With a PB distance of 17.64 metres, Nathan Douglas is one of the UK’s best triple jumpers. He’s a silver medallist for both indoor and outdoor athletics, and has helped train people in TV’s The Biggest Loser. HFM spoke with Nathan about how we can jumpstart our fitness goals.
What do you think it takes to be a champion triple jumper?
You’ve definitely got to be a little bit crazy and a little bit kamikaze!
Why else would you run as fast as you can, jump, land on one leg and expect yourself to be able to get out of it OK?! When you land on that leg, there can be up to 22 times your own body weight going through that leg so the chance of injury is high. So, you have to be dedicated to your craft – it is exhausting, both mentally and physically, so you have to know your craft well.
You must experience a great deal of obstacles during training. What holds you back the most?
Injury, without a shadow of a doubt. Triple jump is a mad event and I have experienced some career-threatening injuries, but I have developed the mindset and resilience to come back from them. You are always a bit tentative coming back after an injury so you have to be fearless and that can take time.
This is something that I deal with regularly with my corporate clients at Jump Your Performance: I don’t just know how to develop a strong mindset and resilience, I have lived it day in and day out. Resilience is a key area that many people struggle with and helping them to improve that is hugely rewarding.
What do you enjoy most about keeping fit?
I like to be in shape and to be the best I can be – physically and mentally in shape, to be the happiest I can be and to live life to the full. I see so many people just simply functioning in life and life is about more than that, life is about being the best version of yourself.
Even if I wasn’t an athlete, I would want to be in good shape to achieve my potential, whilst still enjoying life!
Do you have a favourite training meal and supplement?
I don’t really have a favourite training meal – my favourite meal would definitely be a roast lamb dinner! But if pushed, a good training meal would be Cajun chicken pasta. My two key supplements would be whey protein and essential amino acids.
How did you feel being asked to captain the British Athletics team for the European Championships?
It was a massive privilege to be asked. It’s every athlete’s dream. I remember looking at Linford Christie, seeing him as captain and aspiring to be the same. It was even more special for me after years of injury, and experiencing people’s doubt of my ability to come back from that – to then be asked was a massive moment and showed how resilient I was to have come through that difficult time.
You’ve achieved great things in your career, so do you have any advice for men looking to master an Olympic sport?
With my company, Jump Your Performance, I work with my clients to achieve their peak performance through digging deep and finding a goal that really inspires them, something they really want to master. There will always be difficult days, days where you don’t want to get out of bed but if you are working on something you are really passionate about, the desire to succeed will be strong and will make those days easier to overcome.
