...more coming soon!

Colonial systems didn’t just take land and resources, they forced a worldview built on binaries: superior versus inferior, civilized versus primitive, powerful versus powerless. They convinced us that domination is human nature, when in reality cooperation is how we survived for thousands of years.

If you ask me, the future of human survival and happiness requires a return to many pre-colonial values... Balance instead of extraction. Land shared instead of owned. Communities and councils (or non profits) instead of top-down rulers. Value measured in relationships and reciprocity, not in greed and how much you could stockpile for yourself.

The Indigenous peoples of Canada knew this, and built systems on the commons where land and waters were held collectively and managed with respect for balance. Decisions were made in councils and circles, where every voice mattered and consensus held more power than force or being the loudest. Survival and prosperity came through cooperation, knowledge sharing, and reciprocity: taking what you needed, giving back what you could, and protecting a future for generations to come.

Colonialism over a few hundred years has convinced us that domination is human nature, or that we wouldn’t have what we have today without the destruction and extraction. And yet, the greatest innovations of our species (like the light bulb, the internet, or the computer chip) were born out of passion and curiosity, before being milked for capital.

Over the years I've learned that my views are less of a 'leftist' and more about rejecting colonial thinking on all sides. I believe in a future built on the same core values humanity held for tens of thousands of years before colonialism (and late capitalism) broke us, and our planet, down both inside and out.

I believe our future (both planet and species) depends on our ability to care for and learn from the people who cooperatively inhabited this land for thousands of years before we arrived 🧡

📸@kw.curated

For the kids and families I work with

A big part of why I set up this blog is for the kids I work with, and their families. As someone who works closely with a lot of kids and parents, I think it’s crucial to have full transparency. Parents deserve to know exactly what kind of person is teaching life lessons to their children.

For myself

On top of that, this blog is also about transparency and accountability for me. As someone who is neurodivergent (diagnosed and medicated for ADHD, with some undiagnosed autism mixed in too), I have a lot of thoughts. Usually more than I know what to do with. This blog gives me a place to put those thoughts, somewhere that isn’t social media. People can engage with the content if and when they want to. I’ll still share pieces on social media and other platforms, but this blog is my home base. It’s a place I own, where I can look back over time. Basically, a public journal.

Transparency - for myself, and those I work with

If you know me at all, you know I’m a BIG advocate for transparency. This blog allows people (myself included) to look back on my past opinions and see the consistency in my values. I didn’t realize how rare that was until I got older, and especially until I revisited some of my older blog posts from years ago. It felt good to realize I’m still pushing the same ideas more than a decade later.

“What pressure?”

“When I compete”

“Just think of it as another workout and have fun”

Hmmm, Good Point.

That was a from a conversation I had a couple of weeks ago, and although it’s not exactly word-for-word that’s more or less what was covered and it stuck in my head.

When someone plays a sport, has a hobby or does pretty much anything their actions are driven by two different types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation originates from within and is associated with personal enjoyment or feelings of fulfillment (e.g. running because you love being outside and it makes you happy); whereas extrinsic motivation is derived from external sources and is associated with a reward (e.g. running a race to win prizes or money) and people are typically motivated by a combination of the two. However, while both extrinsic and intrinsic factors are super important, if you to want stick with something and avoid burnout I believe it is the intrinsic factors that really matter.

ON BEING COMPETITIVE

So Here’s the Thing

I am a very competitive person and I can get competitive with pretty much anyone or anything (friends, family members, inanimate objects), but the person I get most competitive with is myself. I want to excel at (almost) everything but even when I do a part of me always thinks I could have done just a little bit better. Now I like to compete for a number of reasons…. its fun, it makes me push my comfort zone and I feel super alive (intrinsic) but I admit I also really like ‘title’ or ‘recognition’ that comes along with winning (extrinsic). If I don’t win that doesn’t mean I didn’t have fun along the way or step outside my comfort zone (although the disappointment of losing sometimes makes me forget that I did) but if I’m not having fun anymore not only is ‘the win’ less likely to happen but it’s not as satisfying if it does.

Competition (official or me deciding to compete against someone often without their knowledge) motivates me to keep going when I want to give up because it gives me something (or someone) to chase. When I have a goal I push myself to try things that scare me…

Check out the full post on Coach Taryn’s blog: Go Hard Get Strong

I know that sounds grim… but as a small business owner who just carried a 7k sqf brick and mortar shop through a 2 year long pandemic, I think it’s allowed.

Funny enough, surviving the pandemic wasn’t the hard part… bouncing back after has been. To be frank; Raincity has barely broken even since COVID (and the gov wants most of their money back soon).

My only options to try to get my life back, or make some actual $$, were a) to sell (not a lot of people buying gyms post pandemic); b) to try to retract to the OG side only and become a small private training studio (ending most/all group classes); or c) to run Raincity into the ground and pursue bankruptcy…

Last year I made the extremely difficult decision for my own mental health, that I would execute one of these options by Raincity’s 10th birthday (August)… but then a dream opportunity landed in my inbox; sub leasing out the high ceiling OG space and keeping the bigger side + access to the bathrooms.

This weekend we begin our renovations to say goodbye to (most of) the OG space, and we move full time into the 5k+ square foot Annex side.

Thank you everyone for the positive support in the many extremely difficult decisions I've had to make since COVID... and ✌️out to anyone who tries to bring negativity into the welcoming and inclusive community I've spent the last decade of my life building.

Tho our physical space may be getting smaller, I promise in every other way this change will allow Raincity and it's incredible community to grow bigger & better than ever ❤️

For the full breakdown of what's coming up: www.rncty.events

@raincityathls
@raincityfitclub

#raincityathletics #raincitysquad #rathletes #findyourfit #community

About a year ago we set out on a little snow shoe adventure... The goal was Brew Lake Hut for the night. There had been the first big dump of snow that week, and the access bridge we'd planned to utilize had been taken out.... If we were smart we would have scrapped the trip - because you can't beat mother nature - but we hadn't learned that lesson yet so instead we audibled to take an alternate route up.

We hit the road at 5am... 2+ feet of fresh snow had us moving MUCH slower than planned, and at about 4pm as the sun was about to start setting we realized we may not make our objective before dark... And so instead of continuing for <1 hour up in the dark & unknown, we opted for the 5+ hour return the way we came.

At this point I called 911 (which is how you get Search and Rescue). We weren't in any trouble, as we had the gear & good to spend the night if needed... but we wanted to let them know our situation and decision, just in case.

The second I connected with them my phone showed an alert that it was in "emergency mode" - all notifications had been unblocked and my location was being pinged back to emergency services. The SARs team was very relieved to hear how prepared we were (including always having a spare battery pack for my phone). They called us every hour just to check in, and then had someone meet us at the trail head when we finally got back to the car, at almost 1am.

Moral of the story? KISS. Listen to the pros... not the internet

Do NOT use apps like my3words - learn to get the GPS coordinates via your phone so the SAR team doesn't have to download an app to find you.

Do NOT waste your battery calling anyone other than 911, period and this includes voicemail. Emergency calls utilize any cell tower (not just your provider) and allow them to track your location.

Do NOT go into the mountains unprepared - checkout @bcadvsmart for more info.

Catch-up:
I've gotten a lot better at reflecting on why I love what I do. Sometimes when you're 16 hours deep in your day, or you haven't slept in days because of stress, it's hard to remember why you started... and I know this isn't just an entrepreneur problem (but we're real good at it). And then I remember... It's because I love people. Working with people. Helping people. Teaching, and learning from people.

Epic people like these 3... who one day just popped in from down under, and then ended up sticking around just about everyday for the almost year they were in Canada. They left us months ago now and I can't decide if it feels like yesterday or if I'm even sure if they were ever actually here.

@raincityathls isn't a #crossfit gym. It isn't even a regular gym. It's just a big group of epic humans that have decided their health is important to them.

Current:
#mythorknee #knupdate - sometimes I do my slow controlled rehab/prehab with an empty barbell and perfect movement... And sometimes I just wrap it up tight and make sure I can still move around moderately heavy sh*t. Feels good to have an awesome coaching team that let's me join a class for some lifts <3

@ryu_apparel new favorite T 👌

#thordoestheexerciseandspamstheinternets
#thorsabigsoftie
#thorstillavoidscardio
#raincityathletics #rathletes #olympiclifting #barbell #vancouver #vancouverfitness

Bullying can happen in many forms. Whether it's emotionally making somebody feel bad, pressuring them, or physically - like I got it in highschool.

I was a large, loud softie in highschool who rarely fought back; and this made me an easy target. During PE class if the teachers weren't around it wasn't uncommon to have my face shoved into the dirt (with a knee in the back of my head) or a basketball thrown at my head. I had rocks thrown at my windows, dog shits set on fire on my porch, and threatening phone calls and voicemails. It peaked at the end of grade 9 when during the last day of school water fight I had 6 guys kick me on the ground almost breaking my ribs, in front of the whole school. For the 2 weeks following this I basically stayed locked in my house out of fear of repercussions from the bullies 'friends' who had stolen yearbooks to cut out my photo so they could find me.

Having beena bully at times myself, I knew why these guys were doing this to me - and I felt bad for them. I knew that their issues weren't with me, they were within themselves but I was an easy target to take it out on. I knew they were going to do it to someone, and figured I could handle it better than many. I knew that once highschool was over, I'd get away from them and it, and life would go on.

What I didn't plan on was the mental toll it was taking on me. Even when you empathise with the bully, having someone (or multiple people) constantly trying to tear you down takes a toll that can take a lifetime to recover from, or cause you to bully others in a similar way.

Part of being a man means you need to be tough enough to deal with your own shit... Bullshit.

If you're being bullied or maybe are unintentionally might be bullying someone, don't keep it to yourself.
Talk to someone, get help, and let's make bullying a thing of the past.

#lifeadvicewiththor
#antibullying
#dontbeabully
#dontbeatoughguy

Throughout this series you'll learn:

1. Who the go-to movement professionals are in Olympic Village

2. The first steps you can take to increase the quality of your movement

3. The easiest ways to get fit in the least amount of time

All of which lead to benefits like:

• Increased energy

• Improved stamina

• More endurance

• Better coordination

• Restful sleep

• A happier life

WHAT DRIVES YOU TO GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING AND DO WHAT YOU DO?

SIMON "THOR" DAMBORG

OWNER/HEAD COACH @ RAINCITYATHLETICS.CA

For years I struggled with what some would call 'manorexia' or 'bigorexia'. I spent 1-3 hours a day in the gym bodybuilding, chasing aesthetics. My mood was determined by how satisfied I was with what I saw in the mirror, more than the aesthetics themselves. I yo-yoed between extreme training programs and diets.

When I discovered CrossFit and functional training, my focus shifted to what I could DO instead of how I looked. I lost almost 40 pounds in under 8 months, and ended up leaner, stronger, and looking better than I ever did chasing aesthetics directly.

90% of clients come to me with aesthetic goals, but a focus on aesthetics never satisfies. My mission is to build my clients into badasses who can do things they never imagined possible. Once they can, they're satisfied with how they look too.

Checkout the full post for the rest of the expert opinions: http://www.thepowerhousevancouver.com/olympic-village-movement-experts/

Ok, so we have established that the number on the scale can depend on any number of variables and therefore heavier does not always mean bigger (Muscle vs Fat). Now, lets talk about the fact that bigger is not necessarily a bad thing. If you have been eating well, and hitting cardio and strength at the gym you are going to get stronger and your body composition will most likely change. If you have transformed your legs from soft and weak to firm and strong you are going to feel and look significantly better, so why does it matter if your legs are a little bit bigger? Instead of worrying that your legs/butt/insert body parts of your choice are getting bigger, be proud of the fact that you are getting fitter, stronger and look amazing as a result.

MY OWN EXPERIENCE

The other day I put on an old pair of jeans and guess what, they were a bit snug on the thighs and butt, but here’s the thing…

Over the past 7 months, I have dramatically stepped up my training, picked up a new sport (Olympic Weightlifting) and gotten significantly faster and stronger. Yes, I did gain about an inch on my thighs (yep I measured) but I took my backsquat from 195lbs to 240lbs and my deadlift skyrocketed from 215lbs to 295lbs, two achievements that make me way happier than fitting into size “x” jeans.

I know that having read this some people will still be uncomfortable with the idea that heavier and bigger can be a good thing and may look better, but don’t flat-out reject the possibility just yet. It’s a common fear (especially among women and people trying to ‘slim down’) that weightlifting will make them to bulk up, which can lead to an exercise regime that avoids strength training like the plague and focuses solely on cardio (very ineffective but I’ll get to that another time). I also know that while I love being strong and muscular not all women want to be a weightlifter and there is nothing wrong with that, but this is not an excuse for to avoid weights. Yes my legs, arms and butt got a little bigger this summer, but I was doing some seriously heavy lifting several times a week, sometimes moving upwards of 10,000lbs in a single session. Without training sessions of similar intensities/loads it is extremely difficult to bulk up (and keep in mind, even I didn’t bulk up that much), especially for women since we simply do not have enough testosterone in our bodies to support muscle growth on that scale.

I know it is unrealistic to expect everyone to ditch their scales, start lifting weights and ignore the fear of getting bulky, but I do have 2 requests.

1. I want you to take time to think it over, let the idea settle in, and rewire your thought process from bigger and fatter, to stronger and fitter
2. Lift weights. If you already are that’s great, lift more, lift heavier.If you aren’t lifting weights, start. Don’t worry about looking silly or not knowing what you’re doing, google a new movement, or ask someone to show you. We all had to start somewhere and if we never did anything for fear of looking like an idiot we wouldn’t get very far in life.

Check out the full article here.