Callum - body coach

ISLAND GAMES 🏝️

We made the decision to commit to a fitness comp together once a year.. This year, it was Island Games in Malta.

Great time, great people. Turned up with a fair few injuries and (stupidly) a hangover of epic proportions, and still acquitted ourselves proudly.
Smashed the heats we knew we would (anything involving water 😂), “exceeded expectations” on the lifts 💪🏽, (and our engines 🏃‍♂️ are always(ish) strong).

The weekend shattered my body and a week later I’m only just recovering…

All in all, great weekend!


games

The amount of times I hear ‘heavy guys can’t be fast’… 🤦‍♂️

It’s just not true.

Most people I work with aren’t slow because they’re heavy - they’re slow because they’re untrained, tight, and inefficient.

I’ve seen guys at 95–105kg move better, faster, and longer than guys 15kg lighter. (Just look at Hunter!)

Why?

Because speed isn’t just bodyweight 👇

⚡ Strength – more force into the ground = more speed
🧠 Technique – better mechanics = less wasted energy
🫁 Engine – your aerobic base decides how long you can hold pace
🦵 Resilience – joints + tendons that can actually handle impact

Get those right and your “heavy” becomes “powerful”

What’s your pace animal right now?

Most athletes ask the question:
STRENGTH 💪 or SPEED 🏃‍♂️

I don’t, (and neither does ).

I got to where I am by keeping my strength, keeping my size, and training with intent.

Here’s how 👇

1️⃣ Strength stays IN.

I still lift heavy.
Not bodybuilding fluff… real strength work.

Because strength = force.
And force = speed.

Every stride you take is a force production problem.
If you’re weak, you leak energy.
If you’re strong, you move with intent.

Most runners lose this by doing too much junk volume and not enough quality lifting.

—

2️⃣ I built an engine without burning out.

Zone 2 work is boring… but it works.

This is what lets you:
• Hold pace without blowing
• Recover faster between sessions
• Actually improve week to week

You don’t need to run yourself into the ground.
You need consistency.

—

3️⃣ I didn’t sacrifice muscle.

This is where most guys go wrong.

They chase lighter bodyweight instead of better output.

But muscle (when it’s functional) is an advantage:
• More power per stride
• Better resilience
• Less injury risk

It’s not about being light.
It’s about being EFFICIENT.

—

4️⃣ Quality over chaos.

Instead of random sessions, I focus on:
• Structured runs (easy, tempo, intervals)
• Smart lifting split
• Enough recovery to actually adapt

No guesswork. No ego training.

—

Best example? Our leader !

Hunter is still an absolute beast in the gym… ridiculously strong… yet moves at a level most “runners” can’t touch.

This hybrid approach works.

You don’t need to shrink.
You don’t need to slow down.

You need to train like an athlete again.

Strong. Fast. Capable.

Don’t be lazy

❄️ Ice bath
Great for reducing inflammation and numbing pain short-term. Best used right after a flare-up or acute injury.

🧠 Physio
This is your long-term fix. Identify the root cause, fix imbalances, and actually prevent it from coming back.

🚶‍♂️ Active recovery
Keeps blood flowing, speeds up healing, and stops you from going stiff. Think light movement, not pushing through pain.

🛌 Rest
Underrated. Your body needs downtime to repair. If it hurts doing basic movement, this is your go-to.

🏋️‍♂️ Max deadlift
If you want to turn a small issue into a 6-month problem

Train smart > train hard.

HYROX - it does get easier 👀

Running, sleds, carries, fatigue, repeat.

This style of training doesn’t just prep you for a race —
it makes you stupidly fit for everyday life.

If HYROX is on your radar, I’ve built a plan for that.
If it’s not, this will still get you strong, lean, and summer-ready.

Either way, you don’t lose. You level up.

Want to get into peak fitness/strength? DM me “HYROX”