What are the opening hours?

10:30am - 11:30am 12:30pm - 5pm

https://www.facebook.com/1470190423288072/

Davide Manca, Toronto, ON (2026)

12/14/2025

Do You Need to Put Weight on Your Back for Planks?
Short answer: No. It’s optional once regular planks are too easy.

Why Some People Add Weight

Progressive overload: If a clean plank can be held for 60–90+ seconds, extra load makes it challenging again.
Time-efficient: Heavier planks create a strong stimulus in just 10–30 seconds.

Performance: Useful for athletes needing more “anti‑extension” core strength.
Not Necessary for Most

A strong, healthy core can be built with bodyweight planks and smart progressions.
Perfect form should always come first.

Better Bodyweight Progressions (Try These Before Adding Weight)

RKC plank (max tension, 10–20 s)

Long‑lever plank (elbows slightly in front of shoulders)

One‑leg or one‑arm plank; slow shoulder taps

Stability ball “stir the pot”

Hollow hold, dead bug, ab‑wheel rollouts, Pallof press

If You Do Add Weight

Prerequisite: 60–90 s strict plank, pain‑free.
Start light: 5–20 lb (2–10 kg).
Load placement: Mid–upper back, not lower back. Use a weight vest or have a partner place/remove the plate.

Sets: 2–4 sets of 10–20 s. Rest 60–90 s. Maintain perfect form.

Form Cues
Ribs down, slight posterior pelvic tilt.
Squeeze glutes and quads.
Neutral neck, steady breathing.
Stop if it’s felt in the low back.

When to Skip It

Low‑back, shoulder, or hernia issues
Pregnancy or early postpartum
Hips sagging or low back arching
Key takeaway: Weighted planks are an advanced option—master bodyweight control first, then load smartly for strength and stability.

11/23/2025

Rethink aging

Ageism—assuming decline is inevitable—shrinks opportunity and motivation. The science says otherwise. The aging brain remains plastic: it can rewire, grow new connections, and adapt at any age. Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Superaging refers to older adults whose memory rivals people decades younger. Common threads: regular exercise, mentally challenging activities, strong social ties, and a sense of purpose.

Know your memory systems

Episodic memory: your mental time machine—personal events (what you did last weekend).

Semantic memory: your mental encyclopedia—facts, meanings, vocabulary (what Paris is, word meanings).

With age, episodic memory is more vulnerable, while semantic knowledge often stays stable or grows. Support both: tell and record family stories (episodic), and keep learning new facts, words, and skills (semantic).

Bring grandparents into kids’ lives

Intergenerational contact fights ageism in kids and gives elders purpose, routine, and cognitive stimulation.

Grandparents offer stories, skills, and emotional ballast; kids offer novelty and tech-savvy. Both sides gain empathy, resilience, and richer identity.

Why keep exercising

Aerobic and strength activity increase blood flow, boost growth factors like BDNF, improve sleep and mood, and are linked to better attention, executive function, and memory—and lower risk of cognitive decline.

Aim for: 150 minutes/week of moderate cardio (fast walking, cycling), 2 days/week of strength training, plus balance work (tai chi, yoga). Start where you are—even short brisk walks count.

Why challenge your brain

The brain strengthens what it uses. Puzzles and brain games help when they’re genuinely hard and get harder over time, but “far transfer” is best from real-world learning.

Go beyond games: learn a language, instrument, new dance, coding, woodworking, or complex recipes; play strategy games; take classes; volunteer in roles that require planning and communication.

11/22/2025

I love the dawn that smells of chalk and steel,
Where breath keeps time and effort finds its tune;

In mirrored glass, I watch small fractures heal,
As night gives way and writes a brighter noon.

I cue the hinge, the shoulder, patient knees,
And teach the back to carry more with grace;

We learn to breathe like tides and bend like trees,
Till fear steps off the bar and leaves its place.

I measure gains not by the scale alone,
But where a wary gaze grows fierce and bright;

When someone lifts a life they once called stone,
And finds a steadier kindness in their might.

My calling's this: to coach until they see
The stronger self was always theirs, not me.

11/20/2025

Thoughts for the day

11/18/2025

Good morning. This is the hour the scoreboard goes quiet—the hour you set down the jar of other people’s approval and pick up your own pulse.

You used to buy your worth with points: likes, grades, titles, claps. They dazzled, then disappeared. Trophies gathered dust. Applause faded into yesterday. What stays is love—the love of showing up, of craft, of effort you can feel in your bones.

Let this land. When you played for points, you chased; when you play for love, you lead. When you played for points, you hurried; when you play for love, you deepen. When you played for points, you were borrowed; when you play for love, you are yours.

This is the coming-of-age from scorekeeper to self: the quiet turn where you stop asking the world to crown you and begin crowning your own consistency. No one may have told you this part of growing up: you don’t become yourself by winning more—you become yourself by choosing what you’d do even if no one is watching.

So here’s the vow, spoken under a soft morning sky: I stop paying for the points. I start paying for the love of the game.

Breathe in: I’m here for the craft. Choose one move that makes the work better, not louder. Give it twenty honest minutes—no scoreboard, just presence. End with a single sentence: What did I learn? Feel your chest loosen. That’s your life handing the mic back.

Say it within yourself until it feels true: I trade scorekeeping for mastery. I measure by effort, integrity, and joy. I show up. I improve. I finish.

You won’t always be applauded, but you will always be changed. You won’t always be seen, but you will always be carried by what you practice. And when the day asks who you are, you won’t point to numbers—you’ll point to the work, to the love, to the way you stayed.

So stop buying your worth with points. Invest in the love of the craft. Breathe. Do one honest thing. Learn. Repeat. This is your threshold, your becoming, your quiet crown. Go play your game. The love is the win.

11/16/2025

Yes. I’m with you. Let’s move—simple, strong, and doable right now.

Radiant 10: no equipment, low-impact optional

Warm-up (2 min): Deep breaths. Shoulder rolls. Gentle twists. March in place.

Circuit (2 rounds, 45s on/15s off):

Squats or sit-to-stands (use a chair)

Incline push-ups (wall or counter)

Glute bridges (on floor) or hip hinges (standing)

Plank (high or forearm) or dead bug

Power march or step jacks (no jump), or shadow boxing

Finisher (1 min): Fast march/shadow box, then power pose + 3 big breaths.

Cooldown (2 min): Stretch calves, quads, glutes, chest, and neck. Slow breathing.

Progress options

Softer: Reduce to 30s work/30s rest, or use a chair for balance.

Stronger: Add a backpack for squats/hinges, elevate feet for push-ups, add a third round.

Weekly rhythm

Week 1: 3 sessions. Week 2: 4 sessions or add a round. Log reps. Celebrate small wins.

Accountability

Type GO and I’ll coach you through the first 10 minutes, timer-style.

When you finish, send me a ✅ and one word for how you feel.

You’re not alone anymore. I see you. You’re amazing—and you’re in motion. Let’s go.

10/31/2025

My godson is portraying Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders for Halloween. What a wonderful costume! I provided a little background to enhance the authenticity. Are you dressing up for Halloween?

10/30/2025

📅 When: Sunday, Nov 2, 2025, at 2 a.m. local time

⏰ Action: Turn clocks back 1 hour (fall back)

📱 Devices: Phones/computers auto-update; manually change analog clocks, microwaves, ovens, car dashboards

😴 Health: Extra hour helps, but rhythms can shift—keep a steady bedtime and get morning light

🚗 Safety: Darker commutes—slow down, check headlights, watch crosswalks

🗺️ Exceptions: No change in most of Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and some areas of Quebec, BC, and Nunavut—check your local rules

How many of you appreciate the transition back to standard time from daylight saving time?

10/29/2025

SOULS ARE RARE. PRETTY FACES ARE EVERYWHERE.
I’m here for frequency over filters, eyes over angles, energy over aesthetics.
If you know, you know. Stay rare. 🖤

Tag the one with the rare soul.

Hashtags:

$Fitness Recipe: Health You Make at HomePrep time: 10 minutes daily\Cook time: A lifetime\Yield: A stronger, steadier you...$

10/29/2025

Fitness Recipe: Health You Make at Home

Prep time: 10 minutes daily\
Cook time: A lifetime\
Yield: A stronger, steadier you

Ingredients

* 3 strength sessions per week (barbell or equivalents: squat, hinge, push, pull, carry)

* Daily movement (8–10k steps or 20–30 min brisk cardio)

* Whole-food meals for every plate:

* Palm-size protein
* Two fists of colorful plants
* Cupped hand of smart carbs (as needed)
* Thumb of healthy fats

* Sleep: 7–9 hours nightly, consistent schedule

* Boundaries: 1–2 intentional “no’s” per day to time/energy drains

* Hydration: water throughout the day, electrolytes as needed

* Morning light: 5–10 minutes

* Accountability: a training partner, log, or coach

Directions

1. Preheat your day with 5–10 minutes of movement and morning light.
2. Build under a barbell: 3x/week choose 3–5 compound lifts; do 3–5 sets of 5–10 reps. Add a little weight, a rep, or a set each week.
3. Cook your health: batch‑prep proteins and plants 1–2 times weekly. Assemble plates using the portions above.
4. Reinforce with sleep: wind‑down ritual, screens off 60 minutes before bed, cool dark room, same sleep/wake time.
5. Protect with “no”: schedule training, meals, and bedtime first. Say no to conflicts, late‑night scrolling, extra drinks, and obligations that steal recovery.
6. Season with consistency: track workouts, meals, sleep, and how you feel. Tiny improvements beat perfect plans.
7. Taste and adjust every 4 weeks: progress loads, swap variations, refine portions, or add a walk.

Serving suggestions

* Pair with purpose, community, and patience.
* Serve daily. Improves with age.

Substitutions

* No barbell? Use bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, or bands: goblet squats, hip hinges/RDLs, pushups, rows, carries.

Chef’s note
No prescription required—just permission from yourself. If you have medical conditions or injuries, check with a professional before changing your routine.

09/27/2025

The Everything I’ve Earned Manifesto

I’m coming for everything I’ve earned—without apology, without pause.
No obstacle will deter me. Every adversity is a stair I climb.
I turn doubt into altitude. The hecklers and naysayers? Rungs on my ladder to the podium.

I live bold. I act fearless. I advance with discipline.
I claim what’s mine because I’ve paid for it in sweat, focus, and time—and I’m just getting started.
You think you know my character? Wait until the next gear engages.

I convert failure into fuel. Mistakes refine my aim.
I choose the ground, study the field, and time my moves.
I read the room, shape the narrative, build alliances, and play the long game.

Virtù shapes my fortune; strategy guides my steps.
I am firm but fair, ambitious yet principled.
I won’t break others to build myself—I build so strong that others want to stand with me.

This is not bluster; it’s a policy.
I keep my word. I keep receipts. I keep going.
Consider this notice: I’m not waiting for permission.

I will stack every lesson, leverage every setback, and turn pressure into presence.
I will stand at the podium—not by chance, but by choice, craft, and relentless consistency.
I’m arriving. I’m ready. And I’m claiming what I’ve earned.

-Davide Manca-

09/23/2025

The storm rolled in the day I decided to stay. Not just rain—life rattled my plans. I wanted to run. Instead: focus, discipline, consistency. Small, stubborn steps.

I got lost on the ridge, markers vanished in the mist. Panic tried to lead; I listened for my heartbeat and checked my grandfather’s compass. North is still north. We’re allowed to step off course; we’re required to get back on.

Resilience isn’t a grand comeback. It’s a thousand small returns: pick up the pen, lace the shoes, show up anyway. Breath, step. Breath, step.

No confetti at the finish—just the quiet pride of keeping promises. Focus, discipline, consistency are a compass that won’t lie. The path isn’t a straight line—hills and valleys, switchbacks and false summits—but you learn yourself along the way.

There will be more storms. Good. Keep moving. You’re closer than you think. It’s not the end—it’s the middle. And you’ve trained for it.

Davide Manca

12/14/2025

11/23/2025

11/22/2025

11/20/2025

11/18/2025

11/16/2025

10/31/2025

10/30/2025

10/29/2025

10/29/2025

09/27/2025

09/23/2025

Address

Opening Hours

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share