Episode Summary: 

In this episode, James Newbury sits down with hybrid athlete and founder of Omnia Performance, Fergus Crawley, as they discuss the intricacies of marrying varying athletic disciplines with the eternal quest for optimal performance. 

 

James breaks down his insane preparation schedule for the Crossfit Games, which will leave you all frothing to get in the gym, but practically speaking - provide you incredibly powerful testament to how small accumulation in the gym leads to massive gains in the long term. 

 

In specific segments of the podcast, the boys break down varying methods of periodization, program design, and load management that can help any athlete prioritize training in step with their goals for a well-balanced, regulated lifestyle. 

 

They compare and contrast their differing philosophies on training, which opens the listener to pick and choose between what approach may suit them best when adapting to a variety of physiological stimuli. 

 

To dive into a jam-packed episode of pure wisdom for physical performance, tune in with James and Fergus here. 

 

To learn more about Fergus Crawley’s Omnia Performance, and his overall Scottish Stoke-Lord personality, visit the links below: 

 

Website: https://www.omnia-performance.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ferguscrawley/

Episode Timestamp: 

0:00 to 1:30: Podcast Intro

1:30 to 7:15 James’ Career History in Crossfit, Introduction To The Sport

7:15 to 14:00: Program Design, Undulating Intensity, Training For The Games

14:00 to 18:45: A Typical Week in James’ Training for the Crossfit Games

18:45 to 22:45: Interference Effect, Progression Through Training Phases

22:45 to 25:45: Fergus’ Training Regimen Per Contrast To James 

25:45 to 32:00: Nasal Breathing, Endurance Training, Zone 2 Training

32:00 to 42:00: Stacking Gains, Adaptation To Stress, The Hybrid Athlete

42:00 to 50:00: What Serves The Average Joe The Most In Fitness 

50:00 to 52:07: Podcast Outro

 

Guest Bio: 

James Newbury: James Newbury is world-class athlete and entrepreneur. James’ extensive experience as a 4X Crossfit Games Athlete,  former semi professional rugby player for the Queensland and Sydney Rugby Leagues, and life-long fitness enthusiast have brought him here to lead a plant-based revolution in the field of health and performance… as the founder of Phyba! 

 

Fergus Crawley: Having competed in a variety of sports from a young age, Fergus Crawley has spent his life in pursuit of athletic performance.

 

Having focused on Rugby throughout his teenage years, a series of concussions turned him to the pursuit of individual performance goals. Fergus naturally fell into concurrent training given his love for variety and challenge, and quickly refocused on the pursuit of triathlons, running performance, strength sports and bodybuilding.

 

As Fergus completed his degree at Durham University, he specialised and excelled as a powerlifter, competing internationally for several years. Fergus continued to excel in strength sports and specialised in this arena until more recently switching focus back to Hybrid performance, and forging a path for others. 

 

Fergus shared his experience with mental health, and a suicide attempt, publicly in 2018, and has since used his athletic pursuits as a channel to raise funds and awareness for this cause, and has raised almost £100,000 for Movember through a variety of strength and endurance challenges.

 

Over the course of the past 3 years, Fergus has dedicated himself to studying and personifying the nature of true concurrent training, with his world record outcomes and impressive feats of strength and endurance standing as testament to that dedication. 

 

A student of both the UKSCA and NSCA syllabus, Fergus has now coached scores of athletes as they endeavour to push beyond their boundaries and apply the principles he embodies.

 

Key Definitions: 

Program Design: 
The quantitative variables of an exercise program that determine the stimulus, intensity, and purpose of exercise. 

 

Interference Effect:   
The interference effect is the phenomenon by which adaptation to concurrent strength training and endurance training is diminished compared to separately training only strength or endurance.

 

Zone 2 Training: 
Zone 2 training is typically the lowest zone used for training purposes. Think of it as going for a jog while you can still hold a conversation – somewhere between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. The purpose behind Zone 2 training is to be able to sustain a pace just below your aerobic threshold for 30+ minutes. 

 

At Phyba, we're on a mission to help people achieve peak performance and optimal results through the power of plants. We're dedicated to providing pure, high-quality supplements made from real-food, plant-based ingredients, without harmful additives or artificial fillers. We believe that by harnessing the power of plants, we can unlock human potential and help individuals achieve their goals naturally. Our goal is to inspire and educate individuals on the benefits of a holistic lifestyle that prioritises self-care, nourishment, and sustainability.