hi, i'm simon.

Youth Training Presentation to Langara Education Assistant Program

a talk to langara's EA program on training kids. forget specific exercises, train movement patterns. the best workout is the one your athlete will actually do.

Teaching the Teachers how to Teach Youth Exercise

Things to Eat (and do) in Japan aka eating with rwu.

a curated guide to affordable, locally-loved spots in japan. mobile-friendly, filterable, free (no paywall, no gatekeeping).

webapp: Must dos when in Japan

Supplements for Functional Fitness

the supplements i actually use (bioedge greens daily, whey often). classic bodybuilder stack minus the hemodilators. RAINCITY at checkout = 10% off.

New Resources page added & being updated

Creatine Monohydrate - Best Price Anywhere

all you need is pure creatine. no fancy brands. costco beats every supplement store, even on sale.

The Budapest Zoo #thortakespics

photos from a december visit to the budapest zoo. animals, architecture, light.

New Album: The Budapest Zoo

Sound Proofing a Gym - The Story of the Raincity Floor

fifteen years of trying to solve gym vibration (NOT noise). turns out prep beats complexity. level the concrete, glue your underlay strips, screw it all down.

New Blog Post: The Raincity Floor

Raincity Recommends - Local & Small Businesses

the running list of local + small businesses our team, members, and community keep recommending.

Insaltd - Best electrolyte & hydration mix you can get!

the only hydration mix with enough actual sodium to matter. less salty than LMNT, no fake sweeteners. local.

Lessons learned, and a path forward from the CF3 President

the cf3 president on what went wrong in 2025 and what's next. clearer roles, better funding alignment, standardized event sanctioning.

My First Year as Canadian Functional Fitness President - Wrap Up

My Go to Breakfast Protein Sources

50g of protein in one breakfast, no cooking required. high-protein oats plus a siggi's. eat it twice a day if you want.

Where does Pong Live?

Why I Consider myself ant-colonialist

Running a Floor at an FF Competition

Free Workout: Ski Strength at Home

free ski strength program for home, minimal kit. three supersets for glutes, hammies, quads, calves. run it 2-4x a week, add load as you go.

Jonah's Journey with Raincity Athletics

jonah came in after a brain tumour and rebuilt motor control with a barbell. he passed in july 2025. his resilience is the thing we keep.

Free Workout Program: Back to Basics Strength

a free strength program for anyone with basic barbell experience who wants to get back into structured training. fundamentals first, on the raincity programming app.

Our Trip to Japan

two weeks across tokyo, kyoto, osaka, hakone. theme parks, animal cafes, every meal pre-planned. food guide coming.

New Movements Added to the SCHOOLS.FIT Database

Daily Breakfast Protein - my goto

whey + high-protein yogurt = 30+ grams of protein before you've even sat down. simple breakfast stack.

The FF Brands I Love to work with

Overnight on Seymour

up late, back early. just getting outside and above the city for a night.

Why You Probably Need to Eat More Salt 🧂

if you train hard you probably need MORE salt, not less. 300-600mg of sodium per hour during long sessions, and don't take this advice if you have hypertension.

Tokyo: Tsukiji Fish Market

go EARLY. it gets wild later. food stalls and street snacks pack in fast.

Osaka: Universal Studios Japan

amazeballs. nintendo world is the standout, prioritize it.

Tokyo: DisneySea

the best disney park in the world. unique theming, incredible design, and the food is actually good.

Kyoto: Fushimi Inari Shrine

the iconic torii gate hike. there before 9am or you're queueing. bring bug spray.

Tokyo: CAPPINESS Capybara Cafe

three capybaras, calm vibes, reservation required. shinjuku side, near takadanobaba.

Japan: Mocha Cat Cafe

cat cafe chain that's actually clean and well-run. multiple locations, easy stop with kids or jet-lagged guests.

Osaka: Dotonbori

osaka's neon-soaked food and nightlife district. best at night. street food, lights, energy.

Tokyo: Disneyland

second-best disney park overall. polished classic, but DisneySea wins.

Japan: mipig cafe

micro pig cafe. cute, tourist-friendly, multiple locations across kyoto, tokyo, and osaka.

Kyoto: Pontocho

narrow riverside alley with restaurants and nightlife. best after dark.

Kyoto: Nishiki Market

kyoto's central food market street. best around late morning before peak crowds.

Nara: Nara Park

11/10. 30 minutes from osaka, 45 from kyoto. bowing deer, mochi pounding, watch out for the aggressive ones.

Tokyo: Kappabashi Street

tokyo's kitchen town. kitchenware, restaurant supply, knives. fun even if you're not buying.

Tokyo: Akihabara

tokyo's electronics and otaku district. dropped rwu at mocha cat while we hit the shops.

Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

the iconic bamboo path. about a 45-minute walk. arrive VERY early or fight crowds the whole way.

Osaka: Harry Wood Namba (hedgehog cafe)

hedgehog cafe in namba. very spiky. interesting but brief. keep it under an hour.

Tokyo: Godaime Hanayama Udon

award-winning flat udon. lines form early, noodles can sell out, get a number first thing in the day.

Osaka: Patisserie Grenier

puff pastry and french-style baked goods. solid dessert stop, two osaka locations.

Kyoto: Hikiniku to Come

best meal of the trip. charcoal-grilled hamburger steaks cooked in stages. reservations open 7 days ahead at 9am, book or expect a long line.

Osaka: Unagi Kushiyaki Izumo

unagi and egg bowl in umeda. portions are big, order half rice.

Osaka: Odoridako Dotonbori

takoyaki with a whole octopus inside. tasty but plenty of other stalls nearby worth trying too.

Tokyo: Age 3 Ginza

deep-fried stuffed sandwiches. the creme brulée filling is the standout. expect a line.

Tokyo: HATCOFFEE

custom 3D latte art. they made pong come to life in foam. fun novelty stop.

Tokyo: Pizza Marumo

japanese-inspired pizza with fermented dough. the umami one tasted distinctly 'japan'. reservations open way in advance.

Tokyo: Roast Beef Ohno

wagyu roast beef volcano bowl. went back just for the broth.

Tokyo: I'm Donut

11/10. long lines but absolutely worth the hype. multiple locations, sells out early.

Kyoto: Tendon Makino

tempura rice bowls. long lines, only the hostess speaks english, but the food's good.

Tokyo: AMAM DACOTAN

popular bakery in kita-aoyama. long line, visually striking breads and pastries.

Tokyo: Tsukiji Yamacho

tamagoyaki on a stick at tsukiji. popular morning stop, expect a line. simple and satisfying.

Kyoto: Nakatonidou

famous mochi shop in nara (day trip from kyoto). live mochi pounding is the show, time it right.

Osaka: Daiki-suisan Kaitenzushi Dotonbori

conveyor belt sushi in dotonbori. casual, reliable, good value. easy walk-in while exploring.

Kyoto: Gion Komori

traditional sweets shop, famous for warabi mochi. big midday lines, quieter near closing.

Kyoto: MOTOI Gyoza

gyoza by a michelin-starred french chef. papa gyoza and celery gyoza were the highlights.

Tokyo: Mukai

best sashimi of the trip. cash only. arrive before opening or just after lunch rush.

Tokyo: Cois Espresso Club

creme brulée cheesecake and creme brulée espresso. VERY sweet, expect a line.

Tokyo: Kitsuneya

very popular beef rice bowl stand at tsukiji market. arrive early.

Kyoto: Gion Duck Noodles

duck ramen specialty shop with an emoji-only menu. line is real, worth it.

Kyoto: Hoho Hojicha Uji Main Store

hojicha-focused brand in uji. distinct roasted tea flavor, different from all the matcha-heavy spots nearby.

Tokyo: Menya Sho Honten

local-approved ramen near our shinjuku stay. solid non-touristy choice.

Kyoto: Masuda Chaho

specialty tea shop in uji. the uji matcha soft serve is the move. pairs well with other uji tea stops.

Tokyo: Azuki to Kouri

shaved ice specialty shop in yoyogi. reservations open 7 days ahead at 9pm JST. order three portions, not two.

Osaka: Rikuro’s

the famous fluffy cheesecake. not very sweet, popular souvenir-style dessert.

Kyoto: Tsuen Main Branch

oldest teahouse in japan. matcha latte is the call. restaurant side may be closed.

Japan: Gyukatsu Motomura

deep-fried beef cutlet you grill yourself on a hot stone. melts in your mouth without being heavy. multiple locations.

Kyoto: Maccha House

famous for matcha tiramisu. reliable, high-quality matcha sweets across multiple cities.

Overnight on Seymour

up late, back early. just getting outside and above the city for a night.

Sea to Sky Gondola

whole lotta snow, not a lotta people (not in a good way).

Recommended Podcast: Peter Attia 'The Drive'

peter attia's the drive is the health and longevity podcast worth your commute. stanford-trained doc, real experts, deep dives.

The First Decade, Raincity's Zenplanner Wrapped

ten years of raincity in numbers. 1,878 athletes, 161,207 logged results, $50k+ raised for special olympics, 75 dogs. never tried to be the best gym, just a welcoming one.

Camping & Manning Resort

camped out nearby the night before, then jordan met us at the resort. it was cold.

What is the Bifrost, why?

a place for parents to know who's coaching their kid, and a record of what i actually believe over time. consistency, in writing.

Podcast: Foot Health with Peter Attia & Courtney Conley

peter attia and courtney conley on foot health. preventing injury, building foot strength, picking shoes that don't sabotage you.

Growing Functional Fitness in Canada; a Vision for the Future

functional fitness is a sport, crossfit is a brand. a vision for getting it into canadian schools with proper standards for movement, judging, and coaching.

Remember We Do This For Fun

winning matters, but burning out chasing it doesn't help anyone. treat the comp like another workout and have actual fun. that's the whole game.

Seymour w/ Kevin & Tyee

a couple bugs.

St Marks in the Vivos

first time breaking in the new vivobarefoots.

Why Supporting Local is More Important than Ever

small businesses don't just sell stuff, they care about the community. wear their gear, tag them, send referrals, give honest feedback. it's a two-way street.

Head Shots & More with Get the Shot Studio

headshots and some epic creative shots with mark whitehead at get the shot studio. portfolio's up on his site.

ThoRwu Does Vegas (for christmas)

a cheap holiday getting 20k+ steps a day in vegas.

IF3 World Championships & The Raincity Community

the if3 world championships, and what raincity showed up looking like.

Sea to Summit w/ Nicola & MD

Trip Report: The Spearhead Traverse 2023

four days from blackcomb to whistler across glaciated terrain. day three a teammate got caught in a slide and flew out by heli, the rest of us made it. nature does NOT care about your plans.

Spearhead Traverse

our second attempt turned into quite the adventure.

Not Zoa Peak

we slept on the side of the coq to get an early start, it wasn't worth it.

Album: Mulligan #skitour

a january ski tour at mulligan, photos only. full album linked.

Mulligan

quick rip up our favorite spot.

The Movement Library Database & Schools.fit

the movement library and schools.fit, building the database functional fitness should've had a decade ago.

Album: Wedgemont Lake #hiking

wedgemont lake in late september, two days. photos.

Wedgemont Lake

quick jaunt up a classic just past whistler.

Welcome to Raincity 3.0

raincity 3.0. four group programs under one membership, monthly sessions instead of weekly, saturday throwdowns and monday comp prep. workout tracking back on zenplanner.

Album: Lake Lovely Water 2 #hiking

lake lovely water in august, a multi-day adventure. nine shots and the full album.

Lake Lovely Water

after hiking in, we decided helicoptering was the way to go.

Lake Lovely Water 2

this time we took the chopper in...

Album: Kees & Claire Hut #skitour

kees and claire hut, march into april. ski tour photos, full album linked.

Spearhead Kees & Claire

the original plan was to attempt the spearhead traverse, but we audibled to a great hut trip instead.

Kees & Claire Hut

our first attempt at the spearhead traverse audibled into an epic hut trip instead...

Metal Dome

we were NOT prepared for the grind this became.

Gin Peak

one of the best powder days we've ever had.

Red Heather

though it was sunny and beautiful, do not recommend touring when it's -20 out.

Sky Pilot

an incredible day summitting sky pilot during an altus intro to mountaineering course.

Golden Ears

another one of our favorites when you're looking for a quick overnighter near town.

Howe Sound Crest

we knew what we were getting into this time, and had a great time taking our time on vancouver's most beautiful hike.

Impact Magazine: Runners Workout

65% of runners get hurt and most never train form. fix the imbalances, fix the pace, skip the pain (full workout in impact magazine, page 20).

Impact Magazine: Top Fitness Instructors 2021

named one of canada's top fitness instructors of 2021. functional fitness should be fun and accessible at every level, that's the whole pitch.

Lake Lovely Water

you've gotta climb this grind once to earn taking the helicopter for future adventures.

Garibaldi

we managed to convince the boys to join us for some winter camping. after carrying an 85lb bag with skis up, we didn't even get to ski.

Mt Muligan

after this mulligan quickly became one of our favorite spots for a mellow tour.

Zoa #ski

first time checking out the zoa range with jordan & friends.

Red Heather

our first adventure that was appropriate after a few incompletes.

Raincity Renos - fixing the floor (again)

It was time to move the rig to a more central location to allow maximal space usage as we struggled through COVID.

Brew Lake Hut

one of our first big adventures, a lot of lessons were learned as we had to turn around, call SAR, and not get back to the car until 2am.

most of the Howe Sound Crest

our second big adventure, still biting off a bit more than we were ready to chew.

The Return to Training - Coach Liz

raincity reopens june 1 after six weeks closed. two classes a week to start, tempo strict work, lower volume. coming back smart beats coming back hard.

The 'Why' of our Group Class Training Programming

structured but not boring, functional movement at relative intensity. progressive over time, NOT max effort every day.

Why Raincity Athletics is no longer a CrossFit® Affiliate

raincity dropped its crossfit affiliation to own the brand direction. functional fitness is still the work, just without the licensing fee. registering as a weightlifting, powerlifting, ff club instead.

The Thing About Cardio...

the body runs on three energy systems. phosphagen for short and brutal, glycolytic for the middle burn, oxidative for the long stuff. train them all.

Raincity Renos - Gutting the OG space

It was finally time to pull-out the old floor and completely gut the Raincity Athletics "OG" space. Thanks to everyone who helped out!

My Current Projects for 2018

what i'm building in 2018. raincity, the functional fitness league, the fit club for special needs kids, cfff, special olympics fundraising, and small business consulting. legitimize the sport, expand the work.

The 'How' of our Group Class Training Programming

how raincity actually builds its group class programs. six steps, coach feedback in, constantly varied but NOT random. log your results so we can program for you.

The Top 3 Things That Can Save the CrossFit Games

the games are a televised pro sport now and can't run on volunteer labor. pay the judges, be transparent about events, prioritize athlete safety. three things, fix them.

Raincity Athletics at the CrossFit Games West Regionals - Recap

charli, janel, and taryn at the 2017 west regionals, three first-timers. coach liz on the prep, the gymnastics, and executing the plan when no barbell shows up.

Mark Whitehead - Get the Shot Studios

modeling work with mark whitehead at get the shot studios. seven shots.

RYU Apparel at Raincity Athletics

a ryu apparel shoot at raincity. five frames, kept short.

Pullup Skill Development

a progression for pullups from the ground up. hollow body and scap work, top-of-pull holds, then kipping, butterfly, chest-to-bar. videos for every step.

CrossFit: 5 Things To Know Before Trying

five things to know before you walk into your first crossfit class. research the gym, bring a friend, do the foundations course, be patient, ask the coach questions.

Pistol & DU Skill Development

two skills, one session. four levels of pistol progression from kneeling step-ups to unassisted, then double unders with the arms in close.

Toe To Bar Skill Development

toes-to-bar in four phases. movement patterning with hollow rocks, strength via lat pushdowns and beat swings, knee raises building to the full skill, then volume.

Handstand Pushup Skill Development

handstand pushup progression by julian deschutter, six levels. patterning, position, strength, variation, kip. videos for every step.

BC Living - Athletes Reveal How They Stay Fit Come Fall

featured in bc living on staying fit through the fall, alongside some buddies. honoured to be in the mix.

New Headshots #beard

fresh headshots from mark whitehead at get the shot studio (and yes, the beard).

Project Freakshow; Reebok Commercial

filmed a reebok commercial called project freakshow with a crew of crossfitters. the final cut is OUT and it looks AWESOME.

Lululemon at Raincity Athletics

lululemon at raincity, a shoot from january 2015. mostly photos.

Lululemon at Sugar Rays Boxing

more frames from the boxing shoot at sugar rays for lululemon. great gym, great people, go check them out.

Featured on Lululemon.com

shot at crossfit 604, ended up on lululemon.com. brief, but a fun one.

Featured on Lululemon.com

modeling the pace breaker short for lululemon, shot in squamish with aaron de jong. lightweight and a great fit.

TV Commercial: Ram Trucks - 'Portraits'

a tv commercial for ram trucks, the portraits spot.

Effective Exercise Simplified

the body adapts fast, so the work has to keep getting harder. heavier, more reps, something. otherwise you plateau.

Size Doesn’t (Always) Matter

getting stronger doesn't ruin your wardrobe, it just changes the math. squat went 195 to 240, deadlift 215 to 295 in seven months. body comp over jean size.