No better way to welcome our new coach Jeff than a classic Yard 20 questions. Jeff is a former competitive hockey, rugby, football, and basketball player. This sports fanatic has a passion for all things Strength & Conditioning.  Let’s get to know our new coach a little better!

1) Hometown?

Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

2) How did you first hear about Yard?

Through a local friend of mine that I met in Vancouver.

3) What was your first experience with Yard?

Relaxed but impressed. The yard was relatively empty during my interview with Ilan, but I could tell that a lot of care was put into the building and maintenance of The Yard to look and provide what it does to its members. As members would cycle through I also noticed the very welcoming nature that everyone shared as well.

4) Favorite lift?

Deadlift, you against gravity, who will win?

5) Least favourite exercise? 

Not a big burpee guy…

6) How do you stay motivated?

Ambitious goals and a curiosity to see what I can achieve for myself.

7) Best advice you received? 

It does not have to be as hard as you think it does.

8) Worst advice?

Can’t remember, try to forget them….

9) Your favourite part about Yard?

The community of members and trainers! While diverse, everyone is very collaborative and supportive to see one another do well. I think The Yard does an amazing job of pushing people past their limiting beliefs in a very safe and inclusive manner.

10) Top 3 songs in your gym playlist?

Ah, tough one… I’ll go favourite artists instead:

• Linkin Park
• Rise Against
• Billy Talent

11) Go to post-workout meal?

Greek Yogurt, protein powder, seed butter, frozen fruit, honey, and a sprinkle of granola.

12) How did you start your fitness journey?

I fully dislocated my shoulder playing rugby, and my physio suggested that I start resistance training to reduce the likelihood of it happening again and to get stronger.

13) How would you describe the Yard environment? 

Uplifting. There is a sense of intimidation that I can sense from some outside individuals looking in initially, however that intensity is meant to try and elevate the members for their workouts/training in the time they are there. It is there to uplift you!

14) The last book you read?

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell

15) Advice for someone coming to train with you for the first time?

Be willing to get your hands dirty, have a laugh, and learn some takeaways that you can use beyond our sessions.

16) What are you doing when you’re not at the Yard? 

Intern S&C coach at Simon Fraser University, reading books (self-development, finance, economics, philosophy), watching sports, sharpening my cooking skills, learning about Vancouver and BC.

17) Advice for someone who is starting their fitness journey?

People often OVERESTIMATE what they want to accomplish in the short term (3 months) and UNDERESTIMATE what they can accomplish in a year. Take that into consideration when you start and know that this is something that can help you enhance your life, not just be a fad.

18) What’s in your gym bag?

Lifting straps, lifting belt, wrist wraps, training shoes, oly lifters,  fat gripz, food (fruit or bars), lifting chalk, lacrosse ball.

19) Are you a morning person?

You know it, 4:30 am wake up most days of the week.

20) What’s your morning routine?

Honestly, I don’t really have one… Usually have a coffee brewing, catching up on some sport I missed or reading something before I jet out the door or start my work for the day.

The post 20 QUESTIONS WITH COACH JEFF appeared first on Yard Athletics.

The best questionnaire on the web is back and better than ever, with a brand new set of 20 Questions to bounce off a special guest. Ryan Gauld, the Scottish midfielder for the Whitecaps FC has spent the past few months of his offseason training at The Yard. We’re fortunate enough to sit down with him and find out a little more about all things life, sport, and fitness.

1) Hometown?

Laurencekirk, Scotland

2) What sport do you play?

Football

3) When did you begin playing your sport?

Around 5 or 6 years old.

4) At what level do you or have you competed? 

In the Scottish and Portuguese leagues. Also the MLS, the highest level of soccer play in the US and Canada.

5) Big milestone you’re working towards in sport?

My main goal is to reach the national team.

6) What was your first experience with Yard?

Coming in to meet with Ilan to chat about training and overall goals.

*Photo was taken from Ryan Gauld’s Instagram

7) Current Goals at the gym?

To become fitter and stronger. I train to stay healthy and prevent injuries from occurring during the season.

8) Least favourite exercise?

 Pull-ups without a shadow of a doubt.

9) How do you stay motivated?

I’m very competitive so by always trying to be better than the last version of myself.

10) Best advice you received? 

Never quit, no matter what!

11) How can we follow along with your athletic journey? What’s your Instagram or team Instagram account?

On the Vancouver Whitecaps Instagram or my personal one ‘Ryangauld’.

12) Top 3 songs in your gym playlist?

1. T.N.T – ACDC
2. Hang Me up to Dry – Cold War Kids
3. Last Nite – The Strokes

13) Philosophy on nutrition, any tips?

I feel there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of everything in moderation. But a lot of meat and greens!

14) Who inspires you (who to follow)?

Watching the Barcelona team from when I was younger made me fall in love with football.

 15) The last book you read?

Biography of Jack Nicholson.

 16) Advice for someone pursuing their passion for sport?

Exactly what I was told, never quit. With hard work, you can achieve anything.

17) What are you doing when you’re not training?

Exploring Vancouver with my dogs.

 19) Are you a morning person?

For sure. I much prefer waking up early and starting the day right than lazing around.

20) What’s your morning routine?

The first thing is always a coffee! Then out with my dogs and off to training.

The post 20 Questions with Whitecaps FC Midfielder – Ryan Gauld appeared first on Yard Athletics.

The post 20 QUESTIONS WITH COACH THEA appeared first on Yard Athletics.

Yard Athletics has some high-level competitive athletes using our gym as a home base to train and hone their craft. We are very excited that Yard can supply a training facility for these competitive athletes. You may have seen them around the gym. Let’s get to know them with a classic Yard “20 Questions”.

First up is Paralympian, Jessye Brockway.

1) Hometown?

I was born in Mill Bay, British Columbia.

2) What sport do you play?

Para-Rowing.

3) When did you begin playing your sport?

I started in 2019 switching from Athletics.

4) At what level do you or have you competed? 

National Championships, Canadian Record Holder for (Discus, Javelin and Shot Put) Junior World Championships (for Discus and Shot put), World Championships and the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics for Rowing.

5) Big milestone you’re working towards in sport?

1. 2024 Paris Paralympics
2. Working on my mental health

6) What was your first experience with Yard?

My first impression of Yard was, “Wow, this gym is like the ones you see in movies or on Instagram. Everyone is so friendly, and I immediately felt welcomed”.

7) Current Goals at the gym?

I am learning to do a muscle-up and gain more flexibility/stability.

8) Least favourite exercise? 

Erging….. shhh don’t tell my coaches.

9) How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated because I show up whether I’m having a bad day or a good one. I committed myself to being better. I show up and work on myself.

10) Best advice you received? 

“Better the Ball” – My first rowing coach ever, Lisa Tschannen, told me this, and it has stuck with me ever since. If you have a bad stroke, improve the next stroke and make it better. That goes with everything I do. If it wasn’t good the first time, learn from it and make the next piece better. Think about what you can actively do to keep improving.

11) How can we follow along with your athletic journey? What’s your Instagram or team Instagram account?

Follow my journey @jessyebrock.

12) Top 3 songs in your gym playlist?

1. Believer – Imagine Dragons
2. I Found You – Cash cash & Andy Grammer
3. Keep It Simple -Matoma, Petey Martin, and Wilder Woods

13) Philosophy on nutrition, any tips?

I believe in investing in my health/nutrition by eating healthy meals, caring about what’s in my food, and finding foods that make my body feel good.

Tips: Drink water when you have a headache; it’s a sign that you’re dehydrated. If you feel bloated, try eating a low Fodmap diet (i.e., foods that don’t cause irritable bowl syndrome). If you have trouble sleeping, try half a teaspoon of nutmeg in one cup of hot milk or milk alternative.

14) Who inspires you (who to follow)?

I inspire myself; I think about my future and the potential I have, and I keep chasing after my goals.

15) The last book you read?

It Takes What It Takes – Trevor Moawad & Russell Wilson.

 16) Advice for someone pursuing their passion for sport?

My advice is to show up and make your goals happen. No one is there to push you. Only YOU can achieve your goals.

17) What are you doing when you’re not training?

I am spending time with my husband finding new places to eat together, backcountry camping and making polymer clay jewelry.

18) What’s in your gym bag?

Yoga block, journal, gymnastics rings, snack bar, water bottle, change of clothes, and a rain jacket.

 19) Are you a morning person?

Yes, I wake up and get excited to go to the gym. I used to be such a night owl, but now I love waking up early.

20) What’s your morning routine?

Wake up 6:30 am -7:30 am, make a good smoothie, shower, get ready, catch the bus/ train, go to the gym and have a good workout at Yard Athletics or at the community centre

The post 20 QUESTIONS WITH JESSYE BROCKWAY appeared first on Yard Athletics.

Our team has grown significantly over the past year and we are stoked to have Nick as one of our newest coaches. What better way to get to know him than a classic Yard 20 questions blog post! Let’s get to know our newest coach better!

1) Hometown?

East Selkirk, Manitoba

2) How did you first hear about Yard?

One of my friends from physio school, Matt Ney, told me he used to work here before moving to Australia for school

3) What was your first experience with Yard?

Instagram creeping which led to a cold-call email to Ilan about potential opportunities, and an interview shortly after that

4) Favorite lift?

Tie between Barbell Clean and Bench Press

5) Least favorite exercise? 

Steady-state running on a treadmill. Sooooo boring…

6) How do you stay motivated?

Passion for the human body and its capabilities, which leads me to want to set an example for others. Practice what you preach!

7) Best advice you received? 

Do a couple of push ups before getting your photo taken in a gym

8) Worst advice?

Deadlifts are bad for your back

9) Your favorite part about Yard?

High-quality equipment, welcoming yet serious atmosphere, and the accountability/work ethic that every person shows when they’re in. You never see anything half-assed in there.

10) Top 3 songs in your gym playlist?

– Bulls on Parade – Rage Against the Machine

– When the Levee Breaks – Led Zeppelin

– For Whom the Bell Tolls – Metallica

11) Go to post-workout meal?

Runny eggs, cubed potato/veggie hash, feta cheese, and spinach

12) How did you start your fitness journey?

I was always very fit and active and “athletic” from a very early age, but I had an unhealthy relationship with food which led to having an unhealthy relationship with my body image. I weighed close to 280 at my heaviest, which was not a healthy 280, even though I was playing in multiple sports throughout the weeks/months/years. Wasn’t until the end of first-year university that I decided to buckle down and change some eating habits while focusing on lifting more. It really snowballed from there, leading me to change my Bachelor’s degree one year before finishing into a Kinesiology degree and subsequent Doctor of Physiotherapy.

13) How would you describe the Yard environment? 

Loud music. Heavy weights. Amazing staff. Better clientele. What more could you ask for in a gym?

14) The last book you read?

Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training – Bret Contreras, Glen Cordoza

15) Advice for someone coming to train with you for the first time?

No matter what you think your barriers are to your goals (time, injuries, experience, interest, motivation, etc.), we can definitely work within those limits to make an effective and enjoyable experience each and every time.

16) What are you doing when you’re not at the Yard? 

Physiotherapy with clients, working on research, playing with my dog, being active outdoors, eating at high-end restaurants and hole-in-the-wall dives

17) Advice for someone who is starting out their fitness journey?

Don’t do it for anyone but yourself. You have to want to make the changes/choices you do. Otherwise the motivation and drive to stay committed is transient at best.

18) What’s in your gym bag?

Pair of Batman & Robin Converse Chuck Taylors, pre-workout, chalk, Bluetooth speaker, spikey rolley ball, Bluetooth headphones

19) Are you a morning person?

No issues with getting up at 4 am to lift/study/work if I plan my evening before properly

20) What’s your morning routine?

Check emails, take the dog out for a walk, grab bags (prepared the night before) and head out the door

The post 20 QUESTIONS WITH COACH NICK appeared first on Yard Athletics.

We love seeing our athletes’ transformations.  Jeremy has been doing our and his before & after photos really show his progress.

Here is what he had to say about our online training program:

“I couldn’t be happier with the results I got from the 12-week athlete development program. Coming from a hockey background I wanted something similar to the training I used to do back in the day, and I found it with that program. It was the perfect starting program for me to get back into the physical shape I had been after.

I would recommend it to anyone, even without a sports background because I am overall looking better and feeling 10x stronger. I believe it would be a great program for anyone, especially an individual looking to get back into the routine

Thank you. Can’t wait to continue to use your programs to keep leveling up!”

Interested in trying out the program yourself? Check it out

The post TRANSFORMATIONS – Jeremy | 12 Week Online Athlete Development Program appeared first on Yard Athletics.

by Henry Gould – Dec 17th, 2019

We all know that anxious feeling of going to bed for an early wake-up, and immediately calculating how much sleep you’ll get if you can just fall asleep right now.

Or there’s the dreaded “It’s-1:45am-and-I’m-still-at-the-bar-doing-shots-but-I-have-to-be-up-for-an-8:00am-meeting” kind of sleep calculations which we won’t even get into.

Sleep is a fascinating subject. From an evolutionary perspective, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense why we sleep. In theory, we’d be way more productive if we didn’t sleep, not to mention we expose ourselves to risk every time we close our eyes and doze off. Lots of people try to wear their lack of sleep as a badge of honor (“I only need 3 hours a night”) but they’re either lying to you, or lying to themselves.

Sleep is very, very important.

From this blog back in April, we talked about just how important it is to a healthy immune system (LINK). However, this recent studied published in Nature: Human Behaviour talks about the link between lack of sleep and anxiety. Unsurprisingly, the less sleep we get, the more anxious we become!

Obviously this can be tough, especially if one suffers from insomnia, as they will then feel anxious about not getting enough sleep, thus starting a feedback loop. I can’t sleep because I’m anxious, I’m anxious because I can’t sleep.

Many external factors can contribute to a bad sleep:

• Light
• Noise
• Temperature
• Pillow, Mattress, Bedding
• Injury, Pain
• Alcohol, Drugs, Medication
• Dehydration, Overhydration
• Diet

Take all these factors into account if you’ve been having trouble sleeping. Things like dimming lights an hour before bed, reducing screen time, wearing earplugs, adjusting the heat in your house, getting a good mattress, avoiding alcohol, these can all make a major difference.

Another often overlooked factor is stretching. When muscles are sore and tight, they can contribute to a bad sleep by causing restless tossing and turning, or just general soreness. Exercise is one of the best ways to stay healthy and thus get a better sleep, but remember to focus on stretching just as much.

From back in the early blogs days –> “Looking For A Better Sleep? Stretch Before Bed”

The post Sleepless Nights = Anxiety appeared first on Yard Athletics.

by Yard Athletics – Nov 1st, 2019

Heads up to all our Yard Athletics community. As of today there have been some adjustments to the pricing for Group Training, as well as Customized Strength & Conditioning 1:1 and 2:1 packages.

Please take a look below and familiarize yourself with the new pricing. If you have any questions, feel free to email “info@yardathletics.ca”

See you in the gym! #YARDHARD

Athletic Group Training

Customized Strength & Conditioning

The post Price Adjustments For Groups, 1:1, 2:1 appeared first on Yard Athletics.

by Henry Gould – Oct 25th, 2019

Ragu Bolognese, the slow cooked meat sauce typical of the city of Bologna, served often but not always with tagliatelle egg noodles, is well loved the world over. However, if you want to start a quick argument, try asking four Italian Nonna’s the “correct” way to make it. Questions like this are almost guaranteed to end in shouting, dramatic hand gestures, and hurt feelings.

Below is the version I like to cook, which I think would stand up nicely in any trattoria across Emilia-Romagna, and hopefully not offend too many grandmother’s. I’ve eaten ragu from Parma to Modena and this tastes just as good, if not better, so take that for what it’s worth…

There’s lots of debate around ragu Bolognese (milk, tomato, type of meat(s)). This version uses some milk, a little white wine, 3 different types of meat (sausage, beef, lamb) and a small spoon of tomato paste. If you want to add or subtract any of those, go right ahead.

Buon appetito!

Ragu Bolognese

• 6 Italian fennel sausages, uncased
• 250g ground beef
• 500g boneless stewing lamb, cut into tiny pieces
• 1 bottle dry white wine (Cono Sur Viognier is cheap and good for cooking)
• 500ml 2% milk
• 1/2 can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp ground Coriander seeds
• 1 Nutmeg seed
• 1 large white onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 2 sticks celery, finely diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Butter
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (for serving)

In a big pot, heat some olive oil and butter to melt, then add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and begin to cook. Cook for 20 minutes slowly, making sure not to let the vegetables brown.

Add all the meats, season with salt and pepper, and start breaking up with a spatula or wooden spoon. This takes a while, you don’t want any big chunks of meat. Everything should be very finely broken up, so take the time to make sure it’s nice and broken up.

Ragu Bolognese in waiting…

Turn the heat up and continue cooking. Add the bay leaves, coriander, and finely grate in half the Nutmeg seed. Now, this stage takes a while… like an hour. All the water will start releasing from the meat, and following that just the fat will be left, at which point you will keep stirring and cooking the meat until it start to brown. If the bottom of the pan seems too dry, add more butter and olive oil. If there’s not enough fat the meat will scorch to the bottom of the pan, ruining the sauce. Fat is your friend…

After ~1 hour, the meat should be starting to brown nicely. Add the tomato paste and start to fry it in the fat left in the pan. Keep stirring to caramalize all the meat in the tomato paste.

Then, add some white wine to deglaze the pan (~250 – 350ml), scraping everything off the bottom of the pot. Start with about 1/2 bottle of the wine, but use more if it seems too dry. Cook until almost all the wine has evaporated.

Then, add some milk (250 – 500ml) until the sauce looks quite loose, but not too watery. It should be reddy brown, like a brick. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and allow to cook for an hour. After an hour, check the seasoning. Because you’re probably going to be eating this sauce with some sort of grain (pasta, risotto, polenta) you want it to be richly flavored and well seasoned. Season with salt and pepper.

If serving with pasta, add some of the ragu to a different pan and put on medium heat. Cook your pasta until 1 minute under package instructions, then toss the pasta in the ragu pan and cook for a final minute together. Toss in grated parmigiano reggiano and serve.

The post RECIPE – Ragu Bolognese appeared first on Yard Athletics.

by Henry Gould – Sept 20th, 2019

Positive thinking is more than just a catch phrase. Often times we doubt ourselves and our abilities, and we give up before we’ve really, truly pushed ourselves, or before we’ve exercised all potential options in front of us to achieve a goal. Whether this is at work, at home or at play, having a particular mindset established when you hope to complete a goal is a huge factor in whether you do it or not.

I’ll give a personal example: in the last 12 months I’ve been training every week with Ilan, Shawzo (and occasionally the godfather, Jeremy Martin @ Loaded Athletics) learning the ropes of olympic weightlifting. Outside of my 10+ years playing rugby, olympic weightlifting is the hardest physical activity I’ve ever done. Not only is it physically demanding, it is incredibly mentally demanding. For each lift (i.e. clean and jerk) you are working within a small threshold of the maximum weight you can physically lift, all the while thinking about correct form, posture, and above all else, trying not to drop 100kgs on your head.

Countless times Ilan or Shawzo has loaded the bar with a heavy amount of weight, and I fail. Usually, it’s because there was a creeping sense of doubt in my mind that I couldn’t do it. But, more often than not I will try again, and once I’ve taken a moment to regroup – perhaps also getting some encouraging words – I will eventually make the lift. I didn’t get stronger in between each lift, I just had to focus, think through everything, and trust that I could do it.

The power of positive thinking can transfer to any aspect of life, but is particularly interesting with physical pursuits. After all, professional athletes constantly rely on sports psychologists to help them get in a strong head space before a game or competition. Self doubt can be one of the most negative influences on an athlete, whereas positive thinking and visualization of winning can be the most powerful.

Below is an article about the Canadian World Junior Team, and the sport psychologist who worked with the team the entire tournament enroute to their Gold Medal win.

CBC: “How the mental skills needed to win hockey gold are used for all athletes”

We were also lucky enough to receive a great piece on the Power of Positive Belief (and the inspiration for this blog) by longtime Yard Athletics client and resident psychologist, Dr. Debbie Samsom. Debbie is running a marathon in a few weeks, and felt inspired to pen the below from her longtime hero, Terry Fox, whose annual run we celebrated on Sept 15th, 2019.

“The Terry Fox Run is happening all over the world this Sunday. This run has been an annual event since 1981, the year Terry died. That 1981 run was the first 10K I ever completed. I have been running ever since.

Terry is my hero. Every year as the Terry Fox Run approaches, I reflect upon his incredible fortitude, grit, and indomitable spirit. He ran a marathon a day for 143 days, with a prosthetic leg and in constant pain. He only stopped when cancer spread to his lungs, ultimately resulting in his death. How did he do it?  He achieved this because he believed he could. Simple as that. Belief is the most powerful tool that we have to help us accomplish our goals – physical or otherwise. 

I am running a marathon in a couple of weeks. I know it’s going to hurt (it always does). I know that with about 10K to go, negative thoughts will start entering my brain, telling me to stop running (Who cares if I walk? Why continue to suffer? ) I will fight these thoughts, and Terry will help me. It’s just one measly marathon. If Terry can do 143, I CAN DO THIS.  

So what do you believe you can achieve?  Not because it’s easy, or comes naturally to you, but because you are willing to dig deep and give it everything you’ve got.”  

“I just wish people would realize that anything is possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try” – Terry Fox

The post The Power Of Belief appeared first on Yard Athletics.