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Yes You Can
Host Hannah Pratt pulls back the curtain on being an indoor cycling instructor and fitness coach while covering online business, grief, and designing your dream life by taking action and allowing your story to empower you. Yes, You Can is the podcast you need to dream bigger, laugh louder, and feel celebrated and supported in your instructor journey. #yesyoucanpodcast @hannahrosespin
Yes You Can
Unlocking the Cycle of Fitness and Mental Health with Courtlyn Fazakas
Buckle up for an inspiring and captivating episode with Courtlyn Fazakas, creator of the Life on the Court platform, Wheelhouse Cycle Club Motivator, and an Instructor at PSYCLE London.
With a deep-seated love for dance and fitness, Courtlyn enlightens us on how these passions have shaped her career and her life. She also shares about her groundbreaking Life On the Court App, which combines cycling, bar and strength training, and running, and her unique coaching style that’s made her a sought-after guest master class coach.
Courtlyn bravely delves into her struggles with mental health, illuminating how these experiences have informed her teaching approach and fostered a stronger community. She shares the strategies she has implemented in her classes to incorporate more strength training and boost self-confidence.
Beyond her personal experiences, Courtlyn shares her strategies for coaching diverse exercise groups, focusing on intentional language and encouraging learners to enjoy the process. Listen as she navigates the challenges of handling large classes while maintaining her mental health.
This episode is packed with inspiration, strategies, and authentic conversation – don’t miss out!
The TLDR:
We cover a range of insightful topics, including her pandemic journey as a fitness instructor and her app "Life on the Court'. We discuss the importance of building personal brands through apps and social media, while Courtlyn bravely shares her mental health struggles and how they've influenced her teaching style. Hannah also shares a personal emergency experience, highlighting the support of her fellow riders.
The conversation delves into the crucial balance needed as instructors to avoid burnout and the significance of authenticity when handling negative reviews. They further explore instructor training challenges, instructor insecurities, and how to find balance.
LINKS:
Website: https://lifeonthecourt.com/
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@courtlynf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtlynf/
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@courtlynfazakas32?si=qObAXIWa-siva8pk
Listeners can use the discount code LIFEONTHECOURT20 for 20% off the RIDE 01 Bundle!
Follow me on Instagram @hannahrosespin and find Instructor Magic's enrollment info below.
Want to level up in 2025? My Black Friday sale is on now for ALL courses and programs with 25% off! Use code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout.
Amazing Welcome, cortland, to the SCCAM podcast. I'm so excited to chat with you today.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited to finally be here. I feel like this has been like a long time coming.
Speaker 1:I know, I feel like it was one of those things that I always knew was going to happen, because I've known you and we've known each other, and I was like it just was like a natural thing that I was going to have you on the podcast. And then at one point I was like I don't think I've actually asked her. I was like I need to send up this request and get it on the books and you just moved back to the UK so we were figuring out schedules. But I'm so excited to chat with you. There's so many things happening in your business and what you're doing with your app and getting back to teaching at Cycle, and so for those of you who don't know you, could you just introduce yourself a little bit in terms of your app and where you teach and what you teach?
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure I could try to keep it short and sweet.
Speaker 2:So yeah, obviously, as Hannah said, my name is Cortland.
Speaker 2:I have been back and forth from Canada to London for the last six years and basically I kind of just picked up my life from what I was doing in Canada, in Saskatchewan.
Speaker 2:So at the time I was teaching full time at Wheelhouse Cycle Club and working at Lululemon and I just had these big goals that come to a bigger city and kind of do that on a larger scale. So, yeah, I've been in London now teaching at Cycle for the last five years and during the pandemic it brought me back to Canada for 16 months and I was kind of like, as we all were navigating what that looked like, and my London clientele was like oh we miss you, how can we work out with you? And I started just kind of posting myself online, as I'm sure a lot of us did in the fitness industry, and that kind of just naturally took off for me and it's something I've been working on to this day. So it's going to be a year with my app and it's going to be three years doing live workouts and on demand workouts for life on the court and yeah, that's kind of how I got started doing what I'm doing.
Speaker 1:That's so amazing. So the so Life on the Court is your brand, and then you have the Life on the Court app and you have a website that people can stream workouts and so you teach under cycling, at Cycle, and you also teach other modalities, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so my background actually is I grew up being a dancer, so, naturally, when I first became a spin instructor, when I proposed the idea, I was like, yep, I'm in. It literally felt like an extension of who I was. And then, once I give up dance, I felt like I've lost this piece of like expression that music had brought out, brought out of me on the stage. When I clipped into that bike, I was like, oh my God, this is dancing, but on a bike. Obviously it's evolved since then. But, yeah, so fitness instructor, and then I guess, on this side, kind of how I've, you know, been instructing for the last 10 years, is I really really really prioritized. You know cross training, so another method that I trained at and I do on the side is bar and strength as well, right, so it was kind of all integrated into, like on the court as well, and you so I am so impressed by you and the way you do everything, because I've had people who don't know me say like, oh, are you going to teach anything else?
Speaker 1:I'm like, no, like, like and or cycling is my thing. I love being a student of other types of workouts, but having the level of knowledge to be able to coach multiple different modalities in fitness is like is extremely impressive, and I think you have to sort of be a coach to understand that, because the queuing, the coaching, the adjustments, the, the understanding, the history and the movements, like it's a lot of knowledge to keep. And so, bar, you also have done a like a run program too, because you were, you've been, a runner. Did you run in like university? Or is that my imagination?
Speaker 2:No, I wanted to but I never did. And like one of my things, yeah, but yeah, I always tell myself as a part-time runner I mean, yeah, during the pandemic that kind of took off and I've always been interested in just like running races and just doing anything competitive. So that's kind of where that came from. But yeah, amazing.
Speaker 1:So for the so like for the app, that is a huge entrepreneurial endeavor and I think like probably a big shift from from from like somebody who teaches classes for a studio and then having to figure out how to play, put all your videos together and like launch an website. And you just launched something new and amazing which I'm so excited to get into, which is an indoor cycling part, like a ride part of your app and your videos. And I mean Cortland's one of my favorite coaches to ride with. Like she is different from everybody else and it's like as a coach, it's sometimes it can feel hard to be inspired by others because you know you like can you can't turn off your brain where you're like hearing what they're saying and sort of evaluating.
Speaker 1:Where you can't like take off that lens where you're, you're, you're not just a rider and Cortland's workouts are so athletic If you, I can't like I can't think about anything else besides like trying to maintain this is absolutely insane jog. I'm like I would do this as an interval personally. But here we are and I see, I see what you're doing with, with your cycle clients, and I mean this room, you and for everybody else, cortland has been a guest master class coach inside instructor magic and talked about coaching to a room of like 60 people, which is amazing. So now you're you're bringing in ride videos to the Life on the Court app and I'm so excited for to hear you talk about it because I saw like a snippet video on on your Instagram and I like freaked out and started talking to him.
Speaker 1:I was like it's here, and so you know, like, how did that come about? Had it always been something you're thinking about doing, Like, like, let's talk about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, my goodness, so, honestly, the pandemic was just like such a shift for me as an instructor. I basically went from teaching 16 classes a week, which is like literally insane yeah, just all of a sudden, being like I had nothing right, I moved back to Canada and I'm sitting there and I'm like I don't know how to do nothing because I was so used to just like commuting into London teaching from, you know, 7am to 7pm, and that was just like who I was, like I kind of forgot, like who Portland was, outside of cycle and outside of teaching. And so I just feel like, you know, a lot of people have such a different experience in COVID, but for me it was just, honestly, this like real eye opening experience that, like you know, I got to sit down and like kind of think about, like is this what I want long term? Like is this sustainable for me? And then I just realized how burnt out I was. But I, you know, everyone around me probably seen it, but me, you know, you always have those moments. So I kind of just like thought to myself I'm like what, like what would feel good, like what feels right, and so I kind of took that dive I've always really had like an entrepreneurial side. I grew up in a family business and I took marketing, actually in university, so I have a university degree as well and I've always just been intrigued with social media and like kind of like just challenging myself outside of the box. So I had yeah, I just thought like this would be so cool one day, be able to fill myself.
Speaker 2:And you know, I've taught in Australia, I've taught in London, I've taught in Canada and like bring these videos to people beyond the four walls of the studio. And you know, it seemed completely crazy because at the time I'm literally like teaching in front in my like unfinished basement, like in front of a bed sheet, and I was like I literally wrote it down. I was like one day I'm going to be like sitting in a chair having my hair and makeup done like being filmed, and it's going to be like the best quality ever. And I don't know, I just like never lost, lost, got rid of that vision. It kind of just like was always in the back of my head. It was like, you know, you set up those goals and I was like I want to do this, like it wasn't like for anyone else, it was just like something I wanted to put out there.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I like literally just launched that a week ago and that feels so crazy and exciting. So yeah, I think too, with me living, you know, part time in the UK, part time in Canada, and I've been so interested, like how can I keep this relationship with my clientele and my riders here while I'm gone? So that's why I kind of like also pursued life on the court ride. It's like, you know, that's not the bike, because if you want to ride with me, like let's do this. So yeah, that's kind of how ride got to be on life on the court.
Speaker 1:That's so great, and so I, like the people who have known you here, like here in Canada, I'm not, I'm don't live in Saskatchewan.
Speaker 1:For people who don't know that, I think a lot of people A assume I'm American and B assume I either live in Toronto or Vancouver.
Speaker 1:If they don't, oh, it's like no, there's other places and Winnipeg is a smaller ish, I would say region, and people are super loyal like they are super loyal to you and to me and to whoever, and I love that.
Speaker 1:Like you know, out of all of the negative shit that came out of the pandemic, the ability to maintain relationships with people like across, like cross countries has emerged because of virtual opportunities like this, and I love that you have been able to step outside of just in quotations being associated with fitness brands and create your own, because that's not easy to do. Like to carve out your own personal brand while still teaching for studios and, like you know, like navigating all the intricacies of that. I can't even imagine and I'm not going to ask you how, but I'm like that's a whole other thing. What has been the response so far from people who are already subscribed to your app but now are doing the rides with you and like seeing more recent rides, because you have rides on Wheelhouse Live, but like this is you know, this is like recent court, like this is stuff that you're now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, this is.
Speaker 2:We call this Coraline 2.0, because I don't know if anyone's following on social media, but in the last year I've also opened up about my mental health journey. So I feel like this whole year in itself has been that's just huge transition for me, and you know I'd love to dive deeper into this. But even just how I've evolved in the last year as an instructor on the bike has been literally profound. So, um, yeah, I just what was interesting to me when I was like launching this out to it, I was like you know, am I gonna see majority of my subscribers who are already on life on the court buying the packages or like is this gonna meet like a whole new Kind of Demographic and bringing new people?
Speaker 2:And it was like, to my surprise, a lot of people who aren't currently subscribers like signed up for the ride Person which was like like this is so cool. So now I'm like okay, well, you're on the bike, let's get you off the bike and let's get you training, yeah, in both modalities. And like that's like my goal at the end of the day. So, yeah, I guess I mean like it feels so new and so fresh and like I can't wait to dive into it a little bit more. You're the marketing Magician of like where we can take this and like what we can do with it.
Speaker 1:So yeah, you talked about your evolution as an instructor in the last year being so profound. What does that mean? Like I'm so curious then, like where that came from, or what does it look like now versus what it was before, a year ago, whether it's more mental health focused or like Bringing in more strength training to what you do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like it honestly probably all has to come back down to my mental health. I think I've been struggling for a long time and it's something that actually is like quite Quite, quite common on my mom's side and my family, so it kind of seems generational, but I don't know. I was always kind of like that person who thought I, I could help myself. You know what I mean. I had done or read every self-help book. I had been to every doctor, you know, hypnotherapist, naturopath, like all these people.
Speaker 2:I was willing and I was willing to try anything, but I just didn't want to accept the fact that I might need this medication because, like in my head, it was like this happy pill that I didn't want to rely on it's kind of how I had deemed it and Just got to a point last summer where I was like the lowest of the lows and I didn't know what to do and I just knew I didn't want to like proceed with the way I was feeling. And you know so I had some like conversations with some like really close people, and my sister being one of them, she's like I don't know like what if you just hide it, but it was just like so interesting because in my head, you know, I think what is common too from a lot of people that I've talked to is, if you can relate mental health, it's like you know, if you're gonna try something, it's like we're almost just so focused on like what's not going to work, or like what the side effects are gonna be, or like what if this happens. But never once did I kind of look at it in the opposite lens of like what would be like the best case scenario, like what if I felt like I never stressed, I never had worry, like what if I was able to walk into a room without being like so nervous that I wanted to throw up and I could just like step on that podium and be for it? You know what I mean not care about like what 60 people were gonna think about me, and I wish that was like talked about more. And I've kind of been trying to bring light to that on social media in the last year because I'm like, oh my god, like Taking those five, ten years ago, because, like I said, like it's like Portland 2.0.
Speaker 2:I just feel like I have come out of my shell and I think I've just been able to be who I've always wanted to be, and I think what I can point it down to is just like peer confidence. I think I used to be so afraid of, you know, comparing myself, all these other instructors and thinking that like okay, this person played this song into this combo and like they delivered it in such a way that was like so amazing, like I need to do that. And I mean like I think throughout these spin journeys we're gonna have like so many different versions of ourselves as instructor, but this one just feels like the most authentic to me and you know I've seen that my class attendance has I rocketed. My following has also just like become so much stronger in the last year. So it's like you know, the numbers are there to just kind of like prove to myself that, like you know, I I have like really done this feeling, I really put in the work, I really took that next step To kind of just step into my true self and like, honestly, I feel so freaking good.
Speaker 2:So what was interesting actually, though, is the. The learning and the journey is never over, right. Like you know, I can say all these great things and I'm so glad I'm on medication, but actually on Wednesday, just three days ago, I was getting ready to go back to teach that cycle after four months off, and I had my first panic attack.
Speaker 2:So, I've not a panic impact, probably like, yeah, I maybe had one in the last year and it was interesting, I was walking to teach and it was like this, like overwhelming sense of emotion that just came over me and like I've really struggled to adapt to the train and commuting System here and it kind of just felt like you know, I'm such like part of my anxiety was like Control, like I want to control over everything. And you know, just going on medication was just like. You know, just like taking this pressure off, taking this Eat, like this. It's way off of me to just be like you know what it is, what it is, and at the end of the day, I can't control it and I can only do so much and I can only be so. So that was I was a huge, huge, huge relief and just my ability to show up as a person, as a friend, as an instructor.
Speaker 2:And, yeah, I was about to get onto that train and I was like, oh my god, what if the train doesn't make it?
Speaker 2:Like what if my laptop goes dead? Like all of a sudden it was like just this, like Overwhelming pace of scenarios of like what's gonna go wrong or like what could happen to me and I was just like, oh my god, and I'm just like standing there falling and I'm like, okay, deep breath, like this is just a bad moment, like you're gonna get there, it's gonna become familiar. You're gonna like so many people you know and it's going, it's going to be amazing. And what I think is so, so cool about this is that I just like walked into that room and, instead of feeling like I needed to be this like fitness professional, like this person who thought she had it all together and like portray this image, I was just like, hey guys, I'm here today and I've had a panic attack and, you know, I was just like super open about it and I kind of like use that as a message throughout the class to be like, you know, I'm human as well, mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:I mean at the end of the day, like we're gonna come here and we all have shit we're going through. So how can we just like kind of like you know, whatever it is we're going through, bring it to this room, bring it to this ride. Maybe you want to forget about it or maybe you want to move through it. So yeah, that's kind of been like the deep dive of you know my mental health journey and then just like Stepping into my true power as an instructor and what that looked like over the last year.
Speaker 1:That's well. First of all, thank you for sharing all of that. I sort of put it to court limit at the beginning, like before we start recording goes like I want to get into that because I've seen you share it online and obviously like that's how this podcast was born was talking about mental health and I think whenever we share our stories like this, we do feel more connected. People feel more connected to us. We feel like we can like drop this like pressure of trying to be perfect. And when we're literally put on a pedestal, like on a podium, there's this natural sort of like reverence people have for us and it feels like oh, that's not me, like I'm actually just a real person, like and I'm dealing with my own stresses and my own stuff too. And when we like drop the I don't know facade if that's a word or like trying to get people in, it can be helpful.
Speaker 1:And panic attacks are scary because they're like a full body experience of feeling like you, this fight or flight, you know a response of like I have to be, so I have to figure this out. And when I have been there, when you have like quite literally all of the worst case scenarios like running through your mind as if they're true and you're like, that's like not even real. But if it is real, I will figure it out because I have already thought about it. It's like this protective you know mechanism where you're like well, if I think about it, then I'll have the right solution if it happens. And I'm like, why Like? But it's hard to get. Your mind doesn't know that. Your mind's just like, well, let's just think about it. And I you know I have shared a lot of similar, I think, characteristics with you. And the control thing, like I couldn't I don't know that I could live, or you live because I have to be able to drive, like I have to be able to drive my car.
Speaker 2:It's actually so. It's like crazy. It's nothing that I ever thought would like be a stressor in my life till I came here and, like I said, like when I tell people, I'm like you don't realize the control you feel behind a steering wheel and it's this like whole sense of, like freedom that I think we just take for granted. And you know, like even just learning to drive here, where I'm on the opposite side of the road and I'm now driving a stick ship and I'm like, oh my gosh, like this is this is this is this is this is crazy. Like you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:And there'd be times where I'm like I have a 930 class, a teach, and I get on that train and I allow myself to be an hour which, like you know, it takes me 35 minutes to get to the studio, and all of a sudden it's like, oh, there is a tree that's on the railroad track and it's like completely out of my control.
Speaker 2:But you know the control in me, I'm like like I have to get there, like you know what I mean. So yeah it, there has been so many. There has been so many scenarios and so many stressful commutes. But yeah, this past year, honestly, just like I think, like, like, honestly, just like being able to not feel like I have to control it or fix it has been such a game changer for me because, at the end of the day, you know, like something like that, it's like such a natural mistake, like not a mistake, but like thing that just like happens that like I'm not expected to just like go off the train and move this tree so that I can keep moving, so that I can get to my class. But I'm like you know what in my head, I'm like I always need to be solving these issues or I always need to be like in, like, yeah, I guess I'm solving mode.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, oh gosh, do you feel like it's for me it's an overwhelming sense of like guilt if I can't make it to class for some reason, like I had to. I had literally like Karla's putting up her hands in a green, and I had a situation in December which I haven't talked a lot about, but my boyfriend had a freak accident and with his cat anyways, he was attacked by his cat Whatever, let's play it up and it was not really the cat's fault, but it was whatever His hands were like completely torn up by these insane cat bites. This is going on a tended story, but I had to take care of him because it was like cat bites are awful and you can easily get them infected and basically that was what was happening. So this is December in Winnipeg. He lives in rural Manitoba, so, like outside of the perimeter, I have to drive to, like make all his meals, like take care of him, do all the stuff, like take a head to the vet my dogs, like it's like icy roads. And that was the last time I felt what you're describing, which was like this. Like you know, because I had to take care of everything and I remember I was, I had like we finally got back from the hospital one night after like he had to get this IV antibiotic situation, so we had to like drive it out in the city and I was.
Speaker 1:I had Risenmath the next day, which is a lot of people know like my signature sort of theme and it's always wait-listed and it's just like the most fun and it was.
Speaker 1:I had never gotten the sub before without being on vacation and I remember just like sitting there, tears like rolling down my face, and I was like somebody was supposed to co-lead with me the next day and I saw that another motivator was also in the ride and I was like would you please co-lead this for me? And I'm like I and I send them like the longest message, being like I'm so sorry and I sound so dramatic now because I've had similar realizations to you where it's like I was dealing with an emergency. I was dealing with like the most stress of my life, not weatherwise, not just weatherwise, but like health wise and they were like of course we got you and my writers understood that this guilt was like the wildest. I felt like I was failing everybody, and so is that part of like what you feel when you're trying to like grab that sense of control back in these situations.
Speaker 2:Totally like. I can so relate to this. I don't know what it is. I think, like all some instructors can relate to this and I think it's like you know, we work so hard to build these rooms, to build these wait lists, and it's like, I think, in the part, in the process of it, like I'm not ashamed to say it, but I think we do lose a part of ourself because we give so much to this thing that we love. And for the longest time it was like you know, I was actually just listening to one of your episodes with Ryan Jones, who's incredible, and you know he was saying, like you know, like we forget that we can be someone outside of the studio, right, like we can be someone outside.
Speaker 2:And you know, pre pandemic, like honestly, my life was just spin and I loved it.
Speaker 2:I give everything I had to it.
Speaker 2:But you know, my days off were spent in bed or on the couch like trying to like recoup, re-energize, because I had 16 other classes that you felt following week and I've experienced the same thing as it's like complete guilt of, like you know, getting a sub because those people are coming to your class for you, and then it's like this feeling of like letting them down is, like my youth, valid enough.
Speaker 2:Like you know what I mean. And it's like this pressure we put on ourselves and I'm like, oh my God, like we're only human, I know everyone will understand. And it's like how about we just stop explaining ourselves Like maybe we just need a personal day, maybe we just need that day, like, or whatever reason it is, like it's okay. You know what I mean. And I think the more we open up about it and we can relate to each other about it, like I think everyone feels it. I think like we're just starting to talk about it. You know what I mean. And I think there's so many things in the spin culture yeah, the spin culture world that like need to be cracked open and talked about and kind of like normalized.
Speaker 1:I wanna say I think, like spoken about, like, like taking, like pulling back the curtain a little bit, because what I see often on social media in terms of I talk about this all the time like super extreme levels of choreography that don't have resistance under the dial, that are like so unattainable, and I'm like that's not realistic. Nor is it realistic, like you know, teaching 16 classes a week. That's wild and I'm sure some people do it for a time, but there's like you do lose a part of yourself, I think, when you don't have any like a minute. And I love what you said about like let's stop explaining ourselves, because I felt the need to like share the story about like, like you know, to like talk about how I got to stop.
Speaker 1:Now it's very different and I took all of July off from teaching and I was people like what's wrong. I'm like I haven't taken vacation for three years and, like all last year when I was working full time for Wheelhouse, didn't take a week of holidays and that did not serve me well and it doesn't serve my community well either, when you're completely burnt out. But I love what you said. Maybe I just need a personal day because, like, everybody needs a day off. You know, and if you, if others felt the way that we do, where, like, everybody in the office is gonna be like what happened? They like took a day off. You know the crushing yeah would like get to it People would be like, okay, this is crazy. So I love everything that you're saying about like finding balance and trying to like reclaim you as a person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's. I just I mean that's so. I'm so happy that you took the month for yourself because, again, like you said, it's so great, almost step away and feel so much gratitude for what you have and what you've created, which is also really cool, and I get to like, look at that moving back and forth from Canada to London and it's, like you know, to see the excitement of my riders after stepping away for four months. You know, like I used to default to like, oh my God, they're going to forget about me.
Speaker 2:Right or like, oh, I'm going to, I'm going to lose my weight list or I'm going to lose my, my riders to another instructor. And now I'm just like I just have such a piece of mind. I'm like you know what, I'm so excited to get back there and give it my all. I feel so refreshed and like re energized to come back with something new or you know something different that I'm like yeah, they're going to be there. They're going to be there because they want to ride with me you know what I mean or with you like cool, like whatever the scenario is.
Speaker 1:So I love that Like it's more of an abundance mindset to. I don't know if you've heard this phrase before, but it's like we think when we're like in scarcity and lock.
Speaker 1:It's like sort of competing with each other and we feel like if we're not there, you know the like I'm going to lose my riders.
Speaker 1:And I felt that right here I think everybody goes through that where it's like or you don't share resources or whatever because it's like you, you feel like you need to hold and like it's your stuff and your style or whatever.
Speaker 1:And I mean, before even started instructor, like not many people were like sharing tracks while like like widely on social media and now it's become more popular and I love that because it sort of speaks to this like what you just said of they'll be there, people who want to ride with me are going to ride with me. I don't need to be here every second of every day to be relevant and I can even step away from social media for a little bit and like people are going to still be there, which is always a. It's like you're not going to lose all this perceived momentum if you take a break or if you get a sub or if you need anything and the everything is like people will drop off and they'll stop coming to spin, will stop coming to the studio. There's people I can think about who used to come to every single ride, and then they just they're gone and I'm like I hope, I hope you're okay.
Speaker 1:And then you put new people come in, you know, and it's like new people probably are discovering you now, which is amazing, like I feel like people who just discovered cycle in the summer are now getting to meet you and it's like this whole other benefit that they did even realize. I mean, I'm assuming, with classes that big that there's got to be, there's got to be a lot of new people come in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is crazy, like we said, there's so in our studio that I primarily teach at their 62 bike, which you know was probably one of my biggest learnings moving over from Canada and teaching, you know. And we're going to Saskatchewan where we're what? Maybe we're our population 200,000. So for a city like that's quite, quite small. And you know, I I lean on my community there because, like you said, it was consistent and you know, with 30 bikes and it was full all the time and it just was like it was awesome, I loved it. And then I was like, okay, well, this is a whole new, a whole new challenge to come and I'm going to this big city where there is a thousand other things to do or places to work out or instructors to go to. And, yeah, you really have to like rethink about how you're showing up and how you're pulling people in and how you're building this community.
Speaker 2:And I'll never forget something I'd been here, I'd been at cycle for a year and me, my boyfriend, were just about to move to Australia for four months and I was teaching at a spin studio there and I almost was just like expected that I was going to like come and have this sold out room, which was like such an eye opening experience. And I go to my first class and there was four people. There was four people in this room and I was almost, like you know, my ego was like a little bit like, oh, what the heck? And I'll never forget it, I think it was my boyfriend. That was like you know, four or 40. And I used to like deliver the same. Do you know what I mean? Like it and it was such a cool learning experience for me because it was like you know, you can't just, you know, you can't just rely on these classes for it to be full and for them to like together or to help you like lead and take charge. So, yeah, it was a really cool four months to like go there and have nobody know me and to kind of just like really start from scratch. Yeah, yeah it, that's the thing.
Speaker 2:And you know, even just this last year, with my mental health journey, one of the big stressors for me was, like you know, being that instructor that was so likable and I, you know I always give this piece of advice, like anyone. I'm like you know stay true to who you are, because you can't be for everyone and it is so daunting to step into a room of 60 people and then, you know, leave that class and pull up your class path and, like you know, see these reviews and you know, for the majority of their good. But you know, you can have those reviews where it's like I didn't like her music, she thought she was everything, and like I wouldn't go back, and I'm like, oh my god, like you, just you can get a meeting like you see, you, you got to be a part of like 40 minutes. You know what I mean, and so that can be like so hard on fun on yourself, confidence and your ego as a person. But it's like you know, it's just like, okay, you know it wasn't for them and that's okay.
Speaker 2:Like I've been in classes where I'm like, you know, like it didn't love, it, probably wouldn't go back, and you know what I mean. You want to see both sides of it. So like to to, yeah, have those reviews and have those. Like people that are like, ah, it's not for me. So it's always just a just a challenge to, like I said, stay true to who you are, and that would be hard, like we don't because I don't have to get.
Speaker 1:I don't get reviewed. I mean maybe I do, I know right, probably, and I'm like that would. That would be hard for me as a words of affirmation person who also has ADHD and projections to be dysphoria is like a major part of it. So it's like feeling that review and so anybody who's listening, especially those in the States who have the class pass and who have like that or internationally and who have that, that would be challenging or there like any like I guess the advice is really like you're not for everybody, and I say that for sure too. It's like the more you are who you are, the more you're going to repel the people who are not for you and bring more people who are for you in. So don't stay in the neutral where you try and be like dilute your personality. But like reading, do you read all of those reviews? Or like how do you? Because I feel like I would just like make a little knot.
Speaker 2:I know. So it's like I know they launch every Monday at 12. Oh my God, but it's like. No, I honestly I try not to, but in the next breath it is such great social proof Cause you do, like I said, you know there is 99% amazing reviews. It's that 1% that are like negative, but it's like it's so easy to get caught up in that 1%. But I'm always just reminding myself. You know, like for every one bad review, look at there's 25 great ones. So why don't we focus on those ones?
Speaker 2:I don't go on it weekly. I do like to like check in and see, like if there was a theme ride that people came to or you know like what are. What are things that I'm doing great at, that are landing with people that I should like keep doing and kind of like using that, as you know, a development skill for me and also like screenshotting the amazing ones and then posting them on social media and social proof, because you know we've got to. You got to create that buzz, so that's also been great to do as well.
Speaker 1:I would put them all in a happy folder, which I do with instructor magic people when they send me a DM or whatever I like. Have a happy one.
Speaker 1:And then I yeah, I use them as social proof because, it's true, like other people trust somebody else's word of mouth implicitly versus versus. I mean anything else. Like if they call the studio and say whose glasses should I go to? Whatever, they're going to take that with a grain of salt. But if they see Joe Schmo who's off to review, they're going to probably believe that especially, there's overwhelming positive ones. So that's great advice Like take it as feedback, take the things that are working, but don't become obsessed with them. What so teaching going from a room of I don't know how many bikes Regina had when you were teaching there when you first came to the UK, and we didn't say why. Cortland lives into places but her boyfriend plays. Was it hockey over there?
Speaker 2:Yeah, he plays professional ice hockey over here Like she just chooses to live internationally.
Speaker 1:Oh no, so that's amazing. But when you were moving from wheelhouse Regina at the time there were two studios, like moving from teaching a room like of that size to a cycle where there's 60 bikes in the various studios that you teach at, what was the leg as an instructor in terms of learning how to coach an entire room when there's new people, when there's veterans, when there's like that's something we've talked about a bit inside instructor magic, when you were coaching, doing the coaching masterclass, but like just mentally, and then like what are some things that you had to change with how you teach, if at all?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would say it's probably like one of the hardest parts, kind of, of my training because, like we had mentioned, like coming from wheelhouse Regina, you were so used to staying the same group or the same crew in your rides.
Speaker 2:Like your third day at 30, it might attract like a certain group. Like you said, your Sunday rides and raps, like you get your diehards there every week and you know what bike they're on and not much really changes where I'll go to a class and I might have my regulars and then I could have like 15 new riders. So there can be this huge diverse group of levels that I need to like take into consideration and coach through. And you know what it was. It's so interesting because, you know, I want my advanced riders to feel challenged and I want my beginners to feel included. And it's like how am I vocally like bringing this across, to like get everyone kind of like on the same page, to move together? And I would say that being like really strategic and really intentional with the words I use, and I think one of the biggest things too is really really really like speaking to your new riders, your advanced riders.
Speaker 2:They know what to do, you know they've been there long enough that they don't need to be told to reach down to added or to call that little bit extra harder. I think it's really reaching out to those new riders to be like it's okay if this choreography that we're doing or that you see your front row like absolutely killing it. It's okay if you're not there. You know what I mean. Like you know, some of these people have been here for a thousand plus rides it's like today is day one. You're a beginner, like just sit in that, like take this in, take that energy in, and really just coaching them through that journey.
Speaker 2:Because I think, you know, I think anyone shows up to something and expects the best of themselves and it's really hard to drop that ego and to be like, oh wow, like maybe I'm not as good as I thought I should be at this or whatever it is you're trying. So you know, I kind of like I kind of always bring them back. Like you know, like it's okay to screw up, it's okay to mess up, like embrace that, especially in the beginning. I think we don't give ourselves that room to kind of, like you know, embrace the fuck up. I'm just gonna say it like it is what it is, sorry if that's gonna get you.
Speaker 1:No, this is an explosive.
Speaker 2:I know, yeah, you're all about it, but like I mean I see this all the time too, with running, as I coach people, like in my Coach26K program, or just like had conversations on Instagram, it's like you know, it's like they wanna start running, but they like one, it's like amazing pace and it's like, well, you don't just like start running and, you know, start with a five minute kilometer pace, like do you know what I mean? Like there's gonna be good days, there's gonna be bad days and even as an advanced instructor, an advanced rider, like we still have those days as well. So, yeah, it's been a journey, but honestly, probably is one of the things I'm most proud of about how much I've grown as an instructor in terms of like coaching a room like that.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, yeah, I feel like it would require you to have the ability to really see everybody visually and also try and like be present with them and maybe get like I can like move around and then like coach the people who need that coaching and let the advanced people be, but then to offer them options like oh my, God, I think, if there's like any instructors listening, I think, like if I was to give a takeaway or a pointer, it would be that one of the things that I had to really learn was you know, and especially, we built these incredible playlists right.
Speaker 2:We spent hours perfecting these this extensive or this like advanced choreography or whatever it is and you know, we get on the bike and now we think it needs to go like exactly how we planned it and that is like that is. So. It's not the case Like. You know what I mean. Like, unless you know your room is going to be exactly like you know everyone, then great, You're probably going to be able to like run that playlist like you plan. But it was like I said it, and I talked about a lot about this in Instructor Magic in our in the session. I did, and it's like being able to regress what you planned if your room can handle it.
Speaker 2:You know, what I mean. Like you can have this 32 count combo that you're like so excited to drop and you might get through 16 counts and that's okay because that's what your riders needed. You know what I mean. It's about, like, like I said, like don't make it about the combo, don't make it about how much work you put in to bring this to them, like celebrate them, forgetting through those 16 counts, and like they don't know that you had a whole other 16 to drop. You know what?
Speaker 1:I mean.
Speaker 2:Just kind of forget that and let it be like what it is and like the cool thing about that is take that playlist, take that combo and then use it for the next week or two and like there you go. You have something to work towards in each class to get them to that combo.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That 32 count, like to progress it and get them to work at it and feel like they've like really learned something and accomplished something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like I loved what you delivered to the masterclass folks because it is like that progression or regression and you said it so well that like, if you don't like, you drop your ego of like it being about you, of like you being like I prepared this thing so I'm going to deliver it. And there's like fucking people just like literally like it. What for what purpose? Like who are you for? You know, it's not if you're most advanced, riders are struggling. Even you know, maybe it needs some g-jing or some buildup, as you mentioned. You know, to get to that point over a few classes versus like all in one. And sometimes I'm surprised for, like I'll have, I won't even look necessarily at the names of who's there, I'll just see that there's a full class and like, okay, great, like I'll be able to deliver more advanced stuff. And then I realized that there's 10 people who are under 25 classes under their belt and I'm like, oh, okay, this is a different class than I was expecting, so we're going to change it on the fly and you have to be willing, like to be able to change your plan, like whatever your plan was in your mind.
Speaker 1:I wanted to like, as we're nearing the end of our conversation, I wanted to ask you what your goals were with like your app and if whatever you're willing to share with us, your brand and me. Cortland has, like she does affiliate stuff, which is my favorite. I love that people do affiliate, like sharing the things that they're interested in. This is something I want to personally get better at in like sharing more content. That's, hannah, outside of just quote, unquote spin, and I think you do really really well. So what are some goals you have, like the life on the court app or like anything else you want to share? I'm so curious.
Speaker 2:So right now, my focus of life on the court. We have 300 plus on demand workouts between bar strength conditioning and now ride. So now that I kind of have that all together. You know, I've always said that this platform is for runners and riders who want to become stronger on the bike and I truly believe that like I have never felt so strong on the bike and when I'm focusing, you know, off the bike. So I really want to show that and help help people with that. But I think it's just like getting it out there and in growing that, that subscription base so kind of a little bit more on the business side of things, is one of my goals.
Speaker 2:Now that ride's done and I've just kind of like put it out there. I'm like, oh, what is next? What is next? No, I think the course is next. So anyone listening as I've taken total on formula amazing course and now it's like time to like put it in the works. So I've been trying to work on something there. I'm dropping a merch line actually which is coming up, so that's amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I'm hoping that will be out in the next month. I'm just kind of like there's so much to think of like shipping and yeah, like where I'm getting my product from.
Speaker 1:So yeah, that's kind of like what's next for me, and then, yeah, just just building, you know, my social brand and stuff like that A merch line is huge and this has been something I've been talking about for so long with my assistants Like can we just fucking do it already?
Speaker 1:And I'm like oh, it's crazy so like particular about design and quality, that it's basically paralyzed me to not do it yet and like I just need to start putting things out there and doing the things I know like I should be doing. But I'm like I need to feel something like it's. I need to like look at this ditching, I need to look at the printing, and he's like, and I can be really indecisive. So I'm so impressed when anybody can do this because I'm like I can figure out the business side. It's the like yeah, design where I will spend hours and hours and then be like no, never mind, yeah, I've been honestly talking about this forever and I was just like, yeah, I was exactly like you.
Speaker 2:I think, like you said, we do share so many similar, similar attributes, but it's just like. I'm just like. I think a lot of the times, too, we kind of like get in our own way. You know what I mean. I'm like same with me for the design. I was like I tried and tried. That's another thing too. I think I try to do everything myself and like I'm going to admit it, I have hired Hannah to help me with my run launch, which was amazing, but, you know, realizing and understanding that we can only do so much, yeah, so like I 100% was like I want to do this, I'm going to hire out this design and I am going to do everything else I can, but where I need help, I'm going to get help so that this shit gets done. Great.
Speaker 1:Great advice, yeah, and you have it like. You also have a really strong, I feel, like brand in terms of your aesthetic and like the things you share with, like your style. I don't really have a lot of personal style, so I will like this office I redesigned and I did it by like, like I have this nice wall and whatever. I looked at a Pinterest board and I was like copy and paste.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:The color, the chair, the whatever. So I know what I like, but it can be hard for me to ideate. So I'm so excited to see all that come together and what you share. But yeah, so, and where can people find you to follow along, to subscribe, to do all the things with you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, obviously. I have a website, lifeonthecourtcom. You can search my app. It's in the Android store as well as the Apple store, and that's life on the court as well. As I have a YouTube channel which has some free workouts on it, and then on social media and TikTok Instagram, it's at Portland app. So come follow along, come say hi, see what's going on over there. Find your email list too. Yes, which, oh my God, you'll be so proud. I just finally launched a lead magnet, yay.
Speaker 2:I'm so proud Like literally two days ago I know this has been like a year and a half and making it so funny because, like you said, we can have this list of things we can want to do, like I've had, you know, these simple things.
Speaker 2:I said to my boyfriend I was like I've wanted to get this checked off my to-do list for literally a year and a half, but the other night it just happened so organically and I was like sometimes you can try and try and try to get something done, but it's just like it's just not going to happen. So and I know you've talked about this too with like ADHD, it's like working like within your flow and it's kind of like you know, like I'd set up before we had started the podcast, like I am such a night owl and I've just learned to accept that, like I love a little bit of a sleep in and a little bit of a slow morning and I do my best for a good night and I had to like, really like, is it unconditioned? Like what's the word I'm looking for to like? Or like I'm trying myself out like, yeah, like decondition myself, that like I should be working during the day.
Speaker 2:And I was like you know what? Like it's just not for me. Like I love to like go to the gym in the morning, get my work out in, do my errands and then like sit down and get work done in the evening and that's just how we work best. So I'm like that's okay, that's okay. But I think, like society is like no, like we need the science of five, and I'm like that just doesn't work for me, so that's okay.
Speaker 1:It's okay to like have a completely different work process and creative, creative, creative process than somebody else.
Speaker 2:I tell this to my students and teaching in college.
Speaker 1:I'm like don't look at what Mary is doing over there and think that you need to work like them, because everybody told me when I was in school that I need to like subscribe to working ahead of time. And I'm like then I would procrastinate because I needed that urgency to like get me excited. And sometimes your to-do list is just like making you feel guilty. It's like just fucking throw it out then and do whatever you want. That's fun first and you'll figure it out, but like if you always have this pressure of like having to do this thing. So I'm glad that you got it done and I'm so excited to see your email list build.
Speaker 2:Amazing emails.
Speaker 1:I love when people are like I don't know an email list, I don't know anything. They're like sending out beautifully written. I was like, oh, this copy. Like when you launched the ride for it, I was like this is like well, I'm like, did she has a sales copywriter Right? This is great.
Speaker 1:So anyway, thank you so much Cortland for sharing your journey, for sharing all about your mental health. I'm so excited for people to to who haven't discovered you to discover you, and I'm so excited for people who already know you to have heard this side of the conversation, because I don't know how many podcasts you've been on. You should be on all of them but I'm really happy that you said yes to this conversation today, so thank you.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you so so much for having me. Let's drop a little discount code for my ride bundle so for anyone listening they can use life on the court 20 for 20% off the ride bundle which this launch a week ago. It has seven rides in it with two bonus arm weight tracks. So if any instructors need like info, you guys go, go, go get that bundle and just listen to the playlist, watch the, the choreography, the combos and take it as inspiration, message me whatever. So, yeah, thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1:It's been amazing. I'm so proud. My marketing mother brain is like I was like I hope that she has a discount code because we didn't talk about it. Yeah, Okay, thanks, court.