Our Home and Native Land

Gyms are slowly reopening in New York, but my favorite fitness classes are still out of commission.

Fortunately, I have the CCC to back me up.

No, I’m not talking about Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps. I’m referring to the Canadian Covid Coaches.

Ever since the coronavirus clobbered life as we knew it back in March, I have been scouring YouTube in search of exercise routines to stay in condition.

My boxing class had been my main source of cardio for years and I never paid much attention to boxing videos because I didn’t think I would ever need them.

Enter the plague.

I also like strength training and qigong, a fantastic Chinese exercise discipline that works out the spirit the way boxing works up a sweat.

I’ve been very lucky to find a series of great videos that cover all of these areas. But I’ve noticed that several of my YouTube instructors have something in common.

They’re…Canadians.

Yes, Canadians. They look like us…the sound like us (almost)…but they’re not us.

How did this happen? Is it just a coincidence or it is some twisted plot to take over America through fitness videos?

Fortunately, I don’t give a rat’s ass. My Canadian Covid Coaches are keeping me sane in an insane time and that’s all I care about.

Here are a few examples:

Toronto-based Nate Bower is my go-to guy for boxing workouts. He puts together tough routines where he mixes shadow boxing and calisthenics. He’s articulate, knowledgeable, and his videos look great.

Jason Van Veldhuysen at Precision Striking is another online boxing coach, and another Toronto resident. In fact, he and Nate Bower have worked together on a couple of videos.

I recently subscribed to Gabriel Varga’s channel. He’s kickboxer who works out of Vancouver and I’m particularly fond of his video on basic punches.

Downtown T-O!

“Basics win fights,” he reminds us at the start of the video.

As far as strength-building, I have limited access to free weights and machines due to the shutdown and I’m reluctant to buy any more stuff to clutter my apartment.

However, I’ve been enjoying doing bodyweight exercises, such as push-ups, squats, and dips.

I’ve also discovered animal flow routines, which are designed improve strength and mobility.

With that in mind, I subscribed to a channel call Move with Mya, a lovely young woman who teaches animal flow routines.

Mya is flat out adorable. She’s funny, she uses these silly sound effects, but she knows what she’s talking about. She calls her followers “winjas”, which I believe is a mash up of “winner” and “ninja.”

I didn’t even realize she was Canadian until I watched a video she made around Thanksgiving that she said would appeal to American viewers who had eaten too much.

I follow several qigong instructors on YouTube, but one my very favorites happens to be Jeffery Chand, who has an acupuncture clinic in Victoria and runs a great channel called Think Vitality.

He often starts the session by saying “eliminate what is unnecessary,” which is great advice that goes beyond exercise.

Ever since Donald Trump grabbed democracy by the pussy, I’ve been thinking of leaving the United States--along with a hell of a lot of other people.

I have friends in England and Australia and both of these countries are incredibly appealing to me.

However, I’m wondering in all these YouTubers might be pointing the way north. I had a great time in Toronto seven years ago and I think I could get used to the winters.

I’m not sure what my plans are, especially since the coronavirus shows no sign of letting up.

But if I ever do go full Oh-Canada, it’s nice to know I’ll have a great team waiting for me.