Brandon Humphrey Fitness

Awkward socially distanced photos, awesome training partnership! A special shoutout to Andi who has been working with me for about 20 months now. She's improved: strength- a lot! cardio- she can leave anyone in the dust on stair workouts... power and anaerobic ability- jump, sprint, and throw because moving fast is fun technical skill- she's mastered all the basics and works with me on many advanced progressions physical literacy-being a well-rounded mover nutrition planning and working through barriers to success lean body mass and composition-strong and fit! She puts in work every training day, does the homework, and has committed to fitness as a lifestyle rather than a chore. We even trained together on Christmas because she's so dedicated to training. Keep it up Andi!

Today, next month, June... anytime you want to succeed. Write your goals down. Commit to them. Let people know about them to hold you accountable. Go get it. DM for help with your fitness goals!

Small, manageable changes. Unlike every "healthy" eating trend out there, I really don't preach limiting yourself or blowing up your nutrition habits. In fact, I think it's really interesting that so many radical nutrition ideas have become so mainstream. ... Yet, when I talk to other kinesiologists and nutritionists in the health and wellness field, there's a general consensus that "diets" are not sustainable and that small daily habit changes have a longer lasting and more positive effect on people's relationships with food. Meaning, if you want a crepe, eat a crepe. But consider how it fits into your nutrition plan, are there better alternatives, and does it align with your overall goals? For me, yes, I can spare some carbs in the form of chocolate hazelnut spread. But peanut butter could be a better option. I opted out on whipped cream here, but yeah, I probably wanted it the crepe could be whole wheat, or it could be a protein crepe, or I could fill it with scrambled eggs and veggies for more protein. Restriction of certain foods that you want to eat creates an unhealthy relationship with food. It's like your mom probably told you. Everything in moderation. Eat the damn crepe and move on (I know I did)

New strength coach toys! Thanks to James @flamanfitnesslangley for hooking me up with some new equipment. I'm sure some of my clients will have some good use for this sandbag...

Free Fitness Training for Healthcare Workers! I'm providing free 1 hour consultations to the first 10 healthcare workers who DM me. Sessions can be done virtually or following public health measures in the lower mainland. DM the word "HEALTH" and let's get started! The past few months in particular have been challenging. I've noticed this trend most among my clients who work in healthcare. ... I want to help in the way I know how! If you are a nurse, doctor, paramedic, or other healthcare provider, I'd like to help you make time for YOURSELF and put you first. Maybe you're burnt out and just need a relaxing movement session. Maybe you have a chronic injury that's acting up because you're overworked. Maybe your workouts have dropped off and you're looking to pick up the intensity again. Whatever your goals, I'd like to help our #heroes out. Know someone who qualifies? Tag them below and let them know you appreciate their hard work for the community. All sessions will be one hour in length and include goal setting, asessment, coaching, and an individualized training program, valued at over $100. Mobile personal training/ kinesiology services provided. *in person sessions subject to provincial health guidelines. Open to residents of British Columbia (online and in person, restricted to serviceable areas of the lower mainland) and Alberta (virtual only). Expiry period at the discretion of Brandon Humphrey Fitness. Subject to medical clearance and availability. Limit 1 per person, and limited to the first 10 respondents. Thank you to our health workers!

Meal prep for success. Seriously though, do it. I work with lots of clients who are busy on the regular, working up to 80 hours a week. A lot of my workaholics struggle to eat clean because their nutrition is the first thing to drop when they get busy.... It's easy to fall back on ordering in, or grabbing fast food. One extra hour a week, that's all it often takes. You can make a lot of stirfry (pictured), or a big pot of soup, or pasta with chicken and veggies. A lot of these can give you 6 meals or so, giving you options to stretch your lunches and dinners and only need to take care of breakfasts. Save time. Eat clean. Stay on track with your goals. #mealprep

Easy salad switch-up. Asian sesame-honey garlic salad. Straight up, this is a variation on a pre-packaged salad from @costco Honey-garlic chicken (homemade or store bought sauce are both fine). Cabbage, lettuce/spring mix, bean sprouts, sesame-ginger dressing, wonton chips, sesame seeds. Basically, we take what's already a good store-bought salad, add more veggies, and use less dressing.... If you're trying to eat cleaner, read your nutrition labels! Salad dressings can be surprisingly calorie-dense. Add protein, add more veggies... we're encouraging eating MORE not less, just higher quality energy. See more

Throwback to some end of summer testing prior to football season with @ethan.burbank The young man worked from never having done a clean to this solid 155lb hang clean in about 6 months I respect the grind my man.

I found this scrolling through some programming I had done for an older client. Heel-toe walking (aka walk-the-line). Extremely simple, but good for developing balance and proprioception (feeling your body's position). Great for use with older adults for improving balance abilities, or use post-ankle/foot injury. Surprisingly, I've seen athletes that can't do simple balance drills like this. Take a barbell away and they're lost. Don't forget the basics, you have to be able to balance to perform athletic movements to your full potential!

Getting more veggies An easy breakfast idea- add some veggies to scrambled eggs. This is an easy substitute if you find eggs a bit boring on their own but also find yourself adding a bunch of cheese to add flavour. I cooked these by sautéing onion, bell pepper, spinach and garlic before adding the eggs. Adds colour, texture, and flavour. You might be able to sneak a bit of cheese too

WHAT IS YOUR MOUNTAIN? I love asking people about their goals because there are so many different reasons to #exercise. Some people want to climb mountains like this, some want to run a personal best race. Some want to lose weight, while others want sports performance. Some clients want to move pain-free and others want to be healthier for their families. Work performance, fall prevention, injury rehab... life is fun with variety and that's why I'm so grateful to work with so many great individuals all working on different goals. All united in a common goal for better #fitness, #life, and #movement

Not my most aesthetic photo but hear me out... I don't know how tacos get counted out when people think of making cleaner food choices. Maybe it's because we think of greasy fast food with oily meat and fake cheese. But when it comes to having variety and keeping it interesting, tacos are top-notch. #Protein options- beef, tofu, chicken, pork, fish, beans/lentils/seeds #Carb options- hashbrown/home fries (learned this one from my favorite burrito shop in Denver ), different ...tortillas, rice #Veggie options- lettuce, spinach, avocado, carrot, onion, peppers, tomato, cilantro, cucumber Others- salsa, guac, cheese(s) Seasonings- spicy tex-mex, honey-hot, good ol' salt and pepper, bbq dry rub How else do you jazz up your #healthy #tacos? See more

Swipe to see someone who gave it 100% I've had the pleasure of working with @eclectic_artyst for over a year now, and what makes working with her and so many of my clients so fun is the incredible effort they put in. I consistently get to see people go from "I can't" to "I'll try" to "I GOT THIS." Andi told me ahead of her birthday that she wanted a challenge workout. So we wrote this 1000 rep challenge up and got it done in about 1.5 hours. As long as form was good, she had the green light to break things up and do the reps in whatever order she wanted. This is by no means a "good" or sustainable training program, but as something that is simply fatiguing and difficult, it gets it done. Not recommended for beginners. It took a lot of proper planning and practice to get to this point, so celebrate your victories Andi!

Happy #PlayLaxDay This sport has given me decades of memories, friends, and days to look forward to. It's taught me life lessons about prioritizing what's important (like when I skipped my high school and university graduation to be with my team), moving through obstacles like injuries and upset, falling short, and achieving despite others' doubts. It helped me move to #britishcolumbia to play with @burrardslax, has allowed me to visit Denver, San Diego, and others and make ...friends across the continent, as well as meet and even play alongside some of my childhood lacrosse heroes. To more great years of #lacrosse! Watch to the end to see @b_fitzgerald make me look bad @Queen's Park Field #burrardslax @wlalacrosse @lacrossenetwork @wlaburrards

Snack attack options. If you're a crunchy, salty, chip-loving snacker, give baked lentils or chickpeas a try. Either option is easy to make. Just soak in water for a few hours, drain, toss with a bit of olive oil, then bake in the oven at about 350F until desired crispness. Can be seasoned many ways, but I like garlic-herb, salt and pepper, or a dry bbq rub (paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, others).... Chickpeas and lentils are both sources of plant proteins and complex carbs, and give you a lot more than chips while still giving you the crunch you crave. #nutrition #snack #chickpeas #lentils #yum #fuel #crunch #athlete #coach #fitness #vancouver #vancouverfitness #burnaby #choices

This is why I coach! To see people progress in their fitness goals. To see them celebrate their successes personally. To see them celebrate others noticing their successes.... To see them enjoy human movement. To see them become committed to fitness in a way that they are always looking to move to the next goal and focus on the #process #progress #coach #athlete #beast #animal #gym #football #vancouverfitness #vancouver #burnaby #langley #strength #strengthandconditioning #character #movement #training

Getting from point AB. Sometimes it means doing things you love. And sometimes means doing things you don't. I HATE steady state cardio. But it's important for cardiovascular health, and for mixing in recovery from lifting weights. I'd rather hike to at least enjoy a view at the top, or do sprint intervals just to get the heart rate cranked and get it over with quickly. ... BUT this aerobic work is important. It's necessary to reach my goals, and is an OPPORTUNITY to get better. You don't have to do it. You GET to do it. So GO GET IT. What's one obstacle you're grinding through this week that will make you better? #aerobic #cardio #fitness #fitnessvancouver #vancouver #vancouverfitness #burnaby #training #coach #personaltrainer #restday #bike #cycle

Another example of what #mealprep can look like. There's no one right way, but it's about finding what works for you. Choosing nutrient-dense foods more often, emphasizing #protein and #veggies. Here is a homemade dish of sesame-lemon-ginger #salmon with steamed garlic herb #spinach and whipped seasoned #lentils Whipped lentils are the real MVP here, being a vegetable, complex carb, and protein source all at the same time. Kinda like healthier mashed potatoes. Cooking thi...s dish also gave me 2 other portions and I didn't have to cook the next day #athlete #worksmarternotharder #personaltrainer #strength #coach #fitness #nutrition #vancouverfitness #vancouver #langley #burnaby #coquitlam #northvancouver #strengthandconditioning

Work-life balance for me lately has meant: 1. Working 8-10 hours a day every day (split between coaching, reading/researching, and writing training programs). 2. Eating good food. Finding healthier alternatives to less healthy options, cooking from home, trying new flavours, and doing meal planning and prep so I'm not cooking 21 meals per week. 3. Getting outside in the great outdoors with people in my social bubble. Putting enjoyment of fitness above purely "grinding it out..." at the gym. 4. Planning the next 4 months. We're approaching the start of a new school year for students (and a time of change for parents), and it's a great time to look at how I can get better as well as re-evaluating the process to help clients reach long-term goals. 5. Downtime. Work hard, play hard means taking the time to get good sleep, reconnect with friends and family, and enjoy hobbies. #worksmarternotharder #workout #peace #vancouver #burnaby #northvancouver #mountains #hiking #hike #view #climbing #kayaking #balance #worklifebalance #deepcove #oregon #oregoncoast #boat #ocean #sunset #summer #fitness @ Vancouver, British Columbia

Jazz up your veggies! I'm the first to say "I don't eat enough vegetables." One strategy that works for me is a daily salad. Easy to make with the veggies you have around, with lots of options to make them something you actually like and not a boring meal that you choke down. Veggies, fruit, nuts, protein. Mix it up! Countless options to add flavour to make a healthy feel-good meal! Pictured is a homemade blueberry vinaigrette salad with strawberries, tofu, nuts, avocado (a...nd more). What's one salad you've been digging lately? #veggies #salad #protein #fitness #avocado #blueberry See more

TAKE IT EASY. If you haven't had the luxury of having a fully equipped home gym and getting regular workouts in during the shutdown, chill out as you get back in the swing of things. You don't need to be a hero! Your training adaptations will come back soon enough, and it's not worth the risk of a long- term injury because you didn't want to do a few weeks at a reduced intensity. A bruised ego will heal faster than a serious injury. Case in point: I started my front squats at 40% of my previous max and... it was decently hard. I was sore. But after a week I'm back up to 70% and will keep climbing. Lots of research out there about acute-chronic workload ratios and how exercise is both protective to injury at the right levels and detrimental when too high or too low. Full credit to the authors. @ Vancouver, British Columbia

BANDED ECCENTRIC SQUAT. Something I've been playing around with while gyms have been closed. The bands, one under each foot and over each shoulder act as a harness, or similar to how a banded setup can work on a barbell in a squat rack. There is a significant amount of downward force that allows for an eccentric overload, however, the force lessens as the bands go slack at the bottom. This allows for a moderate load at the top and a quicker, faster movement at the bottom. It'...s an odd sensation when you're used to a barbell because 1) the force distribution is shifting, making it more intensive in terms of core activation and exposing assymetries. 2) your body anticipates a constant load and is "surprised" by the let up in force at the bottom. You'll notice my range is not very good, in part because of mediocre hip mobility, but also due to an anticipation of a heavy load that "dissappears." Things to work on here... See more

EASY MEAL IDEA. Meal prep can be an obstacle in the way of healthier eating. Time is a constraint for so many people. I played around with these salad rolls recently and was pleasantly surprised. Easy to roll (even if they don't come out looking perfect, pic #2), easy to fill with veggies and protein, and pretty quick to make. I used cucumber, carrots, chicken, cilantro, bean sprouts, lettuce, and rice vermicelli. Could easily substitute beef, shrimp, or tofu, and any veggies you'd like, and they're good with different sauces too! @ Vancouver, British Columbia

RENEGADE ROW. I have mixed feelings about this exercise, partly because I see so many people doing it with poor form. Here, Sam is doing a pretty good job keeping core engagement and leveling her hips. An analogy I use is that "you're like a foosball player with a rod through your hips that keeps you parallel to the ground." There is a little instability here, but that's ok, as it's a skill in development. We're working at a safe, light weight where the focus is on adding an element of anti-rotation to a high plank for added difficulty, not trying to max a row and causing twisting and jerking in a wavy low back (it's ugly when you see it ). We should be able to hold a really good plank and high plank before doing this exercise. We can also make this exercise easier by widening the base at our feet.

Thank you to those who donated. A total of $255 was raised in support of @blm_van. The draw winner for the $500 training package is Andi G! Let's all keep striving to be better. Learn, sign petitions, love one another. #blacklivesmatter #vancouver @ Burnaby, British Columbia

Happy Canada Day! I took some time off from posting over the past week or so to explore around #burnaby #vancouver, #northvancouver and #squamish with my favourite person. Whether you love the gym or the outdoors, make time for what you love and what makes you happy! #Canada #CanadaDay @ Vancouver, British Columbia

GET FAST. Here one of my youth athletes is working on some speed/power development. We're trying to get him off the ground quicker on his jumps for a faster twitch (rate of force development in technical terms). The band assistance de-loads his jumps, allowing him to apply the same vertical force as a squat jump with less resistance to his bodyweight, with the goal of a neural adaptation translating to better speed/ power/ acceleration. Aiming for a faster top speed, quicker linear acceleration, and a higher vertical jump. Bonus points for jumping out of the shot.