Cortney has been working in the health, fitness, and nutrition field for more than 27 years. She started her career in Management with Bally’s Fitness Center, and went on to complete her Certification in Exercise Physiology, Behavior Modification, and Nutrition, through the Cleveland Clinic in 2012. After Bally’s, Cortney opened a total of 5 of her own very successful Women’s Fitness locations, which she operated from January 2000 to May 2018. On a daily basis for 18 years, Cortney worked with women and their weight loss and wellness goals, with more than 50% of her clients suffering from obesity, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid disease, mood disorders, and other chronic diseases.
In January of 2005 Cortney expanded her fitness interests, and opened Zenya Yoga & Massage Studio in Newport News. Over the next several years she developed a team of stellar Yoga Instructors & Massage Therapists, and opened her next venture, Zenya Yoga Academy. To date Zenya Yoga Academy has Certified over 250 Yoga Instructors and has three sold out Yoga Teacher Training courses annually.
In 2011, Cortney was invited to try a Crossfit workout in a friend’s garage, and her life and her passion for fitness was ignited again, and on an entirely new level. She literally saw a rainbow over the road ahead of her when she walked out the door of her CrossFit Level I Training, and right then, she knew this was her new direction. She opened a small garage CrossFit gym behind her house, for herself and a few friends, and in a year had trained over 105 clients that loved CrossFit. Cortney knew there were much bigger things ahead.
In 2013, she found the perfect spot in an old building in Hampton that had been unoccupied for more than 50 years. Although it needed A LOT of work, Cortney had a vision of doing big things in her future and designed and built out her 15,000 sq ft dream gym, CrossFit Stimulus, which opened in August of 2013.
Cortney gives all the credit of the success at Stimulus to the hardworking and passionate people who work tirelessly every day, alongside her, to make CrossFit Stimulus a place of empowerment, courage, strength, and healing, for literally hundreds of people. Her Dream Team consists of an incredible team of Coaches, Management, Office Staff, Childcare Providers, Massage Therapists, Chiropractor, Equipment Maintenance Crew, Cleaning Crew, and most of all to her partner in crime, Nicole Ramirez, who helps run the day-to-day operations, and also runs the Nutrition Coaching program, the gym programming, and so much more.
Cortney’s mission is to lead people to a lifetime of strength and good health through expert Coaching, Nutrition, Accountability, and Community. Her and her team promise “the best hour of your day” at every workout at CrossFit Stimulus.
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
CrossFit Kids Trainer
CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting Trainer
CrossFit Gymnastics Trainer
CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer
Adaptive Athletic Alliance Coach
Crossover Symmetry Trainer
Cleveland Clinic Certified Nutrition Coach
Concept 2 Certified Rowing Instructor
FMT Blades Certified
FMT Rock Pods Certified
FMT Rock Floss Certified
Art of Breath Certified
Nutrition Coaching Institute Level 1
1. What’s something I would never guess about you?
“I lived in Europe for 9 years of my childhood; Japan, Italy, & England, and moved back to the US when I was 16.”
2. Would you rather go 30 days without your phone or your entire life without dessert?
“I was raised in a “dessert after dinner” kind of family and definitely couldn’t live without sweets!”
3. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“Pizza for the win for me!! pizza 3 years in Italy sealed that deal!”
4. How much would someone have to pay you to eat a live spider?
“It depends on the size- a tiny one, at least $200,000, a big one, over a million!!!”
5. If you joined the circus, what would your circus act be?
“I would want to be the magician for sure!!”