The Filter is Off Podcast

The boys are back with a bang.. and Michael is on fire. We look At Deadly Dozen's inaugural Sprint event in Sheffield, we go all zen over the Hyrox Cruise & discuss what might happen for age group athletes with Hyrox and World Triathlon joining forces and the excitement around the new fast and ultra race formats. Add to this an exceptional pb for one of Michael's clients, practical coaching advice on pacing, specificity and building mental resilience. (spoiler  alert Michael & Mark may differ here!!). We finish with Michael's EMOM training tips for breaking the dreaded Wall Balls and previews of upcoming races in Birmingham and Poznan.

BONUS EPISODE: EXCLUSIVE interviews with  @jason.curtis.official @davejparkin and the inaugural Deadly Dozen Sprint. Jason outlines the growth of the format and the whole DD brand whilst Dave recaps solo and doubles world record.

BONUS EPISODE: In exclusive interviews we grab Jason and Dave straight after the inaugural Deadly Dozen Sprints. 
Jason discusses the event atmosphere, high judging standards, inclusivity and scaling for adaptive athletes, and the vision to make Deadly Dozen a global, versatile fitness-racing brand.
Dave tells us the new challenges of the Sprint in both solo and doubles format and how he enjoyed the rapidfire nature of the event.

The Three Musketeers cover all the latest news including the end of meals for UK hyrox volunteers (* since recording Hyrox have announced that this was a communication mistake and meals have been reinstated, we are awiating parking update. We discuss Sportograph consent bands and Hyrox's cease-and-desist actions over data scraping from third‑party apps. We also consider the financial and access pressures on elite competitors, the implications of higher costs for parity in the sport and the growing reliance on sponsors.
After the industry debate we revisit recent races in Budapest and Cornwall, explores marginal gains in training and performance, shares predictions for upcoming Elite series in Hamburg. Michael & Gerry reflect on race-day lessons and look forward to see how good training blocks translate into good race times.

In this conversation with Ciaran Parkinson (ciaran_fit4rox) he talks candidly about his priorities and the challenge of balancing fatherhood, coaching and elite-level Hyrox competition.
We discuss a wide and varied range of topics including event travel logistics and sponsorship realities, race strategy and nutrition and supplement habits, his priority for individual client attention in his coaching business. We look at what success means for Ciaran and his goals for the coming season. 

In a wide-ranging episode we cover Hyrox' "Ultimate Package" and whether VIP add-ons are worth the cost, concerns over data scraping and third-party apps being forced to remove live results, rules and control around elite athletes and videographers, and a discussion on World Championships qualification standards and should there be a minimum qualifying time.
We also touch on race-day logistics, sponsorship kit rules, training mindsets, gimmicky fitness products and the revelation Gerry won't go the World's if she qualifies...perhaps.

We unpack an episode covering  the various way that life's stresses can impact performance. We look at a customs perfume false alarm and the toll of family life and emotional stress on training and the non-stop nature of social media. Plus the increasing stress on Elite 15 as they have to travel the world for points.
We look at the tough choice between pushing for performance or prioritizing recovery.
 

With Michael competing in Bordeaux we are delighted to welcome Gerry back as co-host.
In a packed hour, aside from finding our shared cynicism for nose strips and crocs, we cover training routines and the need for honesty, nutrition, supplements, the effect of stress and travel on recovery, Hyrox competition culture and escaping instagram algorithms. 

In a packed hour we cover all things hybrid! Gwen & Myles share their individual paths from running, rowing, bodybuilding, ultras and cross‑training into hybrid events, and how they formed a successful mixed doubles pairing breaking the age group world record in their first race together.
Our conversation compares personal experiences of Deadly Dozen and Hyrox formats, race strategy, supplements and training, and highlights issues around event organisation, podium recognition and equipment inconsistencies. 
We look at the important role of aesthetics for the three of us and perceptions surrounding aging in sport, the need for greater age‑group recognition, and finally their plans for upcoming competitions, including another Hyrox world record attempt for Myles.

We are joined by Gerry to gain a head judge's perspective on a range of issues. We look at the fallout from Beijing and the event's response, social media fallout, judging challenges, and the wider impact on both age group and elite athletes.
We also the wider effect of the constant rule changes and whether a more simple approach would benefit competitors and judges alike.