Client Spotlight
Start where you are
Use what you have
Do what you can
BRG client Gordon (AKA Mr.11) has had a bumpy ride over the last few months but that didn't stop him competing in his first Iron Man last weekend.dddd
Entering his prep for this race Gordon's two main challenges were;
- A grade 2 hamstring tear with tendonitis
- Stubborn body fat that wasn't shifting from previous efforts dieting
and if you have ever been involved in any sport that resembles a triathlon you will appreciate how important it is to shift body fat. Always remember, fat doesn't move weight.
The plan for Mr.11
Running was out of the question so immediately we lost a third of the skill specific training for the entire prep. Swimming and cycling was still in tip top shape so we pushed on with these whilst in the background utilising training at BRG as sessions to deal with general physical preparation (GPP). Sessions focused on exercises prescribed by the physio following his assessment whilst pushing strength in every department that would ultimately benefit all three of the races disciplines.
I want you to appreciate how difficult it was for Gordon mentally here. He was training knowing full well that on his race day his performance was to going hijacked by this injury. No matter what he still had to keep on top his mental resilience to repeatedly turn up and achieve sufficient levels of intensity in every prep session. That is no small task for any athlete and in-fact many would just throw in the towel and pull from the race.
Gordon's positive outlook combined with strength training at BRG started to show its benefit on skill specific days with ride times on the bike consistently improving week by week. Seeing this return was fuel for his mindset and here lays the message of Gordon's story that I want to drive home.
Injuries are part of sport but mental strength trumps physical weakness. Just because you are injured does not mean you can't improve as an athlete.
physical
Race Day
Swim - smashed it
Cycle - smashed it
Run - smashed him
There was little chance Gordon was going to complete stage 3 of this race given his injuries but again, did that stop him training or taking part? Absolutely not!!
Gordon accepted his position no matter how tough a pill that was to swallow because he knew that he would come out the end a better athlete and a healthier human both physically and mentally.
So this month I want to celebrate my friend and client Gordon and his dodgy hamstring. What an effort sir.
Now let's get back to work - Gordon's next race is a serious bike climb in France in just under three month and yes... he is already registered to compete next year at the very same Iron Man.
With training underway we tackled the next element of his prep - Fat loss. For this I took control of Gordon's nutrition and given it was only for a short period we choose to embrace a strict meal plan. To top it off Gordon went the extra mile and kicked the booze being aware it was nothing but a hinderance to the cut phase and recovery from his training.
Did it work? You tell me
We began Gordon on a higher calorie intake than his previous approach and it wasn't long until he started to shift the weight. The main reason for this is simple - Gordon's output was consistently greater than his input. When you put your body in this situation for a long period it's only a matter of time until negatives show themselves.
What? So starvation isn't a good diet plan?........ no
Sufficiently fuel so you can perform better and recover better.
Once performance was on the rise for Gordon with these extra calories we knew the body was not in a state of stress so it was then that we could gradually strip back calories whilst managing macro nutrient content. Of course this was a gradual progress but because we had a strong grip of training and nutrition any small nutrition adjustment made generally yielded large effects.
Always be in the drivers seat with nutrition with one eye on the road and one eye on the fuel tank.