In this MM in Motion, I dive into the tension between heavy lifting and high-volume training, and how my body forced me to recalibrate after weeks of accumulated fatigue.

(00:00) — Driving to the Gym & Session Overview
(01:03) — What “Heavy” Really Means (Low Reps, High Weight)
(01:33) — What “Volume” Really Means (More Reps, More Sets)
(03:36) — Returning to Heavy Training & Enjoying It
(05:10) — How Recovery Changes in Your 20s vs 30s
(06:09) — Training Is Mental as Much as Physical
(06:31) — Final Thoughts: Focus, Belief & Enjoying the Work

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From iron addict to pavement pounder. Today I riff on why I’ve shifted from bodybuilding and powerlifting into longer runs—how a humble 5km at parkrun snowballed into a first half marathon before my wedding, and why none of it’s about medals. It’s about momentum, presence, and men’s health. Move your body. Any dose counts.

00:00 – Windy run intro & mental reset
01:22 – First love affair with running: 1–3 km → 5 km (parkrun)
03:15 – Rewriting the story: “I never thought I’d be a runner”
04:18 – Boredom → change: choosing movement over labels
05:14 – Fitness phases: races, Hyrox, CrossFit, or just play
06:19 – Men’s health, Movember, and the “any dose counts” principle
06:56 – Energy, calm, options: the dividends of daily movement
07:31 – Final push: pick something and move

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After battling sickness and a concussion, I reflect on the frustrating cycle of restarting my training routine and what it means to truly build rhythm over time.

(00:00) - Back from Sickness and Concussion
(00:47) - Planning the Week: The Training Spreadsheet
(01:27) - Groundhog Day: Repeating the Same Week Again
(02:19) - Strength Goals: The Six Times Bodyweight Mission
(03:02) - Lessons from a Younger Self: Pushing Too Hard
(03:46) - The Reality of Training in Your 30s
(04:23) - Patience and Longevity Over Ego
(04:41) - Lessons from the Podcast Journey: Discipline vs Rhythm
(05:32) - Rhythm Builds the Kingdom
(06:14) - Closing Reflections: Stick With the Rhythm

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You can crush 5km and still feel like you’ve failed. Expectations creep, standards rise, and suddenly “good” isn’t good enough. Tonight’s run became a mirror: Should you soften and rebalance… or sharpen and push harder? I wrestle with the tension between using “negative” energy (anger, frustration) vs calm, composed effort and what that means for progress, recovery, and staying in motion.

(00:00) Welcome back & the expectations trap
(00:29) When longer runs become the new “normal”
(01:33) “Why am I beating myself up?”
(02:22) In the moment, it just feels… crap
(03:38) Use frustration or cultivate calm?
(04:07) Amped-up PRs vs relaxed mastery
(04:27) Which energy works for you?
(04:48) Wrap: Stay in motion

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After a week of storms, downed power and a forced slowdown, I’m back in motion. I share what it’s like to restart after a deload week, how training has evolved for me in my 30s, and why I’ve swapped the supplement stack for simplicity and consistency.

(00:00) – Storms, lights, and the chaos before the gym
(00:26) – Fresh start: new week, new training phase
(01:06) – Planning and adaptation after a deload week
(01:49) – The excitement of restarting after rest
(02:55) – Lessons from training in your 20s vs 30s
(03:29) – Supplements, energy, and why coffee now replaces pre-workout
(04:12) – The joy of heavy lifts: benching and deadlifting

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A candid walk-and-talk about the power of a deload week, when to pull back, how much to cut, and why recovery is a competitive advantage. I share my own numbers (gym and running) and the mindset shift that stops you waiting “till the wheels fall off.”

(00:00) – Walk & iced-coffee intro
(00:57) – Old mindset: “train till the wheels fall off”
(01:15) – My numbers: gym ↓ from ~4h→~3h; weights lighter
(01:42) – Running volume: ~30–40km → ~10–15km
(02:25) – Ageing & recovery reality check
(02:47) – Philosophy: step back to go longer, stronger
(03:08) – Plan it: monthly & annual cycles
(03:42) – Deload ≠ doing nothing; be smart

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In this Mere Mortals in Motion, I reflect on the art of building habits and making discomfort more sustainable. While out on a run, I explored the balance between discipline and enjoyment.

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It’s early and I’m back at it. In this episode, I talk through my morning routine, why journaling has become a non-negotiable part of my day, and how I deal with the frustration of missing a workout. This is about more than just training; it’s about being honest with yourself, knowing your limits, and finding discipline through realism rather than self-deception.

(00:00) – Early Mornings & Journaling
(01:10) – When Plans Fall Apart
(02:15) – Knowing Yourself & Training Honestly
(04:05) – Getting Back on Track

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Feeling bloody good again and fired up for chest day. I’ve been using AI to write my workouts for ~7–8 weeks and learned a hard truth: when you over-engineer the prompt, the training gets worse. Simplicity wins. Today’s a push focus (chest/shoulders/tris), with a stretch-first approach, wave-loading on bench, and a 5km run to close. Here’s why I’m shifting from fiddling with prompts back to principles and manual planning.

Key ideas:

Overprompting breaks the plan; simple targets work best.

Manual planning improves recall and execution.

Push day structure that actually moves the needle.

If this resonates, drop a comment with your take on AI-written programmes vs writing your own.

(00:00) I’m finally over being sick & ready to rip
(00:26) I used AI for my workouts (7–8 weeks)
(00:52) Constraints: time, recovery, mixed modalities
(01:11) Stacking too many details ruins the plan
(01:41) The lesson: simpler prompts = better results
(02:09) Basic first week worked; over-tweaking didn’t
(02:32) Push day flow: stretch first, not heavy bench cold
(03:09) AI didn’t save time; manual wins for me
(03:45) Writing it yourself = stronger recall
(04:06) Today’s lifts (wave-load bench, flies, laterals, rows, tris)

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In this episode of Mere Mortals in Motion, I reflect on the brutal truth that you only truly appreciate health when it’s taken from you. After battling sickness, motion sickness, and the frustration of being bedridden, I share what it feels like to be stripped of energy and strength — and why recovery is more than just getting back on your feet.

(00:00) - Walking on the treadmill & battling sickness
(00:26) - Motion sickness after go-karting
(01:18) - Missing the gym and the gift of movement
(02:41) - Surviving on toast & garlic before the game
(03:05) - Wanting to return to full fitness
(03:27) - Wishing others rapid recovery

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