Mere Mortals In Motion

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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After an uncharacteristic break from training, I reflect on how illness stripped me of motivation, clarity, and presence. This episode dives deep into the often overlooked mental cost of poor health, and how getting back in motion — even with uncertainty — is the only way forward. It’s not about smashing records; it’s about not letting your mind stagnate.

(00:00) – Health, Goddammit
(01:26) – Gut Issues & Food Poisoning
(02:25) – Back to the Gym (Finally)
(02:47) – The Plan (and Probable Failure)
(03:09) – 85% Recovery & Fleeting Gratitude
(03:36) – Forgetting How Bad It Was
(04:02) – Stay Moving, Mere Mortals

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In this brutally honest episode, I walk through a phhysically rough morning, all my own doing. Physical metrics, terrible sleep and more.

(00:00) - Battling the Aftermath: Alcohol, Age & Regret
(00:33) - A Night of Fun, A Morning of Consequences
(01:05) - Tracking Health with Wearables: What the Data Says
(02:01) - How Drinking Wrecks Sleep & Recovery
(03:00) - Feeling the Pain, But Showing Up Anyway
(03:51) - The Routine That Saves You
(04:33) - Systems Built in Europe, Honed in Discipline
(05:02) - Proof from the Past: You Can Train Through Pain
(05:34) - Accepting Aging & Moderation Without Excuses
(06:00) - When the Body Says No, But the Mind Says Go
(06:30) - Live as If You’re Being Filmed: A Motivational Hack
(06:56) - Final Thoughts From a Worn-Out Juan

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In this episode, I dive into how training shifts once you hit your 30s. I talk about the harsh reality that you just can’t stack every training style like you could in your 20s, Olympic lifting, running, bodybuilding, CrossFit, all at once. I share what it’s been like to let go of certain movements, why recovery is now the limiting factor, and how being flexible in the gym (and in life) is the key to staying healthy and training for the long haul.

(00:00) – Early morning gym session on a Tuesday
(00:44) – Deadlifts, pull-ups & a full training day ahead
(01:14) – Reflecting on Olympic lifting vs now
(01:54) – Godlike recovery in my 20s
(02:44) – Injuries, bouncing back & the recovery decline
(03:29) – Why I can’t stack every training style anymore
(04:00) – My CrossFit days & doing it all
(05:27) – Recognising the need to drop Olympic lifting
(05:59) – Under-recovering vs overtraining
(06:42) – Prioritising fun & sustainable training
(07:14) – Busy gym chaos & no platforms for deadlifts
(08:19) – Shuffling workouts when plans break
(09:40) – My ‘thickening’ back day philosophy
(10:06) – Listening to niggles & pulling back
(10:43) – Life disruptions & accepting imperfection
(11:21) – Using off days to over-recover
(11:39) – Being gentle on myself
(12:14) – Wrapping up & heading home to family

Connect with Mere Mortals:
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In this first instalment, I take you through my hypertrophy-focused training block and why I’ve shifted away from powerlifting. I share how I’m using AI to help structure my workouts, how I balance early mornings with family life, and why this new routine is helping me reset mentally. It’s raw, real, and exactly what I'm doing right now.

(00:00) – Starting Something New
(00:27) – Two Types of Content
(01:00) – Today’s Training Plan
(01:37) – Why I Left Powerlifting
(02:32) – Europe Changed My Goals
(03:20) – Using AI to Train Smarter
(04:37) – AI vs My Experience
(05:49) – Do I Follow the Plan?
(06:29) – Music Over Podcasts
(07:05) – 4:15 a.m. Gym Starts
(08:10) – Why I Love Mondays
(08:51) – My Morning Habit Origin
(09:33) – Routine and Consistency
(10:23) – Post-Workout Family Life
(11:05) – Mental Wins From Training
(11:47) – Why This Vlog Style Works

Connect with Mere Mortals:
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Connect with Mere Mortals:
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