“It's not about what the scale says or the size we wear. It's about how we feel and breaking barriers!”

— Alma & Dani, Cofounders of Desert Cycling Tucson

Alma & Dani are the two unstoppable Cofounders - and sisters - behind Desert Cycle Tucson! In this conversation with Struct Club, they take us behind-the-scenes into DCT’s origin story and motivation, their secret sauce behind creating the ULTIMATE cycling experience, as well as their personal, well-regimented routines to maintain healthy lifestyles as entrepreneurs and moms.

Tell us how it all got started - your story and journey to opening Desert Cycling Tucson (DCT)!

Dani: I personally started my fitness journey in 2019. I felt like my life was lacking purpose and direction, and wanted to feel stronger and healthier. I was so glad to jump into the cycling world as it completely changed my life! I not only felt physically stronger, but I also felt much happier, as if I had come out of a fog I hadn’t realized I was in. Right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, my sister (Alma) sold her business and moved back to Tucson from Las Vegas. I got her into cycling! Then about a year later, she pushed us into teaming up to open our own cycling studio. Our goal was to not only provide an incredible cycling class, but also create a community filled with positivity. It took about 9 months to find what we felt was the perfect place for us, but once that was figured it out, the ball really started rolling. We were able to be fully operational in January 2022!

What does your day-to-day routine as fitness entrepreneurs look like? Can you highlight some of the key priorities you have to manage?

Alma: My day-to-day starts with waking up at about 6 am to get my 2 girls ready for school. They both attend an academy that thankfully requires uniforms, so there is not much argument on what to wear most days. I am huge about feeding my family a well-balanced meal: I ensure they have a good breakfast before I drop them off. I come back home and get ready for the rest of my day. I usually work from home. I have a second business in the insurance industry. This allows for flexibility and managing my own schedule, which I love. I have a passion for helping others, and both of my trades allow me to fulfill that space. It's two different worlds, both very fulfilling.

I start prepping our lunches around 2 pm, pick my kids up from school at about 3:30pm, then get ready to head to DCT for our evening schedule. I run my class at 5:45 pm. I will stay for the class after mine to help with check-in, bike set-up, and the front desk, and if I notice it's a busy night I will stay until we close the studio for the night. This allows for extra help cleaning up and preparing for our morning classes the next day.

I will usually come home to my family around 9 pm, and my husband by this time has taken care of dinner and is getting our girls ready for bed. Then finally, it's time to relax a bit, wind down, take a nice bath, read a bit, meditate, then sleep.

Eating well, sleeping well, and having a sense of spiritually is important to me. The hustle and bustle of our day to day can weigh us down at times, and responsibility is endless with businesses and family and so much to do but, having some time dedicated to me allows my mind to stay healthy and keeps me happy. I find people tend to excuse the lack of activity to time. If we don't make time for our wellness, we will be forced to make time for our illness.

*“If we don't make time for our wellness, we will be forced to make time for our illness.”*
*- Alma, Co-Founder & Co-Owner of Desert Cycling Tucson. We couldn’t agree more!*

Dani: I feel like my days are pretty insane! I am a mom of two boys, 9 and 2, so mornings can get a little hectic. Usually, I’ll wake up around 4am, get dressed and ready for my DCT class, and head to the studio which is about 20 minutes away from my home, and all while hubby and the boys are sleeping. After class, I head back home, wake up my oldest and help get him ready for school. Once he and his dad head out, my littlest one and I get ready to head out ourselves. I drop him off at daycare and head down the street to my husband’s business for the rest of the workday. At the end of the day, we do what most people do at home, such as homework, dinner, and a bedtime routine. It’s super important for me to take a step back, make sure I hydrate, make better food choices, and truly try to get some rest because when you’re really busy, it becomes very easy to create bad eating and sleeping habits.

We love seeing that DCT is dedicated to delivering * The Ultimate Cycling Experience * - this is no small task! Can you share with us the most important elements of shaping the ULTIMATE experience? How have you powered through the obstacles along the way?

We make it a point to ensure everyone walking through our doors feels welcomed! We want to break the anxiety people face when starting something new. Deciding to start a fitness journey is not easy, and we’ve all been there. We try to encourage our riders to stay consistent and focus on the improvements they see along the way. It's not about what the scale says or the size we wear. It's about how we feel and breaking barriers! Incorporating wellness is our goal.

We highly encourage diversity and ensure each of our instructors have the freedom to express their style. This experience is all about making sure that our fitness classes challenge, motivate, and leave you feeling like a powerful human.

We strongly believe that change comes from facing a challenge head on, and that our physical being is one with our spiritual self. An active life allows for a strong and happy physical body, which then leads to a strong and happy mind and soul. We have set up a number of party lights in our darkened and enclosed cycle room to make this experience a fun one where you won’t even realize how much your body is working until after class, when you think, “oh wow, my abs are sore!” Each of us on that instructor stage is a certified coach as well, and we all provide a rhythm-based class with A LOT of choreography!

For us, the ultimate cycling experience is one where it’s not just about a great class, but also having guidance from an experienced and knowledgeable leader to help you reach any fitness goal while being a part of a community of people trying to better themselves.

We’ve had many obstacles along the way, but sticking together, having faith in each other, and relying on our passion to make a positive impact on other people’s lives have really helped us get through them.

“It’s super important for me to take a step back, make sure I hydrate, make better food choices, and truly try to get some rest because when you’re really busy, it becomes very easy to create bad eating and sleeping habits.” - Dani, Co-Founder & Co-Owner of Desert Cycling Tucson. We love Dani’s focus on walking the talk when it comes to personal wellness!

What are some pro tips you would recommend to other hopeful studio owners that make YOUR life easier?

Find your true WHY, and remember that no one is like YOU, so use it to your advantage! Be prepared for great days and tough days, and work on building a strong team, regardless of its size. At one point our team had about 12 instructors, including ourselves, and today we are a strong team of 4 DEDICATED instructors. We put in our heart and soul, and that is evident in each one of our classes and team-taught events. It’s also true that being in this partnership makes everything a lot easier. As entrepreneurs, we’re able to face our challenges as sisters, business partners, and coaches together, rather than alone, and motivate one another to keep pushing forward.

What has motivated you to get to where you are today?

We want every single person to have the opportunity to feel confident and strong, and that is where DCT comes in. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to enjoy a challenging workout, or feel powerful. Getting through one of our classes fills riders with a sense of accomplishment. As cofounders and coaches we feed off of the “great class” and “you kicked my butt” comments at the end of those intense 50 minutes of riding. In the end, our Cyclepaths, they’re what keep us going. They continue to show up and we want to continue to grow for them.

Lightening round for the team! Give us your top pick for your Motivation Mantra, Signature Move, Spirit Animal — and Walk-on Song!

Cofounder & Coach Dani

Motivation Mantra: The only way out, is through

Signature Move: Push and Pull! I love to have our Cyclepaths use their arms to shift their weight backward and forward whether we are at our low-rider position, isolating, or riding out of that saddle.

Spirit Animal: This is an easy one! I’m a Taurus. So naturally, a bull. Stubborn, strong, feet firmly on the ground (or pedals I should say), but in a way gentle. One thing is for sure, as a coach, I’ll get you moving, just as you would if you were wearing red and a bull stood in front of you.

Walk-on Song: This changes ALL the time! But at the moment I am truly feeling EVERYTHING by Don Diablo.

Cofounder & Coach Alma

Motivation Mantra: Active body = healthy mind

Signature Move: 4x4 count jumps

Spirit Animal: Black Panther, strong, fast, and mysterious AF!

Walk-on Song: Flowers by Miley Cyrus

Coach Jaz

Motivation Mantra: It’s all in your head! It doesn’t get easier, you get stronger!

Signature Move: Snake

Spirit Animal: Orca Whale

Walk-on Song: Way 2 Sexy by Drake, Future & Young Thug

Coach Nikki

Motivation Mantra: Comparison is the thief of joy

Signature Move: Hip Swipes

Spirit Animal: A deer, they’re sensitive and have a strong intuition. By affinity with this animal, you have the power to deal with challenges with grace. You master the art of being both determined and gentle in your approach.

Walk-on Song: Lavender Haze - Taylor Swift

Optional Question! How has Struct Club helped you along your journey?

Dani: I hate improvising! I love being on point right at the perfect second instructing our Cyclepaths, and Struct Club helps keep me on beat, and I no longer have to memorize every second of every track I choose, helping me create a vast and varied playlist.

Alma: Struct Club has made it simple for me to create new playlists. I love that the app will remind me of everything I need for a successful class!
Jaz: Struct Club has helped me be a more organized coach! I love how I am able to cue movements and add counts to my class. Having Struct Club has helped me take my playlist to the next level!

Nikki: Struct Club makes it so easy to organize my moves and songs. Everything has its right place and the cues make it so each ride goes smoothly! 100% a game changer!

MEET ALMA & DANI, COFOUNDERS OF DESERT CYCLE TUCSON!

“It's not about what the scale says or the size we wear. It's about how we feel and breaking barriers!”

Struct Club, Inc. ©2024. All Rights Reserved.

• • •

Made with ❤ + *✧･ﾟin California