MF: What’s been your proudest achievement as an athlete?
SS: Winning back the WBFF World Championship. After I missed out in 2013, coming back to win in 2014 after months of prep was very rewarding.
MF: And as a trainer?
SS: We do a lot of transformations at City Athletic and with some people you think, ‘Oh God, this is going to be hard work.’ But over time you see them make drastic progress both physically and mentally. That’s the most rewarding thing.
MF: What’s the most impressive feat of strength or athleticism you’ve ever seen in the flesh?
SS: When I first went to the CrossFit Games. I was blown away by how much weight these guys throw around for fun and how they combine that with endurance.
MF: What’s the thing that people most commonly neglect in their training?
SS: Joint stability and mobility. If your joints aren’t stable and you don’t have full mobility you’re never going to be as effective – and you’re more likely to get hurt.
MF: And how about with their nutrition?
SS: There’s a lot of diet information around – some of it contradictory – and people can get bamboozled. Don’t worry about trying to follow the latest ‘revolutionary’ diet. Focus on having a sound, nutritionally balanced diet you can sustain.
MF: Do you have cheat days? If so, what do you eat?
SS: I do – I love Mexican food and ice cream.
MF: Can anyone build a cover model body?
SS: Yes. It’s an attitude thing. If you approach it thinking of reasons why you can’t, you’ll never do it. Think of yourself as an athlete and ignore anyone that says it’s about good genetics.
MF: What's your favourite move?
SS: I like all variations of pull-ups. I think they hit really important muscles that are often neglected. I make sure I include them in a workout at least once or twice a week.
MF: What are your plans for 2015?
SS: Because, sadly, I can only train so many people at once, I’ve got a couple of books coming out this year so I’m hoping they become best-sellers – and change people’s lives.
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