WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE ADVENTURE READY?


To me, the desire to Live Adventure Ready, means doing the best I can to prepare myself physically, mentally, emotionally and dare I say spiritually for the unknown and unknowable adventures life throws my way.

I work as a personal fitness & lifestyle coach and small group trainer in the Comox Valley, BC, but let's get something straight.  I'm not your average fitness fanatic.  As much as I love the process of training in the gym and the way it makes me stronger in mind and body, to me training is more about what it helps me do OUTSIDE the gym.  Most of the time, I work out in the gym several times per week, sometimes not at all.  I make great efforts to eat the highest quality food I can, but sometimes I eat pizza and drink beer.  I proudly preach the benefits of getting 8 hours of sleep each night, and often stay up dancing until the wee hours of the morning.

Why? Real life is messy.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”   

—Hunter S. Thompson

I do the best I can to live a healthy lifestyle MOST of the time, and break the "rules" often.  I love riding my snowboard and mountain bike, hiking, dancing,  jumping off cliffs and swimming in rivers, lakes and oceans.  The call of Adventure has taken me to more than 20 countries, and I feel like I'm just getting started.  While I'm not sure I want to be "totally worn out" like Mr. Thompson recommends, I definitely don't want to live a life made entirely of restrictive eating strategies and early bedtimes.  Neither do my clients.  

The people I work with want to live life to the fullest, which looks a little different for everyone.  My goal is to work with you to help you define your unique Adventure and build a fitness and lifestyle program that will help you rest easy knowing that when the next Adventure beckons, whether on the mountain, in the boardroom or anywhere in between, you'll be Ready.

My History

My passion for fitness was first awakened in 2004, not long after graduating high school. I first discovered the world of fitness and performance through some friends who were training in Japanese Ninjutsu. It all started with kettlebells and calisthenics (body weight strength training).  My early training days were chaotic and without direction, but I still got stronger. 

Everything changed in 2006 when a friend invited me to come to the gym with him and try out this new thing called CrossFit.  A short and very intense workout called "Fran" absolutely crushed me and every thought I had of being "fit" quickly evaporated.  I spent just as much time puking in the bathroom garbage can as I did doing the actual workout.                    

I was hooked.

As CrossFit began to gain momentum and build recognition, a couple Boxes (as CrossFit gyms are known) popped up in my home town of Saskatoon and I got a membership at the nearest one (shoutout to the CrossFit Brio crew).

The gym owners became coaches and mentors to me at a time I felt lost and confused in many areas of life.  They saw something in me that I couldn't see in myself. With their support and that of a whole community of other awesome humans, the man I knew myself as began to change.

By 2008 I was competing in local competitions and in 2010 I got my Level 1 certification and began coaching part time.  Over the next several years I coached dozens (maybe hundreds) of clients, and while the community was second to none, a shift in my primary career from construction to environmental engineering meant I would be working in remote locations in northwestern Canada.  In the weeks and months working up north I began to slowly grow apart from my community which was honestly pretty devastating.  The upside is that it lead me to continue my search for different ways to train and grow as a human. 

I owe so much to CrossFit and to the various communities I've been so blessed to be a part of in Saskatoon SK, Victoria and Courtenay BC.  Over the years I have been fortunate to work with and learn from many great coaches and mentors who have helped me to mold my personal philosophy. While my passion for the sport and competitive side of fitness has faded, a new passion for mindful movement and a truly integrated approach to health and fitness has bubbled up in its place.  

I have committed to the path of a lifelong student, continuing to educate myself and constantly question what I think I know.  In 2016 I completed an awesome three month apprenticeship with an online fitness company called GMB Fitness, and in the years since then I have completed several other certifications and courses. In 2020 I completed  year 2 of the intensive CHEK Practitioner program with the CHEK Institute, and most recently have completed several PPSC certifications including the highly respected Pain-Free Performance Coach program.