Dr. Gus and I have known each other for over 25 years. We initially met in a place we both considered our second home – the beach! We both competed on the Canadian pro beach volleyball tour. We often faced each other in competition – and we had many hard battles.
As the years passed, Gus went on to a career in Chiropractic medicine while I entered the ever evolving IT industry. I also moved to New York, and I continued playing competitive beach volleyball on the US Open/Pro tour. It was during my time living in New York that I made a career change to the sport/health/fitness industry. In 2003, I moved back to Canada and worked to help many clients - from pro athletes to individuals with physical and health issues.
Fast forward - to the summer of 2013…
I was working on some videos I shot of exercises done in the sand. At the time, I was creating a program that would help older people to move better. Out of the blue, I received a message from my old friend…
It was great to hear from Gus again. We caught up on life, and where our paths had led us. What was even more incredible was that Gus was working on a project to help individuals with movement impairment (specifically hip replacement surgery candidates) to stabilize, strengthen and move better. It was too much of a coincidence! Somehow, the Universe had conspired to reconnect us for this project. Our combined experience and past – along with our current work and philosophy on health and wellness – made for a perfect match in developing this manual and program.
Sand has been a big part of our lives, and we have both benefited greatly from exercising and playing in it. Knowing and understanding the health benefits of movement in sand, and the power of group exercise, the unique program called ‘Seniors in the Sand’ was created.
The individuals in our aging population continue, at an alarming rate, to find themselves suffering from chronic recurrent weight bearing joint related degenerative issues - which are most commonly the result of unhealthy movement related activity. Typically, they find themselves not only experiencing chronic recurrent spine, hip and knee related pain, but also being put on a list for a potential replacement surgery (approximately 47,000 done in 2012-2013 in Canada for hips alone1) - which in our humble opinion is in most cases ABSOLUTELY PREVENTABLE!
Exercise in the Sand was developed to foster an interest in our aging population, and to bring the long term benefits of moving in the sand. We believe that everyone can improve their movement and health through exercise in the sand.