RICHARD BENNETT FEATURED IN BRAINZ MAGAZINE: WHY FITNESS SHOULD FIT YOUR LIFE
Updated: Oct 1
WE’RE PROUD TO SHARE THAT ATHENA PERFORMANCE CO-OWNER AND COACH RICHARD BENNETT HAS BEEN FEATURED IN BRAINZ MAGAZINE, DISCUSSING A SUBJECT THAT SITS AT THE HEART OF HOW WE APPROACH TRAINING HERE AT ATHENA: WHY FITNESS SHOULD FIT YOUR LIFE, NOT CONTROL IT.
IN THE IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW, RICH SPEAKS ABOUT HIS APPROACH TO STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING, PERSONAL TRAINING, ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT AND LONG-TERM PROGRESS. WITH MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF COACHING EXPERIENCE, HIS PHILOSOPHY HAS DEVELOPED AROUND A SIMPLE IDEA. GOOD TRAINING IS NOT ABOUT DOING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IT IS ABOUT DOING WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU.
THAT APPLIES WHETHER RICH IS WORKING WITH SOMEONE TAKING THEIR FIRST STEPS INTO STRENGTH TRAINING, A BUSY ADULT TRYING TO BECOME FITTER AND STRONGER, OR A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PREPARING TO COMPETE.
FOR US, THE BRAINZ MAGAZINE FEATURE IS NOT JUST SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE. IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES THAT SHAPE TRAINING AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE IN REDDITCH EVERY DAY.
WHY FITNESS SHOULD FIT YOUR LIFE, NOT CONTROL IT
ONE OF THE CENTRAL THEMES OF RICH’S BRAINZ MAGAZINE INTERVIEW IS THE IDEA THAT TRAINING SHOULD ENHANCE YOUR LIFE RATHER THAN TAKE IT OVER.
WORK, FAMILY, SLEEP, STRESS, SPORT AND OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES ALL PLACE DIFFERENT DEMANDS ON US. A TRAINING PROGRAMME THAT IGNORES THOSE FACTORS MAY LOOK GREAT ON PAPER, BUT THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MAKE IT A GOOD PROGRAMME FOR THE PERSON FOLLOWING IT.
AS RICH PUTS IT IN THE INTERVIEW:
“MORE ISN’T BETTER. BETTER IS BETTER.”
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION, ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE CAN REALISTICALLY TRAIN TWO OR THREE TIMES PER WEEK AND DO SO CONSISTENTLY, THAT CAN BE FAR MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN TRYING TO FORCE FIVE OR SIX SESSIONS INTO A LIFESTYLE THAT CANNOT SUPPORT THEM.
CONSISTENCY MATTERS, BUT CONSISTENCY BECOMES MUCH EASIER WHEN YOUR TRAINING IS DESIGNED TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BECOME STRONGER, FITTER AND MORE CAPABLE WITHOUT FEELING THAT FITNESS HAS TO DOMINATE EVERY OTHER PART OF THEIR LIFE.
COACHING THE PERSON, NOT FOLLOWING THE FITNESS TREND
THE FITNESS INDUSTRY IS NEVER SHORT OF NEW EXERCISES, TRAINING METHODS AND TRENDS.
BUT SOMETHING BEING NEW, DIFFICULT OR POPULAR DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MAKE IT RIGHT FOR YOU.
ANOTHER PRINCIPLE RICH DISCUSSES IN HIS BRAINZ MAGAZINE INTERVIEW IS:
“TRAIN THE ADAPTATION, NOT THE EXERCISE.”
IN PRACTICE, THIS MEANS STARTING WITH WHAT WE ACTUALLY WANT SOMEONE TO ACHIEVE.
DO THEY NEED TO BECOME STRONGER? DEVELOP MORE POWER? IMPROVE THEIR FITNESS? MOVE BETTER? BUILD CONFIDENCE? SUPPORT THEIR PERFORMANCE IN ANOTHER SPORT?
THE EXERCISES AND TRAINING METHODS ARE THEN SELECTED TO HELP CREATE THAT ADAPTATION.
IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS COACHING IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF ATHENA PERFORMANCE. RATHER THAN SIMPLY GIVING SOMEONE A COLLECTION OF EXERCISES TO COMPLETE, GOOD COACHING LOOKS AT THE PERSON, THEIR GOALS, THEIR CURRENT ABILITY, THEIR TRAINING HISTORY AND WHAT THEY CAN REALISTICALLY RECOVER FROM.
THAT CAN INCLUDE PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD, MOVEMENT QUALITY, TRAINING INTENSITY, RECOVERY AND PERFORMANCE DATA, BUT THE PURPOSE IS ALWAYS TO MAKE THE PROGRAMME MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
THE SAME PRINCIPLES FROM BEGINNERS TO PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES
ATHENA PERFORMANCE WELCOMES PEOPLE WITH VERY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE.
SOME MEMBERS ARE LEARNING HOW TO STRENGTH TRAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME. OTHERS HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR YEARS. WE ALSO WORK WITH ATHLETES WHO NEED THEIR STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TO SUPPORT THE DEMANDS OF COMPETITIVE SPORT.
THE PROGRAMMES CAN LOOK VERY DIFFERENT, BUT MANY OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES REMAIN THE SAME.
AS RICH EXPLAINS:
“THE METHODS ARE MANY, BUT THE PRINCIPLES ARE FEW.”
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD STILL MATTERS. RECOVERY STILL MATTERS. MOVEMENT STILL MATTERS. CONSISTENCY STILL MATTERS. AND THE TRAINING STILL NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE DIFFERENCE IS HOW THOSE PRINCIPLES ARE APPLIED.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE TO BENEFIT FROM A COACHING-LED APPROACH TO TRAINING. EQUALLY, A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE DOES NOT NEED EVERY SESSION TO BE BRUTAL SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY COMPETE AT A HIGH LEVEL.
SOMETIMES, THE MOST EFFECTIVE TRAINING IS ABOUT KNOWING WHEN ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
PUTTING THOSE PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE WITH SIMON IBEKWE
ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS APPROACH CAN BE SEEN IN RICH’S WORK WITH REDDITCH PROFESSIONAL HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER SIMON IBEKWE.
SIMON’S BOXING TRAINING ALREADY PLACES SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL DEMANDS ON HIS BODY. TECHNICAL WORK, SPARRING AND FIGHT PREPARATION ALL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN PLANNING HIS STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING.
THE OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO SIMPLY ADD MORE FATIGUE.
AS RICH EXPLAINS IN HIS BRAINZ INTERVIEW, HIS ROLE AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IS TO:
“STIMULATE, NOT ANNIHILATE.”
THIS IS WHERE THE CONCEPT OF THE MINIMUM EFFECTIVE DOSE BECOMES PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.
TRAINING NEEDS TO PROVIDE ENOUGH STIMULUS TO CREATE THE ADAPTATION WE WANT WITHOUT ADDING UNNECESSARY WORK THAT COULD INTERFERE WITH RECOVERY OR THE ATHLETE’S PRIMARY SPORT.
SIMON HAS ALREADY GAINED EXPERIENCE WITHIN ELITE BOXING ENVIRONMENTS, INCLUDING BEING BROUGHT INTO ANTHONY JOSHUA’S TRAINING CAMP. MORE RECENTLY, HIS OWN PROFESSIONAL CAREER HAS CONTINUED TO GATHER MOMENTUM.
IN JULY 2026, SIMON FOUGHT DANIEL BAER ON THE TYSON FURY VS MARIUSZ WACH CARD IN THAILAND. HE NEEDED JUST 28 SECONDS OF THE OPENING ROUND TO SECURE THE KNOCKOUT, MOVING HIS PROFESSIONAL RECORD TO 7 WINS FROM 7 FIGHTS. IT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE MOMENT FOR SIMON AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN HIS DEVELOPMENT.
OF COURSE, NO SINGLE ELEMENT OF TRAINING CREATES A RESULT LIKE THAT. PROFESSIONAL BOXING PERFORMANCE IS BUILT THROUGH TECHNICAL COACHING, SPARRING, CONDITIONING, STRENGTH WORK, RECOVERY, EXPERIENCE AND THE ATHLETE’S OWN ABILITY AND COMMITMENT.
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING IS ONE PART OF THAT BIGGER PICTURE, AND ITS JOB IS TO SUPPORT THE ATHLETE RATHER THAN COMPETE WITH THEIR SPORT.
WHAT PROFESSIONAL SPORT CAN TEACH EVERYDAY GYM MEMBERS
YOU MIGHT NEVER PLAN ON STEPPING INTO A BOXING RING, BUT THERE IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON HERE FOR EVERYONE. PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES DO NOT HAVE AN UNLIMITED ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM TRAINING AND NEITHER DO YOU.
IF YOU ARE WORKING FULL TIME, RAISING A FAMILY, PLAYING ANOTHER SPORT, DEALING WITH A BUSY SCHEDULE OR SIMPLY TRYING TO HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE THE GYM, THOSE THINGS MATTER WHEN THINKING ABOUT YOUR TRAINING.
THE ANSWER IS NOT NECESSARILY TO DO MORE BUT TO MAKE THE TRAINING YOU DO COUNT. TWO OR THREE QUALITY SESSIONS COMPLETED CONSISTENTLY OVER MONTHS CAN BE FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN AN EXTREME ROUTINE YOU CAN ONLY MAINTAIN FOR A FEW WEEKS.
THIS IS ALSO WHY WE DO NOT BELIEVE PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE FITNESS IS NOT THE CENTRE OF THEIR WORLD. FOR MOST PEOPLE, IT SHOULDN’T BE, HOWEVER FITNESS SHOULD HELP YOU ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
BUILDING STRENGTH FOR LIFE AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE
THE PRINCIPLES DISCUSSED IN RICH’S BRAINZ MAGAZINE INTERVIEW ARE REFLECTED THROUGHOUT THE WAY WE COACH AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE. OUR MEMBERS COME TO US FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.
SOME WANT TO GET STRONGER. SOME WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR GENERAL FITNESS. OTHERS WANT TO LOSE FAT, BUILD CONFIDENCE, LEARN HOW TO LIFT PROPERLY OR SUPPORT THEIR PERFORMANCE IN A PARTICULAR SPORT.
FOR SOME PEOPLE, THE GOAL IS SIMPLY TO KEEP MOVING WELL, FEEL CAPABLE AND MAINTAIN THEIR STRENGTH AS THEY GET OLDER. THERE IS NO SINGLE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
THROUGH OUR SMALL GROUP STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SESSIONS, PERSONAL TRAINING, BOXING COACHING AND ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT, WE CAN ADAPT THE APPROACH TO SUIT DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT GOALS.
THE IMPORTANT PART IS HAVING A REASON BEHIND THE TRAINING. WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE DOING, WHY THEY ARE DOING IT AND HOW IT CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR LONGER-TERM PROGRESS.
RECOGNITION FOR COACHING BUILT AROUND LONG-TERM RESULTS
WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD TO SEE RICH AND HIS COACHING PHILOSOPHY FEATURED BY BRAINZ MAGAZINE.
RICH HAS SPENT MORE THAN 15 YEARS DEVELOPING HIS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AS A COACH, AND THE FEATURE PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A MUCH WIDER AUDIENCE TO LEARN ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE HIS APPROACH.
FOR ATHENA PERFORMANCE, THOSE PRINCIPLES ARE NOT RESERVED FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.
THEY ARE PART OF HOW WE WANT EVERY MEMBER TO EXPERIENCE TRAINING.
WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE FIND AN APPROACH TO FITNESS THEY CAN ACTUALLY MAINTAIN, WITH COACHING THAT TAKES THEIR GOALS, ABILITY AND LIFE OUTSIDE THE GYM INTO ACCOUNT.
BECAUSE LONG-TERM PROGRESS DOES NOT COME FROM TRYING TO DESTROY YOURSELF IN EVERY SESSION.
IT COMES FROM GOOD TRAINING, APPROPRIATE RECOVERY AND BEING ABLE TO KEEP SHOWING UP.
CONGRATULATIONS TO RICH ON THE BRAINZ MAGAZINE FEATURE AND ON CONTINUING TO REPRESENT THE COACHING STANDARDS WE WANT ATHENA PERFORMANCE TO BE KNOWN FOR.
YOU CAN READ RICHARD BENNETT’S FULL INTERVIEW, “WHY FITNESS SHOULD FIT YOUR LIFE, NOT CONTROL IT”, ON THE BRAINZ MAGAZINE WEBSITE.
TRAIN WITH ATHENA PERFORMANCE IN REDDITCH
IF YOU WANT TO BECOME STRONGER, FITTER AND MORE CONFIDENT WITHOUT FEELING LIKE THE GYM NEEDS TO TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE, ATHENA PERFORMANCE OFFERS COACHING-LED TRAINING FROM OUR FACILITY IN REDDITCH.
OUR SMALL GROUP STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SESSIONS, PERSONAL TRAINING AND BOXING COACHING ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE YOU MORE THAN ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT. YOU WILL TRAIN WITH STRUCTURE, PURPOSE AND SUPPORT FROM EXPERIENCED COACHES WHO CAN HELP YOU FIND AN APPROACH THAT WORKS FOR YOUR GOALS AND YOUR LIFE.
TO FIND OUT MORE, CONTACT ATHENA PERFORMANCE ON 07494 417682 OR EMAIL INFO@ATHENAPERFORMANCE.CO.UK.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHO IS RICHARD BENNETT AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE?
RICHARD BENNETT IS A CO-OWNER AND COACH AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE IN REDDITCH, WITH MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF COACHING EXPERIENCE. HIS WORK COVERS STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING, PERSONAL TRAINING, BOXING AND ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT, WITH HIS COACHING PHILOSOPHY CENTRED AROUND INDIVIDUALISED, SUSTAINABLE TRAINING.
WHAT IS STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING?
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING USES STRUCTURED TRAINING TO DEVELOP PHYSICAL QUALITIES SUCH AS STRENGTH, POWER, FITNESS, MOVEMENT AND RESILIENCE. THE EXACT PROGRAMME SHOULD DEPEND ON THE INDIVIDUAL, THEIR CURRENT ABILITY AND WHAT THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE.
DO I NEED TO TRAIN EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE MY FITNESS?
NO. HOW OFTEN YOU SHOULD TRAIN DEPENDS ON YOUR GOALS, EXPERIENCE, RECOVERY AND LIFESTYLE. FOR MANY PEOPLE, A SMALLER NUMBER OF WELL-STRUCTURED SESSIONS COMPLETED CONSISTENTLY CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE THAN TRYING TO TRAIN EVERY DAY.
WHERE CAN I FIND STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACHING IN REDDITCH?
ATHENA PERFORMANCE PROVIDES STRENGTH AND FITNESS COACHING FROM UNIT 3B PHOENIX WORKS, WINDSOR ROAD, REDDITCH, B97 6DJ. TRAINING OPTIONS INCLUDE SMALL GROUP STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING, PERSONAL TRAINING, BOXING COACHING AND ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT.
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