What is an Athlete-In-Life?

I have always referred to you, my team, as athletes - athletes in sport and athletes in life. It’s a special part of TRAINING2XL because I grew up as an athlete and still consider myself one today. I was fortunate to be an athlete in sport until my late 20’s, meaning that I was fortunate enough to be playing competitively until then. For those that don’t know, I played varsity basketball at Wilfrid Laurier University for 4 years, and in my 5th year I played on the varsity lacrosse team. I still play recreationally and I can still crush my husband in a game of 21 (I still got it 😉), so I STILL consider myself to be an athlete.

But here’s the thing … you don’t need a dedicated playing surface to be an athlete, and that is the message I’m trying to share with TRAINING2XL. Living like an athlete is more about the dedication, consistency, resilience, discipline, and mindset to perform at your best. It’s about overcoming adversity and challenges by leaning on your teammates (partners, friends, siblings, support system, etc). It’s not about the jerseys, the accolades, or even the games - it’s about working towards being the best version of yourself, and getting 1% better each day with a small step forward. That’s what it means to be an athlete-in-life!

Athletes-in-Sport: Athletes currently participating in sport - competitively or recreationally.

Athletes-in-Life: Athletes that are working towards performing at their best at home, at work, and in life (and retired athletes in sport!).

Being an athlete truly taught me so many valuable life lessons, ones I didn’t even realized I had acquired until after I was done playing in an organized capacity. These are lessons that have absolutely served me well as a strength & conditioning coach and entrepreneur (because let me tell you … you have to be hella resilient as a business owner). There are many small habits and rituals that I started when I was playing basketball that I have continued to this day in my adult life. It might not be prepping me for game day, but it’s prepping me for the game of LIFE!

Part of why I got into strength & conditioning was to be able to stay involved in sport and work with athletes to help them excel on the field, turf, ice, court, etc. Truthfully, I still live vicariously through them because there are so many things I miss about being an athlete in sport - the butterflies before a game, the road trips, the friendships with teammates, and so much more. If you are currently an athlete in sport reading this, soak up every moment because it’s such a privilege to play and participate in a sport you love - don’t take it for granted!

If you are an athlete in life that maybe participated in sport at one point, or have always wanted to - there are so many things you can do each day to live your life like an athlete, it’s more of a mindset than anything! Something else you can do is join a community (like the T2XL Team) that allows you to experience that same camaraderie and drive towards a common goal - it is so special to be a part of something like that.

I built TRAINING2XL off this notion of always being an athlete - always keeping the mindset to wanting to be 1% better, of working through adversity, leaning on your teammates, not shying away from challenges, and wanting to perform at your best. This can take place in so many facets of life - in the gym, and far beyond.

There my not be a specific jersey, or venue to play in, but I want to help support you to perform at your best in the game of LIFE!

Yours in Strength,

Alena

P.S. If you’re looking for support in being an athlete-in-life, I am here to help! Here are a couple of things to get you started …

Athlete in Life Bundle: All the staple T2XL resources (Athlete in Life 8-Week Strength Training Program, Protein-Packed eBook, Athlete Nutrition Guide + Webinar, and a T2XL crewneck!) - for only $125!

Personalized Performance Programming: Customized programming to help you achieve your desired goals along with 1:1 support from me!

TEAM2XL: Small Team Strength Training for the Athlete in Life [both virtual + in-person options available] - hit CONTACT to learn more!