Paul Olima - Smash your goals and stay strong for life

First published in Great Britain by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2021

Copyright Paul Olima, 2021

The right of Paul Olima to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

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The author and publishers have made all reasonable efforts to contact copyright-holders for permission, and apologise for any omissions or errors in the form of credits given. Corrections may be made to future printings.

This book is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. It is recommended that readers always consult with a qualified medical practitioner or suitable therapist. While every effort has been made to verify the information provided, neither the author nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be found in the text, or any actions taken by the reader as a result of reliance on the information contained in the text.

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

Hardback ISBN: 978-1-4711-9750-5

Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4711-9751-2

eBook ISBN: 978-1-4711-9752-9

Cover design by S&S Art Dept.

Cover images John Surbey

Id like to dedicate this book to my two wonderful daughters who mean the world to me, Caramel Zeus and Baby Zeus. You have both given my life more meaning and made me feel complete as a human. Love you more than anything your dad, Black Zeus.

Howareya, Im Paul, aka Black Zeus: a personal trainer, meathead, gym lover, fitness freak, former footballer and rugby player, dad to two girls, London-living, Irish-speaking Black lad, made in Dublin by way of Nigeria.

Ive written this book because I believe fitness will change your life for the better. Your body is a powerhouse created to protect you, and you owe it to yourself to move it. Its the only one youve got and most bits dont grow back, so lets take care of it. Ive spent nearly two decades playing professional and semi-professional sport, and training at a high level, in addition to being a PT and qualified football coach. Ive picked up a lot of knowledge along the way on fitness, regimens and the lifestyle habits needed to support intensive training. And I also know whats utter crap. I can speak from experience about the pitfalls of training without really knowing what youre doing that was once me.

Fitness isnt about flashy gyms, its not about looking a certain way, weighing yourself daily or keeping up with the latest daft exercise trends. You dont need to have an all-or-nothing approach its not just about suddenly signing up for an Ironman to enjoy the day-to-day benefits of fitness. Making little steps towards wellness is every bit as valuable. You might never have set foot in a gym, never have jogged or played a sport, to be enjoying peak performance. Its about being active while doing something you love: playing frisbee in the park with friends, dancing with your kids in the kitchen, swimming in the warm sea on holiday. And it can be deceptive too Im on the front cover of this book half-naked (and, okay, being a bit of a poser), but it might surprise you that my type of fit means I can barely run for a bus, much less any distance longer, because I am seriously lacking in aerobicfitness (i.e. the type of fitness that generates oxygen, transferring it around the body). This doesnt mean Im unhealthy, its just that I choose to put my main focus into weightlifting, and any cardio I do will detract from my lifting gains.

Health and fitness underpin our entire wellbeing and, frankly, I dont give a rats if youre roller skating, curling or playing Muggle Quidditch I just want you to move. Your body is a beautiful thing. You may not think that right now, but once you read about whats going on behind the scenes to keep you alive, I think youll learn to have a profound respect for it. And knowing that you can feel and look better every single day, as well as prolonging your life, all by sitting down a bit less, is a no-brainer. The body is designed to move its begging you to, to help future-proof your health.

The mental benefits are every bit as (or even more) important exercise can make you more focused, less stressed and more resilient to what life has to throw at you.