by Yard Athletics – Oct 20th, 2020

Yard Athletics is pleased to welcome the newest member of the personal training team, Lauren O’Sullivan! Starting October 26th, you can find Lauren on the MindBody schedule for both daily group classes as well as 1:1 and 2:1 personal training.

We want our amazing community to meet and train with Lauren ASAP, so for the next 3 weeks we’re running a special promo where you can get 50% off any 1:1 drop-in session with her on MindBody.

If you’ve never done a 1:1 personal training session but have always been curious, now’s the chance! If you have, but just want to say hello, well… get on there and lock it in.

As always we want to get to know our community on a deeper level, so what better way to welcome Lauren to the team than by throwing our infamous 20 Questions series at her. Read below to see who the must-have artist is on a workout playlist, what food you’ll never catch her eating, and most importantly, what to expect in one of Lauren’s workout classes…. Enjoy!

The post Introducing Lauren O’Sullivan: Yard Athletics Personal Training Specialist appeared first on Yard Athletics.

by Henry Gould – July 29th, 2019

Impossible to resist at happy hour, and until now (!) very hard to recreate at home. Not anymore!

Go the extra mile and make the blue cheese dip at home. It literally takes 30 seconds and tastes way way better than store bought.

Also, chicken wings are full of protein, and they’re not battered, so dare I say this is almost… healthy…?

Homemade Buffalo Wings w/ Blue Cheese Dip

• Chicken wings
• Olive Oil
• Hot Sauce of choice (Frank’s Red Hot Sauce being the classic)
• Butter
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Blue Cheese
• Mayonaise
• Black pepper
• Chives, finely chopped
• 1 lemon
• Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream
• Celery Sticks to serve

To make the wing sauce, melt some butter in a pot then add about 1/2 – 1 cup of hot sauce, depending how many wings you’re making. Add a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and set side.

To make the blue cheese dip, crumble some blue cheese into a bowl, along with a little mayonnaise and yogurt. Mash with a fork and stir around until all is combined. Add some cracked black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, along with the chopped chives. Taste and adjust to your preferred consistency and seasoning.

Preheat your oven to 500F. Put the wings in a large bowl and coat with a little olive oil all over. The oil will help conduct the heat in the oven and crisp the skin up so they taste like they’ve been deep fried.

Spread the wings on a large baking sheet making sure the wings aren’t touching. If there’s too many, use two baking sheets otherwise they won’t crisp properly.

Stick in the oven and cook for 30 mins, but keep an eye on them. After 30 mins, take them out and have a look. Keep cooking until desired crispyness levels.

Once done, put the cooked wings in a clean bowl and pour over the sauce. Toss around to coat all the wings. Service with the dip and celery sticks.

The post RECIPE – Buffalo Wings w/ Blue Cheese Dip appeared first on Yard Athletics.

by Yard Athletics – July 10th, 2019

#YARDWORK2019 is approaching faster than a cheetah on rollerblades. Registration is now almost 75% full, so we want to make sure everyone that’s planning to come is signed up with their team ASAP !

We’ve heard from lots of people saying they have a team together and will “sign up later this week”… if you can, please turn later this week into RIGHT NOW, and help us get things locked and loaded.

What do you need to do? It’s all very, very vvvvvvery simple.

STEP 1

Grab yourself and 3 friends

STEP 2

Sign-up >>>>> HERE <<<<<

STEP 3

Get ready to pull some chains, throw some medicine balls, listen to some music, eat some BBQ and maybe crush a few cold ones.

STEP 4

Give yourself a pat on the back, knowing that all proceeds of your team fees go towards KidSport BC, a foundation dedicated to making sure all kids have access to play team sports.

STEP 5

Get your outfit planned, start stretching, and be ready for July 20th morning at Thunderbird Stadium in UBC!

#YARDWORK2019

The post Are You Registered? appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – May 14th, 2019

Suns out guns out, sky’s out thighs out!! New Yard Athletics merch is in stock and oohhhhh baby are we excited.

Pink T-Shirts? GOT EM. Crop top’s? GOT EM. Snap backs? YOU KNOW IT.

See below for all available items. These are selling fast so get yours ASAP!!! Email “info@yardathletics.ca” to reserve or just grab something during your next workout.

Pink Tee – $29.99

Cutoff – $39.99

Crop Top – $39.99

Pink Dad Hat – $29.99

Snap Back – $39.99

The post New Yard Athletics Merch In Stock!!! appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Yard Athletics – April 26th, 2019

We are BACK with a very special 20 Questions this week! In our humble opinion this series has only been getting better and better, and it’s all due to our #YardHard community and their involvement. Want to get featured?? Drop us a line! info@yardathletics.ca

Today we have the special pleasure of introducing Kelly Lamb and Phil Cabrita, who you may know better as the one and only DJ Flipout.

How does Kelly describe Phil?

“From dj’ing the hottest parties in town, to the 5’oclock traffic Jam, to being Redbull Music 3STYLE’S Official Host, he’s also a legendary BBOY who also acts?! Whoa. A man of many talents with a great sense of humor. He’s also the biggest Kanye West fan who knows every lyric to every song and every sample to ever exist.”

How does Phil describe Kelly??

 “This is Kelly. Born in Osaka, immigrated to Canada when she was 6 years old! Grew up in Ladner. Born from parents who are both creatives, she was heretically gifted with bounds of energy to build upon. Grew up dancing ballet and involved in other arts, a natural athlete, who is also the ring leader for the best parties. From conception to the little details that make whatever she’s involved in, if she’s planned it, it’s special. She has a huge heart and is uber-empathetic. SHES CUTE AF TOO.”

Sounds like an intriguing couple! Now time to read below and see what the perfect weekend plans are, whether you can “Amazon Prime and Chill” and whether Wreck Beach is still a thing.

1. Hometown(s)?

Phil: Burnaby/East Van

Kelly: Osaka, Japan! Our family moved to Ladner, BC when I was 6. Japan will always be home.

2. How did you first get started with Yard Athletics?

Phil: Recommended by Jordan from AllCity. Needed additional help balancing my beer intake vs. body weight

Kelly: All credit goes to our guy Jordan from AllCity. He encouraged me try weightlifting at Yard and was adamant that it was the missing component in my workout routine. He was right.

3. It’s 4:59pm on a Friday afternoon; what’s the plan for the perfect weekend?

Phil: Beer

Kelly: Tommy Cole’s 4PM Hip Hop ride is hands down the best way to kick it off. The perfect weekend consists of early mornings, tough workouts, Slickity Jim’s, a good bottle of Cab Sav or Chianti, Pepino’s, a bike ride, and a movie or patio.

4. Favorite restaurant, favorite dish?

Phil: Pepino’s – Chicken Piccata

Kelly: Pepino’s – Bolognese or Yuji’s – Curry calamari

5. Company you wish would sponsor you?

Phil: Discogs

Kelly: Neighbour & Lagree West

6. Top 3 desert island records?

Phil:  Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of life. Flume – Hi this is Flume Mixtape. Kanye west – Entire discography

Kelly: Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo. Destiny’s Child – Writing on the wall. Anderson.  Paak – Malibu

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

Phil:  I was a rapper signed to a recording label in San Francisco

Kelly: I went to a Medium last year and connected with some very important people. Changed my life forever.

8. Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Crave TV?

Phil: Netflix but shoutout to Crave for Letterkenny

Kelly: Netflix!

9. You can change one thing about Vancouver, what is it?

Phil: Liquor Laws and transit hours

Kelly: Reducing stigma about our Downtown Eastside community

10. Wreck Beach, yay or nay?

Phil: Nay

Kelly: Yay but those stairs?

11. Best post-workout snack?

Phil: Beer

Kelly: Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes or a lil shake with Body Energy Club’s protein powder (Clean Isolate Vanilla)

12. Most exotic place you’ve ever traveled?

Phil: Beirut – Best food, people and history

Kelly: TBD.

13. Ilan, Same or Joce; who’s the toughest trainer at Yard?

Phil: Well we’ll have to set up a boxing match between the three of them for them to sort it. My moneys on Joce

Kelly: They’re all savage

15. Celebrity crush?

Phil: Rihanna & Rupaul

Kelly: Pharrell & Alicia Keys

16. Dream vacation?

Phil: Caribbean or somewhere super rich people go

Kelly: 6 months in Japan to explore all of the places I haven’t yet been to & an exotic place so I can answer #12.

17. Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Phil: Die empty from Jazzy Jeff (via Todd Henry)

Kelly: “Be more compassionate” – My mom

18. Least favorite exercise in the gym?

Phil: That f****** bike. F*** that bike.

Kelly: Assault bike. Sam knows.

19. Can money buy happiness?

Phil: “Money can’t buy me happiness but I’m happy when I can buy the things that I want” – By The Great Canadian MC from Rexdale, Jelleestone

Kelly: No but it can buy you a nice bottle of Cab Sav amirite??

20. Tell a stranger about Yard Athletics in 10 words or less.

Phil: Fun, challenging, safe, not boring, great trainers, good people, DOPE.

Kelly: An inclusive space to work hard, laugh and reach goals.

The post 20 Questions w/ Kelly Lamb & Phil Cabrita, AKA DJ Flipout appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – April 23rd, 2019

This is an amazing salad for a bunch of reasons: it tastes great, it goes with just about anything (cold roast chicken, smoked / fresh fish, boiled eggs, soup), and it could not be easier to make. Also, if your fridge is relatively stocked with some basics like a cucumber, yogurt and lemon, all you need is some fresh dill and you’re in business. If you didn’t have a lemon, vinegar works great as well.

Some people insist on salting the peeled and sliced cucumbers 30 minutes before dressing, just to remove some of the water content and season them a bit better. If you want to do this, by all means, but I don’t find it that necessary.

The salad is also a relatively blank canvas, so it goes great with other additions like sliced red onion, radishes, extra herbs (fresh parsley, mint, basil) and even spices like caraway or coriander seeds.

Enjoy!

Cucumber Salad w/ Dill, Yogurt & Lemon

• 1 long English cucumber, peeled
• Plain greek yogurt, 2% milk fat or higher
• 1 lemon, zested and juice reserved
• Sea salt
• Pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Fresh Dill, washed and finely chopped. 
• Dijon Mustard

Take your peeled cucumber, slice down lengthwise then scoop out the seeds. Slice the cucumbers into half moons. Put into a big bowl and sprinkle all over with sea salt, pepper and fresh dill.

In a separate bowl, put a heaped spoon of greek yogurt, the juice of the lemon and the zest, some olive oil and a smallish spoon of dijon mustard. Mix together thoroughly and then have a taste. It shouldn’t be too salty as you’ve already salted the cucumbers.

Pour a few spoonfuls of the dressing over the cucumbers and mix well. If you like more dressing then go wild, but sometimes less really is more…

The post RECIPE – Cucumber Salad w/ Dill, Yogurt & Lemon appeared first on Yard Athletics.

By Henry Gould – April 19th, 2019

As we approach the Easter Long Weekend, I’m sure many of you are counting on sleeping in a few extra mornings. Turns out that extra time on the pillow is very, very important for our overall health, both in terms of short-term gains (rest and recovery) as well long term general health.

A lot of our media culture still glorifies lack of sleep (“The Secrets Of How CEO’s Sleep 4-5 Hours And Run Huge Companies”) despite the vast majority of research saying this is detrimental to our health. Whether one chooses to prioritize business success over personal health is a choice they are free to make, it’s worth noting what the overwhelming research on sleep has to say about human wellbeing.

10 Very Wrong, Unhealhy Assumptions About Sleep

This article summarizes 10 myths of sleep that are pervasive in western society, particularly that lack of sleep can be accustomed to, alcohol helps one go to bed easier, and that all sleep is created equal. Apparently not so!

Some highlights I found interesting:

• “Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but that’s where the benefits end, Robbins said. Instead, it traps you in the lighter stages of sleep and “dramatically reduces the quality of your rest at night.””
• Another important stage of sleep is deep sleep, when your brain waves slow into what is called delta waves or slow-wave sleep. It’s the time when human growth hormone is released and memories are further processed.
  “The deeper stages of sleep are really important for generation of neurons, repairing muscle and restoring the immune system,” Robbins said.
• “Come on, we all do it — or we check our laptop or smartphone before we power down for the night. Unfortunately, that sets us up for a bad night.
  “These devices emit bright blue light, and that blue light is what tells our brain to become alive and alert in the morning,” Robbins explained. “We want to avoid blue light before bed, from sources like a television or your smartphone, and do things that relax you.””

Personally I have found reduction in screen time – as well as dimming lights closer to bedtime – to be hugely beneficial for getting ready for sleep. Alcohol can also be a major sleep disruptor, both in terms of the stages of sleep you get into in addition to hydration / dehydration, which can lead to getting up and going to the bathroom thus interrupting sleep.

9 Things Every Athlete Needs To Know About Sleep And Recovery

Sleep is important for everyone, but particularly important for those of us living an active, #YardHard lifestyle that needs to be recovered from. Strenuous exercise causes micro-tears in the muscle fibers, which when recovered from allow for improved performance and muscular output.

This takes time, and sleep is a huge part of this recovery. The following article highlights why this is so important for athletes, including how sleep helps recharge your Central Nervous System (CNS), how quality can sometimes be better than quantity, and how specific sleep rituals can be an important part of your daily routine.

Sleep Expert & Neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Walker – Joe Rogan Podcast

A particularly fascinating podcast which features UC Berkeley Professor Dr. Matthew Walker talking all about sleep, and how it’s the greatest “legal performance enhancing drug that most people are probably neglecting”.

Dr. Walker has a very easy to follow approach, and makes a lot of extremely compelling arguments for why sleep is so important to overall health and wellness.

YouTube Link

The post Sleep: The Secret Weapon Of A Healthy Lifestyle appeared first on Yard Athletics.