Your training should help you handle your stress, not add to it.

Relaxed Performance

Can you feel well and perform at a high level?

Yes.

Most high achievers live in a trade-off:
push harder and feel worse—
or feel better and do less.

Neither feels great.

There is another way.

A way to be driven, focused, and effective—without constant tension.
To pursue your goals without sacrificing your health.

This is relaxed performance.

A state where your body is at ease, your mind is clear,
and your effort is directed—not forced.

It’s not a mindset. It’s a skill.

One you can build.

Hi, I’m Ryan Burkholder.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to both the physical and the philosophical.

As a student-athlete, I studied history while training and competing at a high level.
I went on to play professional hockey in Europe and Asia.
Along the way, I began to question how we train, perform, and push ourselves.

I vividly remember watching people exercise in the parks of Shanghai—fluid and at ease. A stark contrast to how I felt beat up despite being half their age. I wanted the performance, but I knew something had to change.

In 2013, I became a personal trainer and began studying osteopathy, seeking a more integrated understanding of the body and mind.

For years, I felt caught between two worlds—training the body or exploring the mind. Over time, I realized they aren’t separate.

How we move and breathe can amplify our presence—or increase our suffering. Having a sense of control over these things is a skill that can become a superpower.

I draw from athletics and the healing arts, using a somatic approach—working with the body and breath—to help you perform at a high level while feeling well.

  • "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