Why Sports Stars CAN'T Walk Away... (Conor McGregor Explained)

Hello legends. So, how many of you are into your your fitness, your sport, your Pilates, your running, whatever it might might be. And we get niggles, don't we? Especially as we get older. A big one seems to be miniscus tears and and so on and so forth. And it's it's kind of um it's not nice to think that people probably give up there and then or they put their their fitness on hold. Uh especially when you know a few strategies that can really kind of get you back in the game again. And my next guest is here to enlighten us to all of this. and we're gonna be talking about Conor McGregor's return to the ring, Tyson Fury, um a few other famous uh sporting celebrities. So, uh let's go and meet Dr. Pete and uh let's get into it. >> Hey, Chris, thanks for having me. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Pete, sorry about that. I was just showing a few of my sporting endeavors o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over o over over the years. Have you heard of the Marathon Disablers? >> Say that again. >> Marathon Disarablers. Does that mean anything to you? >> No, I I'm not too familiar with it. >> No, I think it's more I don't want to say it's more a European thing. It's a It's a very famous race that takes place every year. It's called the toughest the toughest foot race on Earth. And it's across the Sahara Desert in Morocco. And uh when the year I did it, I think we ran anything up to two marathons a day uh for I think seven or eight days um and it was up to 52 degrees Celsius. I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit. Apologies, but >> probably a lot. >> Yeah, believe me, that's like, you know, take your heat in Florida and double it. It's it's about that, you know. >> Yeah. >> Crazy. So um yes, I'll just um start by saying first congratulations on fatherhood. >> That's thank you. >> You know that that's amazing. Uh a little boy, did we say? >> Yes, sir. Yes. >> Awesome. Awesome. And thank you for joining us on on the podcast. Very quick story. my first intro to physio because I was I'm I was always one of these and I still am a bit like I'm a I'm a bit bullheaded Pete you know I charge into stuff I'm not really interested in the minutia and the you know put me running shoe I've never warmed up for example it's not something I've ever done I put my shoes on and I just go out the front door and I've done that for like you know over 40 years now and you're probably going to tell >> [laughter] >> Chris, don't do that. But so I was working in, believe it or not, I was working in a fish factory in Norway up there in Scandinavia and and uh our product was salmon for the sushi market in Japan. And >> and this is many years ago now. And because I'm bent over all day and I'm preparing these salmon fillets, I started to get this real pain in the back of my my my neck. And I [snorts] didn't really, you know, I just tried to mosey on through like you do when you're not that bright. And it affected my sleep because the pillow kind of crricked my neck up a bit more. And I got in this real mess where to be honest I if something wasn't done, I'd have to give up the job. And then when I mentioned it to one of my colleagues, they said, "Oh, do you know that the factory's got got its own physiootherapist? um this is how much it was worth to them w you know to to to get over all the repetitive strain injuries they actually employed their own physio and so I went to see him in his office in the factory and I said hi doc he said actually Chris I'm not a doctor I'm I'm like that's just a military thing we anyone in medical we call we call doctor doctor in the military out of respect and so he he laughed and I said yeah I've got this problem in my neck because I'm I'm constantly bending over to slice the fish. And he said, "Right, put your fingers on your chin." Okay. He said, "Right, keep your head level. Just just move it back and forward again." He said, "Right, do that 10 times." So, I did it 10 times. He said, "Right, do that twice a day and come back and see me." Pete, no, no joke. within 2 days my pain had completely gone and he explained that he I was realigning my vertebrae from where they were slightly sort of out of sync and um and that's when it hit me that bloody hell maybe this these physiootherapists they actually know they know what they're talking about and it's been the same with many other injuries I've had you know back stuff shoulder stuff just just doing that in the gym when you've got repetitive strain injury in your shoulder and you put a little bit of resistance in the in the opposite direction. Um it it it keeps you right so to speak. So is this kind of does this tie in with your experience? >> Sure. Absolutely. It's just all about getting things in the right place, right? And in your example, you created too much stress in one area. It's like, how do we distribute that so it doesn't keep banging a hammer on the same spot? >> Yeah, absolutely. I thought before we sort of dive into the technical aspects of all of this. Um, >> have you noticed Conor McGregor's g he wants to make a comeback? >> Yes. >> He's a guy he attracts a lot of media, doesn't he? and not not necessarily >> so yeah >> not necessarily for the right reasons. Um but what they were saying is a breakdown the other day they said two things. They said the reason he'll struggle coming back is that when you've been out of the game for a while you lose the the kind of mental muscle memory that you build up by being in it every single day training every single day. your your your reactions get kind of razor sharp and when you've been out out the game even though you train in the gym and you go back in the ring it's just not it's not razor sharp anymore so you risk I suppose really getting whacked >> and the other thing they said Pete was because he's got this metal rod down in his um is it your feur the lower part of your leg the >> it's tibia there >> tibia I'm Sorry. Um, yeah, because he's got this metal rod in his tibia from where he had it broken that time. They're saying that he's subconsciously he'll always be conscious that that's there and he won't kick he won't kick as hard as he probably needs to. Is this kind of how it is, do you think? >> I I think so. to the first point when you mentioned about getting back in the like being out for a period of time. One, he had the injury so subconsciously. It's like is he going to let up or not uh put everything into it because he's a little nervous about the leg? I don't know. Maybe he's not. But the thing is you mentioned about the reactions 100%. And especially as you're aging, it's not like he's a spring chicken in terms of like fighting age. So he's out for, you know, however long you get back in. You mentioned like when you're in it every day, yes, the reactions are there. He's getting back into it, but even as you age, that stuff, it goes off away just a little bit. Like these guys are running on very fine margins. So you lose just a little bit. It's a big difference. A matter of just getting hit or not or just skimming something, you know. So how is that going to affect him? Who knows? his experience could help them in that sense, too. But again, this stuff, it's a tricky window. It's the same thing with like boxers and stuff like that. You see, if they lose just like that little step or or a little bit of an edge, that reaction time, all that stuff, they know what they want to do, like they can do it, but the body just isn't allowing them to do it just at that speed. We're talking milliseconds differences. And you know, that's a could be a difference maker between people. That's where you see like the uh decline in age or the aging athlete as they say. So, it's a it's incredible when someone is at a higher age and they're still able to do it. They found a way to adapt or do something to accommodate for these inevitable declines. You know, father time is uh loses to no one, right? So, that's what I would say from that end. >> Yeah, absolutely. And you work with a lot of these guys and you've worked with people in the military and and this kind of thing. >> Absolutely. Oh yeah. >> Yeah. H how come I think I mentioned this when I chatted to you before. You see someone like Jovovic or you know the these guys they've they've been batting that tennis ball um for years and years. I mean like careers that last probably well since they since they were like three or four years old, maybe five years old and they're retiring when they're sort of around 40. If 35 years they've been on top of the game, how how do they stay ahead of injury or how do they cope with the ones that they get? Yeah, I I think it's a combination of a lot of things, right? So, they definitely have their own teams behind them that are managing their their bodies. So, they're seeing things like as an athlete ages, they have to manage like how often are they getting after it, right? Because the recovery is not going to be the same. So, they got to manage this stuff. So, when they're playing, that's like when they're really at their their peak. They're getting after it and they need to recover from that. genetically speaking, you know, that you can't change. Like some people just have genetic gifts to to be able to withstand more stress. I think it's the adaptations over time like because they were trained well or been in this that they were able to manage themselves so they avoid uh serious injuries or and they're listening to themselves, right? If something seems minor, they have something address someone addressing that so that it doesn't become bigger because even minor things it's like eh no no big deal. until you brush it off. When you're 20, you feel like you can run through a wall. So, yeah, you're going to it's no big deal. You can brush it off, but when you're even when you're creeping up to 25, 26, 27, you're like, you know, that stuff's there. You're hitting your uh physical peak, if you will, or athletic peak. But, you know, that little stuff, it's a it's a fine line. You're here and then it starts to tick down. So, staying ahead of that stuff. And then the other thing is the experience like we were talking about before like like in tennis you gota think maybe their speed isn't the same or the reaction time but they've been playing for so long they're putting the ball in a place they can almost anticipate where that ball coming back to them is going to go because they've been seeing it so many times like just subconsciously the way their opponent's swinging the racket how it's coming around the spin of the ball they could almost move into a place maybe half a step sooner and anticipate that which gives them the ability to get ahead of it to make up for speed or things like that. And that that's the one thing that maybe Conor McGregor could get get away with in terms of like the fighting same thing. He might be able to create uh an opportunity for himself because he can anticipate what they're going to do and just kind of put them in a position that gives him an advantage. So that's that's what these great athletes can do. They adapt when their body is changing over time. And with the experience, they can change and apply that skill and use their skills to the best of their ability by making their opponents make the mistake and not, you know, and not uh be discouraged, you know, as as they're going. They just have the mental willpower that they're never going to lose. They're going to find a way to get it done. >> Yeah, absolutely. I'm thinking, do you know much about I know this isn't really your field, but I'll chuck it out there anyway because I talk about this a lot. Um, childhood trauma. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Not like a ton, but I I understand where you come from. I'll let you >> go where you're going with it. Yeah. >> Well, I the reason I mention because I'm a like I'm a scholar of life. I like looking at everything and trying to work out, you know, probably trying to understand myself because I make some really crazy decisions. >> Like I climbed >> Oh, yeah. >> I climbed Mount Everest last month. >> Um >> Awesome. >> Yeah. But random, isn't it? You know, it's a bit it's a bit >> it's a bit bizarre. And uh I went in I was in a a bar the other day with my friend and I put my my glass on the bar and I ordered another drink and and uh she said, "Oh, I'll just wash that for you." [laughter] Or, you know, or get you another glass as they say. And I was just like, "Oh my god." Like coming from where I'm come from, the absolute depravity of some of the stuff that goes on on Everest, [laughter] you're you're eating out the same thing that you've eaten out of like six times and it's hardly been washed. Um, so yeah, bit bit random like I say, but what I was getting at is when you look at like Conor McGregor, especially when you look at how he spiraled into substance misuse and and addiction and and real kind of desperately attention-seeking behavior. And Tyson Fury, you know, not to the same degree, but he's been open about his mental health problems. he's been open about his substance, you know, use and that he he almost considered driving his car into a tree or off a bridge or something. And then you hear them announce they're coming out of retirement and it's kind of so many I mean a lot of people are obviously really happy because they love to watch these guys fight and let's be honest those two guys are you know love them or hate them. >> They're kind of iconic in that sport. They've done a lot for that sport in recent years. But then I can't help but think um you know there's also a lot of people going, "Oh, come on guys. Give it a rest. Go go go and be a good family man. go and like you know spend some time with your kids and don't don't risk getting your brains bashed out in in the you don't need the money d and so the question there is well if they don't need the money which obviously they don't what is it why do they need these wins in the ring and and this agilation that comes with it and Pete my kind of thinking is like deep down they're they're really missing that kind of affirmation they get from from from you know maybe that public feedback that they get and love is is replacing something that deep down um you know deep down that they're missing >> 100% 100% think about it like when do these guys get started with that stuff it's at a young age and they're working their way up that's essentially their identity it's their entire adult life and before that. So when you don't have that anymore, it's like what's going on? Like if that was your whole life, you're in the gym, you're training every day, you're surrounded by people that you know that are helping you reach the pinnacle. And then if that just goes away, that makes it hard to cope with too. It's like, how do you just go back to regular life? Because what is regular life? if your whole life was this before, you know, that's a that's a tough thing like and you can look at it even just like you you're in military stuff like that. Some guys are in the military their whole like it's a way of life. It's a routine all these things. And when you leave sometimes it's really tough to be like um what do I do now? And that stuff is is really important. And I think that's why a lot of guys go back to if they think they can do it. They they got still got something to prove to themselves, then so be it, you know, but it might just be an identity thing and and like you said, it's hard for them to go outside of that one thing. >> Yeah. Yeah. It seems it seems to be affect boxers more than others. And I just think the whole kind of >> thing around that is that it's a violence ball. It >> it attracts people from kind of dispossessed backgrounds who, you know, use the boxing schools to as a sort of father that maybe wasn't really a good father, you know, who's maybe not even there or whatever. So >> yes, no, we're not judging folks. We're just asking, you know, >> just pondering pondering pondering these things. Um, yes. It's funny. Sometimes I'll be in the supermarket like with my girlfriend and our son and um someone just comes up to us and they're like, "It's you." [laughter] It's like they've seen they've seen my podcast or they've seen something on social media and and um you know they come up and we have a hug or we shake hands or whatever and quick quick quick chat and it's it's lovely. It's nice. I'm really lucky that it's very rare. It's you know it depends where I am. If I'm at a festival it's it's depending on what kind of festival it is. It can be quite a lot of people that come up say I love your show. D. But um [snorts] my my son and my girlfriend, they know to keep me in check. They just laugh. They laugh their asses off. [laughter] It's it's almost like they just know to laugh at, you know, just don't don't get ahead of yourself, Chris. It's it's so because they because they know me is what I'm trying to say. You know, they know the real me. And if these people knew the real me, they'd like run a m they'd probably run a mile. So I kind of see it, Pete, from that, you know, with with these celebrities. One when people have sort of stopped asking you for selfies in the street, it it must be a Yeah, it must be a big thing. Hey, >> yeah, it's a weird change in life. It's like flipping a light switch because you're so recognizable and not at all. And then that could lead to, you know, some issues of of feeling lonely or or stuff like that if you don't certain support systems aren't around you. It's it can happen to anybody. You know, you get used to this way. Everybody's like, "Hey, everybody knows you." And then if they don't, like that wouldn't be a good feeling. I mean, I could see that happening even to myself, but someone you' be you'll be thinking, "What did I do wrong? What's wrong with me? Why doesn't anybody like me?" Stuff. But it's um you know, we're tribalistic people. So if enough people like us are like, "Oh, we're part of this big tribe. If that goes away, what happens? I don't belong anywhere." So that that is like a huge part of that for sure. Um and uh I would personally not want to be in that realm because of like the pressures of that for sure, just seeing it from the outside. But um you know, some people feed off of that too. That gives them the energy and and keeps them going. >> Yes. Exactly. It's a bit of a con, what's the word? I can't think of the word. But, you know, if you keep your own fitness going, so I'm 56 and I still, you know, I still run all the time or I go to the gym or I swim or whatever. And I I can't imagine like not you know I went out before Everest because I'd concentrated on a fitness for a year. I actually ran out. I went out and my three mile time was the fastest I I can ever remember doing it. We're talking probably like in 20 years and I'm 56. >> Um >> that's awesome. The difference is like I keep at it, but I'm not going to I'm not going to get my face smashed in, you [laughter] know, and uh >> Yeah. Right. [snorts] >> Do you know? So, um yeah, funny one. Funny one. What do you think about um ice baths have been really become really popular, haven't they, in recent years? >> Absolutely. I do them every once in a while. I mean, there some stuff's mixed research. Uh, a lot of people say it's better if you do it before the workout instead of after just for a few minutes. Uh, to help the the thing is it's like before the workout they say it's going to stimulate more testosterone, stuff like that to help with a better workout. And then other people say, you know, you want to do it afterwards to help reduce the inflammation, kind of shock the system, boost the recovery or kickstart the recovery uh system. But I I like them. Feels good. It's kind of invigorating. So, it's one of those things like if you ever uh Paul like Wimhof or somebody like that, like he was big on that's how he got started. It was like a he was depressed and he just decided to go in this really cold like lake or pond by his like house and then that just started to help him feel better and he's created he essentially created the whole movement I feel like with all that stuff and um it is very [clears throat] powerful. I think it it can be it can be helpful. But the other stuff that I think is good is like sauna. People do a lot of that stuff, infrared light. Um, and the other thing are their cryo tanks. So instead of like the ice bath, like some people they maybe they can't handle the cold water, but it's just like the cold air you can come in and you only need to be in it for like 90 seconds, maybe a minute. And those are pretty helpful. They have like a lot of these spots like around here. You can go in that cryo tank, go right to the sauna, do that contrast type of recovery method. It is uh it can be helpful. And then it's just coming down to just taking care of your body and being able to move well. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm I'm I'm quite fortunate because I built a sauna in in in my back garden. Yeah. I figured I'd buy like a nice garden shed, >> like a decent one, because you can get really cheap ones, you know, you pay like a couple hundred bucks or something, but I paid about 500 bucks or something for a really nice Sorry folks, I'm talking in American language. >> What's that? Like 300. I paid about £400, I think it was. >> Um, for a nice garden shed. And then I bought all the stuff online to make the sauna. You know, the the the vapor barrier and the special you got to have special tree seasoned wood otherwise it just all bends and kinks and >> and then the heater of course and lighting and this sort of stuff. And >> it took me about six weeks. I thought it was going to take about 3 days to build and then six weeks later I'm still building this sauna. And then I added up everything that it cost me. [laughter] It's like4,000 pounds I'd spent. And you can buy them for 3,000. [laughter] >> But hey ho, you know, there's nothing like building your own stuff. >> Yeah, absolutely. That's awesome. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, uh Yes. What do you think? Um, do you think kind of these these elite sports stars, do you think their brains are wired differently to to the rest? >> I think so. I think so. Yeah. Because even like the guys at the highest level, there's always going to be some that are just outliers at the everybody that's at the peak of their sport. They're just different, you know, everything they do. They might have all the physical qualities. Some of them might have more physical qualities than them, but it kind of goes back to I mentioned earlier. It's like that willpower to never lose or just be able to kick it into another gear. And it's just something that people have. It could be trainable. I think some of it is just you're born with it. And then you're just training on top of that. really pushing yourself. Like these people push themselves to the limit. They know what they can handle and they're never going to let someone just take them down. So, I think it's just one of those things that you I don't think you can train every anybody to just have it. Even if they're elite athletes in their own right, some people just aren't going to be the peak or the pinnacle like some of these other guys. And it's just it is what it is. like that clutch gene everybody talks about stuff like that. It's some people just have it, some people don't. And maybe some people have it and they just never wanted to put the effort in to actually make it the best it could be. But we'll never know about them anyways. [laughter] >> Yeah. It's like when uh your wonderful country is hosting the World Cup at the moment, right? The football. >> Yes, it is. or what we call football, what you guys call soccer. >> Um, and then when you see like, you know, when you sort of see Argentina play, it's almost like they know they're going to win before they've set foot. Do you know what I mean? They're going to do everything every >> they have. It's like they have total belief in themsel. It doesn't mean they're necessarily going to win, but they totally believe they are the best and they play, you know, they they they they they play the best like like Messi. And then and I'm not knocking England, but we've got this thing here where people don't our media, you know, our press, our news is so evil in this country that they won't let people feel good about themselves. you know, they they'll give you a little bit when you're doing well and then the second something comes along, they just tear you down and they destroy your confidence. And so we've had a team now for the last well probably since the 1966 World Cup which we won. We've had a team that's always they always go to the negative first. It's always like, well, you know, this match tonight, if if we get a bit of luck, you know, if if things go our way, you know, we we we we're hoping that, you know, we you know, we might get a >> And what gets me, Pete, is like, have they never had like a positive mental attitude psychologist go and speak to them and tell them don't talk like that? You're literally talking yourself into losing. What? >> So, yeah, >> because athletes, it's hard for them to avoid that. So, with like, you know, social media and everything else, it's hard. Like, you could be a coach or anybody that on the team say, "Don't listen to the media. Don't read this stuff." But it's hard not to just see. It's always in our face, right? So, if they see that, they're almost written off. It can almost create a subconscious like, "Ah, we're just not that good, you know?" And it can bring you down. I mean, you just said it, right? They if you keep it positive and they feel like more people believe in them, it's like, okay, we can do this. We can put it together. It's that I think there's a lot of merit to that stuff, especially in team sport things, too. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Absolutely. I've been um so I do this thing now. I've done it for a while is like I just tell the universe what I want and that it's has to give it to me. Um and it works. That's all I can say. It just works. You know [snorts] when I when I went to Nepal last month or the the month before >> um in fact it was actually March I think our expedition started. >> I just said right universe here's the deal. I'm I'm climbing Everest. That's it. There's no other outcome other than me summiting. Then someone pointed out, well, Chris, you better get back down. I was like, ah, yeah, I better add that in as well, and I So, I said, I'm going to summit successfully. And I I just it's like I knew it would manifest, you know? >> Yeah. >> I I I just knew it would. And and but I've always done that. >> I've always done that. I think um when you do some sort of extreme um athletics, which I've done over the years, extreme endurance stuff, there's an awful lot of people that just try and talk you out of it. >> Yes. >> You know, like last year we rode AC we me and my buddy rode across the Atlantic. >> Okay. So many people, Pete. Well, we actually had a skipper that had done it before tell us that we were fucking losers. And you know what? Why are you kidding? Why are you kidding yourself? You can do that. You need to spend three years preparation. You need to be uh you need to go and find a hospital that will teach you surgery, you know, in case you have to like do open heart surgery on each other. I'm I'm I'm joking a bit, but you know, it was like, >> you know, and then there was a team here where where I live, their boat was next to us in in the in the uh the warf where we kept it, you know, the boatyard. And they were out every single week. And they were going out like 40 miles out to sea and in storms and all this crazy kind of stuff. And um I just thought they're scared, you know, they're they're not they're doing this because they're afraid of failure rather than like you need to do this to succeed. And me and my buddy, we jumped in that boat. We rode about a mile and a half, maybe two miles. A big ship went past and the boat went and we both thought we were gonna fall overboard. So we said, "Should we go to the pub?" Yeah. So we So we rode to a bar. [laughter] We we we rode to a nearby marina and um >> called our families up on the phone and we all had a lovely meal. It was great. Um so that was our that was our prep preparation. [laughter] Um I'm I'm being a bit facicious. You have to do a bit more. You know, you got to know navigation. I got you. >> You got to know how to chuck, you know, how to put a put a sea parachute in. this and you got to understand, you know, a few things, but the the thing is most of that we did in the two weeks before we um before we set sail or set rowing. [snorts] Um yeah, >> how long did it take you to do the whole thing? >> That one took us 52 days. >> Okay. >> Um and yeah, it it is really simple. It you just got to stay clipped onto that boat. you know. >> Yeah. >> Because the worst thing that's going to happen is you get rolled over >> and if you're clipped on then you can't you know you don't you don't want to fall overboard on an Atlantic Rambo. I tell you that now. Right. >> Because >> because this the you're getting pushed so fast by the wind that you could never swim to catch up with it. So out of fear, you just make sure you're clipped on all the time. It's not a diff I mean I think once I went on deck and I'd forgotten to do it and I was like, "Oh Christ, quick clip my safety harness on, you know, >> and we did roll. We rolled about 300 miles off Barbados. We >> Oh, awesome. >> We got quite a big swell." And I didn't think it was that big it was gonna roll us over, but this wave just came in and before we knew it, the boat went that way >> and then it picked it up and it chucked it over that way. >> So, we were sat upside down in the deep green sea for >> about 15 seconds or so, which doesn't sound long, but >> you know, I bet it felt pretty long. Yeah. >> Yeah. Everything was sort of greeny blue and I sat there and I thought, we better come up, you know, and because we'd shut the hatches on the front cabin and the back cabin, we, you know, the our beautiful boat Isabelle sort of came back up. But >> what I'm trying to say is is fear just gets so many people, doesn't it, and stops them living their dream. >> Yeah. If you tell yourself enough, then you're not going to do it. You're going to believe it and you're just not going to do it. There's plenty of research that says that like you just like you said, you just tell the universe that I'm going to do this no matter what. You're going to do it because you'll believe it and you'll do anything. You'll just make it happen. >> So yeah, >> even subconsciously if you're telling yourself enough it's in the back of your mind that you're not going to be able to do this, like you might just give up or be afraid to go that step further. The mind is a powerful thing. That's for sure. Yeah, absolutely. I've just always had this thing like if someone else can do it, >> you know, then then anyone can do it, you know, with within reason, obviously. >> Yeah, sure. >> What >> How long did you train for to do Oh, sorry. I was going to ask No, go on. Your your question >> Your question is probably way more interesting than what I was going to say. >> No, no. I want to know how long did it take you to train for Everest because you said you you did it about a month ago and you know that's a like what did you do training for that? I know someone else that recently just did that and they were training for you know a couple years doing like a lot of climbing stuff like that. What did you do since after your ro story? Did you just go to the puff? No, I'm kidding. >> Yeah. So mine was kind of our summit was quite unique. >> Yeah. >> Uh for a lot of reasons. Basically I plan to do it in 2027 with a friend of mine >> and we we'd physically agreed look if we're going to climb out we we need to decide to do it because it's not you know it's not going to be handed to us on a plate. and everything I've done in my life, Pete, as long as you make that decision, it then happens. Doesn't you know what, whatever it might be. So, we made that decision and we started to think about, you know, are we going to do this for charity? If so, you know, which charity and this this kind of stuff and how we could raise the money and sponsorship and this sort of thing. And then I was approached on Facebook by a sherper that actually owned an expedition company, a climbing company. And I thought, you know, is this the universe sending me someone right at the right moment? So I sent him a message and I said, um, uh, oh, I guess we're climbing Everest then. And this guy replied, "Yep, guess so." And he was a world recordbreaking sherper. He'd climbed Everest. He had the fastest time climbing from the Tibetan or the Chinese side up >> and then climbing down the Nepalese side. So, you know, this was a guy that that you'd figure knew what he was sort of doing. And >> and um I said, "Okay, 2027." and he was quite uh short and to the point about he said no next year 2026 he said in 2027 Chris there's going to be all sorts of new rules coming out about who can climb Everest how much money you know you yeah you're going to have to pay more money for the permit all this stuff I'm not saying this is true but this is what you know >> what he said he said you're just way better to climb it this year While everything is still the same, the only difference was they'd raised the permit this year by something like $3,000. I'm plucking out of thin air. I don't exactly know what it was, but I I knew they'd put it up. [snorts] >> So, I was like, "Oh, okay." >> So, the truth is, Peter, I didn't really have any time to do >> Yeah. you know, I I I had to do what I always do when I do these kind of adventurous things. I had to use my time accordingly. Um, so I thought, right, dealing with the altitude is obviously going to be the biggest thing, isn't it? Fitness is not such a big thing, >> right? >> Simply because I'm I'm always moderately fit and so So the very first thing I did is I called up my buddy and I said, "Let's climb the highest mountain in the UK, which I think is Snowden or or I just said to him, let's climb Snowden and it's the highest mountain in Wales or or or something, right?" >> Yeah. So we climbed that and that was quite an eye openener that a domestic peak that's not really particularly tall in the grand scheme of things can that's quite ninja when when we the the route that we took was pretty ninja at the top if you if we'd put a foot wrong >> you're going to fall you're you're probably going to fall to your death or or a serious serious in injury right so so I did that and at the same time I just got as fit as I could I ran One day I went to the gym and did sort of light all over body work and some sort of physio type stuff, you know, yoga type stuff >> the next day and then I swam the next day and I I was happy to do that every day of the week really. I don't I don't really like days off cuz I it kind of slows me down a bit if that makes sense. Um >> yeah, >> so I did that. At the same time, I'd already been reading and researching everything I could on Everest for since I was about 5 years old. That's when I first got the interest. And since the 1996 disaster, which they've made, I say disaster. You know, eight eight people lost their lives on Everest in 1996. So, I I read everything I could since then and studied everything I could and and tried to figure out like why what why did these people die? And to be honest, it it's um it you start to work out stuff that you'd never know before. >> Yeah. And one of the things is a lot of these companies put people on so much oxygen right from the bottom of of the mountain to the top because they want them to succeed. So what happens is if their oxygen runs out on the summit they they can't live. They just not a client. So they immediately get you know cerebral edema or pulmonary edema. And they and I saw two of these well I don't know why these two people died up there but you know the you have to step across we had to I had to step across two dead bodies just to get up there and um just to get up there. It sounds a bit rude doesn't it? What I mean is, you know, they they're they're one one guy I think had died this year and one guy been up there quite quite a while and um so yeah, I'm learning all this kind of minutia stuff in the background, watching every YouTube video I can on climbing, climbing harnesses, how to get out of a creasse, da d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d and I knew when we got there that we'd climb uh a 6,200 meter peak. So, it wasn't like we was just going to go straight to Everest. And I'll be honest, like I'm a Arctic warfare trained commando, so the kind of living in a tent, heating up snow to to make water, all like I know all of that, you know, that sort of stuff. Um, the actual climbing really is pretty much limited to what you call a zuma, which you clip on the rope and you just slide it up like this. Um, there's a couple of bits where you got to get a bit physical. But anybody that climbed up an apple tree as a kid to, you know, nick apples or climbed over, you know, ran a, [laughter] you know, cherry knock people's doors and then had to climb over a couple of couple of fences to escape that it wasn't much harder than that. You know, it's it's >> people are going to take me a bit literally here and disagree, but what I mean is it it wasn't there's nothing about it that's that hard. The main thing is you don't want to fall in a creasse. Um, >> yeah, it's more about like the safety than the actual physical effort that it takes, right? >> And you want to acclimatize and the climatization was hard, much harder than I thought. You know, I actually went all all the way back to Catmand do because I was, you know, my body was reacting badly at first. And >> so, um, that was that really. And it again, you know, th this is going to upset people and I make no apology. All these things are reasons why people would not climb Everest. They say, "I want to do it, but whoa, it's all too risky for." And here's the thing, Peter. If someone's done it, if an 80-year-old Japanese man's done it, if a Kiwi guy with no legs has done it. >> Yeah. >> Like, you can do it, buddy. Do you know what I mean? It's the only thing stopping you is is is the way that your mind is wired. And >> and [snorts] people get really upset about this. Um it there was a you know a lot of controversy caused because um yeah we had a one of basically I was climbing with a Polish chap. >> Yeah. >> And I'm going to shut up after this cuz I'm I'm I'm aware I'm I'm talking a lot but it is quite interesting I think. >> Um >> Absolutely. >> But we were effectively abandoned on the mountain. And we were the last people on Everest. We were the last I was the last person to summit. The poor Polish guy didn't didn't summit. Um, and [sighs] there's so much nuance that goes on in a story like this, you know, >> that that the public could never understand, you know, they just just could never understand. Like for example, we we got supplied five cylinders of oxygen and I remember saying look could I buy two more just to be you know it makes sense to be a bit safety conscious here doesn't it and if they're only5 they were $500 a piece which is a lot of money for me >> but in the grand scheme of what you pay to some that's like nothing you know it's it's like What's another thousand bucks? Right. And the thing was it really limited us cuz the company we were we were with they they didn't really perform. And it meant that when I went to the summit, I could only breathe one liter of of oxygen per minute. I think I think that's how it works. >> Which was f which was fine, you know. What I'm trying to say is some of the bigger companies, you know, the famous ones, they've got their clients on anything between four liters and eight liters a minute, right? They're literally breathing like you and I are breathing now and they just walk walk up, they get them up there and they, you know, take their photo and the the company gets a result because it can say, "Yep, we had all our people summit this year." [snorts] Whereas for us, it was very different. We, you know, we we were we we had the basic oxygen routine, you could say. So, we didn't have anything to squander, Peter. So, we went up really steady, took it easy. Um, and like I say, it it's it's all mental, you know. It it it's it it's just Yes, it's physical. Yes, you've got to be acclimatized, but whether you get up there or not is so much of it is to do with your, you know, your mental attitude. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Sorry, I went on a bit of a tangent there. >> Oh, that's awesome. I love it. >> Yeah. It's just it all it's all, you know, for something that should have been um you know, such a great result. Um, it's caused a it's caused a lot of nonsense is what I'm trying to say. [snorts] Um, and it's really sad. It's just so sad how you know when you know the truth [laughter] and and it gets just so taken out of context by by people that like have never even been there. And it's it's just a bit it's it's been a bit bizarre is what I'm trying to say. >> Um, sure. So, I'm being I'm probably being a bit I'm trying to overexlain it a little bit because when you say >> but how many people can say they've done it, right? >> Yeah. Exactly. >> Yeah. Exactly. But I think um you know that that's doesn't necessarily go in your favor because I think people really wish that they could do it >> and so it's so easy then to go to the negative about Everest. and say, "Yeah, well, it's rich rich CL." It's like, "Anyone who knows me knows I'm not rich." Um, you know, oh, it's people that abuse the abuse the shirt. It's like, dude, I've live, worked, and traveled in 89 countries on all six seven continents. Do you not think I I probably know how to treat people and, you know, I'm sort of a life coach and I teach enlightenment. It's it's you know I'm not going to be going to Nepal to abuse the workers there believe me. And and then it's kind of interesting Peter that >> like um you know there's a whole thing going on in in in the whole community on Everest that people just they just don't they're not aware about and they wouldn't be aware about unless you've been there been there yourself. So yeah, it's all a bit bizarre. Sorry, I'm waffling on a bit because it's it's so hard to put it's just so hard to put into words, >> you know, so hard to put put it's so hard to put the nuance um into words. It's just really simple. You know, I'm going to go on holiday next week to IA. Literally, not one person has messaged me and gone, "Oh, you shouldn't go to IBA. You're going to be leaving all your rubbish, you know, you're going to be drinking out of plastic bottles. You're going to be abusing the locals because, you know, they're just there. They they survive on tourism, man. It like literally nobody is has said that or will say that, but when you announce when you announce you're going to Everest, which yes, it's a, you know, secret sacred place, whatever, but >> it's still just another place on the planet. It it's just an area of land. the bit that we're talking about that you go as a climber. It's it's like a needle on a football pitch. That's how much ground you're going to cover, you know. >> So, um >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yes. Anyway, sorry. Apologies again, Peter. It's it's >> nothing to apologize about. >> Yeah. It's um just it's just uh it's it's a whole bizarre bizarre sort of thing. Anyway, um so coming on, the last thing I wanted to ask you, what are your views on sport shoes, you know, running shoes? >> Sure. >> Um because I tried to go minimalist. I I did barefoot running for quite a bit and then what happened was I got real bad. Um, I got like these I don't know what you call them. You You'll know better than me. They They're like They're like a blister, but they're under the skin and they're quite hard. >> Um >> like um I know what you're saying. >> Yeah. >> Like not like a cyst, but >> Yeah. That sort of thing. >> Like that. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. where your body is trying to protect uh it's trying to stop the bone pushing through the skin. Basically, it creates these these little things like they they feel like candy like these little you know we call them >> like a not Yeah. Yeah. I almost said a callous but it's not a cal I know what you mean but >> Yeah. >> I understand what you're saying like a bersa or like these >> bersa. That's the one. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, and so that put pay put pay to that, you know, I couldn't keep running barefoot. It it was just too painful. And >> then I went completely the other way and I bought a pair of hawkers. >> Um, [laughter] you know, for friends at home, hawkers are the big thick running shoes. >> I'm walking on a cloud. >> Yeah. >> And they've obviously become incredibly uh popular. I've since gone on to a to a company called Altra, which are just >> Oh, yeah. I know those. Yeah. >> Even better again. >> Yeah. >> And my first run in the Hawkers, these highly cushioned shoes, they they call them clown shoes. It was my fastest time for years, Peter, you know. >> Yeah. >> And the reason was is it was that thing we were saying. I wasn't afraid because I've had spinal surgeries. I wasn't afraid to go flat out because it wasn't jarring my my my spine. So, I just wondered if you had any kind of, you know, views on that. >> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. It shoes like you're talking about the running shoes themselves and stuff like that with running. >> Yeah. Just, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Just some people believe in, you know, minimalist. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah. I so the craze with that I think it [clears throat] came from the you know the book born to run and uh I think what happens is unless we're on like something like the beach or in nature and stuff like yes maybe we could run barefooted but we're in such a developed area now like these sidewalks the roadways they're hard pavements it's artificial it was ever. We're not adapted to that in a sense. So like the shoe or the shoes that we have now are designed to create that cushion, absorb the the shock, if you will, so it can distribute a little bit better. And then the last piece of that is like all these shoes are are built a little bit differently. there there's some commonalities that we want in terms of like the shoe being stable and structure, but the the way your foot is actually will determine the shoe that you need. So, if you're someone that has like a really high arch, you land on the ball your toe a lot. Uh that's where you put a lot of stress, you wouldn't necessarily want a shoe that they call it a heel to toe drop. That's what like those minimalist shoes that are or being minimalists, it's a zero drop, right? It's like from heel to toe, there's there's uh nothing inclined. If you're someone that has a higher incline, it's going to tip you towards your toe. So, that's going to put a lot of stress there. One, it can help you spring forward. So, that's why a lot of these shoes are built that way. It's like it helps you bounce across the ground, stuff like that. But if you're someone that has uh like a high arch, it might push you in a direction too much and it could create more stress like Achilles tendonitis, uh planer fascitis, stuff like that. And it says we got to say, all right, maybe we need something has a lower drop, but it doesn't mean the shoe's bad. Um and then if it's got a high cushion, is it too much cushion? And you're kind of a little like you can't stabilize yourself as you hit the ground. So there are some nuances when you're looking at everything. It's not just like, oh, you just get this running shoe. Oh, you got to wear this insert and you'll be good to go. Maybe it'll be good for a little bit, but what does that affect everything else? So, that's that's what I look at when people come in and they're getting running shoes or they ask me, "What's the best shoe?" It's like, I don't know. We got to find the best shoe for you. It's not just one off the shelf. Yes, good, good advice. Um, yes. So, I'm sort of in that place now where I I sort of can't go back. [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, but you know, I'd love to I'd love to be able to go minimalist and low drop and all this this this kind of stuff. But, uh, so Peter, um, coming to your services now, what what what do you offer people? >> Sure. So, I do sports performance type therapy. I'm one-on-one with everybody. So, anybody that's an active adult or an athlete, whether they're playing, you know, golf, tennis, pickup sports, college athlete, um I get quite a few of those that if they had an injury, they're trying to get back on the field or court and or they might just not be the way they used to be and and these old injuries seem to rear their ugly head again. That's where we kind of bridge that gap, help them go from maybe they did the basic rehabs, but they feel okay walking around, but when they do the higher level stuff, it just isn't right. So, we bridge that gap to help them get there. And then on top of that, we might do maintenance programs where people might just want training and programming and stuff like that. They feel pretty good, but they want to be able to maintain and go forward. We do that as well. And it's do you do sort of um online consultation? I'm just thinking that you're there in the States, I'm here in the UK. >> Yep. Yep. Yeah, we do stuff online. Absolutely. Uh so I'll do like uh Zoom consults. I'll do uh treatment sessions online or it could be a programming thing. But we do meet like that. I've met with plenty of people overseas, you know, Sweden, China, uh, in the UK as well. Um, so I' I've been I've had clients all over, you know, so it's it's no big deal. It's just got to make the time zone fit or the time fit. But yeah, we do stuff like that all the time. >> Absolutely. And I've been showing your I'm just looking at my other screen here. I'm showing your website and your Instagram. Is that the best way for people? >> Well, yes, obviously a DM. Yeah, DM on Instagram is is like the easiest way if you wanted to get in touch with service-wise or set up like online consultation, we could definitely do stuff like that there or you can fill out a form on the website or get back to you there. >> Awesome. Awesome. Is there anything you want to add um that I haven't covered? >> No, I don't think so. I mean, we've got into some pretty good stuff here. Uh, I like your story and everything you're saying. It's all good stuff. And, uh, you mentioned it earlier. You said, "Oh, I'm going to tell you just don't do that when you just go bowl right in and you don't warm up, do all that stuff." It's that's 99% of the people. So, everybody does that, myself included sometimes. So, but uh I think ha have telling people that they have a routine and just some sort of movement routine or something that keeps them healthy or or being able to open up their options to move will be the best advice I could give somebody in terms of preparing for sport or staying healthy long term so they don't run into like these small injuries that could turn into bigger ones. So, if you just have some little five minute movement routine that you could do every morning or or just create as a a habit, that would be you'd be about 80 85% ahead of the game uh compared to everybody else. >> Yeah, that's like when I go to the gym, Peter, I'm I'm I'm not interested in in, you know, big muscles and all this stuff. Well, anymore. Um >> yeah, >> I for me it's about being nimble and lean and you know doing the the the the plank and um um just trying to like keep my body all tone toned up to to to get not just a better performance say for example when I'm running or when I'm doing sport or adventure or whatever but just to like feel good about life. Um, >> absolutely. >> Yeah. It's kind of funny. When I came down from Everest, I was nine stone. So, I was uh six 60 kilos, which is um Yeah. I' I'd lost >> That's That's pretty light. >> Yeah. When they weighed me at the airport, they all started laughing. >> What did you weigh before going up again? >> Um Well, here's the thing. I was 9 10 11. Um ah I think I was like 11 and a half at one point and then I purposely just trimmed down um at least to 11 because my my philosophy is always if you're doing something endurancebased like why do you want to carry extra weight? It's it's you know you want to be you want to be lean and even on Everest they say no eat eat a lot because when you get up there you won't be hungry and I was like yeah but >> you know from camp 4 to the summit and back it's it's you're talking less than a day and and when you run an ultramarathon you might be running for like two days and you know eating very very little sort of food or or when you do a water fast I mean my first water fast I didn't eat for I think it was 17 or 18 days. Um >> damn. Yeah, it's amazing what the human body my my friend a chap called John St Julian he's got an awesome YouTube channel like he does 40 days or he's done for 40 days right um so I have kind of like quite a different view when everyone's like oh you got to eat up bulk up eat loads of pasta I'm like no I just don't you know >> like when I go running my best running times always come when I've fasted for 24 hours. You know, you've emptied your stomach a of the weight of everything that's in there, which can be, you know, two one or two kilos. >> Uh B, your body's not digesting it. So, twothirds of your energy you get you've got back because your body's not trying to, you know, work on overdrive here. And and the and the third thing is you just feel like you're not bloated and stuffed. Um and you fly along, you know. And I heard the same thing. I was listening to an audio book about Everest and the guy in it, it was the first American, I think, to summit. So it's quite a while ago. And he said, you know, when he went for the summit, he didn't eat breakfast. He said you can't s your stomach. He said something like your body can't serve two masters. You know, you're e you you either need the energy to go to the summit or you need the energy to digest food. You you don't want to be doing, you know, you don't sort of want to be doing both. So, >> um yeah, fascinating. >> Awesome. >> I can't say I've done that long of a fast, but uh it definitely makes a difference. Yeah, it's yeah, people are getting to grips with all this kind of new, >> you know, all this stuff's been hidden from us, hasn't it? You know, it's always been like, oh, you need an operation and you got to take medication. >> Yeah, it's always been there. It's just that it's the perception of it has changed now. >> Yeah, absolutely. Dr. Peter, thank you ever so much for coming on the show. >> Thank you. Um, friends at home. This has been a bit of a yap. I probably spoken quite a lot, but um, that's, you know, I don't do interviews, folks. I I invited Peter on the show because I just wanted a good old chat about the stuff that I love. Um, and I think that's what we had and and also great opportunity to promote Peter's wonder wonderful work. So, get in touch with him and um, take take that next step. [snorts] Peter will put all your links below the video. Friends, if you can like and subscribe, that would be awesome. Plenty more. Uh we got plenty more good stuff like this for you. And um Peter, stay on the line so I can thank you properly after I stop recording. Uh but massive thank you again [snorts] >> and much love everybody at home. Drown [singing and music] the truth with things that are not [singing] real. And I really want us to be real with love. [music] Love that last [singing] in the past. I messed