There’s a moment every athlete chases.

You feel the air shift. The tempo in training is different. The rhythm is faster, the energy sharper. The ball zips off the lace with that unmistakable sound. Thud after thud. Over the bar, into the chest. Every strike feels clean. Crisp. True. You’re not guessing anymore—you’re humming. There’s a sense that you’re ready to perform at your best, based on everything you’ve done up to that point. That’s the level of match fitness we chase.

It’s the sweet spot—that rare moment when body, mind, and intention align. Like a golfer striking the centre of the clubface in a perfect swing. The kind of swing where power meets accuracy and the ball travels 200 yards to within two feet of the flag, no flukes. It’s a feeling. And it’s what being match fit is all about.

What Does “Match Fit” Really Mean?

Being fit is not the same as being match fit. Match fit is a different beast. It’s full readiness. Physical, mental, tactical, emotional. It’s knowing you’re ready to deliver, to respond, to perform.

It’s presence. It’s clarity. It’s the quiet confidence that comes from deep, deliberate preparation. I once spoke with a woman who worked closely with professional athletes. She said, “You can just tell with some of them—they have that look in their eye.” I knew exactly what she meant. I’ve seen that look. I’ve felt it. That fire, that composure. I saw it in the faces of Dublin players, in Irish rugby internationals. And recently, when I met David Clifford in person—he had it too. That calm, powerful presence. That readiness. It’s hard to describe, but you know it when you see it. And the depth of work it takes to get there is immense. The work to stay there? Even more so.

The Work Behind the Feeling

Preparation: Beyond Volume, It’s About Intention

Getting match fit isn’t just about doing more. It’s about doing better. With purpose. Training that mirrors the game. Replicating the speed, the chaos, the collisions. Sharpening skills until they’re instinctive. Building fitness that holds up under pressure. But also building awareness—knowing your role, your responsibilities, and what’s needed to deliver in key moments.

Recovery: The Unseen Pillar of Performance

Recovery isn’t an afterthought. It’s a priority. And it shows up in the small, repeatable actions that often go unnoticed:

• On heavy training days, it means more carbohydrates, more fluids, more deliberate attention to meal timing.
• On lighter days, it means eating enough to recover without overdoing it—maintaining balance.
• It means not forgetting your water bottle—not once. It means showing up hydrated, every day, not just on match day.
• It means carving out time for daily rituals: mobility work, a short walk after meals, winding down before sleep.

This isn’t glamorous. But it’s what creates the foundation. Without these habits, you can train hard and still feel flat. You can look fit but lack sharpness. Match fitness demands energy and freshness—and both are earned through consistent recovery, not luck.

Mindset: The Engine That Drives It All

Mindset isn’t just about mental strength—it’s about awareness and investment. To be match fit mentally, you need more than motivation. You need:

• Mindful practice. Time carved out to check in with yourself.
• Deliberate reflection at the end of a week to recognise patterns, improvements, blind spots.
• The ability to spot a moment, a word, a thought that means something—and not let it pass by unnoticed.

It’s physical, mental, and emotional commitment. That’s the kind of mindset that sustains you through the highs and lows. That’s the mindset that gives you presence—the kind you see in the eyes of those who are ready. It’s built slowly, but with intent. And it’s deeply personal.

The Balance: Where Push Meets Restraint

One of the hardest parts of getting match fit is knowing when to push and when to pull back. To know your body and your limits, and still demand more. It’s about chasing the edge without falling off it. Because when you break—physically or mentally—it usually happens when it matters most. Under pressure. On game day.

Ignore the signals for too long, and you don’t just lose sharpness—you risk your health, your confidence, and your ability to show up for others.

And sometimes, even when you do everything right—eat well, train smart, sleep properly—it still doesn’t feel right. That’s part of it too. You have to be patient. Genuinely patient. Trusting that if you keep showing up and doing the work, the feeling will come back. That’s what separates high performers from everyone else: they keep going, even when the spark hasn’t shown up yet.

The sweet spot lies in that ongoing dance between challenge and care. It takes awareness. It takes humility. And it takes support.

And when you do get there—when your heart rate drops to a new low, when your body feels responsive, when you move with intent—you remember what makes it all worth it. That feeling doesn’t last forever. But it’s real. It’s rare. And it’s something you carry with you.

A New Match Fit

I’m long past my physical peak as an athlete. I’ve accepted that. But that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped chasing. Now I’m after a different kind of match fitness. One that helps me show up better:

• As a leader.
• As a teammate.
• As a husband.
• As a dad.

This version of match fit makes me more grounded. More present. More able to handle pressure with calm. It helps me live what I believe in, and share that energy without saying a word.

That’s what I love helping others find. Building the clarity, structure, and personal connection that helps someone close the gap between where they are and where they know they can be.

Looking Ahead

I’m not afraid to look ahead and imagine the man I want to become. Strong. Moving well. Still carrying presence. Still someone who shows up with energy and lives with intent. I picture my daughters watching—not just now, but years from now. I want them to see a dad who hasn’t slipped. Who hasn’t lost his edge.

Match fitness isn’t constant. But when you know what it takes—and why it matters—you’re never far from finding it again. That rhythm, that hum, may come and go, but when it returns, it’s worth savouring. It reminds you who you are and what you stand for.

That edge—that energy—is something I want to keep alive. Not just for me, but for the people watching. For the people I care about most.

So I’ll leave you with this:

What does your version of match fit look like?
What’s one thing you can do today to move closer to it?
And what’s at stake if you don’t?

It’s a journey. And it’s one worth taking.

Same Formula, Different Reasons

This new version of match fit still relies on the same principles I learned from elite sport. The tools haven’t changed—it’s still exercise, sleep, nutrition, and mindset. It’s the same formula. What’s changed are the reasons.

Back then, it was about performance on the field. Now, it’s about how I lead in my home and in my work. It’s about staying connected to what matters. About being sharp—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally—for the people who count on me.

That formula still works. And it’s why I keep going. Because the routines I developed in sport taught me how to show up now: consistent, steady, prepared. This version of match fit is no less important—it’s just driven by a deeper purpose. That’s what keeps me grounded, and that’s what keeps the work meaningful.

Sign up to our inner circle to get coached by our team, access to all our recipes, articles, community discussions, programmes & live workshops, all in one space.

Join Inner Circle