essays, training notes, writing
112 posts. rss
Proton, screen by screen
Every screen of the nutrition app our Raincity members use, in the order you meet it — and why it only shows you one number to start with.
Clearing Out the Camera Gear - For Sale
Finally moved to a full frame body as my primary shooter, so clearing out some of my less used lenses & bodies.
inside my adhd brain
How I describe ADHD - everyones experience is different!
What is TheSport.Fit?
After 12+ years of running Functional Fitness Leagues - all that knowledge of data management will now be used to help Functional Fitness Federations stay organized internationally.
Impact Magazine Full Body Workout
the workout you DO beats the perfect one you skip. four moves, one dumbbell, every muscle group covered (built for impact magazine).
Raincity Athletics Community Code of Conduct
the rules we live by at raincity, version 3.2. inclusive by default, accountability over intent, kindness as the floor. open-source so anyone can borrow.
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.
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).
The Budapest Zoo #thortakespics
photos from a december visit to the budapest zoo. animals, architecture, light.
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.
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 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.
Why I Consider Myself an Anti-Colonialist
Truth and Reconciliation reflections: pre-colonial values, the landback movement, and what human survival requires.
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.
Free Workout: Full body strength at home - minimal to no equipment
a full body strength workout you can do at home with next to no equipment. good for the days you can't get to the gym but still want to move.
Remembering Jonah Berger
Remembering the most inspiring athlete to ever be a part of the Raincity Athletics community.
#RaincityJonah: Our Newest Benchmark Workout
The annual Labour Day benchmark honoring Jonah, with three levels representing his fitness journey.
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.
Jonah's Story, and the First Annual #RaincityJonah
How a 12 year old battling a brain tumor became the most inspiring RAthlete to walk through Raincity's doors.
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.
To the Brands That Always Show Up
A thank-you tour of the brands and people behind the Canadian Functional Fitness national championships.
#ThorWuDoesJapan: Osaka, Universal, and the Journey Home
Princess Peach's castle IRL, Dotonbori for miles, hedgehogs, Michelin pizza, and a farewell 711 run.
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.
#ThorWuDoesJapan: Kyoto, Old Trains, and Disney Princess Fantasies
Tourist-packed Kyoto, an emoji-only duck ramen menu, and getting far too excited about classic trains.
Why I'm Putting Everything on the Line for Functional Fitness
The difference between the FFL and the CFFF, and the 4-year plan to get FF into schools.
#ThorWuDoesJapan: Disneyland Tokyo
Roger Rabbit from memory, Donald's birthday mania, and why the best Disneys aren't owned by Disney.
The Season That Means More Than All the Rest Combined
25 seasons in, one super playoff, and the school-credit dream that started a decade ago.
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.
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.
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.
25 Seasons, 6 Softwares, and the First FFL Commissions
The league finally pays its hosts: a debrief on 8 years of fumbling toward a system that works.
IF3 World Championships & The Raincity Community
the if3 world championships, and what raincity showed up looking like.
Why I Give So Much to a Sport That Doesn't Pay Me
Behind the iF3 Masters & Juniors World Championships, and a proposal for athlete yellow cards.
FF vs CF: What We Actually Do (and Why We Need You)
The quick explainer of Functional Fitness governance, and the volunteer call for the 2023 World Championships.
Waving Bye to the Last 10 Years at Raincity
A decade of buyouts, lawsuits, and a pandemic - and finally having time to remember why I love this.
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.
Excited for the Future of Raincity (Yes, Really)
The honest math of a post-pandemic gym, three exit options, and the sublease that saved the dream.
Album: Mulligan #skitour
a january ski tour at mulligan, photos only. full album linked.
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.
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.
Album: Kees & Claire Hut #skitour
kees and claire hut, march into april. ski tour photos, full album linked.
The Time I Had to Call Search and Rescue
A snowshoe trip to Brew Lake that turned into a 1am finish, and the internet safety advice that could get someone killed.
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.
I Swear I'm Not a Runner Hater
A 65% annual injury rate is not okay: the Impact Magazine rant about what being a good runner actually means.
Taking Time to Toot My Own Horn (Thanks, Impact Magazine)
A top trainers nomination that actually scored substance, and a rare pause to reflect on what I've built.
OnRamp Updates during COVID-19 & [FF] Individual Access
how the Raincity OnRamp adapted during COVID so new athletes could still get ready for [FF] Individual Access, even without full group classes running.
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.
Shaving My Beard for Movember (Send Help)
5 workouts in 5 hours, a section of beard gone after each, for the men dying way too young.
What. A. Wild. Weekend. (Howe Sound Crest Trail)
7 summits, 2 feet of fog, and a bushwhack exit: the slide-by-slide story of a soggy Howe Sound Crest attempt.
Join Me on the BCFFSA Board
An open call to help build a governing body committed to true equality in sport.
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.
COVID-19: End of Session Equipment Cleaning
the exact 6 step process I drilled into every RAthlete for cleaning equipment after a session during COVID. tested every method, this was the fastest and most effective one.
COVID-19: Membership Options
the interim membership options we ran during COVID, from at home workouts to limited group classes. kept it flexible on purpose since nobody knew what was coming next.
COVID-19: Sport Access & Un-coached Session Procedures
the full rundown of how sport access and un-coached sessions worked during COVID: reservation windows, cancellation rules, and what to expect before, during, and after your block.
COVID-19: Group Class & Private Training Procedures
how group classes and private training actually ran during COVID: shorter class times, entry and exit protocols, and what to expect from your coach and fellow RAthletes.
Ask the Frontline: A Raincity EMS Town Hall
Supporting frontline workers by actually asking them: a re-opening town hall with EMS RAthletes.
My 2020 Goal? Starting BC's First Functional Fitness Sports Association
Why CrossFit isn't a sport, what a PSO is, and the dream of bringing Functional Fitness to kids.
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.
Community Is Bigger Than Any One Gym
12 years of CrossFit history and why the community was never tied to a single brand or set of walls.
What #PRIDE Means to Me
Privilege, being comfortable in your own skin, and strutting to Todrick at Raincity's Pride fundraiser.
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.
Why I Love What I Do (Catch-Up Edition)
Remembering your why at hour 16 of the day, and the Aussies who made Raincity home for a year.
Thor's a Big Nerd: What's in My Tech Pack
The daily-carry tech that lives in the quickpack, from the female-to-female HDMI coupler to the MX Master.
Wrapping Up 15 Seasons of the FFL
Season 15 from the sidelines with #mythorknee, and the systems that made the league consistent region to region.
14 Seasons In: Taking the FFL to Victoria
Terrified and excited on the ferry to Taranis: proving the league model works outside Vancouver.
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!
Stones, Sandbags, and a Blackout: Our Strongman Weekend
Log cleans, a 500lb yoke carry Adam doesn't remember, and winning the stones in a 3-way tie finale.
The Best Part of Owning Things Is Picking the People
Taco night with the FFL ambassadors and why every affiliate deserves a seat at the table.
Season 11: Something I'm Truly Proud Of
150 athletes, the smoothest season yet, and eyes on Victoria, Kelowna, Calgary and Toronto.
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.
Anti-Bullying Day: My Story
What being bullied in high school actually looked like, and the mental toll nobody plans for.
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.
Working With Wicked People and Brands
The team at rncty.ca/staff and the brands whose support goes way beyond product.
Thank You: The Best CanAff League Season Yet
Season 8 gratitude, from photographers to volunteers, and a tease of what became the FFL.
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 Rides with Joce
Joce was the first member of Raincity Athletics outside friends and family. Four years on she was teaching at Ride Cycle Club, and we covered half the class for any member who dropped in.
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.
The People of Hoi An
Men, Lady, the tailors, and a fermented death drink: why holidays off the beaten path are about people.
Pride of a Coach: James at the CrossFit Games
The essay Instagram cut off: expecting more from your athletes than they expect of themselves.
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.
Boost Activity Easily: 4 Experts Share What Works – From The Powerhouse Chiro
one of a few Olympic Village movement experts weighing in on how to get moving again. my answer: start slow, build the habit, let intensity come later.
Olympic Village, Meet Your Movement Experts – From The Power House Chiro
the Powerhouse Chiro asked what gets me out of bed every morning. answer involved a decade of chasing aesthetics before CrossFit flipped my focus to what I could actually do.
RYU Blog: Is Our Obsession With Health Healthy?
a piece I wrote for RYU's blog asking whether our culture's obsession with being healthy is actually doing more harm than good.
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.
Before CrossFit, I Wanted to Be a Teacher
School kids at Raincity and what a strong female role model does to a kid's idea of fitness.
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.
From a Squamish Gymnasium to 300,000 Athletes
Sectionals 2010 with 20 spectators vs Open 15.5 at home with 50+ RAthletes, and learning from a bad finish.
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.
Extreme makeover - cabin edition
Turning the side of a mountain under the cabin into an epic new bunk house at sakinaw lake!