KIM KRIEGER
SPIN CERTIFIED, STRENGTH COACH + PERSONAL TRAINER
FIRST CLASS TAUGHT: JANUARY 2019
Music: I almost always match drills to the BPM of the song so that we’re pedalling to the beat. High RPM stuff departs from that, but I don’t spend much of my classes in the high RPM zone anyway.
Genre: lots of melodic house anthems. I am a sucker for throwbacks every so often and have been known to create artist vs. artist playlists (eg. Shakira vs. J. Lo)
Fave Spin Songs: Rather Be by Clean Bandit will always be top for me, and Sunset Lover by Petit Biscuit is such a great cooldown tune
Philosophy: Life is a party, and that includes celebrating what your body can do today, in this moment! There’s no room for negative self-talk in my classes. Curiosity about, and celebration of, our bodies’ limits are values I want to encourage in my riders, within a framework of anatomical knowledge to keep us safe and happy.
Mantras: “strong legs!” “Drive from your glutes!” “Channel your energy into your lower body” “go, team!”
Favourite Spin Drill: I really enjoy playing with speed/tension and can’t resist a good hard high tension sprint!
ABOUT KIM:
Athleticism is not something Kim has always embraced. In school, she hated gym class with a passion. She and her friends would constantly cheat on school runs, she’d “forget” her PE strip at home (she's sure her teachers saw through her mysterious illnesses that always coincided with gym). She even joined a soccer team in grade five, only to quit on the same day because there was too much running involved!
Kim counts herself lucky for the friendships and mentorships that have taught her that there's no one way to enjoy moving. You don’t have to go to the gym, you don’t have to join organized sports, and you certainly don’t have to run if you don’t want to! Regular physical activity has become an indispensable tool not only for her physical and mental health but also for self-discovery.
Now, after a short but successful career as a doula, Kim is honoured to share her passion for and knowledge of movement with others at Zen Revolution, offering spin classes as a certified Spinning® instructor and strength classes as a BCRPA-certified personal trainer.
KARIN KRONSTAL
KEISER + SCHWINN CERTIFIED FOR SPIN, GROUP FITNESS + BARRE INSTRUCTOR CERTIFIED
FIRST CLASS TAUGHT: July 2021
Music: I try to incorporate the music into the drills, for example space spin faster during chorus, but I always give an RPM range for people to aim for. It’s more like the music provides the feeling/energy of the drill, not the specific beat.
Genre: it’s a mixed bag, but generally pop/hip-hop … some indie rock and classics thrown in. Occasionally a theme class!
Fave Spin Songs (today): Big energy by Latto (clean version!); ready 2 b loved by Lizzo and BREAK MY SOUL by Beyoncé
Philosophy: my goal is to provide a safe, fun workout in that order - if you get injured or don’t enjoy yourself, you won’t come back!
Mantras: “Consistency over intensity” is a one I love (adopted during pregnancy) and can be a good one for new riders
Don’t drop your crown (keep your neck aligned with spine)
Most frequent - Come and get what you came for ;) ie if you chose to be here because you wanted a good sweat, now is your chance!
Favourite Spin Drill: I like a race drill that combines a sprint, standing heavy sprint and seated climb …like, catch them on the flat, pass them going uphill, then keep your lead till the top . I usually repeat this 3-4 times because the first time is more a practice round. Sometimes I give the other imaginary riders French names (“we must catch Jacques!”)
ABOUT KARIN:
A lifelong cardio enthusiast, Karin became a certified group fitness and spinning instructor in 2005. Quickly, she became an evangelist for the benefits of indoor cycling for everyone from the serious cyclist to the complete novice.
Karin has taught bootcamp, dance and cycling fitness classes in Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax, and is pleased to join the awesome team at Zen Revolution.
She looks forward to bringing her positive and energetic teaching style to the studio, and to yelling things like, "That's not sweat on your brow, it's the fountain of youth!"
Karin has recently welcomed a new addition to their family, and has a young baby girl at home.
JEAN MEDLEY
SPIN INSTRUCTOR + CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER
INSTRUCTOR START DATE: October 2021
To the Beat of the Music or RPM-based?: More often to the beat. But! I’ll give you an RPM range suggestion of where I’d like you to be!
Spin Genre: Definitely a lot of EDM! I love a good remix!! I also like to make themes like Madonna, or 90’s MMVDP or pop-y alternative.
Favourite Spin Songs: At the Moment:
Physical Dua Lipa - Claptone Remix.
Thriller Bobby Rock- Original Mix. Marry the Night Lady Gaga.
Spin Philosophy: We’re all here for different reasons so let’s have fun, work hard, sweat it out, come as you are, and get lost in the music!
Spin Mantras: Well I’ve been known to say these three little words a few times during class: “Make it harder!”
Favourite Spin Drill: I LOVE power sprints and a heavy seated climb with standing sprint intervals. Boom!
ABOUT JEAN:
Jean started off her fitness journey swimming and running. Having never picked up a weight until her mid 20s, she instantly fell in love with weight training and living a healthy, active lifestyle. She became a BCRPA certified personal trainer in 2013 wanting to share her passion and knowledge for fitness as a healthy lifestyle.
After a year of personal training, the call to adventure came. Having not stepped on a bicycle in years and not letting her vision disability get in her way, she decided to challenged herself by biking over 10 000 kilometers (unassisted) through Mexico for two years. She realized through her own experience that we, as humans, have way more access to physical and mental strength than we believe we do.
Upon returning to Canada and moving to Powell River she obtained her group fitness and indoor cycling certificates through BCRPA.
Now calling Nanaimo home she is thrilled to be a part of the Zen Revolution team and to share her love for physical activity, music and sense of community with the Zen community!
TAYLOR OSWALD
SCHWINN INDOOR CYCLING INSTRUCTOR + NCCP COACH
INSTRUCTOR START DATE: JUNE 2022
To the Beat of the Music or RPM-based?: To the beat for sure - which is hard enough to count, let alone figuring out the exact BPM to match your RPM. Sometimes, though, I go off-piste and ride as my heart guides us...which is to say, off beat...
Spin Genre: Most classes we go on a Pop Journey- songs from the 70's to a few modern gems. I do love a few sneaky country songs interspersed in a ride.
Favourite Spin Songs: Proud Mary- Tina Turner, Wake Me Up- Avicii, Bills- Lunchmoney Lewis and The Distance- Cake.
Spin Style or Philosophy: Leave it all on the bike- all of your angst and energy. Come as you are, and push your own limits- swear in your head... and keep going. We're pushing together.
Spin Mantras: Time to dig deep and feel the burn. Don't let yourself off the hook- push your comfort zone.
Favourite spin drill: Who doesn't love a climb that makes you grunt with exertion?? All about that endurance climb, followed by another endurance climb and perhaps just one more cheeky climb.
ABOUT TAYLOR:
After sweating through 100's of hours on the spin bike, Taylor decided to undertake instructor training in 2014- it was time to bring her own flair to the grunting and grinding of a good class.
Taylor wanted to extol the mental and physical benefits of spin to a wide and diverse audience. Having played sports her whole life and coached Special Olympics most of her adult life, Spin instructor seemed like an excellent addition to her repertoire.
She looks forward to sharing her enthusiasm (and a few country songs) with the studio.
CINDY KRUGER
SCHWINN INDOOR CYCLING CERTIFIED + BCRPA GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
INSTRUCTOR START DATE: SEPTEMBER 2022
To the Beat of the Music or RPM-based?:
I teach to the beat of the music for sure. It’s all about the music for me. I do use RPE a lot as it can be a challenge in getting the RPM and tension levels to match. My goal is to have everyone working at their own fitness level, feeling good about themselves and wanting to come back for more.
Spin Genre:
This is a big one for me. For anyone who comes to my classes knows that every playlist is put together to make the perfect super fun, hard working, entertaining workout! Smiling, laughing, singing, clapping, and even dancing is a must!
Favorite Spin Songs:
All my songs are my favorite or I wouldn’t use them. I do love the 80’s & 90’s though, along with a little Techno and we got it made.
Spin Style or Philosophy:
It’s all about having fun that way you don’t realize how much work it is. I do my best to remind everyone to work at their own fitness level, modify if they need to and have FUN. We are team and are working together, so push when you can and drain your tank at the end!
Spin Mantras:
Drain your tank and yes, pedal till you puke! Lol well, almost. Smile baby smile! or how about “to the top!”
Favorite spin drill:
Whew, they are all my favorites. Depends on how I am feeling for the day but who doesn’t love a good hill climb with a race to the top! Or got to love those jumps!
ABOUT CINDY:
Anyone who knows Cindy will tell you she is full of energy, motivation, and loves to be active. She and her husband have lived in Nanaimo since 2004 and they couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. The Kruger family love the adventure the Island has to offer. They have two awesome kids who are now young adults. It was a priority to Cindy in raising their kids to pass on her passion of living an active lifestyle. A few of their favorite family outings consist of motorbike riding, hiking, boating, and rock climbing.
There were a few goals Cindy wanted to achieve before her 40th birthday (lol yes, this was a long time ago), one was to run a full marathon and the second was to complete her Fitness Instructor Certification. As the motivated person she is, she achieved both of these goals. As she continues to discover her love for fitness in running, cycling and of course teaching fitness (spin being her absolute favorite) she is known for persuading her friends in joining her to train for some crazy event that may consist of road biking or running!
Cindy’s goal now is to stay as healthy and active as she can, therefore to be the best example she can be for her family, friends and YOU! She looks forward to each day she can inspire and be inspired by others as they work together in achieving and maintaining a healthy active lifestyle and most importantly have fun while doing it!
SARAH LANE
SCHWINN INDOOR CYCLING CERTIFIED + BARRE CERTIFIED + 200-HR YOGA TEACHER + STUDIO OPERATOR, FOUNDING INSTRUCTOR
To the Beat of the Music or RPM-based?: Mine is definitely to the beat of the music (some is just really high energy music done with different speeds)
Spin Genre: I play a lot of EDM and pop that is beat-heavy - but also love high energy indie and rock that inspires some good movement
Favourite Spin Songs: Anything beat-heavy and energizing - including Eminem - running at 85 RPM or maybe some fun sprint drills to Mumford and Son's I WILL WAIT, but lots from many genres starting in the 80s (very little disco and country in my repertoire!)
Spin Philosophy: I do get bored being in the saddle too long, so we are up out of our seats moving to a variety of drills to distract you from the work. We are all here to move our bodies - meet your body where you are at - and do what you can - slowly you will see your spin capacity increase, which builds confidence. Challenge yourself, and you will surprise yourself. No challenge, no progress. Push your personal envelope just a little each class and you will see change - guaranteed! But YOU have to do the work (add tension) and put in the time (consistency). It is really all up to you!
Spin Mantras: Know your limit and spin within it! Close your eyes, breathe and find your flow - dig deep - YOU'VE GOT THIS! I like to encourage mindfulness, a calm confidence and powerful execution in class and love to encourage with 'strong legs, strong minds'!
Favourite spin drill: I love a good seated climb, standing climb, standing sprint three move combo, repeated two or three times!
ABOUT SARAH:
Sarah is a CanfitPro Group Fitness Instructor Specialist, certified Schwinn Indoor Cycling instructor, certified BARREabove instructor and a certified 200-HR Yoga instructor working on her 500-HR Yoga Teacher Training through the Red Door Yoga Studio, in Nanaimo, BC.
Sarah has always been active and had just completed her first marathon before moving to Taiwan in 2001, where she discovered SPINNING classes at the first World Gym in Taichung. She fell in love with this great, high-energy, cardio-pumping, low-impact workout immediately. She was lucky to find a community of like-minded spinthusiasts who used SPINNING to train for their epic Sunday road biking journeys throughout Taiwan's countryside.
Born in Port Alberni and growing up in Victoria, Sarah carries Vancouver Island culture in her heart. Having travelled extensively and having had the experience of living abroad, in Australia twice, Taiwan for three years and Thailand for a year, she is globally conscious.
With a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Sarah ran a conference planning business for a decade, planning and executing conferences across Canada and obtained her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation in 2017. Spin helped her overcome the pressures of one of the top five most stressful jobs (as identified by Forbes in 2017). Realizing the pressures, and unwanted stress of this profession while raising a family, Sarah felt it was important to re-evaluate professions. Opportunities moved her in to health, wanting to chase spin, the tool that had helped her maintain a healthy mind set during a decade of high-pressure work. Being a fitness instructor has ensured exercise is party of her daily life! She wanted to help others get exercised and feeling good doing their daily activities.
During the pandemic, Yoga presented itself to Sarah and Sarah pursued yoga, earning her 200-hr training and is now working on her 500-hr teacher level. She is a lifetime learner and has enjoyed learning about the structures of poses, the different kids of yoga and the Ayurvedic philosophy and teachings. She has found solace in the physical, mental and spiritual benefits to doing asanas (held poses) and meditation, as a great antidote to the hustle of maintaining a busy schedule and a nice compliment to the intensity of spin and barre.
In her time away from the studio, she enjoys spending time at their cabin at Spider Lake, growing food, playing records and games, and dancing and singing with her family and dog, Jazzy. She values supporting and being involved in the community and spent two decades volunteering on boards including: the the Vancouver Island Meeting Planners Society/the Island Professional Event Network, the Centre for the Arts Nanaimo, the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce and most recently the Nanaimo Art Gallery.
Follow what you love to love what you do. Let's roll!
CHILDMINDING: PARKER DAVIES
Parker is a 22 year old, positive and outgoing person who very much enjoys spending time near the ocean and finding new places to explore.
She is an avid thrift shopper and loves to tap into her creative side.
She loves being around kids of all ages, she has helped coach children’s gymnastics, and has lots of experience nannying and babysitting.
She understands the importance of staying active, having been a competitive gymnast herself, and is excited to provide an opportunity for childcare at the studio so parents can remain healthy + happy!
CHILDMINDING: CHLOE BERGER
Chloe is 20 years old, energetic and friendly, with a firecracker personality. She has been active all of her life, always participating in multiple sports at a time. She enjoys being at the beach, especially while the sun is setting, she loves to travel, play hockey, and spend time with her pup!
She works well with kids, she has been the coach of numerous classes for a variety of sports, and has loved it!
She is enthusiastic about being part of childminding at the studio and she can’t wait to get to know the kiddos that will be coming in!
GUEST TEACHER: JULIE HORWOOD
YOGA THERAPIST + YOGA NIDRA GUIDE
Julie is inspired to support others to find more balance, joy and peace through her teachings. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience gained from over 30 years as a registered nurse, and 12 years as a yoga teacher and yoga therapist. Over the past 6 years, exploring mindfulness through stillness and gentle movement has led Julie to develop a Restorative yoga and Yoga Nidra practice.
Yoga Nidra is an amazingly restful, healing practice. A guided meditation exploring layers of the body (Koshas) leads to a state similar to deep sleep. A 30-minute practice is said to be equivalent to 3 hours of deep sleep. Yoga Nidra can improve the quality of sleep, providing a much needed tool for many of us. Restorative Yoga is the perfect avenue for developing a mindfulness practice and preparing the body for yoga Nidra through breath, body and thought awareness. Yoga Nidra following a Restorative practice is like the icing on a cake, offering a truly deep rest before heading back into the daily routine.
We would like to welcome Julie to our community, and thank her for sharing her knowledge with our community. Julie runs her own yoga studio - Six Persimmons - if you don't catch her for a Yoga Nidra at ZEN, her doors are open to our community, there, too!