HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE CAN CO-EXIST

YOU CAN WORK HARD- WITHOUT SACRIFICING YOUR SENSE OF WELLNESS

YOU CAN ALSO FEEL WELL- WITHOUT SACRAFICING YOUR SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

Relaxed Performance?  Is it possible to feel well and perform at a high level?

Yes.  It’s possible to work hard on your goals without becoming hardened in the process!  

You can accomplish your goals – without sacrificing your health.

Most professionals I know feel torn between grinding to get the job done (but don’t feel good in the process) or prioritizing their health, cutting back on work, (and not accomplishing what they want.)   One option lacks peace, the other lacks accomplishment.  Neither feels good.  

There is another way.  It is possible to do the work in a way that feels good.  A way to get the job done while being strong, present, and pleasant.  Honouring the goal and your well-being.   

This way involves the development of a personal practice to build the skill of relaxed performance.  

Relaxed is the peaceful internal state where your body and system functions well.  

Performance is the quality of getting the job done in a way that you can be proud of.

Hi, I’m Ryan Burkholder.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by both the physical and the philosophical.  

While I was on a hockey scholarship I studied history.  I was captain of my team while reading about great leaders like Nelson Mandella and Otto Von Bismarck.

I played professional hockey in Europe and Asia.  When I wasn’t training I was reading about mindfulness and spirituality.  While playing in China I watched people practicing tai chi in the parks of Shanghai.  I was struck by the contrast compared to how we were training at the rink.   

In 2013 I became a personal trainer.  At the same time I studied Osteopathy to learn about the healing of the body, mind, and spirit.  

I always felt between two worlds, never fully satisfied with either.  Like a teeter-totter either focusing on training the body or exploring the mind.  I’ve come to appreciate that they’re not so separate.  

Physical movement can be so powerful when done mindfully.  Likewise, insights and ideas become more potent when embodied.  This is the goal of my practice. To merge these two intentions.  

I’ve drawn from athletics, the healing arts, and mindfulness. My approach continues to evolve to integrate the the mind and body.  The more they are in harmony the better we feel.  This continues to be my focus for myself and those I work with. 



  • "I had a productive offseason working with Ryan. I loved how everything we did had a purpose and was precisely what I needed. He was very detailed in explaining why we were doing certain exercises, and I always felt like I was learning something during the entire process.”

    Lu Dort

  • "Ryan is an excellent holistic health coach. He is highly intelligent and effective at implementing strategies that work. Ryan has helped me overcome pain and dysfunction and build functional strength, even through virtual sessions. His background in Osteopathy and ELDOA are extremely useful and he has an amazing understanding of the body’s interconnectedness in his holistic approach. On a personal level he is a pleasure to be around. Highly recommend. "

    Lauren Rakowski

  • "Ryan not only taught me how to get strong, but also how to properly take care of my body.”

    Xavier Henry

  • "Ryan's style is to actively listen, engage, and guide you through several practices and exercises- taking baby steps initially but then gaining more strength, flexibility and frankly confidence that you can once again live a normal, pain free life."

    Mike Pinette

  • "Working with Ryan isn't just a coach to client relationship, he really cares.”

    Tucker McIntosh