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.

By Yard Athletics – Feb 15th, 2019

Greetings! Today we are starting out a new series, diving into some of the myths that surround lifting weights, especially when it comes to gaining and losing weight, leaning out, bulking up, risk of injury, the works. And what better resource to ask than founder and director of Yard Athletics, Ilan Cumberbirch.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave with no access to the internet, Ilan is the all-seeing, all-knowing leader of Yard Athletics and a veritable guru when it comes to strength and conditioning.

Many times when people first approach lifting weights, they see it as intimidating not only because they might not know proper technique of the exercises (or even the exercises themselves) but because they feel like it won’t get them the results they want. Maybe someone told them squats cause you to balloon up 4 pant sizes in a week, and therefore they stick to the eliptical machine.

Ilan is here to change all that! We have a laundry list of questions to throw at him, but as always if there’s something you’re not sure about just send an email to info@yardathletics.ca and we can include it on the blog.

Q: Ilan, what are the main questions you get asked when someone is interested in starting a lifting program?

A: The questions vary depending on the individual asking.

Generally there are skeptics due to preconceived ideas about the “Golden Era” of bodybuilding, and watching Arnold, Ferrigno and Stallone on the big screen. They either believe that they will instantly morph into super-human beings by touching a weight, or that weight training is bad for their body. Quite the opposite…

“How will you be able to work around my injuries? I read that squatting past 90 degrees is bad for my knees”

“I enjoy doing spin 5 days/week, pilates 3x/week, Crossfit on the weekends and ultramarathons every 3rd Sunday. I want to put on 20 lbs of lean muscle mass, have busting biceps, washboard abs, and sweeping legs in the next week: can you do this?”

“I don’t want to get a big neck, legs and shoulders, I just want to ‘tone’ my arms, shrink my waist and have a Kim K backside.”

The post The Myths of Weighlifting w/ Ilan Cumberbirch appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – Jan 29th, 2019

The new Canada Food Guide was released last week, which proudly declared to be free from industry influence. Despite the majority of people singing praises on the new guide for focusing on plant based foods and proteins, there is still a larger debate within Health Canada about potential mandates that would require producers to have warning labels on food that contained higher than average saturated fat, salt and sugar. Basically, warnings not unlike the ones on a pack of cigarettes (albeit with less graphic imagery) telling you that 2 double stuff Oreo’s will instantly make you go up 3 pant sizes. Or something like that…

A debate about food labeling bureaucracy doesn’t sound like a very fun blog post (!), so I figured it might be more engaging to take a deeper look at the guide itself, what it’s telling Canadians they should be eating on a regular basis, and how this relates to our active community at Yard Athletics.

What’s new in the guide?

Plate Composition

Replacing Health Canada’s past infographics (food pyramids & rainbows) the new “food plate” is composed of 50% fruits and vegetables (broccoli, carrots, blueberries, potatoes, peas, apples), 25% mixed proteins (fish, legumes, yogurt, eggs, meat, nuts) and 25% whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread, wild rice, pasta).

Personally I think this is a great visual to accompany the guide, as it quite literally shows you what your average plate of food should look like.

Also incorporated in the picture is a glass of water next to the plate, with the caption “make water your drink of choice”. This is a subtle yet important detail, arguably the most important. As we have become more educated on the role sugar plays with regards to insulin and fat storage (not to mention inflammation and heart disease), we know that drinks like juice, pop and alcohol are probably not the healthiest choices for regular daily consumption.

Growing up, I (like many kids) would drink orange or cranberry juice every morning at breakfast. Previous food guides maintained it was necessary for getting important nutrients like Vitamin C. In reality, juice can contain the same if not more sugar than pop, and be more or less negligible on the health front since all the important fibre is removed.

Being Mindful Of Eating Habits

“Mindfulness” is a trendy word in the health and wellness community these days. To be mindful is to reflect on the situation around you; your peers, lifestyle choices, your health, all of the things you encounter on a daily basis. If we look at mindfulness with respect to eating, this might include asking questions such as:

• How was this food grown? How did it get to my plate? Was it grown 100 miles away, or 10,000 miles away?
• Why I am eating? Am I hungry, or am I bored? Do I need to eat right now?
• What am I eating? What is on my plate, and is it good for me?
• When am I eating? At 6pm, or at 11:30pm just before I go to bed?
• Where am I eating?
• How much did I eat?

I’m sure you don’t want to ask yourself these questions every time you eat a grain bowl, but they do frame eating as having greater implications than just “removing the feeling of hunger”.

For example, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is nearing extinction. One recent fish sold for a record $3.1 million dollars in Tokyo. Despite the relative scarcity and exceedingly high costs, people still consume vast amounts of Bluefin Tuna in restaurants around the world. Can we morally keep eating a fish that is close to being wiped out? One might make the argument for or against, but it’s definitely a question worth asking.

Even for something more mundane like fruits and vegetables, it makes more sense to support local farmers by buying produce grown closer to where you live, rather than importing things from far away. Getting perfect red strawberries in January means they needed to be grown somewhere far from Canada, thus undergoing a long journey on planes, trains and automobiles to arrive in your bowl. Being mindful of these choices, and asking “why” you’re eating something could subsequently make a different choice easier. Maybe it’s choosing Albacore tuna instead of Bluefin, or a local apple in January as opposed to imported strawberries?

Heathy Eating On A Budget

For the majority of us, eating healthy can often seem at odds with eating on a budget. There’s a reason Whole Foods still hasn’t shed the “Whole Paycheck” nickname, despite people saying costs would go down once Amazon bought them. For a lot of people cooking can be intimidating, and the thought of buying a cart full of groceries to prepare seems way worse than just buying a $20 kale caesar at the hot bar.

This new guide has a great section on Healthy Eating On A Budget, and if you’re looking to start making more meals at home this is a great place to start (other than the amazing recipes here on the Yard Athletics blog…).

Cutting down on waste can be a huge cost savings. Typically food at grocery stores doesn’t get cheaper if you buy more, and since they don’t charge you per visit, why not shop more often and buy less? Increasing store visits can invite impulse buying (guilty!), but if you write a list and stick to it you’re more likely to stay on track.

Protein from animals (Beef, Pork, Fish) can be expensive. Protein from plants? Much, much cheaper. Cooking with things like lentils, beans and quinoa offer complete sources of protein at a much lower cost per gram than meat. They take a little effort to cook, but once mastered it can be very rewarding on the wallet and the waistline.

Also, cooking larger volumes and storing in the freezer can be a huge help to staying on a budget. A large pot of chili might cost at most $20 to prepare, and would make 6-8 meals worth of food. At $3 a portion of chili vs. $15+ for a lunch out, that can add up to serious cost savings when spread over several months.

All good stuff! Have a read through the guide and see what you think.

The post Canada’s New Food Guide: A Breakdown appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – Jan 18th, 2019

You might be wondering if the title of this blog was generated by a computer algorithm that just got water spilled on it. Thankfully not! Today I wanted to switch it up, offering a bit of a “low attention span” post with 3 interesting items to take you into the weekend. Sound good? Greeeeeeeat.

STOCK A SMARTER PANTRY

“Tidying up with Marie Kondo” has taken Netflix by storm, offering viewers the opportunity to see what real de-cluttering looks like while at the same time angering academics and writers who are being told they shouldn’t own more than 30 books.

Keeping a cleaner and more efficient kitchen can be a huge motivator to cooking more at home. When the kitchen is dirty and you have 30 stale spice jars in a drawer, you’re never going to want to make Natalie Cumberbirch’s Grain Bowl from earlier this week.

The solution? THROW EVERYTHING OUT, START OVER.

Go through your cupboards, drawers, fridge, and get rid of anything expired, gross looking, or that you know you realistically won’t eat. Then, go to the grocery store and stock up on the following.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • In my opinion, EVOO should be your go-to lipid of choice. Years of cooking shows scared people into thinking EVOO would burn and catch fire the second it hit your pan. Relax. Unless your pot is glowing hot, it’s fine to use EVOO for searing and frying. It’s also incredibly healthy, tastes great, and can be use in raw applications as well as cooked.
  • I’m partial to Italian oils, but there is fantastic EVOO available from Spain, Greece, Chile, Croatia, and Lebanon.
  • Extra Virgin refers to the first pressing of olives which contain more of the flavor compounds. This is what you want.
  • EVOO is like wine; if you spend over $20 on a bottle, chances are it’s going to be good. Bosa Foods has a great selection.

• Sea Salt
  • Iodized salt tastes like chemicals, and almost always leads to over salting of food.
  • Good quality sea salt from Italy is cheap (~$2 a box), tastes natural, and is perfect for any cooking application.
  • Again, Bosa Foods has a great selection.
• Spices
  • Buy spices whole, in small quantities, and store in your cupboard in jars with tight lids.
  • Toast whole spices in a pan before grinding them. This helps release the oils and enhance the flavors.
  • Grind spices in an electric coffee grinder, or a mortar and pestle.
  • Cooking with whole spices is great too (Cinnamon, Cardamom, All Spice) just make sure to remove them before eating
• Vinegar
  • Give someone a bowl of plain boiled chickpeas and they’ll struggle to eat more than a few bites. Dress the same chickpeas with vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil and the bowl will be gone before you know it.
  • Getting comfortable with acidity in cooking can make a massive difference. As well, because vinegar is a fermented product there tends to be more umami flavor than you would get from citrus fruit like lemons or limes.
  • Red Wine Vinegar, White Wine Vinegar, Sherry Vinegar, Balsamic, Rice Wine…. all excellent.
  • Learning to season and balance food with acid is a huge step in cooking better.
  • Salt Fat Acid Heat is a great show on Netflix that explores each of these flavors in more depth.
• Mustard
  • I’m a bit of a mustard freak; never less than 4 jars or tubes on the go at all times.
  • Dijon Mustard is essential (I prefer Maille brand) as is a good German mustard like Thomy
  • Keen’s or Coleman’s English Mustard powder is great for rubs, or for mixing plain with water and having on ham or roast beef.
  • Dressings, dips, sauces and stews can usually all benefit from a spoon of mustard to add richness and umami.

SOBER JANUARY PART 2

I’ve been told the only thing worse than sober January is hearing people talk about sober January. Probably true! However, it seems the benefits of abstaining from alcohol for a month have positive impacts beyond saving money and a hangover.

Apparently taking a month off the booze can do much needed repair to the liver, so says this recent article from British GQ.

HOCKEY PLAYERS CAN’T FIND PANTS CUZ THEIR BUTTS ARE TOO BIG

As Yard Athletics founder and trainer Ilan Cumberbirch can attest, years of hockey and hours in the gym lead to an extremely strong lower half. The flip-side? Tricky to find pants!

This latest piece in Men’s Health asked a bunch of NHL Players about their struggles to find pants, and it seems the problem is wide spread (pun intended). I’m sure this is an issue across most professional athletes, but particularly amusing with hockey players given some have comically large legs.

To hear more about the jean journeys of Taylor Hall, Jonathan Toews, and Max Domi, read here.

The post Stocking A Smarter Pantry; Sober January Part 2; NHL Players Can’t Find Jeans appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Natalie Cumberbirch – Jan 16th, 2019

New year, new you. New goals, resolutions, ambitions, intentions. Drink more water, eat more greens, try new recipes. They’re all great. I’ve set the goal of writing food posts – one per month, maybe you’ll get two. Now I’ve said it, it’s out there; no backing down now!

As I made my dinner tonight, I did some things I wanted to share. Little “tricks” (at least I think they are) that will up your cooking game 100%. All are simple, easy adjustments that bring flavor and body to any meal you’re making.

Tip 1:

ALWAYS use equal parts butter and extra virgin olive oil when cooking. This could be when you’re sautéing an onion, frying an egg, finishing off steamed broccoli or roasting a chicken. You’re going to get that buttery flavor, but also the fragrance of olive oil. Best of both worlds.

Tip 2:

Anytime you’re using aromatics- spices- cook them out first. You’re making curry, chili, tacos, a wet spice rub. Get your butter and olive oil in the pan, then toss in all your spices and let the spices open up. You’ll smell them. They’ll be that much more potent and intense in your meal.

Tip 3:

Whenever you’re diluting something, use a stock. Whenever you’re cooking a starch – rice, quinoa, bulgar – use a stock. Anytime you’re making a sauce from drippings, use a stock.

You get the idea. Where you traditionally would use water, switch it up for a low sodium veggie, chicken, or whatever stock you prefer. Low sodium is key. You’re just adding flavor to your dish, where water would stretch your flavor thin.

Here’s a simple recipe using all these tips. Maybe you’re into it, maybe you’re not. But it’s damn delicious and full of them healthy fats and greens; all things good for you. Suitable for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or midnight snack.

BOWL

In a frying pan, add roughly ½ tsp butter and ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil. Over medium low heat, add your spices. I went for a Moroccan mix. Sweat these out for 5-8 minutes, till the smell intensifies.

Add ½ c red or white quinoa, and toast this up a bit. You’ll hear them popping, crackling; that’s all good. Stir the quinoa in your spices, and once you feel they’re toasted enough, add in your stock. For exact liquid volumes, follow according to package.

Once your quinoa (or grain of choice) is cooked, add in a can of black beans or chickpeas. If you’re well prepared, you’ll have made these from dried bean state. But I’m rarely that organized.

Still on the heat, I add two massive handfuls of raw spinach to the pan, and cook those out.

So you’ve got Moroccan spiced quinoa with black beans and spinach. Great! Now, separately have some water boiling with a splash of white vinegar in it. Poach yourself an egg. I love me a soft – medium poach; that yolk doubles as a dressing.

TO ASSEMBLE

In a bowl, place a handful of mixed greens, arugula, or spinach. Whatever you prefer. Spoon on some of your hot quinoa / bean / spinach melange.

Sprinkle on a tablespoon of hemp hearts.

Crumble a little goat cheese, or feta, on top.

Get half an avocado on there.

And that poached egg.

Salt and pepper.

The post Up Your Cooking Game w/ Natalie Cumberbirch appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Dr. Debbie Samsom – Jan 14th, 2019

So, winter is definitely upon us. Holiday festivities are over, days are short, and the rain seems endless. This is the time of year when many of us can feel blue, down in the dumps, or outright depressed. Good thing there are ways to prevent this, so we can cruise into spring with smiles on our faces.

There is a lot of research out there on how to be happy. This literature has been nicely summarized by Nic Marks, a British researcher, who distilled all the evidence around happiness into 5 key factors, referred to as the 5 Ways to Well Being. These ways are: Connect, Be Physically Active, Take Notice,
Keep Learning, and Give.

Connect – We are, by nature, social beings. Connecting with friends and family is THE most important way to well-being. Last week’s Yard post offers great suggestions for ways to connect, with the added bonus of leaving out the alcohol.

Be Physically Active – Physical activity is great for both our physical and emotional health. The fastest way out of a bad mood is to do something active. Avoid an “all or nothing” approach to activity. A 30- minute workout or walk will do the trick. It doesn’t have to be huge – just get off the couch!

Take Notice – This is about being engaged in both our inner and outer world. It includes concepts such as mindfulness, which is about focusing our awareness on the present moment, slowing things down, and paying attention to and accepting our thoughts and feelings. Taking notice is also about appreciating the beauty of our surroundings. We are so lucky to live on the west coast, where we can hike, cycle, and walk the beaches all year round. Even though it’s January, the earth is beginning to awaken; plants and bulbs are sprouting. Take notice of the natural beauty that surrounds you.

Keep Learning – Most of us have a natural desire to learn and improve ourselves. When it comes to our professional lives, we can feel bored, stale or unsatisfied if we are not learning new things. So at work, look for opportunities to gain knowledge and build skills. If this is not available to you (or even if it is), consider learning opportunities outside of work. What sparks your interest? What will give you a greater sense of purpose?

Give – When we have empathy and do kind things for others, it boosts our mental health. There is plenty of research to support this. In one study, people were given random amounts of money between $10 and $100. Half were told to spend it on themselves, and the other half were told to spend on someone else. The results showed that the amount didn’t make much difference to their feelings of happiness. What did matter was whether they spent it on themselves or someone else. Turns out that “generosity therapy” is much more impactful than “retail therapy”. But giving doesn’t have to be monetary or material. Actively helping others in need is a great happiness promotor. Bottom line: we feel good when we give to others.

These 5 ways to well-being are not new concepts. It’s just that we can now point to a large body of research that supports them. Further, they are most powerful if you find ways to get them to work synergistically together. Not only will engaging in the 5 ways get you through the winter – it will also set you up for great mental health all year round.

• Dr. Debbie Samsom is a psychologist and #YardHard enthusiast, who currently serves as President of the Back in Motion Rehab Clinic in Surrey BC

The post Beating The Winter Blues by Dr. Debbie Samsom appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – Jan 11th, 2019

Look alive people! The best questionnaire on the web is back and better than ever, with a brand new set of 20 Questions to bounce off one of our devoted regulars.

This week we get to know Keiko Voss, friend of Yard Athletics who has been training with us since summer 2018 and “hasn’t looked back” since. Does Keiko like the window or the aisle, Nike or Adidas, and most importantly, which movie can she recite all the way through?

As always, if you’re a devoted regular who wants to take the 20 Question challenge, email us at info@yardathletics.ca and we’ll get you posted.

Enjoy!

1. Hometown?

North Burnaby

2. When did you first start coming to Yard Athletics?

Summer ’18.. & I haven’t looked back.

3. High school celebrity crush?
   Ryan Reynolds then & still my celebrity crush now.

4. Favorite restaurant, favorite dish?

But how do you pick just one? If I’m not having the LOCAL Burger at LOCAL Gastown (it’s dirty & delicious), then there’s a high chance I’m having tacos at Sal y Limon, olives at Como Taperia, Margherita pizza at Via Tevere or chicken wings at Phnom Penh.

5. Ten hour flight; aisle or window?

Window for the views.

6. Junk food you will never stop eating?

Potato chips are my vice in life.

7. Tell us something we don’t know about you.

I can speak Japanese.

8. Current book you’re reading?

“Relentless” by Tim Grover. He’s a legendary trainer who’s worked with Michael Jordan, Kobe & other athletes, & wrote this to share what it takes to get results not just in sports, but in business & in life. I’m only a few chapters in, but something so simple that’s stuck for me already is, “Success isn’t the same as talent.”

9. If you weren’t working your current job, what would you be doing?

Either a race car driver (likely the German in me) or a certified french fry reviewer with my own YouTube channel.

10. Talent you would most like to have?

To be ambidextrous.

11. Favorite patio in Vancouver?

LOCAL Gastown for the people watching or LOCAL Kitsilano for the proximity to the beach.

12. Favorite drink to have on that patio?

Gin Refresher or Aperol Spritz.. & obviously not just one, but a few.

13. Sober January; yay or nay?

Props to the people doing it, but it’s a nay from me, dawg.

14. Which Yard Athletics trainer is the hardest: Ilan, Sam or Joce?

They’re all the hardest in their own unique ways. Ilan especially fine tunes form & technique; Joce consistently pushes you out of your comfort zone with weights; & Sam knows when you’re ready to level-up a movement to make it even harder.

15. Movie you can repeat word for word?

Sweet Lincoln’s mullet! Anchorman.

16. Best beach in Vancouver?

Kits for the day hangs, Spanish Banks for the sunsets.

17. Something you spend way too much money on?

If wine isn’t a socially acceptable answer, then it’s definitely active activities & workouts.

18. Best thing about Yard Athletics?

They don’t let you stay status quo there. But while it’s always a challenge, it’s never intimidating. The sessions are tough & humbling, it’s always positive vibes and you leave better for it.

19. Nike or Adidas?

I used to work at the Nike CHQ & the loyalty still runs strong. “Checks over stripes, that’s what I like.”

20. Dream vacation?

Eating my way through Italy, Greece, Spain & Croatia.

The post 20 Questions w/ Keiko Voss: #YardHard Faithful appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – Jan 2nd, 2018

Happy New Year #YardHard faithful! Hope everyone is feeling refreshed, revitalized, and ready to hit 2019 with a bang.

To kick off the year, Yard Athletics is teaming up with Ashley & Kirsten from Life of Blondette for a special Instagram giveaway. The rules are very simple:

1. Hop on Instagram, and follow both Yard Athletics & Life of Blondette
2. Tag a friend in the comments of the Yard X Life of Blondette post
3. …you’re done!

The winner will be chosen at random, and receive not only a Body Energy Club gift bag, but a FREE 2:1 training session at Yard Athletics.

Simple right?? We thought so! Contest runs for a few days, so be sure to follow, comment, then keep an eye on your DM’s for a winning message.

The post Life of Blondette X Yard Athletics – Instagram Giveaway! appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – Dec 19th, 2018

Combining cured pork and beans is about as old-school as it gets. Nearly every culture that raises pigs and eats legumes has a tradition of combining the two together, usually to delicious and comforting results. From the pit beans you get with southern BBQ to Spanish chorizo and chickpeas, the two almost always find themselves in the pot together.

I make this particular soup throughout the Fall and Winter. It’s incredibly simple to cook, requires hardly any ingredients, and the result tastes much more complex than the sum of its parts. The roots of the recipe are Northern Italy, where richer, darker, “browner” foods reign supreme over their tomato-based cousins to the south. I have romantic visions of eating a soup like this for lunch on a cold winters day in Turin, sitting next to some Nutella executives having a business meeting. This is what everyone dreams about, right…?

One of the keys to this recipe is good quality Italian fennel sausages. My favorite in Vancouver come from Columbus Meat Market on Nanaimo St. It’s an amazing butcher shop with a charming old-school vibe; the staff are all watching soccer, speaking Italian, chatting with the regulars. If you go on a Saturday afternoon, prepare for chaos as it’s always very, very busy…

The other key is borlotti beans, otherwise known as romano or cranberry beans. Chickpeas or cannellini beans work too, but always opt for dried over canned. Any dried bean needs at least a few hours soaking in 4x their volume of water (i.e. 1 cup dried beans = 4 cups soaking water).

Northern Italian Soup of Fennel Sausage, Borlotti Beans and Red Onion

• 1 cup dried borlotti beans, soaked in 4 cups water
• 2 fennel sausages, removed from their casings
• 1 red onion, chopped roughly
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Butter
• Sprig of rosemary, chopped
• 1 Nutmeg seed
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• For serving
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or any other aged Italian cheese)

Melt some butter and olive oil in a large pot and put on medium heat. Add the de-cased sausages and start to break up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Ideally you don’t want any big chunks. Continue to cook on medium heat until the sausage starts to brown; about 15 minutes.

Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and rosemary. Take the nutmeg seed and grate about half into the pot using a microplane grater, or the finest side on a box grater. Cook for another few minutes.

Pour in the beans, along with their soaking water. Once the soup comes to a boil, season with salt and pepper, lower the heat and simmer with the lid on for about an hour.

After an hour, have a taste to see if the beans are cooked. Ideally some should be falling apart, helping to give a creamy consistency. If not, cook for another 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. If you need to add more water during cooking, go ahead (it shouldn’t be too thick).

Once cooked, serve into bowls, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, lots of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, a few cracks of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

The post RECIPE: Northern Italian Soup of Fennel Sausage, Borlotti Beans and Red Onion appeared first on Yard Athletics.

We’re back! Hopefully you stocked up on some “12 Days of Yard Athletics Christmas” deals, and are all set in the gym for the next little while.

Getting back to our regularly scheduled programming, we thought it would be a good time to throw 20 Questions at another friend and regular of Yard Athletics, Nolan Toigo.

If you’ve ever taken part in a morning “Boneyard” class, you probably know Nolan as the one squatting, benching and pressing more than you – before you’ve even finished warming up.

Today we find out where the best burger in the city is, the worst exercise machine to get stuck on, and when the Canucks will win the Stanley Cup (hint: it’s not optimistic…)

The post 20 Questions w/ Nolan Toigo: #YardHard Faithful appeared first on Yard Athletics.