First They Laugh ... Then They Ask

The title above is a phrase I often hear from my fitness coach Jordan Stinson . When we take significant action and do things that most other people aren’t doing, sometimes other people laugh. When they see the impact of our commitment to that ‘something different’, sometimes the same people get curious and ask. ?

One of the changes with the biggest impact I have made in the last 6 months is my commitment to my fitness.

In Nov 2022 I signed up to work with Jordan at Just Start Fitness. I had been experiencing lower back and sciatic pain for over a year. This had kept me out of CrossFit which had been my fitness 'drug of choice' for the previous three years. Fitness has been part of my life since my teenage years, and I wanted to get back into training. I shared this with Jordan, and he offered to help. After three sessions with him I knew things were rapidly improving and he invited me to join a small training group of five men he was putting together. We are all aged from early 40s to early 60s, all run businesses and call ourselves the ‘Everyday Athletes Club’ (EAC)

I have been training with the EAC three times weekly for the last six months. At the start I was working my muscles in a way they hadn’t been worked for some time. Some muscles I don't think I had ever worked. I was in a fair amount of pain for a few weeks, but gradually that passed. Six months of consistent training later, I am in better shape than at any time over the last 30 years (with the possible exception of 2014 when I completed an Ironman). I have never been stronger and fitter with better mobility than at any time in my 55 years. The commitment of the men in the group to showing up and doing the work is both impressive and inspiring. I am in the shape of my life and regularly find myself struggling to keep up with the others, except on the rowing machine, I'm reasonably good at rowing.

What I have gained from training with this group of men goes way beyond fitness and strength changes and the energising experience of working out. I have developed connections. I feel part of a small community that is both competitive and has my back. Once a month we now do a recovery session that involves a sauna, cold pool and a great conversation. In June we are spending a weekend in Cornwall on training, walking, recovery sessions, ocean swimming and eating lots of great food. There will also be many incredible conversations.

Fitter, stronger, healthier, connection, community, growth … what’s not to like.

I’m not training for an event. I started training with this group for life and longevity and now I keep training because I love it. I’m away from home at the minute for a month (a story for another article) and have joined a gym and committed to completing the 3 times weekly training sessions Jordan has created for me. The idea of missing my sessions because I’m away from home doesn’t make sense to me. I am either committed or I’m not.

On the topic of longevity you are interested in evidence about how exercise and strength training can impact longevity check out ‘Outlive’ by Dr Peter Attia. Or if you'd rather have a link for a podcast Peter is on, let me know and I'll send you a link.

The interesting thing is that while I haven’t talked a lot about this to other people, the impact is being noticed. I attended an Immersion recently and after a physical challenge we had the chance to participate in, my fitness was noticed by others. I was the oldest man in the room and going toe to toe with the guys in their 20’s and 30s. At least one of that group is now back in regular training because of this.

Three times recently I have been asked how I am keeping in shape, and I have had the chance to share what I am committed to and the impact it has had. Two of them are back in training.

I could have made this article about commitment, but what I am really seeing is that how we live our lives can impact other people.

Whether we like it or not, the words we say, the actions we take and how we live our lives … people are watching. Our colleagues, our employees, our friends and our kids. When people see us get committed to something and see that it’s making a positive difference … sometimes people get interested, sometimes they ask us about it and sometimes they take action in their own lives.

'First, they laugh, then they really do ask'?