Shoulders of Atlas

Shoulders of Atlas A vlog born from a side-project to raise funds for Movember. Hi and Welcome,

This is a project that was born from an idea to raise funds as part of Movember.

The content of the videos are vlogs, where I interview guests to get their perspectives on the broad topic of health and how it applies to their domain of expertise. So, why the name 'Shoulders of Atlas'? It's the idea that sometimes it can feel like we're carrying the weight of the heavens on our shoulders, much like Atlas was punished to do. Metaphorically speaking, this burden can be carried silently and at times is unseen by others, either by our choosing or ignored by those around us. When people do catch a glimpse of this labour, it can be applauded as a feat of strength, endurance and perseverance. Which it is. But sometimes we need a little help... Thus, this project's name highlights that though our shoulders be so broad to carry the weight of the heavens, together we are here to help each other and lighten the load.

22/12/2022

In this episode we catch up with long distance adventurer, Josh West of . When I say long distance, I mean LONG DISTANCE.For example, in 2018 J...

12/12/2022

In this episode we catch up with long distance adventurer, Josh West of Trekking West . When I say long distance, I mean LONG DISTANCE. For example, in 2018 Josh solo-hiked the 1,200KM Heysen Trail, which begins in the Flinders Ranges in outback South Australia and concludes in Cape Jervis. This adventure took 59 days to complete, over some rugged terrain which tested Josh both physically and mentally. He journaled that day 3 was “the hardest day of his life”, battling loneliness, dehydration, and physical exhaustion. However, from the adversity of this day he was able to complete the remainder of the trail, which created the appreciation for his inner strength to draw from throughout the rest of the journey.

This trek was not just for personal enjoyment though, Josh identified that this trek could be much, much more. As a country kid, growing up between the townships of Tanunda and Bethany, in regional South Australia – Josh recognised that mental health services are highly sought after in country SA, though not as abundant as it is in the metro areas. So, the adventure tied into raising funds for Blackdog Institute , which Josh identified as having great programs which promote mental health in regional parts of Australia. This long-distance adventure concluded with Josh raising over $12,000! Simply remarkable.

After 9-weeks of solo trekking, Josh was well and truly bitten by the long-distance adventure bug. The following year, Josh headed off for Europe and hiked the Camino de Santiago, a trail which spans over 825kms. As we know, the pandemic had affected us all, and Josh was no exception to its effects. Due to various lock-downs and restrictions, his next adventure would not take place until this year. Josh traded hiking poles for a kayak paddle, and set about travelling the length of Australia’s longest river, the River Murray - a 2,500KM journey. Once again, Josh leveraged this adventure as a platform to raise funds and awareness for the Blackdog institute, where he was the recipient of over $7,500 of donations. Hence, I’ve likened Josh as the “Nedd Brockman” on water.

Throughout this chat, we touch on Josh’s inspirations for tackling long distance adventures, and how he prioritises and arranges his life’s obligations to create meaning and purpose. After all, 60 days off to raise funds during a long-distance trek may be difficult to negotiate in a 9-5 situation, so it was really eye-opening to touch on how Josh aligned his purpose in order to meet his lifestyle needs as a digital nomad.

This was a fun and inspiring chat to be a part of!

So, let’s not keep you waiting any longer – enjoy this chat with Josh West.

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To keep up with Josh's adventures, you can follow him via:
Website: https://www.trekkingwest.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trekkingwest
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trekkingwest/
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/joshwestdesign/

06/12/2022

In today’s episode, we catch up with Ethan Uili, of EC Fitness Training. Ethan and I first connected at my local F45 when he was the head trainer. During that time I developed an appreciation for his approach to being able to push yourself to your physical limits. I mean, it was hard not to notice what he was saying, as when you first meet him, you immediately become aware of his physical appearance. He’s athletic and physically strong – attributes I thought to be indicators of a healthy person. However, as I interview more people on their perspectives of health, I’ve come to realise that health is more than just the physical aspects.

Ethan agrees too, that he initially thought that health was trying to push your body to the limits. This was due to his background in playing high-level Rugby Union, which served a purpose in achieving the ultimate success in winning championships. His ability to commit to hard work by doing early workout sessions and extra reps in training characterised his time playing Union. Had it not been for the misfortune of an MCL tear in his knee, he may very well have had a long playing career. However, this setback helped shaped Ethan’s view on health to become broader, which now also encompasses elements like emotional and mental. He sums up this view by saying that health is more about getting the most out of your life, for as long as possible.

We also dive into Ethan and Cas', his wife, journey into opening their gym. The operating conditions of lock-downs, physical distancing and the ever-evolving uncertainty that was the pandemic at the time created the backdrop for their entry into small-business ownership. Humbly starting in their backyard, using the equipment that they had available to them, they were able to service a loyal client-base by adapting to the conditions of the time. Ethan admits that if it weren’t for the support of his wife, during the uncertain times, he would not have been able to do it. With the support of each other and the conviction to “go for it”, they were able navigate the chaos and launch their studio on Brighton road.

As Ethan has trained his fair share of clients, as a PT, we explore the differences between people who achieve their goals versus those that don’t. His influence in clients’ achieving their goals stems from working in alignment with his client’s objectives. However, honesty, being “real” and having the courage to have difficult conversations with clients who aren’t achieving their goals form part of Ethan’s approach – this may create friction between client and trainer. Still, it is a necessary step in correcting the course toward achieving the client’s goals.

Let’s not keep you any longer – enjoy this episode with Ethan Uili.

30/11/2022

When we watched Los Angeles Rams player Taylor Rapp do a 10,000 calorie work out, me and 2 other mates decided that we could do this and that we would do it for .

For all three of us, this was definitely one of the most physically challenging things we've ever done. Prior to this, this had been the first time I had stepped foot in the gym for over 9 months. For Ben, he's coming off an ACL replacement, and for Daniel he's had chronic knee soreness since highschool. It was a tough ask.

Intially, we thought we'd follow Taylor Rapp's lead and bike around Adelaide and fit in a hike up Mount Lofty. But in the week leading up to it, and with how worried we were with our bodies holding up, we thought we'd spend it inside one of Adelaide's largest 24/7 gyms - Derrimut 24:7 Gym. This way we wouldn't be wasting time travelling from one place to another or risk breaking down (physically or mechanically speaking).

For the most part, we completed the challenge. I was able to complete it inside 13 hours, whereas Ben took over 17. Daniel's Garmin however, was giving a reading of about 1 calorie to every 2 calories Ben & I burned on our Myzone HR Monitors. Due to time constraints, Daniel made the tactical decision to finish up early on approx. 3,500 calories after 10 hours of working out. This was even after he ran the equivilent of a half-marathon!

It turned out that after connecting Daniel's Garmin to the Apple health app, that it calculated that he had burned 9,050 - however we found this out at 11:45pm that evening. *So close*

We're all so stoked to have been able to complete the challenge and raise over $2,000 for the cause! It definitely made the pain during the next day more bearable knowing it was all for a good cause. On behalf of the three of us, I can categorically say that we will never, EVER, do a challenge like this again!

Thank you for all of your support!

30/11/2022

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️UPDATE⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Last day of is here and team has raised $2,355!

Massive thank you to all who have donated, and thanks to the crew for teaming up this year for fundraising and moving!

There’s still time donate:

https://au.movember.com/mospace/203799?utm_medium=app&utm_source=ios&utm_campaign=share-mospace

Can you help us get to $3,000?

Also, there was no episode for the show this week as I spent the time recovering from the weekend’s “fun” 😅. I was a little saddle sore from being on the bike and rower for 12+ hours. To make up for it, I’ll share a little high light reel from the day, which I’ll post separately.

26/11/2022

This is it. The moment I clicked over to 10,000 calories

999 to go. Get. In. Jeff.
26/11/2022

999 to go. Get. In. Jeff.

Home stretch in sight. Cramp becoming a factor
26/11/2022

Home stretch in sight. Cramp becoming a factor

Starting to slow down a little here and feeling the pinch. Ben’s at 5000 and poor Soppy is sitting at 3,300
26/11/2022

Starting to slow down a little here and feeling the pinch. Ben’s at 5000 and poor Soppy is sitting at 3,300

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