After some very glowing recommendations from a few of our readers, we had to check in with Lee Eldridge from The Athlete Tribe. He has promised us to write a few articles for knowitall.ch in the next year so we look forward to hearing about subjects such as: Developing Stress Tolerance, Building a Physical Activity Routine, and The Importance of Rest and Recovery. Read on to win a free Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment and find out how you can help yourself. He has developed a great online coaching system and once the pandemic settles down will be able to visit clients in Geneva and Zurich once more.
What has been the inspiration?
For as long as I can remember, sport and exercise have been my outlet: my happy place. As a child, I found school tough. Some subjects interested me, but a lot didn't. Sports lessons were the thing that I most enjoyed.
My passion for coaching began when I was 17. That’s when I earned a swimming coaching qualification and got to coach for the first time. It was terrific to pass on knowledge, stay active, and also get paid for it. I felt immediately at home in this role. The best part was being able to share my passion for sport with these young swimmers and see them improve.
Have you been working on this idea forever, or was it something that came to you recently?
I have been coaching for more than 20 years, in both professional sport and business. The Cognitive Athlete idea came to me during a conversation with a client while discussing what we can apply from sports science research in a business environment. There are so many parallels in terms of performance expectations.
The biggest difference is that in professional sports we take each individual athlete into account. We plan their training carefully in order for them to achieve peak performance at the right time. Whereas, in business, we expect people to perform like it’s game day 365 days a year. Everyone's measure of peak performance is different. That's always my first question when working with a team or individual. What does peak performance look like for you?
What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
I am dyslexic. This has been the biggest obstacle to overcome in my life. In fact, it remains an ongoing obstacle. However, I also see it as a gift. Being dyslexic has driven me to think differently and be more prepared for whatever comes my way. In doing so, I have been able to transform my passion into a career.
What are your plans for the future?
Ultimately, I am passionate about helping people reach their full potential. I created The Athlete Tribe to work with leaders who are eager to make a profound change for the better, in their work and life. We focus on senior business leaders because they are in a position to lead by example — and dramatically shift a company’s culture. At the moment we are still in our infancy, working one-on-one to improve the performance of senior executives. What I envision for the future are broader company-wide interventions. The Covid pandemic has created greater awareness about the importance of well-being and its link to performance. Just as there is a Head of Performance for elite sports teams, I’d like to see this become the norm in business.
What is your favorite product you offer and why?
The Cognitive Athlete Programme is a short, intensive all-around system that guides clients through the process of making sustainable changes to their lifestyle and work. It’s the most efficient way for a leader to enhance their performance, taking into account principles of good training, stress tolerance, and rest and recovery.
What clients have been saying about Lee
“Lee has been my performance coach for more than two years, guiding me and accompanying me through an intense personal transformation experience. Together we elaborated the best strategies in terms of sleep, nutrition, physical activity, mental energy and recovery. With his coaching I could break my own limits, reach new levels of performance, on both personal and professional perspectives, and ultimately live a much better and happier life.” - Nicolas F.
“I’d been seeking a coach to help me re-build strength—both physically and mentally—after an extended period of illness. We started working together remotely during lockdown last year. Lee developed a tailor-made programme I can perform at home, with minimal equipment. As of today, my level of strength and overall well-being has improved dramatically, not to mention the quality of my sleep and general mood. I honestly don’t know how I would have survived the physical and psychological challenges of the pandemic without this support." - Aimée D.
Anything else you think our readers would like to know
This is an extraordinary time. So many people I talk to these days are suffering from unprecedented levels of pressure. At the same time, we have a huge opportunity to restructure how we work and live. It’s so important to pace yourself. This may seem impossible in such a busy world. But I’ve seen incredible performance improvements in people who use the tools we’ve adapted from professional sport to work smarter, rather than always being “on”. Rest and recovery are just as important as stretching your limits. Everyone has the potential to feel and perform better. And it might surprise you how little is required to make significant changes in your life.
Lee has kindly offered one knowitall.ch reader a Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment (individually this is valued at Fr. 350.- but is included for clients). This is a 72-hour monitoring period, with a report at the end. It enables the winner to understand rest and recovery, stress and physical activity levels. This is how Lee starts with a new client to create their bespoke program. Just fill in this form and answer the following question: At what age did Lee start coaching sports?
Only one entry per email is allowed. The competition closes at midnight on Thursday, 25 March 2021. The names of all those submitting correct answers will be placed into the digital hat and the winner's name drawn at random on Friday, 26 March 2021. The winner will be notified by email and his/her name will be added to this article after the competition closes (spaced out so cannot be found using a search engine).
The Athlete Tribe
Lee Eldridge
www.theathletetribe.com
Instagram
YouTube
Podcast
COMPETITION WINNER: A L L I S O N C O L B E R T
