Kieran Desjardins is a young Sault entrepreneur looking forward to opening her new fitness facility — Push Indoor Cycling Studio — in early October.
“What’s unique about Push is that it’s completely about indoor cycling. That's what the studio is all about. It's about one thing and being great at it,” Desjardins told SooToday.
“It's rhythm cycling, so with every pedal you're going to the beat of the music. We’ll have a full sound system set up for that. Every class I teach is based off rhythm and based off the beat of the music. The beat is what drives you. The beat is your foundation. The beat is what moves the entire class. That will make Push unique in Sault Ste. Marie.”
Desjardins has enjoyed indoor cycling — also known as spin cycling — since her days as a university student.
“Spin culture is something that we don't really have in Sault Ste. Marie right now. In other cities there are fitness studios with a spin culture. A spin culture is an incredible community of people who are committed and like-minded who want to make exercise fun, inclusive and empowering. That's the community that I want to build at Push.”
Push Indoor Cycling Studio will be located in the former Mane Underground health club — downstairs from the Mane Street Cafe and Lounge — on Queen Street East in the city’s downtown.
With 18 bikes in a smaller, intimate setting than the former Mane Underground, it officially opens Oct. 4.
Highly athletic, Desjardins was a successful, award-winning competitive speed skater with the Sault Ste. Marie Speedskating Club and, as a St. Mary’s College student, was involved in several high school sports including volleyball, track and field and cross country running.
She was also a successful competitive dancer with Soo Dance Unlimited.
“Spin cycling’s great because it incorporates the athleticism I have from sports and the rhythm and beat I have from dance," Desjardins said. "So I combined both of those things and that's how I fell absolutely in love with spin."
Desjardins has also earned a Fitness and Health Promotion diploma from Humber College in Toronto, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Kinesiology - the study of human movement - from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Education degree from Nipissing University in North Bay.
Combining that wealth of athletic, dance and academic experience, Desjardins is exceptionally qualified to run a new fitness facility as its owner and instructor.
“I know that this is exactly what I'm meant to be doing. I feel completely fulfilled and I'm not even open yet for business. By combining everything that I've loved in my life into one thing, I know it's what I’m meant to be doing.”
However, it wasn’t until Jane Kelly — co-owner of Revolve Cycle in North Bay — noticed Desjardin’s skill and passion for spin cycling and her ability to teach spin classes while at Nipissing that her career path changed.
“She told me ‘if you can't work here for me, you better be opening your own studio.’ And once that bug was in my ear, there was no going back,” Desjardins said.
Originally intending to be a high school teacher upon earning her Bachelor of Education degree, Desjardins - deciding to return to the Sault and with encouragement from Krista Nolan, Mane Street Cafe and Lounge owner - put her plans to open Push Indoor Cycling Studio in motion.
“I feel incredibly proud but I've not done all of this by myself," Desjardins said. "I have so many powerful women in my life, like my best friend, my mom, my sisters, Jane at Revolve in North Bay, Krista from Mane Street Cafe. If it wasn't for their encouragement and the strength that I see in them, I would simply not be here. Many important women in my life have helped me develop all of this. And for me to be a successful business woman will hopefully inspire other women as well."
With her sights set on Push Indoor Cycling Studio’s opening, Desjardins offered the following words to other young people.
“My advice would be it's okay if you don't know what you want to do right now. The most important lesson that you can learn as a young person is to love who you are and once you do that the rest of your life will fall into place.”