Martin Reader

A leap of faith

2013-01-21T08:59:00.002-08:00

Dear family, friends, fans and Canada.

Since I was a little boy it was my ultimate dream to play professional sport and to represent Canada in the Olympics. I started in the pool and then shifted towards beach volleyball where I pursued my dreams and made them a reality this summer in London. It is amazing to sit here while writing this and reflect on how that lofty childhood goal shaped and influenced my life over the last 15 years. I am blessed to live in a country that granted me the opportunity to pursue my dream in sport and with that life changing experience behind me, I officially announce my retirement from the Canadian Beach Volleyball team.

From a volleyball perspective it is difficult to justify my decision because I technically came off the best season of my career. Years of training and focus culminated in a summer of meaningful games and events and I am forever a different person because of what those pressure moments demanded of me. Yes I am now better equipped to achieve a higher world ranking in the sand but I am also more qualified to pursue my goals off the court. From a life perspective I truly believe the time is right for me to pursue my passions outside of sport while gratefully tapping into the valuable life lessons I learned while competing.

So it is with an open heart and a leap of faith that I declare myself a retired national team athlete and professional beach volleyball player.

I would like to thank all the athletes I have had the pleasure of calling a teammate and I wholeheartedly express that each one of you have made a profound impact in my life thanks to the camaraderie we built both on and off the court. Shout out to Josh Howatson, Cory Hilditch, Brian Hiebert, Jessi Lelliott, Ben Saxton, Ray Sewell, Ahren Cadieux, Chaim Schalk and Josh Binstock for sharing some of the best experiences in my life with me. Honorable mention to Sam Schacter for wanting to play with me for 2013 and I know if I was able to give you 100% we would have made magic out there buddy. You are one of Canada's most promising athletes and I thank you for so gracefully understanding this decision.

I would also like to thank the countless coaches that have assisted in my development. This is a long list but I will do my best to cover the ground. Massive thanks to Brian Mcgaskill, Jay Mitchener, Paul Smith, Paul Mend, Chris Densmore, Linda Henderson, Richard Schick, Mark Heese, Lennard Krapp and Joe Body for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to rise to your challenges. Special thanks to Gus Tsiapalis for facilitating such a healthy and open relationship with Josh leading up to the games!

There have been sponsors and people who have supported me with product and I thank you for your willingness to support me and for making such fantastic products that have undoubtedly assisted in my success over the years! Thanks to Kaizen Nutrition, Q Energy, KINeSYS Sunscreen, Smith Optics and Ascenta Oils. From the training perspective thanks to Joga with Jana, Dr.Philip Warner, Marc St.Jules, Titanium Crossfit and Tommy Tran for your leadership and guidance towards my physical performance. You were all significant influencers in my progression as an athlete and human being and I thank you for your patience and leadership.

A massive thanks to Adil Amlani at Sure Copy Courtenay for coming on board as my partner in web and graphic design. We set lofty goals in 2008 and you have created the most amazing visual experiences on my behalf since then brother. Your partnership in this journey has been essential and I wouldn't be where I am today without your energy, vision and friendship. I am forever indebted to you and your family.

Lastly, I would like to thank my mother Patrisha Reader, my father Norman Reader for their unconditional support in my life. You two have sacrificed so much for my benefit all the while knowing the Olympic dream could be taken away from me at any point. You mean the world to me and your profound love has been the most influential force in my life. To my wonderful sister Cheyla Reader, you have been a beautiful part of my life for 26 years. Thank you for your energy and support throughout it all, I am blessed to have you in my life.

The next Step

After the games I experienced a whirlwind of activity as I entered Toronto life without having crazy full time training commitments. I was able to put time into friendships, personally thank those who supported me and invest in getting to know and exploring the place I now call home. Through this redirection of social time and life enjoyment I expanded my network and came to terms with my gut feeling that I wanted to make a larger impact in the health and wellness of Canadians. Once I allowed myself to visualize what that looked like, life started presenting me with amazing opportunities to fulfill that vision.

I was soon thereafter approached by Toronto's newest 5-Star Shangri-La Hotel to become their signature guest trainer under my brand "Strive Conditioning and Nutrition". After years of training around the world as a pro athlete, I developed a personal training system to safely and effectively impact life performance and health. With an incredible property excited to engage my services, it seemed like the right opportunity to bring "Strive" it to life. I will also look to expand my impact this summer through youth conditioning camps as well as outdoor adult boot camp style training. Please "like" Strive fitness on facebook for great training, nutrition and healthy lifestyle tips!

Then two unconnected friends introduced me to a fantastic charity that is impacting kids health across Canada. The initiative is focusing on educating, inspiring and engaging kids to live healthier and more active lifestyles. I was offered the eastern Canadian ambassador position and I didn't think twice about it! Since then I have made eight school visits and and multiple sponsorship and alliance meetings as we push to reduce the rate of child obesity in Canada. For more information about this fun and engaging program check out The 60 Minute Kids Club .

Since my return from the games I have been managing a great friend's DJ'ing career. DJ Matt Bryce has made a fantastic name for himself and we recently decided to add our own unique ideas to the Toronto event game. We will look to create quarterly experience oriented gatherings to instigate conversation, spark imagination and connect great people in an inspiring environment.

Lastly, I have always desired to coach and give back to beach while promoting and elevating the sport to the status it deserves as the premier summer Olympic lifestyle event. I love the idea of being a liaison between our sport and the corporate/business sector and Steve Anderson our new head coach believes in making that connection. With the 2015 PanAm Games happening in Toronto I believe beach has the right appeal to become one of Canada's summer identity sports and our national team to develop as a dominant force on the world circuit.

So there you have it, my world has changed and I couldn't be more excited to take a leap of faith into new challenges and opportunities. I humbly thank you for having been a part of my journey thus far and hope you can continue being a part of it moving forward!

Yours truly,

Martin

The Stadium (dated blog but a new post)

2012-08-16T18:21:00.001-07:00

The stadium

When we were competing in the Rome Grand Slam just over a month ago I visited the Coliseum. It had been a dream of mine for a long time as I view it as the origination of the spectacle of sport. Although people died back then, it was about the show, pleasing thousands of people with bravery, action and athleticism inspired by the will of the gladiators to survive. Luckily for me my life is not on the line here in London, however, while at the Coliseum I merged the two stadiums in my mind. The roar of the crowd after a powerful attack, the gasps after a brilliant dig or the fear as a lion was added to the mix (follow my Latvian friend Alexander “Lion King” @samoilovs to understand). People came from far and wide to catch the blood & action in the Coliseum and now in the 21^st century people are doing the same in London to experience the power, finesse, athleticism and entertainment only the top beach volleyball athletes in the world can offer. At the Coliseum I breathed in the summer air with my eyes shut, chest up and took in the generations of epic battles to bring with me to London.

Dancing girls on the training courts

We had trained a few times on the side courts without even viewing center court. Finally our main court orientation came and we entered the venue. We didn’t come through the tunnel as I had imagined but the court was legendary regardless. Slow rising, the seats went up into what felt like the skyline. The massive HD screens look like 32 inch monitors and Horse Guards Parade rose up out of one side of the venue. The sand was deep and perfectly manicured. The lines were purple and the net was strung immaculately. We trained hard and worked for our replicated a many game situations as possible. Confident, poised and putting extra attention into what was in our control we had a great intro to the court. We are ready for the Brits on Saturday and ready to take on our pool.

Now we will play some games against Latvia and Russia to fire up our competitive side. These games will be about giving it our all and leaving it all out on the court. We are seen as underdogs but we know what we are capable of. Josh and I have what it takes to make top 10 in this tournament and from there on it will come down to heart and execution. Like the USA team did in Australia in 2000, we will grind through every game with no expectation while committing 100% to each point until there are no more points to be played. #giveyoureverything

Martin

The Village

2012-07-29T10:28:00.001-07:00

We are a few days into our stay at the village and the giddy feeling is here to stay being amongst Canada’s best athletes is here to stay! The amenities are so good with what feels like hundreds of personal medical staff and COC employees pampering us like my mother would. Our room is tight, our beds have extensions and our suitcase contents are splayed everywhere since the drawers aren’t big enough. We definitely over packed since we now have more Canadian gear than we know what to do with but it is nice to wear a brand new item of clothing every day!

We have gone to and from the venue multiple times for practice and the ride takes about 45 minutes. We go through the center of town on double decker city buses, passing right beside Big Ben, the Wheel, Buckingham palace and then we walk through a beautiful park to the Horse Guards Parade to get to center court. The atmosphere is straight up excitement from everyone involved and we barely have to do anything as the volunteers are so numerous! I was forced to ask one of them not to pick up the balls near my feet because that is just too much! The fun girls (professional dancers) are out in full force and are training just as much as us. It gives us a chance to experience the buzz of center court without the 15,000 people.

Back at the village we have some pretty cool roommates. We are now a full apartment with 6 athletes and the place is rocking! We have two gymnasts, two fencers plus Josh and I.

Nathan Gafuik is our only male gymnast at the games and is a wicked guy. We have chilled in our living room a few times thus far and just had a great discussion regarding the evolution of male gymnastics. Apparently they used to score the bar (his specialty) out of a max of 10 but now it starts at 10 with technical moves added to that. This means people are taking more chances and adding more difficult elements and combos. Also, the floor exercises are far more complex since athletes are doing 6 or 7 passes when they used to only do 4 or 5. Watch for gymnastics to be far more complex in London, I can’t wait! Follow this Olympian national champion on his London quest - @gafuik_nathan

We are also rooming with the confident fencer Etienne Lalonde who is a beauty. He brings a breath of European style to the apartment that I can’t. Tall, French and not afraid to speak his mind; this guy is a blast. Check him out at @etzlalonde

Phillipe Beaudry is another fencer but a little more reserved yet equally as confident. He is a solid French Canadian athlete who is competing in his first games. Looking forward watching him and getting on his case about twitter.

Jason Burnett just strolled into our apartment this morning. He is our only male trampoline athlete at the games and was apparently a silver medalist in Beijing and has won a few medals in other games. Looking forward to chilling with this high flier and Olympic legend. Connect with him at - @JasonBurnett_

And as always, you can connect with my beach partner, roomie and better half Josh Binstock @joshbinner throughout the games and beyond.

Connect with the boys and stay tuned for more on my end!

Martin

2012-07-26T05:15:00.003-07:00

My personal opening ceremonies

After our Grand Slam in Klagenfurt the team decided to travel early to the Olympic Village early in order to acclimatize to the British site and conditions. We left Klagenfurt at 6 AM, transferred in Vienna and landed to a warm welcoming in London before noon.

We had pre-authorized accreditation which we had to get validated in the airport and then we were escorted from arrivals to catch an Olympic bus. We didn’t lift a thing or have to think about the logistics as volunteers kept popping up out of nowhere! The information crew was super excited to meet us and the UPS delivery team chatted with us for a bit about their experiences with famous athletes thus far.

The bus driver was a well spoken old guy who was able to take us on a verbal tour while we made our way through town. We went close to the venue, saw Big Ben, experienced the river then took a turn to the village where we were first took in the magnitude of the Games.

The village was GIGANTIC and from a distance we spotted the main stadium, the basketball gym and the athlete towers. The Canadian building stood out like a sore thumb as it was highlighted with maple leaf flags and Canadian branding, similar to a proud Canadian traveller’s backpack!

The bus underwent a thorough security search and then we were dropped off at a secondary accreditation center to confirm out identities and scan our bags before getting shuttled to the front doors of our building. Sitting on the patios of the building were a couple hockey sticks so Josh and I went right for them. We then got after the red moose at the front door.

After a few picks we dropped our stuff in our rooms and went directly to the cafeteria to FEAST. Our beach delegation ate together and there were so many options to choose from! Pretty much every major type of national cuisine we covered, including Macdonald’s who had the largest ordering area.

We then went to our Canadian gear fitting at a small elementary school that the COC had rented out. We had a bunch of gear put together for us from the Hudson Bay Company so we tried every article on, made some alteration measurements and modeled to each other over a few laughs. I would reveal the clothing right now but as it stands the opening ceremonies gear is supposed to be a surprise!

We head back to the site, ate again and then caught up on a bunch of emails. We were tired and had an incredibly exciting day on a sleepless travel day.

Our first day was eye opening with regards to the magnitude of the games. We had amazing connections with volunteers from around the world and each one seemed to give me energy. The Canadian staff were so motivated to help us and were all Olympians who understood the importance of this event to each person, team and delegation. This is my first Olympics but I have been here in my dreams many times. Time to make everything a reality

Martin

Interview for a school project

2012-05-29T06:59:00.002-07:00

Here is an interview I did this morning for a young athlete in BC who love beach volleyball. He had interview someone who works in the field they are passionate about for a school project. Definitely fun to answer the questions and contemplate some of the more basic questions that are often overlooked on a day to day basis.

Why did you choose this career?

Since I was 10 years old I have dreamed of competing in the Olympics and when I found beach volleyball it was all I could think of! I have been playing every summer since I was 14 and after taking one year off the beach when I was 20 I realized I couldn't live another summer without playing. Since then I have been playing for team Canada and building towards playing in the Olympics. I firmly believe that going to the Olympics in beach is my a part of my life path and crucial to my development in being the best human I can be in life.

What are the best and least favorite parts of the job for you?

I love being able to travel, learn new languages and meet incredible people around the world. Being able to explore cultures and food while playing my favorite sport are definitely my fave parts. I guess my least favorite parts are the fact that I am away from home and sacrificing a career that pays me a lot of money but to be honest I wouldn't change anything! I love what I do and enjoy all of the life experiences that come with leading my dreams.

What kind of training or education is required for this job?

Nothing is required but beach volleyball is a sport that requires you to be an all round athlete. You need to be able to think on your feet in a heated situation; observe and adapt and communicate with your partner while focusing on executing tough skills in a changing environment. Coaching isn't allowed so athletes must also be able to coach themselves. This requires a practical and analytical mind but as long as you are prepared to learn from your losses then anyone is qualified to try beach!

Would you recommend the career to others? Why?

If it is your passion then yes. If not, find where you passion lies and dedicate your life to that occupation/discipline.

What are the biggest challenges you face everyday?

To be honest I don't see any of my daily activities or commitments as challenges but more steps in the process. I love our training and physical commitments but I guess the most challenging part is not having enough time in the day to do what I want to do. There can be a lot of distractions (especially with the Olympics coming up) so I have to be focused and organized as to not burn myself out.

How did you get into this type of work?

I saw beach volleyball when I was 11 years old at a demonstration in an ice rink in my hometown and that was all it took! I went from being a little scrub playing as much as he could to playing for Team BC and then Team Canada. It was a natural progression thanks to the amazing coaches I have had in my career.

If you could summarize your job in one sentence what would it be?

My job is training for life; to be the best person I can be wether it is hitting a volleyball over a net or helping kids with their school projects.

Do ever regret going into this job?

Not a single regret.

Any other things you think are important about the job?

I don't consider it a job, it is my calling!

An account of our competition in Brasilia

2012-04-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

In anticipation for one of the most important events of my career, Josh and I landed in Brasilia a full week early to acclimatize to the altitude and conditions of this unique beach volleyball environment. Few tournaments in the world are played at altitude so we wanted to adjust our ball control to the thin air and the altitude, which impacts recovery speed over the span of a game. We successfully progressed the way wanted alongside a Swiss team that had the same intention and due to the early arrival of Canadian, USA, Japanese and British teams who provided some competitive training.

The qualification tournament was scheduled for Wednesday so we withheld from competing for the first few days to adjust to the new environment and then increased intensity until an active rest day Saturday. We then scheduled three training sessions on Sunday to simulate our qualification tournament and played USA/Canada then another Canadian team and ended with Japan’s top team. It was a tough day with minimal nutrition (nothing is open Sunday mornings in Brazil) but we persevered in discomfort and were better off for it. With a healthy amount of reps and competition under our belts we toned down our training in anticipation of an emotional and physical qualification tournament.

The draw turned out to have less teams than we anticipated so we only had 2 rounds to win in order to claim a main draw birth. We patiently waited in the meeting and after everything was calculated we drew Venezuela to begin and then the winner of a young Austrian team VS a powerful Australian duo. With our path set in stone we focused our energy on the following day and went to sleep swimming in anxiousness for what we new was the most important day of our partnership to date.

Although this event is one many possible opportunities to count for our best four finishes to rank us in the quest for the Olympics, the resulting points from Brasilia have a massive impact on our entry for the Grand Slams. Without entry into Grand Slams (top 56 teams in the world) we would miss out on extremely valuable playing opportunities as well as the extra Grand Slam points. With this in mind, a solid result in Brasilia would qualify us for Grand Slams (Beijing and possibly Russia and Rome) boosting our chances of Olympic qualification.

With that in mind we awoke Wednesday morning with butterflies in our stomachs and tense smiles to go along with them. I haven’t been nervous for a long time but I was filled with something larger and more empowering; my body realizing the last 6 months mattered most today. I had an ominous feeling I couldn’t shake but it was energy that had been brewing for a long time and if I harnessed it I could turn it into an advantage.

We warmed up on the warm up court and stepped onto court 1 with 10 minutes to go before first whistle. We did our Dean Sampano special (arm circles), hit and served some balls then cooled off for a minute prior to the game whistle. Months of preparation and we were here, at the moment which counted most with no room to question or doubt. It was time to trust we were more skilled and prepared than the other team and find grace together in the pursuit of victory.

To be honest I don’t remember too much of the game. I know we were spatchy in the first set and lost multiple runs of points and didn’t serve as well as we had planned. Our sideout game didn’t display our true colors but the other team struggled to sideout so we were able to make up a few points. We lost the first set but questioned not and adapted to the situation. Beach volleyball is an amazing game of strategy so although we lost the first set I knew we could adjust our defensive game plan to shut them down while elevating our rhythm and athleticism to take over.

We stormed out to a lead and didn’t let go in the second. We played bigger than we had played to date and the silent connection that lacked in the first set revealed itself timely fashion. I then tripped over the line and sprained my toe but didn’t call a timeout and hid the pain. I knew I had done some damage to my big toe joint but confidently sealed the injury in my competitive vault. The Venezuelan’s began to fade as we firmly responded both in sideout and transition. We won big rallies, took more chances and built confidence in pursuit of a third and final set. I then landed from a block and turned but left my big toe behind. It twisted and bowed outwards and left the socket, forcing my body to crumble as I felt my toe shift in a direction it wasn’t meant to. I lay there, unsure of my health and then placed my hand on my toe hoping it had found its way back in. It was where it was supposed to be but I knew it was unstable so I delayed the game as long as possible without calling a timeout or allowing our momentum to fade. I strode to the back line to serve, suppressing my pain enough to win the second set without giving our opponents anything.

Being somewhere across the globe from home to fight in a single elimination event is an incredible feeling. I can’t say I love it but the pressure and demand for ultimate presence forces me to challenge my body and mind to be the best I can be in every moment. This third set was no exception and Josh and I knew what was on the line. We lead from the start and didn’t even give our opponents a sniff of the lead. I then tweaked my toe again, fell over, but pushed through it knowing victory was close at hand. Josh served an ace to win at 15-12 and we rejoiced in our first FIVB win together as well as to being one step closer to the main draw.

I rushed to the medical tent and explained to the physio what happened. He then taped me up and locked my big toe to my foot with a couple dozen feet of tape. I was confident the tape would hold and that I could play worry free granted I kept it warm. We had a few hours off to replenish lost calories, recover lost fluids and prepare mentally for our second battle. We were surprised to hear the higher ranked Aussies lost to the Austrians so we reviewed their game (our coach Lennard recorded it) and knew we had a VERY realistic opportunity to qualify.

Our coach served at us for warm up and before we knew it we were shaking hands with the Austrians on a crowded court two. The weather was perfect, the wind was mild and our BRIEF (Belief, Ritual, Intensity, Emotion, Focus) was all time.

The first set went back and forth with some great rallies and we found ourselves second place in the head to head pursuit for 21 points. It was close but our sideout and point conversion didn’t allow for a comfortable lead or a confident finish. Once again we were down a set sipping water in our timeout booth but there wasn’t a second I thought we would lose. We knew we had to adjust and we did, taking a formidable lead in the second set to win it without a doubt.

Apparently our team loves third sets because we have played far too many. Apparently it takes us a set to come up with a winning strategy and we strove into this third set with intent and purpose. The main draw birth had our name written all over it.

The set started and the lead went back and forth. The Austrians had a response to the majority of our threats and we found ourselves down 10-12 when I turned to bump set a ball from a dig Josh made when my toe burst through the thick tape job and bent completely sideways. Once again I dropped to the ground grasping my foot and rolling in pain; I knew this one was bad. I had to call a medical timeout and with Josh’s help hobbled to the bench. We were now down 10-13 and forfeiting wasn’t an option considering the current stakes I wasn’t about to start. The same physio from before cut the broken tape job off, washed my foot and then started from scratch. We didn’t have much time so I told him to just tape my big toe to the rest of my toes and then throw on a sand sock. He did just that and after the maximum five minutes I bluffed my way out of the medical timeout.

Playing against an injured team is always tough. You never know how badly the person is hurt and it is difficult to stay motivated and crisp when you think you were just handed a massive advantage. I knew I would be underestimated (considering I had gone down a couple times before) so I gave them nothing and allowed them to give something up. They came at me and I shot over line for a crisp sideout , 11-13. I told Josh to serve the big buy and that I would block big line so he did and I crashed ball and stuffed him hard. 12-13 side switch. We knew their tall left side would be tentative so we funneled him to the cross and Josh made a great short dig to transition kill, 13-13. We knew the big guy would try hard for something so we both anticipated him coming to the line. He didn’t pass perfectly so I blocked big six but he snuck a large hit under me and beside osh. 13-14. Their defender had missed a couple jump floats into the net and this final serve found some lift and caught the top of the tape, drizzling over for a short let. Both Josh and I, unwilling to surrender, shot forward seam and ran into each other as we sprawled to reach the ball. I got a healthy touch on it but Josh had committed to his dive and wasn’t able to get up and reach the ball before it hit the ground. Game 13-15.

I slowly rose, shook their hands as well as the referee’s and then fell. I couldn’t support myself; my spirits were crushed. We had just lost a battle to a team we had every opportunity of beating and I had hurt my foot in ways I didn’t want to understand. I was in pain but the thought of losing such a realistic main draw birth to define our team in pursuit of Canada’s Olympic birth hit me harder.

Josh and I hobbled back to the hotel over the span of 30 minutes and went directly to an “all you can eat” establishment to drown our sorrows in Brazilian pizza. We discussed the game and did our best to plot our immediate future considering my massively swollen foot wasn’t allowing me to move properly. With no idea how this new twist in the Binstock/Reader saga would impact our schedule, we went home to sleep on full bellies and wait on our support team to advise us.

Brazil penthouse pool workout on our active rest day

2012-04-16T05:27:00.001-07:00

After landing safely in Brasilia and training double days in the sand from Tuesday through Friday, we decided to take the pressure off the gas pedal to active rest before setting up a 3 session day today to mimic our qualification path Wednesday.

We rested in the morning and took in a few 1000 calories in the form of an Acai bowl (picture below)

then chilled by the penthouse pool at sunset to prime ourselves for the following day. Here is our workout.

After a nice mobility warm up I did some exercises I learnt from Rob Williams utilizing the Core X bands. I started with lateral and pivot movements opening up my stance and arms at the same time to connect my core to my legs and upper body. I did 3 sets of 16 side steps and quarter turn pivots, going from normal ready position to wide spread back to ready position. I then went onto all fours, using a Joga inspired balance posture but adding difficulty with the Core X bands. I would raise on hand and the opposite leg controlled for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds and then coming back to a stable 4 point position. I did 3 sets of 16 for each leg/arm combo.

We then both got after some ab roll outs with proper lumbar spine positioning and kept the reps under 10 as not to fatigue ourselves. I mixed in some V ups to push up on the foam roller. We complimented these core exercises with single and double arm plank holds while paying attention to shoulder stability and proper trunk muscle recruitment.

Josh wanted to some preventative/maintenance shoulder work so he did some isolated band exercises to target his rotator cuff muscles. He then did wall slides (his favorite/least favorite exercises) to strengthen scapular movement and stability.

We then stretched for quite sometime, allowing our bodies to sink deeply into personal favorite poses. Below is Josh's specialty and you will catch him chilling in this position after every training session or game. It really gets after pelvic stabilizers which generally stiffen from training in sand.

I tucked into some groin, quad and hamstring stretches after doing some trunk and pelvic mobility exercises specific to movement patterns I want to improve.

With only the use of an ab wheel, Core X, elastic band and a foam roller we activated our cores, hit our trunk stabilizers, strengthened our shoulders and opened up mobility patterns specific to our individual needs. Lots of work yet to be done here in Brasilia but we definitely took in the 26 degree sunset next to the pool as we took care of our bodies in preparation for our qualification tournament on Wednesday.

New and improved Paleo Pancakes

2012-02-15T07:59:00.000-08:00

I have been playing around in the kitchen over the last few weekends and have perfected (to my taste) a Paleo Pancake recipe that is quick, super healthy and tastier than regular pancakes! I freestyled the majority of the ingredients to consistency and projected taste but as long as you have a remotely thick batter you should be good to go. Enjoy as this provides great energy, is easily digestible, gluten free and rich in protein and good fats.

Start by mashing two bananas up in a bowl

Add four eggs

Add half a cup of milled golden flax seeds

Add a cup and a half of ground almonds

Add a cup of ground hazelnuts

Pour chocolate almond milk until you think blending will be easy

Mix it all up

Add Vanilla

Add Cinnamon

Add Allspice

Blend again and then scoopie out your preferred sized pancakes. Keep in mind they are tougher to flip the larger they are

Serve with whatever treats you want. I felt like using cranberries, yogurt and maple syrup and it was the tastiest breakfast I have had in a while!

FEAST!!!!

Inspiration and my Opa during the battle of Ortona on Christmas day, 1943

2011-12-25T14:02:00.000-08:00

I sit here in the comfort of my home next to my amazing sister and parents and am extra thankful. I am thankful for many things but after taking an interest in my Opa’s war stories, I am grateful for his bravery, character and selflessness.

My grandfather fought in World War II as a Seaforth in the 4^th infantry division of signals and later as a Battle Adjudant in the Royal Infactra Corps, Canadian Infantry Corps. He was involved in the Hitler line battle, Savio River battle, Issel River battle and the San Leonardo battle but it was in the battle of Ortona that he left his mark.

It was on Christmas day in 1943 that the quarter master, Captain Cameron, decided to serve the Canadian men Christmas dinner in the church, which was one of the first and most important objectives in Ortona.

Here is my Opa, Wilfred Gildersleeve sharing his day as he played the Organ for the troops – “We had a couple of fellows able to pump the organ on a couple of planks. They stood on the plank, you know, and one, two, three, alternately. And I still had my little book with some music in it, of carols and hymns and what not. And I used to get stuck for church parades playing for them all, in England. And so we were able to sing some carols, led by Roy Durnford, padre. That was very heavy, very heavy, to see those men come in, have their dinner, which consisted of roast pork, potatoes, carrots, all scrounged from the countryside and Christmas pudding a couple of chocolate bars, a bottle of beer and an orange. And for many of those men, it was the last meal they ever had on this earth because it was company after company.”

I imagine my grandfather, 68 years ago singing hymns and playing the organ filling men with what may have been their last peaceful and joyous moments. Sitting here writing from the comfort of my home, I do my best to fathom their appreciation for life and thank them from the bottom of my heart for the sacrifices they made for you and me; for our nation.

I send my love and gratitude to my Opa Wilfred as well as his lovely bride Marguerite who met in Amsterdam on May 8^th !945 in celebration of World War II ending. You have both created a wonderful legacy and your spirits are shining in your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Your family is strong and we will lift you up tomorrow as we all gather to celebrate Dutch Christmas in your honor.

To my Opa, your spirit, fearlessness, integrity and height live on. You were a standout man and your grandchildren may not have had much time with you but we fondly remember your chivalry, high moral standard and sense of humor. In fact I am frequently reminded of you when Matt, myself and Jordan grow our moustaches in Movember and I am confident we all have your funny bone.

I leave you with my Opa’s final message to future generations in the family interview conducted by my uncle Steve.

“Hold in your heart a love of Canada, your home land, maybe your adopted home land, and serve Canada as best you can in whatever way the country needs you. Be it business or in the services or in the government, bearing in mind the fact Canada’s forces now are a peace-keeping force and we will never be an offensive nation and we should certainly honor our service men in today’s forces because they act as aid to the civil power. And try to lead our lives in ways that will never again lead to war. Maybe the simplest message is that we need to learn to love and respect our fellow man and to work together for the common good.”

Gratitude

2011-12-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was walking to brunch with Jordan (roommate/cuz/ape/stallion) and we high fived over life. Not our first high five, however, this one spurred a train of thoughts and emotions that rushed through me like an avalanche in the Alaskan backcountry.

Gratitude, appreciation, love, joy, humility. Gratitude.

My life is amazing. That isn't a "my life is better than yours" statement, it is a pure, friendly epiphany driven affirmation. It is entirely a "holy shit, I love my life and get to live my passion everyday" thought and I haven't been able to genuinely stop to be thankful for my life path since it went into overdrive late 2011.

I had been in Toronto since I herniated 2 disks in my back mid summer, and was spinning my pedals and reaching for something I couldn't see clearly. But on October 1^st the gears of my life began to catch; I moved downtown Toronto with my cousin Jordan. Without getting into the details, it wasn't until I got my own place that everything started coming together. My health, energy, excitement and pure "joie de vivre" exponentially increased and my essential flame has been burning bright like the Olympic torch since!

I haven't had my own space for a long time and it was neve a big deal, I just called it the “21^st Century Nomad style” and dealt with it. I made the most of every situation, couch, hotel room, single bed, floor or spare bedroom and stayed in a positive mental space because I had to. As a matter of adaptation I made each unique setup an opportunity for growth but without knowing it I was never truly able to completely relax. Now with the independence of an apartment and a year contract keeping me committed, I have flourished in my own space (and king size bed) where I can now rest, recover, create and explore my creative side. It has been a launching pad for my social life, a sanctuary for my physical recovery and a zen garden for my mental health.

Back to brunch. Jordan and I (as always) rolled in aggressive style and arrived to find a medley of amazing people, one of whom was a University friend I hadn't seen for years! We all had rich conversations about life and it was through this inspiring gathering that I was drawn to a place of reflection. I came to a deeper place of appreciation for my path I and the social, physical and mental dividends being created through my diligent pursuit.

Toronto has been a social and life experiment. I had never sunk my emotional roots in the city (a side from one relationship) and was therefore recluse and hesitant to commit to anything that lasted more than an hour. I have since embraced Toronto with my entire being and celebrated it as my home. This change in tune immediately opened amazing opportunities, influenced incredible connections and has shot me into a deeper understanding of myself.

I have adapted to the fast paced lifestyle of Toronto and am thoroughly enjoying it. Leading my life via my passion has naturally attracted people that dare to be great and challenge their own reasons for existence. From artists to business men to DJ's to fellow athletes I am continuously reminded that I am here to be the best I can be and share that empowering energy with those who cross my path.

I believe I am exactly where I am supposed to be in life and I thank everyone who has supported and cheered for me. You are all an inspiration in your own way and have all been integral in me arriving where I am today.

Happy holiday,

Martin

My partner for 2012

2011-12-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

I am very pleased to announce to that I will be competing on the 2012 FIVB tour as well as qualify for the Olympic games with Sir Josh Binstock. This is a move that may surprise some of you, especially after winning the 2011 Continental Cup with Chaim Schalk. To those skeptics, Chaim and I definitely had a good run but over the span of 2 seasons we weren't able to put together our best performances at more than a few events. Granted we both dealt with injuries (the most recent and severe being my back) but there were plenty of opportunities to step up and we never found a strong enough rhythm to consistently improve our results. I thank Chaim for a very memorable 2 years but this isn't a blog about the past, it is about the exciting future for a team that has been destined to happen for a long time!

After a frustrating end to my season in July 2011 with a back injury, I began looking at my options for a partner to pursue the 2012 Olympics with. There were a few top ranked teams playing really well and it just so happened Josh Binstock was splitting with Rich Vanhuizen. Josh and I have been solid friends for quite a long time and no stranger to each other on the court. We have always gotten along famously and from the first time I watched him play I admired his intensity and desire for the ball. He was a devastating blocker for most and with his recent transition to defender he has brought those attributes to the back court and built on them. In my opinion he became the best shot defender in Canada over the 2011 season and then went down to some late season USA events and earned more respect against some of the top athletes in the world.

It being my decision to play with Josh gives a sense of confidence I haven't had for a while. One of the main factors for my excitement is that Josh hand sets over bump setting and that is something I haven't had the luxury of since master hand setter Ray Sewell. I love hitting off a hand set and Josh's hands are fast enough for him to consistently set internationally; I look forward to crushing his butter!

So what is the next step you ask? We are currently residing full time in Toronto and training daily. We are working out like pre season College football players and starting our beach reps in a new indoor 3 court facility our national team built. We plan on going hard until christmas and then we are looking at a training camp in LA come the new year.

Our Olympic qualification is not a guarantee as the ranking going into the Canadian trials will be the two teams with the best results in the first tournaments of 2012. Those two top FIVB teams go to the NORCECA continental cup and will fight to win our nation a direct birth. Then another canadian trials will be held to narrow our best teams down to one final Olympic bound team! Lots of tournaments and high pressure situations to come but I have never felt more up for the challenge.

The road will be intense as all our tournaments run April through late June. They are closing in on us quickly making every day an important opportunity to improve and strive for our best as soon as possible.

Keep in touch for big things, I can feel it!

Beach video production

2011-11-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

JokWear Campaign

2011-10-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

Here is my spoof video I made for my new clothing sponsor JokWear which will be launching February 2012! Here is what JokWear has to say about the competition, the guidelines and the prizes!!!

Each contestant is asked to submit a 1 minute video that shares with others why they think they should be the next JokGirl or JokBoy? They are to focus their 1 minute video on areas that exemplify the 4 Pillars in JokWear and the newly established JokWear Foundation; 1.Sports, 2.Arts, 3. Academics and 4. Community. The end result: a $1000 Bursary for Post Secondary, a Trade School, an Arts Program, a Community Endeavor or Sport Competition. Also a full suited JokWear kit of apparel, along with being a part of the JokWear Board of Athlete's for the Year as the Youth Ambassador Athlete's and lastly having the opporunity to be a part of the first JokWear Apparel Catologue Shoot!

I am looking forward to being a part of this experience as a JokWear board member and athlete ambassador! I am going to be a part of the video voting process and I am sure it is going to be an outrageously fun and challenging experience. Looking forward to the entries and meeting the two athletes who win the competition!

All the best!

Delicious paleolithic pancakes with a twist

2011-10-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

Over the last week I have felt incredibly inspired to cook in my new pad! I have had moments of creative brilliance and while on the subway I have been scheming ways to combine routine foods with highly nutritious and easily accessible ingredients. With a fresh space, newly inspired ideas from recent reading and some of the best produce in the city at my new front door I began to create.

My first recipe in a series of self proclaimed amazing meals will be a new spin on a classic "The Paleo Pancake" from when I was staying with Paleo enthused health nuts on Grand Cayman Island! The following recipe was free-styled with no specific ratios but a certain consistency in mind. They turned out great and will now become a staple in my morning routine as they are easy, quick and rapidly digestible. Enjoy!

1 - Grab half a cup to a cup of almonds and throw them in the blender. Mince them finely

2 - Add a few eggs into the ground almonds stir until they are well mixed

3 - Add two to three scoops of protein powder (preferably Kaizen Whey isolate)

4 - Throw in some Glutamine for improved immune function and lean muscle retention

5 - Sprinkle pinches cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice and cardamon

6 - Add a teaspoon of vanilla bean extract

7 - Stir in Vanilla Almond Breeze until you have a nice thick consistency

8 - Heat a pan with coconut oil and pour out a few pancakes

9 - Cook the pancakes until there are one or two bubbles them flip them. Be careful not to cook them too quickly or with too high of a temperature because they can dry out easily.

And there you have the first step of this feast! Now for the added goodies.

I poured yogurt on top of the pancakes and then topped them with craisins and chia seeds. Then I sliced up a banana and poured a light serving of maple syrup on top of the entire goodness because I have a serious weakness for it!

Voila, in about 20 minutes you have a highly nutritious meal with few carbs, high protein, good fats which will leave you feeling light and energized for your morning of taking over the world.

Back to my west coast longboard roots

2011-09-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

Today was one of the best Sunday Fundays I have had in a very long time. Granted it was a late start due to an amazing Saturday evening dinner party but better late than never!

My trainer and I had planned on doing a public sparring session in a park down in the Kensington Market area. We met up there at 5 and it turned out to be a zoo!!! Kensington on Sundays apparently goes off with a mixture of hipsters, free spirits and fun loving earthy folk interested in vintage fashion, grass roots music and un-flashy yet highly touted restaurants and cafes. We strolled around people watching for a bit and then Kriston came up with the idea of throwing 20 tennis balls to people in the park to see how they responded. Super neat idea and it was our first experiment in our joint mission to interact, challenge and inspire people to become more active.

We strolled up to the full park and started throwing the balls to kids playing on the jungle gyms and sand boxes. They had no idea what to do with them but they had no choice but to catch the balls after I made eye contact with them. We started throwing them back and forth, making games and I focused in on the kids who saw this as a challenge and unique opportunity. Other people in the park got into it and kids began playing games with strangers (in a good way) they had never met before. It was such a joyful experiment challenging the kids with tosses, teaching them how to throw and causing social interaction through a simple game of hot potato. Even more hilarious when I rolled a ball to a kid who wasn't looking. Seeing their faces light up when a tennis ball appeared at their feet was priceless.

We then left the kids with the balls and hung out with some pretty funky individuals hanging around the multi level chin up bars. These guys were there doing a form of Parkour and Kriston being a specialist and lover of the sport got along famously with them. He threw down a couple impressive moves and I got in there for some hanging funzies for some street cred; good times!

We then went over to the longboard crew and started mingling with them. Kriston had met one of the owners of the Longboard living shop. He hung out over some longboarding sessions around a large concrete circle and discussed the longboarding movement in Toronto and where Longboard Living was looking to positively influence it.

As some of you may know, I come from a boarding background and I rode a stylie Sector 9 original pintail longboard all the way through college in Victoria and University in Vancouver. In my opinion it is the most efficient mode of transportation and also the most fluent and graceful as it requires long pushes and arcing carves to get from A to B. I also believe it is more sophisticated than the short board and attracts a mellower more well spoken demographic. I haven't boarded in a while but had been yearning for the freedom, creativeness and balance of the sport as of late. We rolled to the shop and Ryan hooked me up with a Skulls skates loaner then we hit the town.

Our path took us to a large parkade where we hiked 5 flights of stairs and cruised in circles all the way down! It was amazing, like riding a mountain with chair lifts in the form of stairs and on the top we had an amazing view of the CN tower and the downtown core. We then commuted to Dundas square through downtown streets. I had really missed the speed on flats and propelling myself with balance and grace but most of all I missed passing the bicyclists! They are always surprised when a long boarder cruises past then rips a couple turns in front of them before taking off again. Beautiful.

We arrived at Dundas square to find a massive event taking place. Ryan of longboard living was aware of the situation and took us to the breakdancing section where he introduced us to a pivotal player in the TO break scene. The event was called Manifesto and was the 5 year anniversary. Manifesto is a non-profit grassroots organization working to unite, energize, support and celebrate Toronto’s vibrant and diverse music and arts community, and find innovative ways of working together towards common goals. Such an amazing initiative and felt fitting that we found ourselves there to network with some integral people in different Toronto scenes.

We left there and returned to the Kensington market to end our evening but parted on a few thoughts. I realized I haven't been adventurous in the big city because I have been restricted and dependent on transit. With the use of a long board I was able to explore, experience and acquaint myself with some of the smaller streets and areas hidden in the shadows of mainstream places. I felt like I was able to connect with the city and experience an event I wouldn't have even known about had I not gone for a cruise. I was exposed to new stores, restaurants and businesses in passing as well as being introduced to very key characters in different TO scenes. I was able to take out a four wheeled paint brush and carve creative lines throughout a city I would normally experience from the seat of a bus, street car or underground subway. The session energized, elevated and pumped me up while connecting me with people who believe in green transportation, social responsibility and community.

The lifestyle of longboarding in Toronto is definitely different than in BC but it still attracts the same people. Without flowing hills Ryan and his posse at Longboard Lifestyle have catalyzed a scene based around community cruise sessions, leadership, learning, green transport and physical activity. Ryan brought up a great point that he believes longboarding is a life skill, something that should be learnt at a young age and he plans on integrating it into society. They are socially aware, safety conscious and highly organized and after the wonderful boost back into the sport tonight, I can't wait to get after more riding and exploration with this quality group of people.

With a new light on Toronto, I can't help but become even more excited fully commit my life to the big smoke. Slowly I am finding ways to bring out the west coast and the more I embrace it, the more I meet incredible people who seek to inspire and ignite Canadians in their communities.

Camp Madawaska

2011-09-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

After the 2011 national championships and Canadian team trials I was invited by Josh Binstock to roll up with him to a volleyball camp called “Madawaska”. I had heard of the camp before through Mark Heese and a few other athletes but had no Idea what I was getting into when I accepted the invitation!

Beach Courts in the middle of nowhere

Josh and I drove North East for 3 hours and arrived to camp late Wednesday evening. It was spectacular timing because it was Casino night with free drinks and hilarious auction after with the proceeds going to charity! I played poker for the entire evening without getting dealt a single hand but it wasn’t a problem because I’m not a gambler and I had no interest in taking any of the auction items. Overkill and Beach Blast had donated a bunch of swag and I have enough beach clothes to last me a lifetime! It was highly entertaining watching an array of moderately desirable clothing go for silly prices! Bidding wars happened over scarfs, shorts, undies and all kinds of hilarious stuff and people were getting vicious! It was a fun first night with the adults but we were pretty tired from driving up and had to go to bed in our luxurious accommodation!

First class lodging!

Field of dreams at 6 AM

Before we knew it the 6 AM wake up call was upon us. Camp Madawaska runs their own time zone to utilize more daylight so 6 was actually 5. They run an incredible amount of programming throughout the day and it is only made possible by the super early start. The entire camp rolled to the tennis courts for a morning session called “Togetherness” which activates, motivates and brings everyone together to start the day off right. Once all the kids had arrived I realized the magnitude of camp Madawaska. There were over 700 people involved in the warmup!!! Such a cool place to be and I couldn’t have been more excited to be a guest of honor with Josh.

We cuised to breakfast and we were then introduced to the dual nature of the camp. I knew I was going to help with beach but the “court” component was MASSIVE. The kids were divided into court and beach which caused quite a bit of animosity and chirping between tables! It was such a great energy as tables chanted beach and sang songs proclaiming their superiority. A table would erupt in banging and a team would stand up, chant a rhyme and then the whole room would erupt with either support or disapproval depending on how good it was. Such a great initiative and I had such a great time watching!

After breakfast we took a quick nap and then hit up the sand courts for the first morning session. We coached a bit, enjoyed watching the kids play and then did a really fun question and answer period to close it out. The kids were so interactive, interested and keen to learn from our experiences playing beach around the world. The questions were all fantastic so we were able to share volley experiences and sporting knowledge with them for 25 minutes.

Beach VS Court coaches

The second session of the day started with the indoor vs court coaches match! Josh threw his shoes on and played but I stayed off cause I am still working through my back injury and didn’t want to jeopardize me recovery. The game wasn’t short of action and the beach boys absolutely demolished the court guys. The court ladies beat the beach ladies so the 3^rd set changed to co-ed 6’s and the court team won. It was an unfortunate loss for beach but with such a dominant performance from the men the coaches challenged the male court team to a rematch for the following day. (Court accepted and got pumped the next day!)

Dinner was tasty and the chanting between volley realms was spicy! The kids still had energy and had one more session to complete that day! We ended the 3^rd session with game play and Josh and I walked around helping, encouraging and coaching. With such an array of talented athletes there was no lack of action and I was thoroughly entertained by the U14 men’s division. These young boys were super talented, understood the game and were employing an effective blocking defense! They were ripping balls line, showing finesse, tearing jump serves and playing magnificent defense. Needless to say we have some stellar athletes coming up through the Ontario volleyball system and I can’t wait for them to start challenging me!

The rest of our time there was spent coaching, exploring and connecting throughout the camp. We scoped out the leaderships activities on their low ropes course, swam in the lake, watched competitive court games and overheard some of the tryouts for their final evening of “Madawaska has talent” which was promising to be the best show ever. As we were about to leave we got caught up in the Madawaska Olympic ceremonies. Each cabin represented a different country and had to come up with a dance, cheer, poster and present it in front of everyone! Such a great idea and all the kids were so involved!

Opening ceremonies at Madawaska Olympics

One thing I cherished was being able to select athletes I thought showed exemplary skill, desire and hustle. Josh and I went to all the groups and handed our jerseys and autographed cards to kids we felt deserved a pat on the back. One of the girls had never even played volleyball but managed to adapt, learn and stay positive!

Between the owners, organizers, coaches and athletes we got to know some fantastic people in the volleyball world and connect with the next generation of volleyball stars in our country. It was such a great experience for me personally and I can’t wait to go back to the best volleyball camp in Canada next summer!!!

http://www.madawaskacamps.com/

Photo we took for Volleywood with all the beach athletes

The start of Grand Cayman

2011-04-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

For the last three months my partner and I have been training indoors in Toronto with the beach national team program. I moved here in the middle of January to fulfill my duties with the team and focus my entirety on winning on in sand boxes around the world. With months of training and focus behind us, the Grand Cayman is officially the first international competition of the year where we can try out new strategies, offences and judge our advancement. It is a highly anticipated trip in my personal calendar as the sun, people and venue are so magnificent. I can honestly say I was looking forward to this event more than any other in my life because I was DYING to get out of the old airport hanger where we train in Toronto! I welcomed the thought of sun, beach sand, turquoise water and excellent people I met the following year while playing and winning the event with Ray!

We purchased some CHEAP direct flights from West Jet and within 4 hours of leaving Toronto, we had landed and passed immigration! Waiting for us was our local hero and solid friend Carl Brenton. I was actually expecting his wife to be there to pick us up but she was nearly popping with her pregnancy so I guess Carl switched up the roster!

After such a quick and easy flight we were dinning on tacos and burgers a few blocks from the beach before we knew it! We got to hang on a great pool patio while I informed Chaim that Carl has been a driving force for the NORCECA beach event as well as a few other international beach ideas. He hosted Ray and I last year and adopted us like family before and after the event. Such a great memory and he certainly picked up where we left off the year before! We filled our faces with foodies and then rolled to the beach. Here is our first look

Not bad, not bad at all!!! After caught a few beams of sun on our albino bodies we then went to Duncan and Dipisha's place to drop our stuff off and hang with them. Turns out we had a full bedroom at their place with two queen size beds! Chaim volunteered to take the air mattress (thanks bro) and I got the actual bed. It was a perfect room and the fan on the ceiling was icing on the cake cause it was far hotter than we were accustomed to. We were happy to be in a great spot with such core people. Duncan and Dipisha even volunteered to let us use their vehicles while they were at work so we had soooo much freedom!!!

After we unpacked a bit we went and hit up happy hour at one of the special beer places on the island. We shared some laughs and got to know our roomies a little better over some tasty exotic ales and a beautiful view. Then I am pretty sure we retired and went to bed under our thin sheets and a fan but clearly not before swimming in their pool! Such a wonderful first day on the Island.

Avocado yogurt recipe for Duncan's Paleo ROD (recipe of the day)

2011-04-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

During our stay on Grand Cayman we stayed with a wonderful couple believe in the Paleo diet. The Paleo diet is essentially an ancient "hunter gatherer" nutrition plan where the focus is lean protein, vegetables, fruit and healthy fats.

One of the amazing recipes we were exposed to is described in the following video. It consists of an Avocado, a piece of fruit, almonds, water, cinnamon and we added some Kaizen protein powder for extra power.

It is such a delicious recipe and one that provides quickly absorbed nutrients for immediate use. It is tasty, high in fat and a wonderful addition to breakfast or any meal of the day, especially pre or post workout!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

A Day in my life for the kids at UHill Elementary school

2011-04-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

In my last email with the class that has Adopted me for fundraising, they asked me a few questions about my life. I decided to put together a little video describing what I do every day! I take them through a few of my routines, workouts and let them in on a few secrets about my nutrition and planning.

Enjoy what my pre-season life looks like!

Water Blocking photoshoot in India

2011-02-20T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is a little video I threw together of my photo shoot with the extremely talented India photographer Arjun Mark in Chennai, India.

Arjun came to us on the beach one evening before training with his laptop and asked us if we wanted to get shot. Clearly this sounds odd but he immediately demonstrated his talents by showing us his website www.arjunmark.com and then he showed us the style of shots he intended to shoot. WOW!!! Amazing inspirations and what an opportunity to get photos taken by one of India's most forward thinking and talented photographers!

His studio was opposite the beach volleyball tournament site just off the beach so over the span of a couple weeks I did multiple shoots. Arjun was super keen to work with me and a few other of the beach teams and he dedicated a lot of time to our projects. He was such a solid guy as he drove me back to my hotel a few times and he even had a couple assistants working with him whenever he needed it!

I videotaped the one session where I got blasted with buckets of water. It is pretty neat how it all turned out and even though I have no idea what I will use the photo for, it is still a wicked photo to have in my portfolio!

Win vs Turkey #1 in Holland

2011-02-20T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here is the highlight video of Chaim and I playing Turkey #1 in the second round of the CEV Satellite in Aalsmeer, Holland.

It was a great game with loads of rallies and we took the match 15-13 in the third. Chaim and I really connected after not training together for 4 months and we were pleasantly surprised at our sideout and transition games!

Winning this match took us to the winner semi-final where we played Schuill/Steikma from Holland who were the eventual winners of the event.

Adopt an Athlete class visit

2011-02-20T13:50:00.000-08:00

After being adopted by an elementary school class in Vancouver, I swung by and visited the kids.

I spent an afternoon with them and got to take them through a few competitions for prizes as well as sign an autograph for each student!

Such a fun day and I can't wait to do it again!

GQ Man of the year Polar Bear swim!

2011-01-30T15:05:00.000-08:00

For the last 20 odd years there has been a family tradition on my mother's side to go for a dip in the ocean on January 1st. This family polar bear swim has progressively become more popular and the younger generation of family members have invited close friends to this essential new years dip at Ambleside park in West Vancouver.

This year was definitely special as it was my 4th consecutive year and boasted a speedo and bowtie theme! An impressive group of friends and family dared enter the frigid waters and below is a nice compilation of the experience.

Things to look out for. My uncle Rod has a classic move where he enters the water before anyone else at his own pace. This pace, is excruciating to watch as he calmly glides into the 4 degree water with grace and composure. Secondly we have made it a habit to enter the water multiple times in a row. For whatever reason it becomes a feat of strength (common in our family) to double or triple dip and then stay in for as long as possible in those dips. As you will see, I was weak but a few brave souls stayed in for a while!!!

Enjoy, this is one of my faves!

The Grinch Christmas workout

2011-01-30T13:54:00.000-08:00

This a festive workout called "The Grinch" we did over the Christmas break

Saturday explosiveness

2011-01-30T13:52:00.000-08:00

Here is a dynamic workout to end a hard week of training!