This weekend we’re celebrating the most important men in our lives – our dads, grandfathers, husbands, sons, partners, uncles, friends… If you’re planning a backyard barbecue, we’ve got some spectacular recipes for appetizers, salads, drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and more…everything you need to make your party a smashing success!

The Gratitude Game. Neil Pasricha is an expert on happiness, and “Rose, Rose, Thorn, Bud” is one of his hacks. Whether you’ve heard of it before or not - now might be the perfect time to brush off this simple game and give it a whirl.

Likely not this year. But that doesn’t mean you can skip your week off. In fact, if at all possible, you mustn’t. Summer holidays, like weekends serve a few specific, vital purposes. The wants and needs differ from person to person, but we all benefit from an occasional, healthy dose of a few - or a lot - of the following: Rest, recovery, escape, play, sleep, fiction, family-time, me-time, down time, outdoor time, slower pace, faster pace, different pace, more exercise, sex, less exercise, more beer, no beer, no news…

We’re in the midst of transitioning from Spring to Summer. The earth is filled with growth and promise: there are glorious flowers peeking through the soil and nutrient dense fruits and vegetables simmering just below the surface.

More than four-hundred years ago, a single sovereign came to rule two kingdoms. Each possessed its own coat of arms: one depicting two lions, the other two unicorns. Unification of the lands resulted in the creation of one single coats of arms, with one beast on either side.

When something exists virtually, we mean it is essentially the same. The same in essence. When something exists in essence, it is simpler, while the fundamental, important parts remains in tact. Pride will be celebrated virtually this year. As with many things – Personal Training certainly – nothing can replace the energy, power, and impact of person-to-person contact. But still, we can keep the integrity of some of the essential things that Pride Month tries to accomplish.

My Exercise Fundamentals have borne these titles: Movement Matters. Mindfulness Matters. Intensity Matters. “To matter” means to be of importance, significance, of great consequence. My titles are deliberate. My own attempt to make you the reader, you the exerciser sit up and take notice. 

People don’t typically ask to be celebrated for their differences. They ask to be accepted. Presumably accepting others begins with accepting ourselves. We need to know our whole self. To accept our whole self. As the foundation for embracing and being our whole self. Love is a basic human right. And so, therefore, is love of yourself. 

There is a lot of literature out there on the power of being different. The importance of honouring your uniqueness. Of being strong and courageous and holding true to your different-ness because this will open doors, build new bridges, change the world.

This month is Pride Month. And I would like to “lean in”. I am afraid to do so. Fear is a strong emotion. A strong word. I don’t use it lightly. I am more afraid of silence.

What a beautiful start to the weekend! Our team has been spending some extra time in the garden and whipping up our favourite summer treats to help beat the heat. Spoil yourself, your family, and your friends with these delicious recipes all summer long.

That’s you. No virus is going to hold you back from taking charge of what you can control: your strength, your health, your fitness, yourself. Today, June 6^th, 2020, is National Health and Fitness Day. And today, we want to celebrate you.

Sometimes weaknesses are a direct reflection of our strengths. We are tenacious yet stubborn. We are patient and careful, but prone to overthinking, overanalyzing to the point of paralysis. We are sensitive, dogged, or committed in ways that are admirable, but can be frustrating, overwhelming.

Some people like taking risks. They love the thrill, the excitement, the freedom. For others, it makes us far too uncomfortable, insecure, nervous. Still, others, don’t necessarily enjoy risk taking per se, but do it anyways: They understand – usually from experience – that incredible innovation, transformational change, unprecedented achievement typically requires assuming a certain degree of risk. They know that risk can lead to failure. They know that failure – in the right hands – cultivates humility, curiosity, and can be a phenomenal learning experience. 

Sometimes an adversity will burn trees, homes, and bridges for miles around. For a moment there seems to be so little you can do. As indeed there is. And that can be the magic of it. We know that too many options, too much choice can be debilitating. It can leave you questioning your judgement to the point that no matter what you decide, you remain a little anxious that you could have chosen better. 

Our bodies are physically programmed to handle adversity. It’s one of the reasons we’ve survived for as long as we have. When bombarded with an onslaught of incredible physical demands, the human body ultimately responds by increasing energy efficiency, building lean tissue, and increasing neuro-muscular mechanism so we are stronger and more powerful, and improves our capacity to resist fatigue and handle stress.

Adversity comes in so many different forms and can be physical, mental, emotional, or - often - an intricate combination of all three. Adversity creates real pain and can be accompanied by fear, anguish, and despondency. It can also incite anger and spur furious, violent action.

The putter is the most used club in a Golfer’s arsenal, so it’s certainly important. But I imagine being a good putter is far more important than having a good putter. Being a great putter can be the difference between winning and losing. And while you might think you need to spend hundreds on a new putter… it’s likely more valuable to take a long hard look in the mirror and decide what you can improve in yourself first.

Believing in something… believing in yourself… that’s the stuff of survivors, champions… the people who make it happen… when everyone else said it was impossible. Hope – even unfounded – keeps a fragile spirit alive. Hope when it’s founded? That’s a beast to be reckoned with. A belief that is founded is based on facts: historical or scientific evidence that the future hoped for is not only probable, it’s inevitable.

Pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge. These are the golf clubs with the highest loft. Designed for chips, pitches, and playing out of sand bunkers. Designed – in other words – to get you out of trouble after you’ve made a less than optimal shot.