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Endurance as a Distraction
Harnessing the Odds for Success beyond the Finish Line
According to my extremely rough figures after a quick google search. Around 4.41 billion people play sport on planet earth. That is well over half of our 7.67 billion population. Good job earthlings! They say only the 1% of the 1% actually get paid to play sport at the top level (again, these are rough figures). One percent of 4.41 billion is 44,100,000, that is fourty-four milllion, one hundred thousand and 1% of that is 440,000. That still seems like a lot to me but relax for a second.
If you are not one of the 440,000 that gets paid to play sport, you are using sport as a distraction. Definition of distraction, a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else. We do hobbies to take our mind off work, life, home, stress. People also drink alcohol and eat shit food to do the same. I want to make this very clear, doing sport as your distraction is in most cases far healthier than most other options!
But when does it become unhealthy to use sport as a distraction? and in particular endurance sport. I am writing about endurance sport for two reasons, 1) it is what I know and 2) it is probably the sport most abused for distraction.
The benefits to endurance sport are in my eyes, endless. Day to day we (at InnerFight Endurance) use endurance sport to make people better at life. We in still self-belief, we empower, we dig out true potential, we discover grit in all our athletes. They then take those new found traits and go smash life with it, it’s why we have the best job in the world. Like all good things though, these trainable traits can be addictive. How good does it feel to cross that finish line and be the most confident person in the world for a few seconds? It’s epic. But do we get it each time we cross a finish line? No… only when it’s gone really well. The more we race, the more chance we have to go wrong, that is just statistics… but we also have more chance to go right… now we are gambling.
Here are some more stats for you; World gambling statistics show that around 26% of the population gamble. That means around 1.6 billion people worldwide gamble and 4.2 billion people gamble at least once every year. The average US gambler loses $400 every year.
So when we enter event after event after event, or set big goal after big goal after big goal… we are gambling. The reward is self-beleif, empowerment, potential realisation and grit, the punishment is the loss of them all.
So endurance sport should be used wisely, we want to load the odds into our favour. It’s why we have training blocks, coaches to help us and better equipment year on year. So we aren’t like those average US gamblers.
If we just enter things to distract ourselves from life and not pay attention to the odds, you are going to fail at some point. You will get injured or burnt out because you don’t care about the process, you just want the thrill of the gamble…
I’d love to help you figure out your odds.
ENGINE
Using the Erg machines across varying time frames and distances to work on your endurance. This week, we will throw in some other dance moves to mix things up.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we're back on the rig for pull-up progressions! Strict, kipping and butterfly will make an appearance, followed by lat and core supersets.
HYROX
We are 5 weeks out from Sharjah, so we will break down a full HYROX into intervals to work on pacing and strategy.
MOBILITY
Since everyone enjoyed the flows so much, we will continue with this. Full body stretch routines, of course, followed with stability/activation. We need to lock everything in place after we have stretched.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we are hitting some bodybuilding work. Monday will be some full-body resistance training with a little bias towards the glutes. Wednesday, we are starting with some single leg work and core and then some arms to finish
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are breaking down the clean and jerk. Starting with clusters to work on the leg drive. A pressing complex with paused split jerks. Then, put it all together with power clean, hang clean, and split jerk. This will be a great great technique session!
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday Ride
Endurance ride with the crew! 85 or 100km options. Email rf@innerfight.com for more info.
Start time: 05:59 am
Location: BOTS
Sunday - Group Long Run
A hatta long run to practice some time on the hills. Email endurance@innerfight.com if you'd like to get involved.
Location: BOTS
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be holding tempo pace for 8mins. Tempo should feel liks a 7/10 effort. After each 8 mins you will have 3 mins easy, which can be a gentle jog or walk. Repeat 3x rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 1000m repeats which will fluctuate between 3km and 5km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. Today the session
is 400m repeats. Try and run these 8-9/10 effort, as you have 60 sec to recover after each one. Rep scheme is 8-12x.
Friday
Hills Start Time: 5:29am
Tempo
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Sunday
Time: 6:59am
Location: Wadi Hub Hatta Public Parking
Session: Long Run
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run.
Route
This is an out and back route, please ensure to carry fuel and hydration.
Here we go, people! The start of a new block! The next 12 weeks are going to be loaded with strength, some nasty but epic short workouts, lots of strongman and, every now and again, some longer conditioning pieces! Fridays will be something special. Scroll down, and you know what we are talking about! Time to get stronger and fitter!
Monday:
We are kicking the week off with some knee flexion strength work, heavy back squats, step-ups, and cyclist goblet squats. Then we have a simple sprint workout of row wall balls row. How much do you want to hurt on the final row?
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 5 Back Squats Tempo 30X1
B) Every 2:30mins x 4 - 8 Barbell Box Step-Ups
C) Every 90secs x 3 - 8 Reps 1 1/4 Cyclist Goblet Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
500/400m row
50 Wall Balls
500/400m row
Tuesday:
Tuesday, we have an Earthquake bar bench press followed by a triset of dumbbell presses, isometric chin over ball holds and push-ups. You will need a partner for the workout as you get stuck into some kettlebell carries and assault bike efforts.
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 8 Earthquake Bar Bench Press Tempo 20X1
B) Every 75secs Alt x 12 - 1) 10-12 Seated DB Press 2) 10-20 Second Chin Over Bar Hold 3) 30sec Push Ups
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time In Pairs YGIG
15/12 cal bike
2 lengths carpark dual KB front rack carry.
Wednesday:
Wednesday is all about power from the hips. Box jumps, power cleans and a frog stance deadlifts to build the posterior chain. Then we have a short, hard effort with the sandbags and dumbbells.
Strength:
A) 5 Mins to establish a Max height box jump
B) EMOM x 8 - 3 hang power cleans
c) Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 frog stance Deadlift
Conditioning:
For Time:
30-20-10
Sandbag Over Shoulder
DB Push Press
Thursday:
Thursday's strength is focused on some upper-body pulling with a Pendlay Row, and then we have a longer EMOM conditioning workout.
Strength:
Pendlay Row
Every 2 mins x 4 - 10/10/8/8 Pendlay Row
Conditioning:
EMOM 24
Min 1 - Assault bike
Min 2 - 25 ab mat sit-ups
Min 3 - Ski erg
Min 4 - 15/12/9 burpee
Friday:
Friday, we are finishing the week with some pull-ups and Olympic lifting in the strength piece before we cap off an epic week of training with a screamer of a workout!
Strength:
Conditioning: Bring everything, including the kitchen sink! FUF are here and here to stay!
According to my extremely rough figures after a quick google search. Around 4.41 billion people play sport on planet earth. That is well over half of our 7.67 billion population. Good job earthlings! They say only the 1% of the 1% actually get paid to play sport at the top level (again, these are rough figures). One percent of 4.41 billion is 44,100,000, that is fourty-four milllion, one hundred thousand and 1% of that is 440,000. That still seems like a lot to me but relax for a second.
If you are not one of the 440,000 that gets paid to play sport, you are using sport as a distraction. Definition of distraction, a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else. We do hobbies to take our mind off work, life, home, stress. People also drink alcohol and eat shit food to do the same. I want to make this very clear, doing sport as your distraction is in most cases far healthier than most other options!
But when does it become unhealthy to use sport as a distraction? and in particular endurance sport. I am writing about endurance sport for two reasons, 1) it is what I know and 2) it is probably the sport most abused for distraction.
The benefits to endurance sport are in my eyes, endless. Day to day we (at InnerFight Endurance) use endurance sport to make people better at life. We in still self-belief, we empower, we dig out true potential, we discover grit in all our athletes. They then take those new found traits and go smash life with it, it’s why we have the best job in the world. Like all good things though, these trainable traits can be addictive. How good does it feel to cross that finish line and be the most confident person in the world for a few seconds? It’s epic. But do we get it each time we cross a finish line? No… only when it’s gone really well. The more we race, the more chance we have to go wrong, that is just statistics… but we also have more chance to go right… now we are gambling.
Here are some more stats for you; World gambling statistics show that around 26% of the population gamble. That means around 1.6 billion people worldwide gamble and 4.2 billion people gamble at least once every year. The average US gambler loses $400 every year.
So when we enter event after event after event, or set big goal after big goal after big goal… we are gambling. The reward is self-beleif, empowerment, potential realisation and grit, the punishment is the loss of them all.
So endurance sport should be used wisely, we want to load the odds into our favour. It’s why we have training blocks, coaches to help us and better equipment year on year. So we aren’t like those average US gamblers.
If we just enter things to distract ourselves from life and not pay attention to the odds, you are going to fail at some point. You will get injured or burnt out because you don’t care about the process, you just want the thrill of the gamble…
I’d love to help you figure out your odds.
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday Ride
Endurance ride with the crew! 85 or 100km options. Email rf@innerfight.com for more info.
Start time: 05:59 am
Location: BOTS
Sunday - Group Long Run
A hatta long run to practice some time on the hills. Email endurance@innerfight.com if you'd like to get involved.
Location: BOTS
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be holding tempo pace for 8mins. Tempo should feel liks a 7/10 effort. After each 8 mins you will have 3 mins easy, which can be a gentle jog or walk. Repeat 3x rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 1000m repeats which will fluctuate between 3km and 5km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. Today the session
is 400m repeats. Try and run these 8-9/10 effort, as you have 60 sec to recover after each one. Rep scheme is 8-12x.
Friday
Hills Start Time: 5:29am
Tempo
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Sunday
Time: 6:59am
Location: Wadi Hub Hatta Public Parking
Session: Long Run
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run.
Route
This is an out and back route, please ensure to carry fuel and hydration.
Here we go, people! The start of a new block! The next 12 weeks are going to be loaded with strength, some nasty but epic short workouts, lots of strongman and, every now and again, some longer conditioning pieces! Fridays will be something special. Scroll down, and you know what we are talking about! Time to get stronger and fitter!
Monday:
We are kicking the week off with some knee flexion strength work, heavy back squats, step-ups, and cyclist goblet squats. Then we have a simple sprint workout of row wall balls row. How much do you want to hurt on the final row?
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 5 Back Squats Tempo 30X1
B) Every 2:30mins x 4 - 8 Barbell Box Step-Ups
C) Every 90secs x 3 - 8 Reps 1 1/4 Cyclist Goblet Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
500/400m row
50 Wall Balls
500/400m row
Tuesday:
Tuesday, we have an Earthquake bar bench press followed by a triset of dumbbell presses, isometric chin over ball holds and push-ups. You will need a partner for the workout as you get stuck into some kettlebell carries and assault bike efforts.
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 8 Earthquake Bar Bench Press Tempo 20X1
B) Every 75secs Alt x 12 - 1) 10-12 Seated DB Press 2) 10-20 Second Chin Over Bar Hold 3) 30sec Push Ups
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time In Pairs YGIG
15/12 cal bike
2 lengths carpark dual KB front rack carry.
Wednesday:
Wednesday is all about power from the hips. Box jumps, power cleans and a frog stance deadlifts to build the posterior chain. Then we have a short, hard effort with the sandbags and dumbbells.
Strength:
A) 5 Mins to establish a Max height box jump
B) EMOM x 8 - 3 hang power cleans
c) Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 frog stance Deadlift
Conditioning:
For Time:
30-20-10
Sandbag Over Shoulder
DB Push Press
Thursday:
Thursday's strength is focused on some upper-body pulling with a Pendlay Row, and then we have a longer EMOM conditioning workout.
Strength:
Pendlay Row
Every 2 mins x 4 - 10/10/8/8 Pendlay Row
Conditioning:
EMOM 24
Min 1 - Assault bike
Min 2 - 25 ab mat sit-ups
Min 3 - Ski erg
Min 4 - 15/12/9 burpee
Friday:
Friday, we are finishing the week with some pull-ups and Olympic lifting in the strength piece before we cap off an epic week of training with a screamer of a workout!
Strength:
Conditioning: Bring everything, including the kitchen sink! FUF are here and here to stay!
ENGINE
Using the Erg machines across varying time frames and distances to work on your endurance. This week, we will throw in some other dance moves to mix things up.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we're back on the rig for pull-up progressions! Strict, kipping and butterfly will make an appearance, followed by lat and core supersets.
HYROX
We are 5 weeks out from Sharjah, so we will break down a full HYROX into intervals to work on pacing and strategy.
MOBILITY
Since everyone enjoyed the flows so much, we will continue with this. Full body stretch routines, of course, followed with stability/activation. We need to lock everything in place after we have stretched.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we are hitting some bodybuilding work. Monday will be some full-body resistance training with a little bias towards the glutes. Wednesday, we are starting with some single leg work and core and then some arms to finish
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are breaking down the clean and jerk. Starting with clusters to work on the leg drive. A pressing complex with paused split jerks. Then, put it all together with power clean, hang clean, and split jerk. This will be a great great technique session!
According to my extremely rough figures after a quick google search. Around 4.41 billion people play sport on planet earth. That is well over half of our 7.67 billion population. Good job earthlings! They say only the 1% of the 1% actually get paid to play sport at the top level (again, these are rough figures). One percent of 4.41 billion is 44,100,000, that is fourty-four milllion, one hundred thousand and 1% of that is 440,000. That still seems like a lot to me but relax for a second.
If you are not one of the 440,000 that gets paid to play sport, you are using sport as a distraction. Definition of distraction, a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else. We do hobbies to take our mind off work, life, home, stress. People also drink alcohol and eat shit food to do the same. I want to make this very clear, doing sport as your distraction is in most cases far healthier than most other options!
But when does it become unhealthy to use sport as a distraction? and in particular endurance sport. I am writing about endurance sport for two reasons, 1) it is what I know and 2) it is probably the sport most abused for distraction.
The benefits to endurance sport are in my eyes, endless. Day to day we (at InnerFight Endurance) use endurance sport to make people better at life. We in still self-belief, we empower, we dig out true potential, we discover grit in all our athletes. They then take those new found traits and go smash life with it, it’s why we have the best job in the world. Like all good things though, these trainable traits can be addictive. How good does it feel to cross that finish line and be the most confident person in the world for a few seconds? It’s epic. But do we get it each time we cross a finish line? No… only when it’s gone really well. The more we race, the more chance we have to go wrong, that is just statistics… but we also have more chance to go right… now we are gambling.
Here are some more stats for you; World gambling statistics show that around 26% of the population gamble. That means around 1.6 billion people worldwide gamble and 4.2 billion people gamble at least once every year. The average US gambler loses $400 every year.
So when we enter event after event after event, or set big goal after big goal after big goal… we are gambling. The reward is self-beleif, empowerment, potential realisation and grit, the punishment is the loss of them all.
So endurance sport should be used wisely, we want to load the odds into our favour. It’s why we have training blocks, coaches to help us and better equipment year on year. So we aren’t like those average US gamblers.
If we just enter things to distract ourselves from life and not pay attention to the odds, you are going to fail at some point. You will get injured or burnt out because you don’t care about the process, you just want the thrill of the gamble…
I’d love to help you figure out your odds.
Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Tempo
PM Session only: This evening we will be holding tempo pace for 8mins. Tempo should feel liks a 7/10 effort. After each 8 mins you will have 3 mins easy, which can be a gentle jog or walk. Repeat 3x rounds.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Today we will be running 1000m repeats which will fluctuate between 3km and 5km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. Today the session
is 400m repeats. Try and run these 8-9/10 effort, as you have 60 sec to recover after each one. Rep scheme is 8-12x.
Friday
Hills Start Time: 5:29am
Tempo
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will have bridge repeats for those who want elevation, and tempo for those who want to push the pace on the flat surface. The choice is yours. (If you are running Two Oceans, we recommend the hills option).
Sunday
Time: 6:59am
Location: Wadi Hub Hatta Public Parking
Session: Long Run
We will be back in Hatta this week for our Sunday long run.
Route
This is an out and back route, please ensure to carry fuel and hydration.
Here we go, people! The start of a new block! The next 12 weeks are going to be loaded with strength, some nasty but epic short workouts, lots of strongman and, every now and again, some longer conditioning pieces! Fridays will be something special. Scroll down, and you know what we are talking about! Time to get stronger and fitter!
Monday:
We are kicking the week off with some knee flexion strength work, heavy back squats, step-ups, and cyclist goblet squats. Then we have a simple sprint workout of row wall balls row. How much do you want to hurt on the final row?
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 5 Back Squats Tempo 30X1
B) Every 2:30mins x 4 - 8 Barbell Box Step-Ups
C) Every 90secs x 3 - 8 Reps 1 1/4 Cyclist Goblet Squats
Conditioning:
For Time:
500/400m row
50 Wall Balls
500/400m row
Tuesday:
Tuesday, we have an Earthquake bar bench press followed by a triset of dumbbell presses, isometric chin over ball holds and push-ups. You will need a partner for the workout as you get stuck into some kettlebell carries and assault bike efforts.
Strength:
A) Every 2mins x 5 - 8 Earthquake Bar Bench Press Tempo 20X1
B) Every 75secs Alt x 12 - 1) 10-12 Seated DB Press 2) 10-20 Second Chin Over Bar Hold 3) 30sec Push Ups
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time In Pairs YGIG
15/12 cal bike
2 lengths carpark dual KB front rack carry.
Wednesday:
Wednesday is all about power from the hips. Box jumps, power cleans and a frog stance deadlifts to build the posterior chain. Then we have a short, hard effort with the sandbags and dumbbells.
Strength:
A) 5 Mins to establish a Max height box jump
B) EMOM x 8 - 3 hang power cleans
c) Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 frog stance Deadlift
Conditioning:
For Time:
30-20-10
Sandbag Over Shoulder
DB Push Press
Thursday:
Thursday's strength is focused on some upper-body pulling with a Pendlay Row, and then we have a longer EMOM conditioning workout.
Strength:
Pendlay Row
Every 2 mins x 4 - 10/10/8/8 Pendlay Row
Conditioning:
EMOM 24
Min 1 - Assault bike
Min 2 - 25 ab mat sit-ups
Min 3 - Ski erg
Min 4 - 15/12/9 burpee
Friday:
Friday, we are finishing the week with some pull-ups and Olympic lifting in the strength piece before we cap off an epic week of training with a screamer of a workout!
Strength:
Conditioning: Bring everything, including the kitchen sink! FUF are here and here to stay!
ENGINE
Using the Erg machines across varying time frames and distances to work on your endurance. This week, we will throw in some other dance moves to mix things up.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we're back on the rig for pull-up progressions! Strict, kipping and butterfly will make an appearance, followed by lat and core supersets.
HYROX
We are 5 weeks out from Sharjah, so we will break down a full HYROX into intervals to work on pacing and strategy.
MOBILITY
Since everyone enjoyed the flows so much, we will continue with this. Full body stretch routines, of course, followed with stability/activation. We need to lock everything in place after we have stretched.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength this week, we are hitting some bodybuilding work. Monday will be some full-body resistance training with a little bias towards the glutes. Wednesday, we are starting with some single leg work and core and then some arms to finish
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are breaking down the clean and jerk. Starting with clusters to work on the leg drive. A pressing complex with paused split jerks. Then, put it all together with power clean, hang clean, and split jerk. This will be a great great technique session!
Monday Ride
A skills and fitness based ride at the BikeDXB track in Dubai. Some simply structured intervals to enhance cycling ability.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. This run is currently gearing run fitness towards the incoming half marathons. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday Ride
Endurance ride with the crew! 85 or 100km options. Email rf@innerfight.com for more info.
Start time: 05:59 am
Location: BOTS
Sunday - Group Long Run
A hatta long run to practice some time on the hills. Email endurance@innerfight.com if you'd like to get involved.
Location: BOTS
According to my extremely rough figures after a quick google search. Around 4.41 billion people play sport on planet earth. That is well over half of our 7.67 billion population. Good job earthlings! They say only the 1% of the 1% actually get paid to play sport at the top level (again, these are rough figures). One percent of 4.41 billion is 44,100,000, that is fourty-four milllion, one hundred thousand and 1% of that is 440,000. That still seems like a lot to me but relax for a second.
If you are not one of the 440,000 that gets paid to play sport, you are using sport as a distraction. Definition of distraction, a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else. We do hobbies to take our mind off work, life, home, stress. People also drink alcohol and eat shit food to do the same. I want to make this very clear, doing sport as your distraction is in most cases far healthier than most other options!
But when does it become unhealthy to use sport as a distraction? and in particular endurance sport. I am writing about endurance sport for two reasons, 1) it is what I know and 2) it is probably the sport most abused for distraction.
The benefits to endurance sport are in my eyes, endless. Day to day we (at InnerFight Endurance) use endurance sport to make people better at life. We in still self-belief, we empower, we dig out true potential, we discover grit in all our athletes. They then take those new found traits and go smash life with it, it’s why we have the best job in the world. Like all good things though, these trainable traits can be addictive. How good does it feel to cross that finish line and be the most confident person in the world for a few seconds? It’s epic. But do we get it each time we cross a finish line? No… only when it’s gone really well. The more we race, the more chance we have to go wrong, that is just statistics… but we also have more chance to go right… now we are gambling.
Here are some more stats for you; World gambling statistics show that around 26% of the population gamble. That means around 1.6 billion people worldwide gamble and 4.2 billion people gamble at least once every year. The average US gambler loses $400 every year.
So when we enter event after event after event, or set big goal after big goal after big goal… we are gambling. The reward is self-beleif, empowerment, potential realisation and grit, the punishment is the loss of them all.
So endurance sport should be used wisely, we want to load the odds into our favour. It’s why we have training blocks, coaches to help us and better equipment year on year. So we aren’t like those average US gamblers.
If we just enter things to distract ourselves from life and not pay attention to the odds, you are going to fail at some point. You will get injured or burnt out because you don’t care about the process, you just want the thrill of the gamble…
I’d love to help you figure out your odds.
According to my extremely rough figures after a quick google search. Around 4.41 billion people play sport on planet earth. That is well over half of our 7.67 billion population. Good job earthlings! They say only the 1% of the 1% actually get paid to play sport at the top level (again, these are rough figures). One percent of 4.41 billion is 44,100,000, that is fourty-four milllion, one hundred thousand and 1% of that is 440,000. That still seems like a lot to me but relax for a second.
If you are not one of the 440,000 that gets paid to play sport, you are using sport as a distraction. Definition of distraction, a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else. We do hobbies to take our mind off work, life, home, stress. People also drink alcohol and eat shit food to do the same. I want to make this very clear, doing sport as your distraction is in most cases far healthier than most other options!
But when does it become unhealthy to use sport as a distraction? and in particular endurance sport. I am writing about endurance sport for two reasons, 1) it is what I know and 2) it is probably the sport most abused for distraction.
The benefits to endurance sport are in my eyes, endless. Day to day we (at InnerFight Endurance) use endurance sport to make people better at life. We in still self-belief, we empower, we dig out true potential, we discover grit in all our athletes. They then take those new found traits and go smash life with it, it’s why we have the best job in the world. Like all good things though, these trainable traits can be addictive. How good does it feel to cross that finish line and be the most confident person in the world for a few seconds? It’s epic. But do we get it each time we cross a finish line? No… only when it’s gone really well. The more we race, the more chance we have to go wrong, that is just statistics… but we also have more chance to go right… now we are gambling.
Here are some more stats for you; World gambling statistics show that around 26% of the population gamble. That means around 1.6 billion people worldwide gamble and 4.2 billion people gamble at least once every year. The average US gambler loses $400 every year.
So when we enter event after event after event, or set big goal after big goal after big goal… we are gambling. The reward is self-beleif, empowerment, potential realisation and grit, the punishment is the loss of them all.
So endurance sport should be used wisely, we want to load the odds into our favour. It’s why we have training blocks, coaches to help us and better equipment year on year. So we aren’t like those average US gamblers.
If we just enter things to distract ourselves from life and not pay attention to the odds, you are going to fail at some point. You will get injured or burnt out because you don’t care about the process, you just want the thrill of the gamble…
I’d love to help you figure out your odds.
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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