Edgley - The World’s Fittest Book: The Sunday Times Bestseller from the Strongman Swimmer

SPHERE

First Published in Great Britain in 2018 by Sphere

Copyright Ross Edgley 2018

Every effort has been made by the author to ensure that all the information in this book is as precise and up-to-date as possible at the time of publication. It is recommended that before changing their diet or fitness regimes, readers always consult a qualified medical specialist for individual advice and to ensure any conditions specific to the reader are addressed. The author and publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors and omissions that may be found in the text, or for any actions that may be taken by the reader or any injury or illness caused as a result of any information contained in the text.

Photography: )

Book Design: Sian Rance at D.R. ink

Illustrations: Emil Dacanay at D.R. ink

All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-0-7515-7253-7

Sphere
An imprint of
Little, Brown Book Group
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ

An Hachette UK Company
www.hachette.co.uk

www.littlebrown.co.uk

Thank you to my mum and dad.

You not only encouraged me to
dance to the beat of my own
drum, but you provided the drum
and taught me how to play it.

This book is (unapologetically) different to most.

Its void of quick fixes, empty promises and magic pills. It doesnt present you with a training plan or diet guide and say: just blindly follow this. Instead, these 320 pages empower you to understand the principles of losing fat, building strength and improving endurance, so you can create your own fitness methods.

This approach is based on the work of American-born essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. A pioneer in self-empowerment, he delivered more than 1500 public lectures on individualism and the importance of independence and self-reliance across the United States during the mid-19th century.

Empowering millions, he also shaped this entire book.

This is because in 1888 he wrote an essay aptly titled Self Reliance. In it, he chose to ignore strict, insular methods in favour of more holistic, enduring principles. My favourite quote is:

As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles a few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Which is especially relevant to our food and fitness.

Too many people are naively following methods in the form of overpriced diet plans and training guides without actually understanding the principles that govern them.

But this book was written to change all that

Which is why, in many ways, this is not just a book. Its more like an empowering literary rebellion!

Based on the work of Brazilian educational theorist Paulo Freire and his concept of conscientization, it promotes a critical way of thinking that teaches us to achieve an in-depth understanding of a subject in this case food and fitness so we can take action against limiting elements. By embracing this philosophy its my hope we create an army of experts, not followers, because in reality no one knows your body better than you do.

You are your very best personal trainer.

You are your very best nutritionist.

Stop idolising gurus and looking for answers elsewhere.

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.

BUDDHA

Instead, blaze your own trail and add strings to your own bow. Your best expert is you!

Im no prophet. My job is making windows where there were once walls.

MICHEL FOUCAULT

This book is created from a melting pot of geniuses.

It cross-pollinates ideas and concepts from some extraordinary people who broke moulds, made waves and ruffled feathers in their chosen fields of strength, speed, endurance and food. From Olympic Champions and World Record Holders to remote tribes and celebrated members of the military.

Get to know them and you get to know fitness better than 99.99% of the population.

Now I acknowledge and must state that Im not one of these fitness and food geniuses. Many times when writing this book I sat opposite them in awe. Eyes wide, mouth open and with most of their knowledge going over my head. Instead, my role has been to live and learn from each one.

With a notepad in one hand and a protein bar in the other, I travelled the world like a penwielding nomad to compile their teachings into the most eclectic and holistic fitness guide ever written. All so that you can become the strongest, leanest and fastest possible version of yourself.

Learning should not be the study of one domain, but the combination of many.

This is an idea inspired by the brilliant book, Mastery by Robert Greene that I (randomly) read (many times over) during a lengthy boat ride down the Amazon river. It emphasises the importance of studying the work of other artists when trying to master a topic. Greene claims this is essential in the pursuit of mastery and uses Mozart as an example:

Which is why inspired by Mr Mozart I set off on my 10-year-long world tour, tracking down the worlds fittest and most nutritionally advanced men and women.

It was from their collective teachings and inspiring stories that this book was born.

Ross Edgley

Its 11 March 2008 and Im on a busy flight somewhere over South America.

Im gripped by a strange blend of jetlag and adrenaline; sleep is a distant memory. Instead, I substitute hard-boiled sweets and caffeine for rest and recuperation as I research my next assignment.

See, graduation was a year earlier. Most of my friends left Loughborough Universitys School of Sport and Exercise Science and were immediately recruited by the English Institute of Sport. Taking up important roles as coaches, physicians and nutritionists, theyd later orchestrate the meteoric success of British sport at the London 2012 Olympics.

But life decided to deal me a different hand.

Equipped with pen, paper and a rucksack full of protein shakes Id become this odd travel-writer-athlete hybrid. Developing a reputation for accepting even the weirdest of assignments, Id spent a year flying, driving and sailing my way around the world, visiting the most remote and hostile places on earth.