Training: The Battle Within

Why We Train

I never loved fitness. Not really. I loved football. I loved competing. But training? That was just something you had to do.

Until one day, it wasn’t.

After high school, a mate peer-pressured me into giving CrossFit a go. And with that competitive fire already burning, it just clicked. I didn’t just want to win anymore. I wanted to become unstoppable. I wanted to build a fortress of fitness.

CrossFit was the gateway. From there, I dove headfirst into anything that tested me. Old-school strength cycles, hypertrophy, gymnastics, open-water swimming, plyometrics. If it pushed my limits, I gave it a crack.

That kicked off the journey. A cycle of learning, breaking down, overtraining, realigning, and going again. Mobility drills on the lounge floor. Ice packs in the freezer. Niggles that came and went like seasons. The fire burned hot, and I didn’t know how to let off the gas.

Then I met Hayley.

She didn’t come from the same training background, but she had grit baked into her bones. She’d been part of one of the best high school adventure racing teams in the country. Consistency. Determination. Engine for days.

We trained differently, but the drive was the same. We pushed each other, learned from each other, and over time, started to shape a shared meaning for what training was and why it mattered.

Then came parenthood.

Suddenly, everything aligned. The why had to change. It wasn’t just about numbers, aesthetics, or progress anymore. It was about showing up for our kids, our life, and each other.

We still train to be better. But better means something different now.

It’s not always linear. It’s not always visible. Some days it’s lifting heavy. Some days it’s getting through the day without snapping. Some days it’s just showing up.

And what better looks like? It changes. Sometimes overnight. What it meant in our twenties isn’t the same now with two kids and a full plate. As life speeds up, we’ve had to adjust. Shift gears. Do what humans do best. Adapt.

That’s where Sugar Training was born. We wanted to build something that reflected that evolution. Training not just for performance, but for purpose.

And yes, the noise still creeps in. The scale. The mirror. The timer. That urge to prove something. To chase more.

But maybe training was always about something deeper. About winning at life.

About showing up when it’s hard. About being there when it counts. Even when you’re tired. Even when it’s messy.

There’s a fire in all of us that wants to be better. Learn to harness it, and let it guide you instead of burning you.

But don’t ignore the quieter voice either. The one that reminds you to slow down. To breathe. To be here now.

That’s the battle within. The pull between chasing greatness and staying grounded. Between ambition and presence.

And for us, the truth probably lives somewhere in between.

We train to be strong. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. For our kids. For each other. For whatever life throws at us.

Not to be perfect. Just to be better.

Because every time we train, we’re shaping who we are.

That’s what training means to us now. That’s Sugar Training. This is our journey.

And wherever you’re at on yours, if you’re showing up and chasing better, you're already walking with us.

Next: The Layers of Fitness – how our definition of fitness has evolved.