Simon Ward
Whatever your sport, my goal is to help you continue to enjoy your sporting passions into your 50's, 60's and beyond. I'll send you weekly tips on how to boost your health and performance through sleep, nutrition, mobility, strength and mindset
Wardy Wisdom - Paddling on a surfboard
Wardy Wisdom - 18.9.24 Paddling on a surfboard It’s curious which phrases stick in our minds. You can hear the same advice from a dozen different people, and then one of them says something in a way that completely resonates. And so it was when I spent some time with swim coach Karlyn Pipes. She told me to float face down and form a Y shape with my arms, like lying on a surfboard. Because of the width of the surfboard, she said, your hands will enter the water a lot wider than normal. Like...
How a multi day bike trip can boost your FTP and tackling TCR with Matt Spooner (Podcast episode 384)
Happy Weekend, High Performance Humans, Are you a strong cyclist? Would you like to get even stronger? I know that these are questions that many triathletes have on their mind building to their goal races. You can choose the traditional way, riding 2-4 times per week with some well structured intervals and a weekly long ride. Commuting to work is also a good way to add in extra volume. One option you might not have considered is a multi day cycle trip. A few years ago I rode Lands End to John...
Sleep special: How to sleep smart to maximise health and performance (Podcast episode 383)
Happy Weekend, High Performance Humans, Have you ever tried tracking your sleep? I have, and while I learned a lot of really good lessons it also taught me that it isn't always positive. As an early adopter of tech I got into Whoop in 2017, right at the beginning. They even consider me one of their 'founding members', whatever that means! I loved being able to see how much sleep I was really getting versus what I thought I was getting. The splits between deep sleep, REM and light sleep were...
Wardy Wisdom - How to make training healthy & sustainable.
Wardy Wisdom - 18.9.24 Hi there, “Am I still an athlete if I don’t have races on the calendar?” I get asked this question regularly by athletes. In fact, some find it as stressful to have an empty calendar as they do a big race looming. 2025 races are already starting to appear on the calendar, and you may be one of those folks stressing about which race to enter, so I’m going to offer up an alternative. What about if you had a season with no racing? You redirect your focus from race...
Your end of season recovery responses & "Is this the worlds hardest triathlon?" (Podcast episode 382)
Happy Sunday High Performance Humans, Earlier this week I asked whether you had an end of season recovery, and if so what it looked like. I got some great responses on my Facebook page (feel free to add yours if you haven't already). One thing I have learned is that in order to maintain the enthusiasm for activity for many years, you have to take time off occasionally. Whether that's a few weeks at the end of the summer or a few days here or there through the year. Judging by the responses to...
Wardy Wisdom - Is an end of season recovery necessary? (Part 1)
Wardy Wisdom - 11.9.24 Hi there, I used to have a rule that I would wear shorts for at least 6 months of the summer. Beginning in April this would take me to the end of September. But April can be a bit chilly so I'd start on May 1 and pack the shorts away at the end of October. This year even May was challenging for shorts, but I cracked on. Imagine my dismay when I saw today's weather forecast (it's 9ºc outside🥶). I may have to rethink the shorts, or move somewhere warmer! What's that got...
How to swim better in open water, and this week's podcast.
How to swim better in open water, and this week's podcast Podcast Episode 380 A slightly different format for this weekend's email. I'd love to hear your feedback. Podcast details are further but if you want to get listening immediately click the button below. Start listening to the podcast now On Friday, I had the opportunity to watch the swim portion of the Long Course Weekend Yorkshire. The event took place in Grimwith Reservoir upon the Moors, above Pateley Bridge . . and yes it did live...
Wardy Wisdom - Why does mindset matter?
Wardy Wisdom - 3.9.24 Hi there, as mentioned in my last newsletter, I'm handing over the reins today to my wife, Beth (that's her in the photo below). Most of you know me for my coaching, but I have to say, Beth is an exceptional coach in her own right. She has a natural ability to listen and draw people out. I hope you enjoy hearing from her today! Why does mindset matter? Hello! I’m so happy to be a guest contributor this week to Simon’s newsletter. Simon’s last few podcasts and emails have...
Professional Gravel Bike Racer - Danni Shrosbree
Professional Gravel Bike Racer - Danni Shrosbree Podcast Episode 380 "And I just kind of fell in love with being in nature, being in the woods, not being fearful of cars around, and just having fun" Gravel biking is growing really fast, and as much as I like being on my road bike, I find gravel riding much more fun. Yesterday, Beth and I rode an amazing route in Lincolnshire. The ride was just over 150k (it was a loooong day out!!) with 50k of tracks, fields and paths and the rest was quiet...
Wardy Wisdom - You'll go faster if you relax more
Wardy Wisdom - 28.8.24 You'll go faster if you relax more Hi there, Here's an interesting reflection from my swim this morning. The main set was 10 x 200 starting every 3m30s. The intention for each 200m effort was to swim it as a negative split, easier on the first 100m and then a touch faster in the second 100m. The immediate thought is that it would be easier to speed up after a relatively easy 100, but in fact the opposite happened. As I tried to swim easy, my pace got better making it...
Whatever your sport, my goal is to help you continue to enjoy your sporting passions into your 50's, 60's and beyond. I'll send you weekly tips on how to boost your health and performance through sleep, nutrition, mobility, strength and mindset