active living

Get the Jump on your Workout

Submitted by chris on January 13, 2012 - 13:06

active living

Caffeine as a (legal) Performance Enhancing Drug

For the last year or so, I've been really enjoying Crossfit as a form of staying in shape for my windsurfing and surfing passions. The following workout, known as "The Filthy Fifty" just popped up on the Crossfit.com website:

It's Not (all) About the Shoes

Submitted by chris on November 18, 2011 - 19:08

For a very long time we've been sold on the notion of our ill-matched shoes being the root of our running injuries. Chronic calf or achilles strain? You need more motion control for those pronating feet. Stress fractures? Your shoes aren't cushioning your feet enough. For many people, these are only band aid solutions for problems possibly not originating from their footwear so much as problems stemming from their running technique/movement patterns.

Fascial Fitness

Submitted by chris on November 11, 2011 - 15:15

Variety is not only the spice of life, it is necessary with regard to functional training and "fascial fitness". When we train our muscles we concurrently train our fascial system. If we train the same systems using the same movement patterns with the same levels of effort, intensity, duration etc, we train our tissues in a very narrow and limited range. For example, someone who's sole exercise is running will place a narrow range of demands on their myofascial system. They may be "fit", but they are fit for running only.

The Hard Truth About Soft Surfaces and Running

Submitted by chris on October 24, 2011 - 10:18

Running on softer surfaces is helpful in preventing injuries, right? Well, it appears that this commonly held belief may not be true. According to a couple of American doctors in the article to follow, there are no articles supporting the idea that soft ground is better than harder surfaces for running health. Our bodies are amazingly adaptive when it comes to picking up on terrain input into the nervous system and adjusting muscle tension to both deliver power and absorb running impact forces.

Bodacious Botanicals

Submitted by chris on July 11, 2011 - 18:09

Vancouver Island offers so many incredible places to connect with the outdoors. So often we look to other destinations for unique experiences when they are waiting for us to be discovered in our own backyard. Stephanie, Tosca and I decided to finally check out Botanical Beach, near Port Renfrew, after many years of listening to people rave about it.

Musings From a 40 Year old (Wave Bash) Virgin

Submitted by chris on July 8, 2011 - 21:10

Stephanie, Tosca, and I all just returned from a fantastic trip to the Southern Oregon coast for my first foray into competitive wave sailing as well as for some fun free-sailing with friends. The event was the 2011 Pistol River Wave Bash, and it marked the second stop of the five-stop American Windsurfing Tour (California, Oregon, Baja, North Carolina, and Maui). Click here to check out some fun footage of the event. (Steph has a cameo on the Day 1 video in a brief moment of fame at the 37sec mark.

"Graffiti" Van Wisdom

Submitted by stephanie on July 5, 2011 - 17:30

The Oregon coast is stunningly beautiful! My husband, Chris, and I have recently returned from a two week holiday along the coast and I've been smiling fondly as we organize our photos (here's a few to share, Chris' handle on the site is "Winddoctor").

Yoga In The Park

Submitted by previous therapists on July 5, 2011 - 16:39

Once again, Victoria Community Health Co-operative will be offering Yoga in the Park in beautiful Beacon Hill Park this summer. Beginner to Intermediate Hatha Yoga amidst the trees and under the sky, these drop in classes are open to all and will take place Thursdays from 5:30 - 7:00 pm beginning on July 7th and finishing in the second week of September.