments.

What is one thing you want the world to know about the wellness industry, especially in light of COVID-19? 

There is something for everyone — you just have to look. This industry is full of professionals who are more than happy to share their expertise!