Ricky Gibbins - Coach & Mentor

Ticked off a big phase of training!

This last block has been all about getting myself back to a solid level of fitness after my back injury last year… and more importantly, doing it without any flare-ups.

It’s been a longer process than I would’ve liked, but I’m in a really good place now and ready to move into the next phase, gradually bringing plyometrics back in and increasing strength work again.

One of the biggest staples in this block has been speed work.

A lot of people overlook it, especially when training for longer races or fitness events like Hyrox, because they think they just need to go longer, harder, and push themselves into the ground every session.

But that’s not what actually gets you faster.

Speed work teaches you to move efficiently, control your pace, and produce higher outputs when it actually matters.

And the key part most people get wrong… the rest.

Longer rest periods aren’t there to make the session easier, they’re there so you can maintain quality.

Everyone who has jumped on these sessions with me recently has firstly hated it, secondly been absolutely f**ked, and thirdly said, “I should do more of this” 😅. And to be fair, I think a lot of people should!

If we want to progress at anything, it doesn’t just come from doing more, it comes from doing better.

Shoutout to the main man for jumping on my final speed session of the block with me and absolutely sending it.

Excited to move forwards with training and keep looking through the lens of: what’s the best thing I can do, in the least amount of time, to produce the same results, if not better?

Anyway, who’s doing this session with us next time? It’s not as bad as it looks, I promise 🤥!

Training has completely changed for me recently.

Over the past couple of years I’ve tried to programme everything into a really strict 7-day schedule… which usually meant lots of training, very little rest, and my body filing a ridiculous number of complaints 😅

I suppose it all links back to that “more is better” or “efficiency” mindset. Even though I know that approach doesn’t actually work for me, I still somehow fell into it.

Lately though, it feels like I’m coming back to the old principles I used to follow. Like I mentioned in my post the other day, asking a much simpler question:

What’s the least amount of work needed to get the best possible result?

On paper, training probably looks quite boring right now… but in reality it’s the best it’s been for me in a long time.

My back is nearly at full fitness again. I can push intensity without the usual setbacks. And for the first time in years, I’m actually in a position to properly deal with the knee injury instead of just hoping it magically fixes itself overnight.

(which, strangely, has never worked for anyone… apart from 😂).

What I’m enjoying just as much is the conversations around this - people who train with me have been asking why I’m doing what I’m doing, and as a result it gives them a new lens to look through. Not just doing more for the sake of it, but thinking about what actually produces results.

And I think that’s the biggest reminder for me right now…

Real progress isn’t built in perfect weeks or “heroic” sessions. It’s built quietly, over time, doing the right work, resting when needed, and being around people who understand the long game too.

Sessions like this with Rob & Louis just reinforce that.

And honestly, that mindset and environment is exactly what UR Performance is built around.

Not noise. Not extremes.

Just the right people, the right structure, and steady progress that actually lasts.

If that’s the kind of training you need right now, you’re always welcome in the UR community.

One of the biggest mindset shifts for me right now is this question: What is the least amount of work needed to produce the best possible result?

Not in a lazy way, or obsessing over hacking/maximising every minute of the day kind of way 🤪. But more in a way of removing friction from the things I’m already doing.

This is something I’ve been working towards for years, but recently I’ve started thinking about it almost daily. In business, training, and basically in how I live.

The way I see it is it’s not about stacking more and more tasks into a day or trying to be perfectly efficient. It’s about stepping back and asking better questions.

If something currently takes 2 hours, how could it take 1, or less, while keeping the same quality, or even improving it?

If I’m training 10x a week, how could 6 smarter sessions give me the same result, or a better one?

That feels like a completely different way of thinking.

It’s less about efficiency and more about effectiveness.

I’m not trying to do more to get more, I’m just focusing more on what actually matters and looking at the way I do things differently.

The older I get, and the more I value my health, energy, and longevity, the more important this becomes.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this to hopefully spark a thought in your mind if you’re reading this. There’s plenty of things in your life that will keep demanding more and more of your time, rather than trying to meet that demand with more time, try and meet it with less time and equal if not greater results 💪❤️!

WHAT A RUN OUT WITH THE BOY!

We went in with zero expectations and came out shocked but incredibly grateful.

10 weeks ago I was getting wheeled around Dublin after pulling my back, today I just ran a full Hyrox pain free.

This wouldn’t be possible without Louis carrying me round and making sure I was ok. Can’t explain how confident I felt knowing that he was ready to step in anytime I needed (and he did multiple times).

Also, puts in perspective how much fitter we both are considering this is a time we would have dreamt of a couple years ago, and we just ran that entire thing chatting and winging it as we went along (Louis also has his own injuries right now he’s working on).

Thank you so much to for another amazing race and supporting me with my recovery. Recovery is a huge daily priority for me, especially as a type 1 diabetic.

Thank you to for the race gear!

Now it’s time to get those compression sleeves on, recover and move forward with rehab.

As always, thank you to my number 1 ❤️, thank you to every supporter, thank you for the supportive messages, and most importantly thank you to !

This year I’ve not set any goals…

I still believe in goals. I think they’re incredibly important — I’m just not letting them run the show this year.

This is a big shift for me. I’ve been setting goals and working relentlessly towards them every year for almost 15 years. But this year, I haven’t set a single one in the way I normally would.

For a long time, progress looked like training harder, working more, and pushing through. And to be fair… it worked. Until my body, energy, and brain politely (and then not so politely) asked for a rethink.

Diabetes hit me a few years back, alongside a few other challenges, and I realised something wasn’t adding up. I changed my life completely for the better — and it worked for a time. But recently, things stopped adding up again… so it’s time to evolve, again.

This year I’m less focused on the next target and more focused on the decisions I make day to day.

Getting my health right before forcing a session. Choosing consistency over intensity. Protecting the routines that fill my cup instead of compromising on them. And remembering that discipline isn’t always about doing more — sometimes it’s about doing less, properly.

I’m still training. Still building. Still moving forward with a clear vision and mission. I’m just doing it in a way I don’t need to recover from.

Goals are still there. They’re just not in charge anymore.

This year for me is about mastering the decisive moment — and choosing what aligns with my deepest values.

Sharing this for anyone who’s in a similar boat to me, or heading in the direction I have ❤️.

Not moving how I want to yet… but I’m moving.

Just over 7 weeks since I pulled my back, and I’m finally easing back into what I’d call a relatively normal programme for me.

There’s still some way to go before things feel smooth and pain-free, but that’s part of the process.

The biggest positive? I’ve been forced to slow down… and honestly, it’s been nothing but good for me (even when I do spit my dummy out from time to time 😅).

Great session with the lads, and if anyone wants to jump on any erg sessions with me, give me a shout!

I’m buzzing for 2026 at UR HQ!

Not because everything’s perfect (it never is), but because of where UR is heading and the people who are part of it.

This past year hasn’t just been about getting bigger — it’s been about getting better. Better standards. Better energy. Better systems. Better conversations. And most importantly, better relationships.

UR is what it is because of the members who show up, graft, support each other and buy into what we’re building. And the coaches and team who care way beyond “just a session” and actually want people to grow.

I’m genuinely grateful for every single person who’s been part of the journey so far — whether you’ve been here since day one or you’ve only just walked through the door.

We are fully aware we aren’t perfect, but we do everything with the intent of communicating and improving. Things take time, and there’s always bumps in the road, but we continue to move in the right direction.

2026 feels like a big year. Not in a hype way — but in a let’s do this properly way. Build something solid. Sustainable. Fun. Challenging. And something we’re all proud to be part of.

Big plans, good people, great energy. Thankful for you all!

Each year, my gratitude for life and the people around me grows.

I know that the direction of my life is largely shaped by my own choices, actions, and the standards I hold myself to. But I’m equally aware that none of it exists in isolation. The support, belief, patience, and presence of the people around me make everything I do possible.

As time passes, relationships deepen, evolve, and take on new meaning. Watching that happen is one of the most beautiful parts of life. It constantly reminds me how much more fulfilling everything becomes when you’re surrounded by good people.

Life will always bring highs and lows, and time is more limited than we like to admit. Use it wisely — become the person you’re proud of, and share the journey with the people who matter most to you.

Grateful ❤️!