🎙️Ep 77: Why More Training Isn’t Better, Optimisation Beats Effort

<p>Most athletes are not under training.<br>They are over doing the wrong things.</p><p>In this episode, <strong>Matt R</strong> and <strong>Matt C</strong> have an honest conversation about training for obstacle course racing, long term performance, and why effort alone is not the answer.</p><p>Drawing from real world experience, including periods of overtraining, fatigue, poor recovery, and stalled progress, they break down the difference between <strong>doing more</strong> and <strong>doing what actually works</strong>.</p><p>This is not theory.<br>It is lived experience from athletes who have pushed too far, stripped things back, and learned where optimisation truly matters.</p><p>The discussion covers:<br>• Training optimisation vs overtraining<br>• Effort vs effectiveness<br>• Minimal effective dose training<br>• Discipline, trust, and the “badge of honour” mentality<br>• Too much variety vs fundamentals repeated<br>• Managing volume, recovery, and immune health<br>• Metabolic health and carbohydrate use<br>• Why quality always beats quantity<br>• How sustainable training supports performance and life outside sport</p><p>They also explore the physiological side of training, including metabolic flexibility, fuel usage, and why constantly emptying and refilling the carbohydrate tank is not the same as building real fitness.</p><p>Ultimately, this episode is about learning to put <strong>the right work in the right place, at the right time, at the right dose</strong>, so training enhances your performance, your health, and your enjoyment of the process.</p><p>If you are training hard but feel constantly tired, beat up, or stuck, this episode will help you understand why.</p><p>If this resonated, <strong>subscribe</strong> for more grounded conversations around OCR, endurance performance, and long term athlete development.</p><p>Progress gets easier when you stop chasing more<br>and start training with intention.</p><p>00:00 Life as a remote worker and traveller<br>08:13 Training optimisation vs overtraining<br>17:26 Effort vs effectiveness in training<br>21:58 Carbohydrate intake and individual needs<br>23:15 Trial and error in training and nutrition<br>24:37 Refining your approach over time<br>26:04 Training high, eating high, lessons learned<br>28:01 Understanding the impact of intensity on health<br>30:27 The mindset shift, more is not always better<br>32:19 Managing training volume and immune health<br>34:47 Consistency, optimisation, and fundamenta