Like most busy people, I find it hard to keep a regular physical training regime whilst working. As a busy Stunt Coordinator I often travel the country and work long days with very early starts. Non filming days are filled with reading scripts, budgeting stunt sequences, writing risk assessments, traveling to recces and production meetings.
Staying fit, strong and supple enough to perform stunts is critical to helping physical coordination and avoiding injury. Many stunt people find these fitness levels decrease as they get more regular work and become generally busier. Fortunately experience and having a strong sports background often makes up the shortfall but it's not the ideal solution.
I've met many people in other walks of life who face the same challenge. We'd all like to be as fit as our schooldays or teenage years, have boundless energy and a feeling of well being. Sadly it seems many kids today are not as fit or as health as kids were years ago. I got to wondering how their health will fare as they become busy adults.
6 months ago a friend and mentor Wag Bennett died, (see earlier post). It somehow motivated me to get in the best shape of my life. This meant setting aside the 'I don't have the time' excuses once and for all. I remembered the words of a great personal development trainer, he said, "for things to change, you have to change; for things to get better, you have to get better". So I decided to change my habits, in terms of training and diet.
I set about a regular routine of weight training which rekindled a long running theme of bodybuilding and strength training which started when I first visited Wag's Gym in London when I was 15 years old.
I have since decided to compete in a bodybuilding contest, (when I'm ready), and produce a fitness DVD, as a way of setting a clear target to keep me on track.
This post is, in part, a way of making the goal public, and hopefully it may motivate others to commit to becoming fitter, stronger and healthier. I should emphasise that I am personally, totally against performance enhancing, (or any other), drugs and am training entirely naturally. Interestingly I'm still building muscle and am in my 40's with good food, training and rest.
These pics are after 6 months or regular training and good diet. Bodyfat about 17%.
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