James Sidebottom | If Hyrox is an A-level in fitness is CrossFit a PhD? | F&T#39

James Sidebottom is a hybrid athlete, rockstar coach and owner of Compound, a premium personal training facility in Sheffield.This week, we talk about his origin story, whether CrossFit feels like doing a PhD relative to Hyrox's A-level, and how he's learned to separate athletics from his personality.We discuss lifestyle creation to facilitate performance obsession, the pain kink (do you not want to be shown up, or do you actually enjoy suffering?), and why there's actually peace in the hours long solo sessions – you just have to do them enough times to find it.We explore ego in athletes – when it's helpful, when it's destructive – and the importance of confidence through competence. Plus: why randomness doesn't make you better, how "too much too soon" undermines what fitness should do, the responsibility of being a professional in the space, and why the win is the same whatever the distance.Key moment: "Imagine if something happened and I couldn't perform like I do now..." – a coach's perspective on training with mortality in mind.James' linkshttps://www.instagram.com/cmpndcoaching/https://www.instagram.com/js_performancetraining/Related episodesLucas Hynes, Helene Garnett, Rhys Morris on identity, injury, and ultra training; Alex Smith on Psychopathy in Elite SportsFitness & ThinkingForget six packs – we look at six pillars of fitness: physical, mental, social, spiritual, emotional and financial.The newsletter goes out on Wednesday mornings.New episodes land on Apple Podcasts and Spotify on Wednesday evenings, and on YouTube on Thursday mornings.Subscribe / followInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitnessandthinking/Substack: https://fitnessandthinking.substack.com/Want to help? I'm looking for an editor/producer and a social media manager.Get in touchEmail: [email protected] to work with a lifestyle and fitness coach who thinks bigger than the gym?Email: [email protected]