Being Good at Many Things
In general throughout our lives we are taught to pursue something and be good at it. Think of the classic “what do you want to be when you grow up?” question, as if you can only be good at one thing. Specializing or practicing a sport exclusively certainly has a multitude of benefits, but as I have personally found it is not necessarily the only way to find success. Why not be better at life and good at many things.
People ask me all the time why I don’t just stick to one sport and the simplest answer is that I just love fitness and I want to be great at everything. To me fitness is about being prepared for whatever life may throw at me. How much cooler would your life be if you were athletically well rounded and able do anything at a high level. Have you ever wondered how far your body can go? And what its full potential might be?
I have not always been good at different sports at the same time, when I was a Triathlete all I did for many years was swim, bike and run. At the time I couldn’t do a single pull up, a push up or even squat an empty 20kg barbell. I decided that my fitness should not be defined by a single metric of how fast I could finish a Triathlon but should be measured through a much broader spectrum of tests.
If you can run a sub 3-hour marathon but can’t squat your body weight or do a pull up then how fit are you really?
If you think about the 10 recognized general physical skills of fitness, (cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy) how many would you say you are strong at?
Specialization is important to those that have very specific goals. I have gone through long periods of time focusing on a particular sport or event to ensure my success, but thinking very long term you don’t need to put all of your eggs into one basket in order to attain greatness. Being well rounded will actually make it easier to master a sport, this is because if you are a high level athlete then you generally have a good base fitness, you have the self-confidence, the motivation, self-discipline, focus, desire to succeed and the resilience to build something entirely new. In essence you just take one sport and mirror the effective attributes into another sport.
We all know that person, the one that is good at everything, does an Ironman on a whim, seemly succeeding at every challenge they try.
Losers love to make excuses for others successes and for their own shortcomings, it feels better to pass the blame and to pretend things are out of your control.
The most common excuses I hear are; “Oh it’s in your genes, you were born to be good at sports” “I am fat because of my genetics, so I will never be great at fitness” Well let me tell you, it has nothing to do with genetics. It is 100% in your power to be great at everything if you want it bad enough. In fact I find it offensive that someone would suggest my athletic achievements are because I was born that way. Totally discrediting the hard work I have put in 365 days a year for most of my life. I was born at 29 weeks; I had deflated lungs, a hole in my heart and was blind. Don’t tell me I was born to be a great athlete.
Studies have shown that the body you are born with matters much less than what you do with it. Your athletic potential is not written in your genes, it’s in your daily routine, your habits, the way you approach your life every minute of every day.
People that are good at everything are that way because they want it and because they decide to be good at it. It’s a raw indomitable will, a desire to be better, to sweat, to bleed, to achieve no weakness.
Everyone is capable of being good at many things but the vast majority of people in the world simply decide to give up before they achieve it.
I have learnt what it takes to succeed at the highest level and be great at many things and I apply the same formula to everything that I do. My methodology is simple: work hard, don’t give up, do whatever it takes and show no weakness.
Be great at many things, be better at life.
ENGINE
Working on holding our MIKKOS score calories for longer blocks of time.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will focus on rope climbing, doubleunders, and handstand push-ups in gymnastics. We will focus on the skill elements to help you with these movements! Whether you have these movements down or not, this class will help you improve in all these movements so you're ready to attack classes!
HYROX
We start to put together the pieces and do a mini HYROX
MOBILITY
We will go over full-body flow routines focusing on flexibility for full-body alignment.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength, we start the week with some percentage work on the close grip bench press, followed by heavy rows and a shoulder pump to finish. Wednesday, we worked up to a heavy single on the deadlift, with some tough drop sets followed by some heavy single leg work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus this week, and we get into over-head squats before working into some Snatch High Pulls and Hang Snatch and then finish with some heavy Snatch singles!
Track Tuesday
Week two of our over/unders block, this week we move to 1km efforts.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Wednesday Ride
Wednesday ride* 5.59am BOTS. << use links/details from a few months back
4 X 8min at your best effort, what have you got?
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
Our classic builders set this week, 5min builds based on effort! A great tempo run.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
Back to a long ride today, 105km in the group with some structured intervals to follow.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday long run
Team IFE on Tour are 3 weeks out from the marathon in Munich, so they need to run long. Why not come along and support with some miles to? Message sh@innerfight.com to find out more.
Start time: 05:29am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: From InnerFight
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
Today we will hold tempo for 2 long blocks and one shorter block. Keep asking yourself if you are running a 7/10 effort during this session.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week our over/unders have increased from 800m to 1000m. Paces are the same as last week. This is your chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance Community and Coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
We will be running our intervals around the Olivia apartments this week for 1 loop and then in the park for a shorter loop. Try and pick up the pace on the shorter park loops.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week our efforts will build from 4/10 to 7/10 over 3 blocks of builders. You therefore have 3 attempts to hit that 7/10 feeling. We recommend that you do not start off too fast on this one.
Sunday
Time: 5:29am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Long Run
We will be running from InnerFight this Sunday. There are various options from 15km to 35km depending on which races you have coming up. If you would rather run for time, that is also fine! Routes will be shared in WhatsApp and on TrainingPeaks.
We will kick the week off on Monday with heavy single-leg work and move on to a fast interval workout. Tuesday is about the sandbags with a tough set of EMOMs followed by a partner workout. Wednesday, we have more focus on our strict pull-ups and then a gymnastics and running-based workout. Thursday, we will hit some technical work on a clean complex and follow it up with some heavy clean singles, followed by a tough and fast-paced workout with rowing cleans and wall balls. Friday, we finish the week with some heavy Jerks in the skill and then a gruelling chipper.
Monday:
Strength:
Walking Dumbell Lunges
Conditioning:
In a 2 min window
25 KB Sumo deadlift (2x24/16)
Amrap DU
rest 2 mins
In a 2 min window
16 Weighted Box Step Ups 1 x KB 24/16
AMRAP Cals Bike
rest 2 mins
x3
Tuesday:
Strength:
Building Weight Sandbag To Shoulder
Conditioning:
In Pairs
100 sandbags to shoulder (80/50)
Every 4 mins
1 car park lap farmers carry 2 x 32/24
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Strict Pull Ups
B) KB Push Press + Pull Ups + Side Plank
Conditioning:
16 min amrap
Pool Run
10 burpee pull-ups
3 wall walks
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Clean Pull + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat
B) Squat Clean
Conditioning:
For time:
500/400m row
30 squat clean (60/40)
50 WallBalls
Friday:
Strength:
A) Push Jerk
Conditioning:
It's an awesome triplet to end the week! Therapyyyyy!
In general throughout our lives we are taught to pursue something and be good at it. Think of the classic “what do you want to be when you grow up?” question, as if you can only be good at one thing. Specializing or practicing a sport exclusively certainly has a multitude of benefits, but as I have personally found it is not necessarily the only way to find success. Why not be better at life and good at many things.
People ask me all the time why I don’t just stick to one sport and the simplest answer is that I just love fitness and I want to be great at everything. To me fitness is about being prepared for whatever life may throw at me. How much cooler would your life be if you were athletically well rounded and able do anything at a high level. Have you ever wondered how far your body can go? And what its full potential might be?
I have not always been good at different sports at the same time, when I was a Triathlete all I did for many years was swim, bike and run. At the time I couldn’t do a single pull up, a push up or even squat an empty 20kg barbell. I decided that my fitness should not be defined by a single metric of how fast I could finish a Triathlon but should be measured through a much broader spectrum of tests.
If you can run a sub 3-hour marathon but can’t squat your body weight or do a pull up then how fit are you really?
If you think about the 10 recognized general physical skills of fitness, (cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy) how many would you say you are strong at?
Specialization is important to those that have very specific goals. I have gone through long periods of time focusing on a particular sport or event to ensure my success, but thinking very long term you don’t need to put all of your eggs into one basket in order to attain greatness. Being well rounded will actually make it easier to master a sport, this is because if you are a high level athlete then you generally have a good base fitness, you have the self-confidence, the motivation, self-discipline, focus, desire to succeed and the resilience to build something entirely new. In essence you just take one sport and mirror the effective attributes into another sport.
We all know that person, the one that is good at everything, does an Ironman on a whim, seemly succeeding at every challenge they try.
Losers love to make excuses for others successes and for their own shortcomings, it feels better to pass the blame and to pretend things are out of your control.
The most common excuses I hear are; “Oh it’s in your genes, you were born to be good at sports” “I am fat because of my genetics, so I will never be great at fitness” Well let me tell you, it has nothing to do with genetics. It is 100% in your power to be great at everything if you want it bad enough. In fact I find it offensive that someone would suggest my athletic achievements are because I was born that way. Totally discrediting the hard work I have put in 365 days a year for most of my life. I was born at 29 weeks; I had deflated lungs, a hole in my heart and was blind. Don’t tell me I was born to be a great athlete.
Studies have shown that the body you are born with matters much less than what you do with it. Your athletic potential is not written in your genes, it’s in your daily routine, your habits, the way you approach your life every minute of every day.
People that are good at everything are that way because they want it and because they decide to be good at it. It’s a raw indomitable will, a desire to be better, to sweat, to bleed, to achieve no weakness.
Everyone is capable of being good at many things but the vast majority of people in the world simply decide to give up before they achieve it.
I have learnt what it takes to succeed at the highest level and be great at many things and I apply the same formula to everything that I do. My methodology is simple: work hard, don’t give up, do whatever it takes and show no weakness.
Be great at many things, be better at life.
Track Tuesday
Week two of our over/unders block, this week we move to 1km efforts.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Wednesday Ride
Wednesday ride* 5.59am BOTS. << use links/details from a few months back
4 X 8min at your best effort, what have you got?
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
Our classic builders set this week, 5min builds based on effort! A great tempo run.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
Back to a long ride today, 105km in the group with some structured intervals to follow.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday long run
Team IFE on Tour are 3 weeks out from the marathon in Munich, so they need to run long. Why not come along and support with some miles to? Message sh@innerfight.com to find out more.
Start time: 05:29am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: From InnerFight
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
Today we will hold tempo for 2 long blocks and one shorter block. Keep asking yourself if you are running a 7/10 effort during this session.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week our over/unders have increased from 800m to 1000m. Paces are the same as last week. This is your chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance Community and Coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
We will be running our intervals around the Olivia apartments this week for 1 loop and then in the park for a shorter loop. Try and pick up the pace on the shorter park loops.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week our efforts will build from 4/10 to 7/10 over 3 blocks of builders. You therefore have 3 attempts to hit that 7/10 feeling. We recommend that you do not start off too fast on this one.
Sunday
Time: 5:29am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Long Run
We will be running from InnerFight this Sunday. There are various options from 15km to 35km depending on which races you have coming up. If you would rather run for time, that is also fine! Routes will be shared in WhatsApp and on TrainingPeaks.
We will kick the week off on Monday with heavy single-leg work and move on to a fast interval workout. Tuesday is about the sandbags with a tough set of EMOMs followed by a partner workout. Wednesday, we have more focus on our strict pull-ups and then a gymnastics and running-based workout. Thursday, we will hit some technical work on a clean complex and follow it up with some heavy clean singles, followed by a tough and fast-paced workout with rowing cleans and wall balls. Friday, we finish the week with some heavy Jerks in the skill and then a gruelling chipper.
Monday:
Strength:
Walking Dumbell Lunges
Conditioning:
In a 2 min window
25 KB Sumo deadlift (2x24/16)
Amrap DU
rest 2 mins
In a 2 min window
16 Weighted Box Step Ups 1 x KB 24/16
AMRAP Cals Bike
rest 2 mins
x3
Tuesday:
Strength:
Building Weight Sandbag To Shoulder
Conditioning:
In Pairs
100 sandbags to shoulder (80/50)
Every 4 mins
1 car park lap farmers carry 2 x 32/24
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Strict Pull Ups
B) KB Push Press + Pull Ups + Side Plank
Conditioning:
16 min amrap
Pool Run
10 burpee pull-ups
3 wall walks
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Clean Pull + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat
B) Squat Clean
Conditioning:
For time:
500/400m row
30 squat clean (60/40)
50 WallBalls
Friday:
Strength:
A) Push Jerk
Conditioning:
It's an awesome triplet to end the week! Therapyyyyy!
ENGINE
Working on holding our MIKKOS score calories for longer blocks of time.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will focus on rope climbing, doubleunders, and handstand push-ups in gymnastics. We will focus on the skill elements to help you with these movements! Whether you have these movements down or not, this class will help you improve in all these movements so you're ready to attack classes!
HYROX
We start to put together the pieces and do a mini HYROX
MOBILITY
We will go over full-body flow routines focusing on flexibility for full-body alignment.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength, we start the week with some percentage work on the close grip bench press, followed by heavy rows and a shoulder pump to finish. Wednesday, we worked up to a heavy single on the deadlift, with some tough drop sets followed by some heavy single leg work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus this week, and we get into over-head squats before working into some Snatch High Pulls and Hang Snatch and then finish with some heavy Snatch singles!
In general throughout our lives we are taught to pursue something and be good at it. Think of the classic “what do you want to be when you grow up?” question, as if you can only be good at one thing. Specializing or practicing a sport exclusively certainly has a multitude of benefits, but as I have personally found it is not necessarily the only way to find success. Why not be better at life and good at many things.
People ask me all the time why I don’t just stick to one sport and the simplest answer is that I just love fitness and I want to be great at everything. To me fitness is about being prepared for whatever life may throw at me. How much cooler would your life be if you were athletically well rounded and able do anything at a high level. Have you ever wondered how far your body can go? And what its full potential might be?
I have not always been good at different sports at the same time, when I was a Triathlete all I did for many years was swim, bike and run. At the time I couldn’t do a single pull up, a push up or even squat an empty 20kg barbell. I decided that my fitness should not be defined by a single metric of how fast I could finish a Triathlon but should be measured through a much broader spectrum of tests.
If you can run a sub 3-hour marathon but can’t squat your body weight or do a pull up then how fit are you really?
If you think about the 10 recognized general physical skills of fitness, (cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy) how many would you say you are strong at?
Specialization is important to those that have very specific goals. I have gone through long periods of time focusing on a particular sport or event to ensure my success, but thinking very long term you don’t need to put all of your eggs into one basket in order to attain greatness. Being well rounded will actually make it easier to master a sport, this is because if you are a high level athlete then you generally have a good base fitness, you have the self-confidence, the motivation, self-discipline, focus, desire to succeed and the resilience to build something entirely new. In essence you just take one sport and mirror the effective attributes into another sport.
We all know that person, the one that is good at everything, does an Ironman on a whim, seemly succeeding at every challenge they try.
Losers love to make excuses for others successes and for their own shortcomings, it feels better to pass the blame and to pretend things are out of your control.
The most common excuses I hear are; “Oh it’s in your genes, you were born to be good at sports” “I am fat because of my genetics, so I will never be great at fitness” Well let me tell you, it has nothing to do with genetics. It is 100% in your power to be great at everything if you want it bad enough. In fact I find it offensive that someone would suggest my athletic achievements are because I was born that way. Totally discrediting the hard work I have put in 365 days a year for most of my life. I was born at 29 weeks; I had deflated lungs, a hole in my heart and was blind. Don’t tell me I was born to be a great athlete.
Studies have shown that the body you are born with matters much less than what you do with it. Your athletic potential is not written in your genes, it’s in your daily routine, your habits, the way you approach your life every minute of every day.
People that are good at everything are that way because they want it and because they decide to be good at it. It’s a raw indomitable will, a desire to be better, to sweat, to bleed, to achieve no weakness.
Everyone is capable of being good at many things but the vast majority of people in the world simply decide to give up before they achieve it.
I have learnt what it takes to succeed at the highest level and be great at many things and I apply the same formula to everything that I do. My methodology is simple: work hard, don’t give up, do whatever it takes and show no weakness.
Be great at many things, be better at life.
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
Today we will hold tempo for 2 long blocks and one shorter block. Keep asking yourself if you are running a 7/10 effort during this session.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week our over/unders have increased from 800m to 1000m. Paces are the same as last week. This is your chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance Community and Coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
We will be running our intervals around the Olivia apartments this week for 1 loop and then in the park for a shorter loop. Try and pick up the pace on the shorter park loops.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week our efforts will build from 4/10 to 7/10 over 3 blocks of builders. You therefore have 3 attempts to hit that 7/10 feeling. We recommend that you do not start off too fast on this one.
Sunday
Time: 5:29am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Long Run
We will be running from InnerFight this Sunday. There are various options from 15km to 35km depending on which races you have coming up. If you would rather run for time, that is also fine! Routes will be shared in WhatsApp and on TrainingPeaks.
We will kick the week off on Monday with heavy single-leg work and move on to a fast interval workout. Tuesday is about the sandbags with a tough set of EMOMs followed by a partner workout. Wednesday, we have more focus on our strict pull-ups and then a gymnastics and running-based workout. Thursday, we will hit some technical work on a clean complex and follow it up with some heavy clean singles, followed by a tough and fast-paced workout with rowing cleans and wall balls. Friday, we finish the week with some heavy Jerks in the skill and then a gruelling chipper.
Monday:
Strength:
Walking Dumbell Lunges
Conditioning:
In a 2 min window
25 KB Sumo deadlift (2x24/16)
Amrap DU
rest 2 mins
In a 2 min window
16 Weighted Box Step Ups 1 x KB 24/16
AMRAP Cals Bike
rest 2 mins
x3
Tuesday:
Strength:
Building Weight Sandbag To Shoulder
Conditioning:
In Pairs
100 sandbags to shoulder (80/50)
Every 4 mins
1 car park lap farmers carry 2 x 32/24
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Strict Pull Ups
B) KB Push Press + Pull Ups + Side Plank
Conditioning:
16 min amrap
Pool Run
10 burpee pull-ups
3 wall walks
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Clean Pull + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat
B) Squat Clean
Conditioning:
For time:
500/400m row
30 squat clean (60/40)
50 WallBalls
Friday:
Strength:
A) Push Jerk
Conditioning:
It's an awesome triplet to end the week! Therapyyyyy!
ENGINE
Working on holding our MIKKOS score calories for longer blocks of time.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will focus on rope climbing, doubleunders, and handstand push-ups in gymnastics. We will focus on the skill elements to help you with these movements! Whether you have these movements down or not, this class will help you improve in all these movements so you're ready to attack classes!
HYROX
We start to put together the pieces and do a mini HYROX
MOBILITY
We will go over full-body flow routines focusing on flexibility for full-body alignment.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength, we start the week with some percentage work on the close grip bench press, followed by heavy rows and a shoulder pump to finish. Wednesday, we worked up to a heavy single on the deadlift, with some tough drop sets followed by some heavy single leg work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus this week, and we get into over-head squats before working into some Snatch High Pulls and Hang Snatch and then finish with some heavy Snatch singles!
Track Tuesday
Week two of our over/unders block, this week we move to 1km efforts.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Wednesday Ride
Wednesday ride* 5.59am BOTS. << use links/details from a few months back
4 X 8min at your best effort, what have you got?
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
Our classic builders set this week, 5min builds based on effort! A great tempo run.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
Back to a long ride today, 105km in the group with some structured intervals to follow.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday long run
Team IFE on Tour are 3 weeks out from the marathon in Munich, so they need to run long. Why not come along and support with some miles to? Message sh@innerfight.com to find out more.
Start time: 05:29am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: From InnerFight
In general throughout our lives we are taught to pursue something and be good at it. Think of the classic “what do you want to be when you grow up?” question, as if you can only be good at one thing. Specializing or practicing a sport exclusively certainly has a multitude of benefits, but as I have personally found it is not necessarily the only way to find success. Why not be better at life and good at many things.
People ask me all the time why I don’t just stick to one sport and the simplest answer is that I just love fitness and I want to be great at everything. To me fitness is about being prepared for whatever life may throw at me. How much cooler would your life be if you were athletically well rounded and able do anything at a high level. Have you ever wondered how far your body can go? And what its full potential might be?
I have not always been good at different sports at the same time, when I was a Triathlete all I did for many years was swim, bike and run. At the time I couldn’t do a single pull up, a push up or even squat an empty 20kg barbell. I decided that my fitness should not be defined by a single metric of how fast I could finish a Triathlon but should be measured through a much broader spectrum of tests.
If you can run a sub 3-hour marathon but can’t squat your body weight or do a pull up then how fit are you really?
If you think about the 10 recognized general physical skills of fitness, (cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy) how many would you say you are strong at?
Specialization is important to those that have very specific goals. I have gone through long periods of time focusing on a particular sport or event to ensure my success, but thinking very long term you don’t need to put all of your eggs into one basket in order to attain greatness. Being well rounded will actually make it easier to master a sport, this is because if you are a high level athlete then you generally have a good base fitness, you have the self-confidence, the motivation, self-discipline, focus, desire to succeed and the resilience to build something entirely new. In essence you just take one sport and mirror the effective attributes into another sport.
We all know that person, the one that is good at everything, does an Ironman on a whim, seemly succeeding at every challenge they try.
Losers love to make excuses for others successes and for their own shortcomings, it feels better to pass the blame and to pretend things are out of your control.
The most common excuses I hear are; “Oh it’s in your genes, you were born to be good at sports” “I am fat because of my genetics, so I will never be great at fitness” Well let me tell you, it has nothing to do with genetics. It is 100% in your power to be great at everything if you want it bad enough. In fact I find it offensive that someone would suggest my athletic achievements are because I was born that way. Totally discrediting the hard work I have put in 365 days a year for most of my life. I was born at 29 weeks; I had deflated lungs, a hole in my heart and was blind. Don’t tell me I was born to be a great athlete.
Studies have shown that the body you are born with matters much less than what you do with it. Your athletic potential is not written in your genes, it’s in your daily routine, your habits, the way you approach your life every minute of every day.
People that are good at everything are that way because they want it and because they decide to be good at it. It’s a raw indomitable will, a desire to be better, to sweat, to bleed, to achieve no weakness.
Everyone is capable of being good at many things but the vast majority of people in the world simply decide to give up before they achieve it.
I have learnt what it takes to succeed at the highest level and be great at many things and I apply the same formula to everything that I do. My methodology is simple: work hard, don’t give up, do whatever it takes and show no weakness.
Be great at many things, be better at life.
In general throughout our lives we are taught to pursue something and be good at it. Think of the classic “what do you want to be when you grow up?” question, as if you can only be good at one thing. Specializing or practicing a sport exclusively certainly has a multitude of benefits, but as I have personally found it is not necessarily the only way to find success. Why not be better at life and good at many things.
People ask me all the time why I don’t just stick to one sport and the simplest answer is that I just love fitness and I want to be great at everything. To me fitness is about being prepared for whatever life may throw at me. How much cooler would your life be if you were athletically well rounded and able do anything at a high level. Have you ever wondered how far your body can go? And what its full potential might be?
I have not always been good at different sports at the same time, when I was a Triathlete all I did for many years was swim, bike and run. At the time I couldn’t do a single pull up, a push up or even squat an empty 20kg barbell. I decided that my fitness should not be defined by a single metric of how fast I could finish a Triathlon but should be measured through a much broader spectrum of tests.
If you can run a sub 3-hour marathon but can’t squat your body weight or do a pull up then how fit are you really?
If you think about the 10 recognized general physical skills of fitness, (cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy) how many would you say you are strong at?
Specialization is important to those that have very specific goals. I have gone through long periods of time focusing on a particular sport or event to ensure my success, but thinking very long term you don’t need to put all of your eggs into one basket in order to attain greatness. Being well rounded will actually make it easier to master a sport, this is because if you are a high level athlete then you generally have a good base fitness, you have the self-confidence, the motivation, self-discipline, focus, desire to succeed and the resilience to build something entirely new. In essence you just take one sport and mirror the effective attributes into another sport.
We all know that person, the one that is good at everything, does an Ironman on a whim, seemly succeeding at every challenge they try.
Losers love to make excuses for others successes and for their own shortcomings, it feels better to pass the blame and to pretend things are out of your control.
The most common excuses I hear are; “Oh it’s in your genes, you were born to be good at sports” “I am fat because of my genetics, so I will never be great at fitness” Well let me tell you, it has nothing to do with genetics. It is 100% in your power to be great at everything if you want it bad enough. In fact I find it offensive that someone would suggest my athletic achievements are because I was born that way. Totally discrediting the hard work I have put in 365 days a year for most of my life. I was born at 29 weeks; I had deflated lungs, a hole in my heart and was blind. Don’t tell me I was born to be a great athlete.
Studies have shown that the body you are born with matters much less than what you do with it. Your athletic potential is not written in your genes, it’s in your daily routine, your habits, the way you approach your life every minute of every day.
People that are good at everything are that way because they want it and because they decide to be good at it. It’s a raw indomitable will, a desire to be better, to sweat, to bleed, to achieve no weakness.
Everyone is capable of being good at many things but the vast majority of people in the world simply decide to give up before they achieve it.
I have learnt what it takes to succeed at the highest level and be great at many things and I apply the same formula to everything that I do. My methodology is simple: work hard, don’t give up, do whatever it takes and show no weakness.
Be great at many things, be better at life.