2021 is DONE. 2022 is NEW! I hope you had a great holiday and are getting started with an amazing New Year! This is a summary of what’s going on at The Lifetime Athlete. I’ll highlight a mix of topics going from the year that was to the year I hope it will be.
The Blog: After a decade as a blogger within several different businesses and websites, I’m just as enthused as ever to keep writing about human performance and all its associated areas. At least the ones in which I either have expertise or interest. Sometimes writing about a subject drives you to research and learn more about that “thing” and for me this helps to facilitate growth. Over the past few years I’ve received some great feedback and this continues to guide and drive my writing. Health, wellness, fitness, and athletic performance are my focus but with a very special bent toward longevity in those pursuits. As I expand a bit in 2022, I’m going to be writing specifically about certain sports. These will include but not be limited to running, cycling, triathlon, skiing, hiking, hunting, fishing, and wilderness athletics. These are certainly passions of mine and I want to share what I’ve learned and am still learning. I’ll also be doing more gear reviews and recommendations around gear for those endeavors as well as home gym equipment.
The Podcast: The Lifetime Athlete Podcast started out as a passion project a few years ago. I wanted to talk about things I thought were important in the human performance space. Some of that has been conversations with cool people about topics that matter. Other convos have been banter with my co-host PK. And I’ve also taken the opportunity to rant, rave, and ramble about all sorts of things in our space. I’ve seen my greatest growth in the pod and I’m going to be expanding it considerably in 2022. It seems people are really digging these messages of peak performance, athletic fitness, and athletic longevity. I’ll be expanding some of those gear reviews in audio format, chatting about lifetime athleticism with a multitude of folks, and sharing more stories of my adventures and experiences in the athletic life. I’m finally at a point where I’ll be soliciting and accepting commercial sponsors for the show, but with a high degree of scrutiny. I’ll test and evaluate products if and only if they truly are outstanding, make a difference in the life of an athletic human, and in which I genuinely believe. This will piss off a lot of merchants because I don’t just want dollars for pitches in a pre-roll. They have to be good and they have to be vetted by me. Same goes for guests on the show. Anyone who has something to offer is welcome, but those with an agenda/pitch will be told “no thanks.” My life is getting too short to put up with bullshitters and my tolerance for such behavior has waned.
Videos: TLA’s YouTube Channel has been a lot of fun, and it primarily has served as a resource for clients. This is true both on topics of human performance as well as weekly programming for our online coaching group, the Training Tribe (T2). I’ve got a bunch of current topics queued up for this year as well as those ongoing vids for Tribe workouts. I hate to say it here but if you wanted to be cheap and pirate the videos, you could get a lot of great workout ideas without spending a cent and ever joining the Tribe. That aside, I realize that everyone likes to get information and entertainment in different formats. Some prefer reading, some like listening, and some go for viewing. I’ll keep the show and tell option thriving because I enjoy this myself.
Social Media: Over the past year, TLA output has gradually concentrated primarily on Instagram (@thelifetimeathlete). I’ll generally post something every day and it’s a mix of photos, graphics, and short clips. Most of this revolves around training but occasionally the inspirations of nature and food are featured.
The Tribe: Like the podcast, T2 has grown into perhaps more than I originally envisioned. Online training has many options these days, and what we’ve created has really solved a lot of problems for people. I say “we” because I could never have developed this thing without all the feedback and encouragement from our members. We are year-round, and we’re nationwide. T2 is based on an annual training plan that mixes home gym workouts with outdoor sessions, and group programming (both live and virtual). Local members do live workouts together outdoors in the summer, but this programming is also issued to everyone around the country. We use weekly MasterClasses and our exclusive Forum to help members feel supported, connected, and accountable. We’ve eliminated cost, complexity, and access and we are getting incredible results. I did a Tribe update a few weeks ago and this was simulcast on the pod and blog in case you want to learn more.
AnimalFIT: My book, AnimalFIT will be getting my attention in the coming months. AnimalFIT is a body type assessment system and training manual that helps you to accurately identify your inner athlete and then learn how to most effectively train it. It overlays the solid scientific foundations of anatomy and physiology with the whimsical personification of spirit animals. With AnimalFIT, you truly can “Unleash Your Inner Beast and Unlock Your Athletic Potential.” I’ve got two big goals for the book this year. First, I’ll be producing my first audiobook and putting it on Audible. And second, I’m working on developing a certification course for trainers, fitness professionals, and health care providers so they can effectively use the system to enhance their client outcomes.
Courses: In addition to the AnimalFIT course, I’ll be updating and transitioning several of my e-book programs into online courses, using an established platform. Fit for the Field, my conditioning program for backcountry hunters and mountain athletes, will be offered in early summer. The Healthy Workstation, a comprehensive guide to ergonomics and workplace wellness, will soon be available. And Effortless Weight Loss, the evidence-based guide which simplifies body composition optimization, will join the suite. I’ve enjoyed taking a number of online courses myself over the past several years, and I’ve been inspired to reach and help more people in this manner.
Services: Online health and performance coaching continues to grow as a viable industry. When I started up almost a decade ago, I had to convince people of its worth and only managed to engage with early adopters. These days, I don’t have to waste energy doing any convincing. Folks find me, vet me, and engage me, and I both go all out in working with them and love the hell out of it/them. It’s pretty simple. Under my umbrella, I help people perform better, get out of pain, and stay lean and healthy. Those are my qualifications as a physiologist, biomechanist, physical therapist, and health educator. I do it one session at a time, or by subscription and ongoing relationship. I like combining the PT with performance and health. This isn’t quite a one-stop shop but it does take out a few proverbial birdies with a single stone.
My Rehab: Ahh yes, my personal story. I’ve had some years in the past when I’ve written about my training, and crushing performance goals. I was kicking ass. Last year had a little more of me getting my own ass kicked. I had that shoulder injury, discovered a congenital deformity, and wound up getting a complete shoulder reconstruction in the fall. I did what I could do to dance around the injury as I trained up to the surgery, and I’m now gladly finished 3 of the 12 months of rehab I need for this extensive procedure. I’m keeping a fairly patient and positive attitude but it’s not been perfect PollyAnna. Right now I’m gaining mobility but really hardly any strength. That will come in time. I feel fortunate to be able to work toward my goal of restoring full function. I’ll definitely do a podcast episode where I speak extensively regarding this very humbling journey.
Thoughts: Man, my mind tends to race when I get all jazzed up. It’s so energizing to think about all these things. I’m hoping to really make 2022 a great year, both for myself, my family, and my friends. And for my clients, audience, and community members. Happy New Year and let’s go get this thing. If you think I can help you…I’m here for ya!