The Shed

I originally wrote the following in 2017 about my philosophy behind the premise of what the Shed is all about and it is still relevant to this day.
I have been asked many times, so here it is....."What is The Shed”?..
“The Shed” began life in early 2005 (even though I began coaching & training people in 1984) with myself and 3 or 4 other martial arts instructors in what was literally a one car garage. The name itself “The Shed” derives not only from the physical location but also the idea that things are built, repaired and made better in a shed, a workshop for the body and character. The Hammer & Anvil logo represents the ability to not only exert power, force and strength, (the hammer) but also to be able to endure and withstand hard physical tasks (the anvil) In other words, to be able to dish it out AND take it.
The training is geared to whatever arena, race, task or objective each person has who trains here. The side panels on our shirt carries the line “Purpose Built. Built for Battle” You will end up being “tailor made” for your chosen endeavour and it will be tested under pressure. Aesthetics count for little when it comes to getting the task done. Character is exposed and resilience ingrained
Who trains here?...
Over the years I have been very fortunate to have trained and trained with a wide variety of athletes including the following:; AFL football players, Big Wave Surfers, Wakeboarders, Muay Thai fighters, Ironman Triathletes, Grapplers, Motocross riders, Enduro riders, Canoeists, Judo players, Womens Figure & Fitness competitors, Obstacle racers (Spartan, Tough Mudder, True Grit etc), Military and Law enforcement personnel. Athletes from many backgrounds all with specific requirements as well as everyday men and women who are just starting out to get fitter, stronger, better and surprisingly these eventually turned out to be some of the most impressive people.
While the physical location of “The Shed” has changed over the years, the principles and ideals have remained the same. We also train outdoors, in the hills, in the bush, at the beach year round. There is no such thing as bad weather here just inappropriate clothing.
There is also no getting around hard work. There are NO short cuts, no quick fix so get used to it!.
Each session must test and challenge the athlete to the point that they question whether they can go on or not. I have no time for excuses or complaining. Neither will be tolerated. You have come here to get results and any worthwhile results have to be EARNED
“Effort & Attitude”, the two things that separate those that achieve results from those who think simply turning up 3-4 times a week is enough. It is not.
“What you can do on your worst day matters more than what you can do on your best”
The training is hard, challenging and always with the ultimate goal or objective in mind.
I am a strong believer in no fancy gadgets, no frills, no party tricks, just old school hard work. A handful of moves done with correct form and technique, resistance, attention to detail and commitment to the task at hand will benefit more than endless moves done at 30-40% effort. It is not for everyone. Many have tried over the years and found it more demanding than they had planned. A lack of resolve and effort meant an early departure. I do not inflict what I cannot endure
“The Shed” black shirts that are worn by the athletes here are earned and cannot be bought. It is not necessarily given to the strongest, fastest, most agile etc. but to the person who displays what matters most here…”Effort & Attitude”.
Those that wear the black shirt are part of a unique band of brothers and sisters who all support each other no matter what their objectives or sports are.
A term used often in training is, “I go, You go, We go”
I work with you to achieve your goals as though they were my own and until we reach them the mission is not complete.
If this sounds like the group you’d like to be a part of, simply turn up. Do what you say you’re going to do, start right here and right now, show some commitment and resolve. You never know just how good you could be….

A little test for anyone playing along at home. You have 9 x 5minute rounds with 1 minute R.I of the following;
3 x Bodyweight moves, in this case,
Pull-ups/ Proper Pushups/ Squats for reps
3 x Ergs. Ski/ Bike/ Row for calories
3 x Weights. Deadlifts @ bodyweight ( 80kgs)/ 20kg K.B Swings, 15kg D.B clean & press for reps
How it goes-Max Reps or Cals. for the following ;
Pull-ups
Ski Erg
Deadlifts
Proper Pushups
C2 Bike
Kettlebell Swings
Squats
Row
D.B clean & press.
There is a 1 minute rest interval between each round.
Give it a crack and see how close to 1,000 you can get. As you can see I was a fair way off. Be advised , the further the rounds go the harder it gets. Of course it does 😆
Note; if you wondering what a Proper Pushup looks like I’ll put up a short video.

An observation about coming back from injuries, surgery, mental and emotional trauma . The term Rehab is often used when referring to preparing athletes or everyday folks for restarting training, playing or day to day activities just as they used to before injury or surgical intervention or traumatic events changed their lives forever. We have both had significant injuries over the years, myself (15 so far) to repair everything from broken bones to torn and ruptured tendons ligaments etc. I can say that is not quite right. Depending on the severity of the injury and any surgical procedures, you will not likely be the same as you were again. Mental scars last a long time as well . You will be different and as good as you can be up to this point. Your training will need to reflect that and focus on what you CAN do now and not what you used to do. You will need to find new ways to do the old things with a new mindset and positive outlook which is better than the alternative . Adapt, modify and investigate new methods. Seek out those who can motivate because “A rising tide lifts all boats”. No need to stop altogether just because you can’t do what you used to ( injury, age and attitude have a say in that) as you used to do it. All the fitness “experts “ out there rarely acknowledge this and assume that everyone is in pristine condition so that people just starting their conditioning and fitness journey or overcoming illness and injury watch their online content, realise they’ll never be able to do it like that and give up or not even start. Painful and sometimes permanent lessons learned over the years have enabled me to be in a position to pass on things learned and different ways to approach common objectives….youll just do it differently that’s all….your way.

We are rapidly approaching that time of year when goals set at this time last year are yet to reach a successful outcome. Which is a nice way of saying, your “New Year, New Me” didn’t quite hit the mark. Any planned improvements in the health, fitness, life capabilities area etc must be measured, planned and executed. There needs to be sacrifices. You can’t just order, “I want to lose fat, do a proper pull up, bench 4 plates, run a sub 3 marathon or whatever it may be and not have to give up something. Everything comes at a cost. Surround yourself with as many like minded individuals as you can find, either ones on the same path as you ( training groups, gyms etc) or those seniors who have been on the path for probably longer than you’ve been alive. ( i know a guy😆) Get competent and skilled coaching .Keep your short term goals realistic, achievable with effort and scalable to longer term ambitions. Best to keep your targets just out of reach, not out of sight. There WILL be sacrifices required. What are you willing to give up to achieve your goals? If it means enough to you the best time to start is 10 minutes ago. Start small, start with determination and get s**t done!