TRX Training’s Post

Embracing Active Living: A German Advantage for International Students Germany’s reputation as a hub for innovation and academic excellence is well-established. What’s often overlooked is the country’s exceptional environment for maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle – a crucial component of student well-being and overall success. Unlike many urban environments, Germany prioritizes outdoor spaces and recreational facilities. From sprawling parks and forest trails to modern gymnasiums and swimming pools, opportunities to stay fit abound. This emphasis on physical activity is deeply ingrained in German culture, making it easier for international students to integrate and adopt a healthy routine. Joining a local sports club (Verein) is a fantastic way to meet new people, practice language skills, and immerse oneself in German culture. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a casual fitness enthusiast, there's a club to suit your interests. From traditional sports like soccer and gymnastics to more niche activities, the options are vast. Beyond organized sports, Germany offers unparalleled opportunities for outdoor adventures. Hiking, cycling, and swimming are popular pastimes, allowing students to explore the country's stunning natural beauty while staying active. For international students, balancing academic rigour with a healthy lifestyle is essential for long-term success. Germany’s commitment to well-being provides an ideal environment to achieve this balance. . #StudyInGermany #StudentLife #Wellness #WorkLifeBalance #Germany #ActiveLifestyle #InternationalStudents #studyabroad #internationaleducation #globalcitizen #overseaseducation #internationalstudent #studyabroadopportunities #adventureawaits

Simone Biles is the greatest gymnast of all time. This truth has been shouted across my social feeds, text messages, and conversations every day in the last week, and most especially yesterday. She has achieved what no gymnast has ever achieved before - she has won two gold all-around Olympic medals - and has overcome so much in the process. But what strikes me the most is that Simone achieved all of this - being acknowledged by all of America, and much of the world, as the GOAT - without a perfect score. In no event, did Simone reach perfection. There was no perfect 10. And yet, she is still the greatest. It’s a lesson that I’ve been thinking about recently - that something can be the best, a 10, without being perfect. A place, a person, a company can be great, even with room for improvement. There’s room for nuance and growth in every positive sentiment, and an understanding of the complexity. What I’ve found is that we can choose to let the strengths lift up how we see the people and places around us, or we can let the flaws weigh us down into negativity. It’s an active choice, one that we all have control over, and which determines not only our present, but also our future. Choosing to look at the world with the strengths first allows us to strive for and believe in the best. It allows us to see opportunity in every experience, even in the smallest of spaces. It allows us to appreciate all that we have while it’s happening, rather than only in hindsight. It allows us to see Simone Biles as the greatest athlete of all time, rather than just some girl who has yet to reach perfection. Optimism. It changes everything.

The Dual Marathon of Athletic Prowess and Political Acumen in China On March 24, in the scenic city of Wuxi, China witnessed a momentous event in the realm of athletics as marathon runner He Jie shattered the national men's marathon record at the 2024 Wuxi Marathon. With a remarkable time of two hours, six minutes, and 57 seconds, He Jie secured fourth place in the men's race, trailing by a mere 39 seconds behind Dedm, who established a new benchmark for the event. Reflecting on his performance, the 25-year-old athlete expressed satisfaction, attributing his success to the rigorous training regimen undertaken in Kenya, where he and his team accumulated over 1,000 kilometers of running each month. However, upon closer examination of the intricacies of Chinese power dynamics, one can't help but notice a glaring omission in He Jie's acknowledgment – the lack of explicit gratitude towards the Communist Party. Drawing parallels from personal observations, it becomes evident that success in China, whether in sports or business, is not solely determined by individual talent or hard work. Instead, navigating the complex dynamics of power and political allegiance plays a critical role. For instance, attributing one's achievements to Communist Party's wise leadership and the strategic foresight of the three-year zero-COVID policy. This policy not only safeguarded Chinese athletes from the pandemic but also indirectly contributed to narrowing the gap between China's marathon records and the world's best, as athletes from other countries faced setbacks due to COVID-related complications. Moreover, this phenomenon is not confined to the realm of sports. In the Chinese business landscape, especially in international contexts, it is often observed that employees who excel in navigating power dynamics and demonstrating unwavering loyalty to their superiors are the ones who thrive. Linguistic prowess or tangible output takes a backseat to the ability to flatter, perceive subtle cues, and showcase relentless enthusiasm in reporting, along with a willingness to make sacrifices for the greater good. In conclusion, while He Jie's remarkable feat at the Wuxi Marathon is a testament to his athletic talent, it also serves as a reminder of the intricate interplay between sportsmanship and political astuteness in China. For athletes like He Jie, understanding and navigating these dynamics is crucial for sustaining success in a landscape where athletic prowess and political loyalty are intertwined.

Unleash the athlete in you! 💪🏀⚽️ ARKA JAIN University believes in a holistic approach to education, where physical fitness goes hand-in-hand with academic excellence. Our dedicated sports facilities offer a platform for students to excel in their chosen sports while maintaining a healthy balance between sports and studies. #ArkaJainUniversity #SportsFacilities #HealthyLifestyle #StudentLife #BalancedApproach #Education #Fitness #CampusLife

Having written a book about the winning strategies of elite sports, and having enjoyed the many achievements at the Olympics, this question caught my eye. Where does performance go from here? It’s an excellent article. Yes, there will be more developments in elite performance, more records broken. But this article is also worth a read to learn how elite athletes, and Team GB, have come so far. Dr Thomas Brownlee, associate professor in applied sport sciences at the University of Birmingham, shares his insight into why we’ve seen these improvements. “It’s about how people trained, how people recovered, nutrition, strategies, training specifics, talent identification... 20 years ago, nutrition wasn't really considered at all. But now everyone's doing it." This reflects the model in our book, ‘Rest. Practise. Perform. 'And that’s why we believe organisations can also learn from the holistic approach of elite sports and see their own performances improve. https://lnkd.in/enTqeTdH #ElitePerformance #SustainablePerformance #LearningAndDevelopment

Unleash the athlete in you! ARKA JAIN University believes in a holistic approach to education, where physical fitness goes hand-in-hand with academic excellence. Our dedicated sports facilities offer a platform for students to excel in their chosen sports while maintaining a healthy balance between sports and studies. #ArkaJainUniversity #SportsFacilities #HealthyLifestyle #StudentLife #BalancedApproach #Education #Fitness #CampusLife

Marathon (No. 311) Amongst sports events, the marathon holds a special place because of its unique test of endurance and mental resilience. Running 42 kms on the trot, is no joke and the sport, in its participants, showcases the finest of talent out there. In this challenging sport, Eliud Kipchoge currently holds the world record for completing a marathon in the fastest time. He clocked 2:01:09 hours for his effort in the Berlin Marathon in 2022. Shizo Kanakuri is yet another star in the world of marathon and unlike Kipchoge his distinction is unique. Kanakuri finished a marathon in 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds. Kanakuri represented Japan at the 1912 Olympics at Sweden. Owing to combination of factors that ate into his time required to prepare, having to attend to a sick team mate and the intense heat on the day of the race, he collapsed midway and was tended to by a Swedish family. Kanakuri recovered under their care but feeling embarrassed at his failure, he snuck back to Japan without informing the race officials of his departure. Technically, he had not yet completed the race. In 1967, someone at the Swedish Television investigated this story, contacted Kanakuri in Japan and asked him if he would complete the race. He agreed and 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.3 seconds and one wife, 6 children and 10 grandchildren later, Kanakuri's marathon journey was complete. While the story is both bizarre and unique, it drives home, at least for me, an important point. And that is in that "unknowns" who helped bring this weird saga to its logical conclusion. The unknown Swedish family who nursed Kanakuri to health. The unknown person at Swedish Television who pursued the story and contacted Kanakuri. There is no record of who these people are. As we live out our lives, there are innumerable "unknowns'" in our lives who have helped us reach where we are, who have helped us be who we are. Do we acknowledge them for their contribution ? We also have the opportunity to be that "unknown", for someone to help them reach where they ought to be, to help them be who they ought to be. Do we acknowledge this unique ability we have ? As the year draws to a close, maybe it is time to take a second (or more) to acknowledge all those 'unknowns" in our lives. And resolve to be that "unknown " in many others' lives. We could all do with a bit of help and help others in the marathon of Life. Image : Kanakuri at the finish line in 1967 Image Credit : amusingplanet #mindset #thoughts #gratitude #thankful #acknowledgment #opportunity

Reflections on the London Marathon Of all the great sporting challenges I would submit that the marathon takes pride of place in our collective hearts. It’s been a standard of the modern Olympics since their inception in 1896 but is founded on the much older legend of the Pheidippides, a messenger who ran the 26 miles to Athens bearing the news “We have won!” before collapsing and dying on the assembly floor. The truth of that story is less important than the hold it has on our imaginations. Today, completing the equivalent distance represents much more than a physical challenge: for some it’s a rite of passage, for others a validation, a fundraiser, a means of recovery, a victory on oneself. On April 21, 53,000 runners took to the streets of London; similar events take place every year in iconic cities around the world, making the marathon one of the most accessible and certainly aspirational of all athletic disciplines. But there is more to its special nature than mere numbers. Is there any sporting occasion that better transcends the difference between the elite athlete and the everyman?  Last weekend, Peres Jepchirchir set a world record for a women’s only race, however, in a sense, we regard everyone who crossed the finish line as a winner.  Indeed, there were two other records broken that day. There was an astonishing time of just over three and half hours for 76-year old Jeannie Rice, and an equally impressive sub six hours for the first ever female ‘frame runner’ to complete the London course (a frame runner uses a 3-wheeled frame without pedals). These achievements speak to unique inclusivity of the discipline: all ages, abilities, ethnicities, and philosophical convictions, participating side by side. Anyone who has taken part in a marathon will tell you of its special and supportive atmosphere. So much so that I sometimes wonder how many of our intractable issues could be solved by the world’s leaders taking up the challenge, where for a little over twenty-six miles all that mattered was their taking part together.  While sport today is often mired in politics and mistrust, in finance and factions, it’s true purpose should be the opposite; sport is an accessible and ubiquitous metaphor for life, showing us that through our collective participation we come closer together. Sport is showing us that shared experience is as valuable as victory. Such a philosophy was the founding hope of the ancient Olympics. The London marathon and other marathons alike provide us with a contemporary reminder of just how relevant and inspiring that dream remains today.

Beyond the roaring numbers and the optimism (which I share in full), this made me reflect on the regulating vs. laissez-faire debate. What's the extent to which ''government'' (which in this context also includes the sport's governing bodies) should intervene? My personal view: it's not the end of the world if at race X the medical management is suboptimal, or if at marathon Y unfit runners are allowed to participate and get hurt. We should (and do) strive to improve, educate, upskill - but a quantum of mess remains inevitable. The ratio between positive and negative externalities will always be overwhelmingly tilted towards the former, and the impact for communities massively good, both short (economic impact) and long term (healthier population). Bring it on, China. https://lnkd.in/d9xk5CYS

At the end of the Olympic Games and before the start of the 2024 Paralympic Games, I'm interviewed by La Dépêche du Midi because it's clear that France is at a turning point, and not just French youth. I believe that sport, much more than a simple activity, should be considered a national priority in the fight against declining life expectancy. As President of ISF - International School Sport Federation, I can see the urgency of the situation for young people, and I ring the alarm bells in my book “Sport will save humanity!" I've always witnessed this need and demand for sport, including at school. But recently something has clicked. The figures published in the study “Reversing the curves” by cardiologist François Carré stun me... For the first time in human history, we see that life expectancy is falling, whereas it has always been rising. Young people have lost 40% of their cardiovascular capacity in just 25 years. We are in a dramatic situation because of this inversion of the life expectancy curve. There is therefore a sense of urgency, particularly in terms of sport, which is not being taken into account at all, or at least not seriously enough.   In the pyramid of needs, life and safety should come first. Of course, there are other important elements, such as culture, self-fulfilment, the economy, leisure and so on. But the most essential are health and safety, so as not to die. Today, the absence of sport is a serious threat to life expectancy! I will put the link of the article in French in the first comment.