No one cares, train harder

Training is great for our physical health, sure—but for most of us, the real gold is in what it does for our brains.

For me, training gives me mental clarity, helps me organise all the mad thoughts bouncing around my head, and lets me make sense of whatever feelings or situations I’m dealing with. If I didn’t train, all that stress would just sit inside me, quietly simmering away like a pressure cooker ready to blow.

And then there’s the other side of training—the dark place.

I love going there. I love a challenge. It’s why I do something slightly unhinged every year. I’ve done solo marathons during Covid. I did an Ironman where, after swimming in Seapoint, I spent five and a half hours cycling on my apartment balcony on a turbo trainer, then ran loops around my area to finish off 12 hours of fun. I’ve done marathons on the ski erg, ultra-marathon trail runs… the whole spicy menu. People think I’m crazy—but honestly, I love it.

These challenges are how I check in with myself.

I want to know where my ceiling is and what happens when I hit it.

What questions come up?

What does my mind say to me when the tank is empty, and it’s just me versus me?

Years ago, I worked with someone who told me that I must really hate myself  for “punishing” my body with so much training. And the sad thing is, I actually believed him for a while. I genuinely wondered if something was wrong with me… that maybe I trained to escape reality, or because I didn’t like myself.

How wrong I was.

It took a bit of time, but now I know with 1000% certainty that I train hard because I love myself.

Not in a weird, “flex my pecs in the mirror” way, but in the way that I want to be the best version of myself. I love myself enough to put in the effort to be healthier, to prolong this brilliant thing called life.

My job is the same. I love helping people. I love serving others. Training hard and serving others are the two things that shaped who I am, and keep shaping me. They help me work on my flaws, improve who I am, and give back where I can. Without them I wouldn’t be the person I am today!

A lot of people train, but very few train hard.

And that’s why I’ll always be biased toward CrossFit. The raw methodology of high-intensity, constantly varied, functional movement just works. In a world full of quick dopamine hits, easy outs, and zero delayed gratification, training stands alone.

Training is the ultimate teacher.

During the workout: “I can’t do this.”

After the workout: “What the actual f**k was that?”

Post-shower: “I’m proud of myself, I got through it.”

And over the long term, being disciplined when motivation is gone, showing up on the crappy days, and seeing the results weeks or months later, that’s when you learn that hard work pays off. It’s the most honest, self-rewarding system in life.

Which brings me to the buzzword of the moment: the “hybrid athlete.”

People are mixing running, lifting, ergs, burpees, and suddenly having a life epiphany like they discovered sliced bread.

Sounds like CrossFit!

No wonder Hyrox and all these hybrid influencers are exploding; it’s the first time many of them have trained properly hard, and their bodies and minds are shocked at how good it feels.

Training teaches us how to handle stress.

The body doesn’t know the difference between the stress of 150 wall balls and the stress of your house catching fire; it just knows stress. So when we train, we’re literally preparing our minds and bodies for whatever battles life throws at us. Training has become a way to bulletproof the body and mind. That’s why people are loving this new era of training. Mixing all training modalities together, doing a little bit of everything and loving it.

Everyone can train, but very few train hard.

Very few show up consistently, give the effort they’ve got that day, and build themselves into someone physically and mentally ready for anything.

And remember, training should be enjoyable. It should add to your life, help you unwind, and let you release the pressure valve. It’s there to challenge you and make you feel alive. You may think I’m bias towards CrossFit (which I’ll always be) but it honestly doesn’t matter what you do; once you do something.

Pick something you genuinely enjoy.

Choose good humans to train with.

Find coaches who actually care about you as a person.

And go after it.

Have a wonderful day. 💛🏋️‍♂️