There are many self-proclaimed “experts” today who quote research on how to get lean, build muscle mass, and other physique enhancing programs. But what about athletes? Anyone with an IQ above room temperature should know that an athlete cannot perform at their peak on a ketogenic diet, carbohydrate rotations and the various other programs out there. After years of research, I was introduced to Phil Richards, a renowned strength and conditioning coach, who is quickly becoming one of the most recognized minds in sports nutrition today. Phil’s uncompromising approach intrigued me, particularly because most of the people I was studying with at the time talked non-stop about the dangers of overtraining, cortisol levels, the things that literally scare people out of training today. While most “experts” brag about results without any evidence, Phil has worked with a wide range of professional athletes and teams ranging from the world’s wealthiest sports organization to Olympic medalists. I can assure you, Phil has a message and you should listen!
MH: Give us a little information about your background for the people who do not know you.
PR: My background is really interesting. I joined the British Army at the age of 16. Very quickly, I become a PT instructor in an infantry regiment. I left at the age of 21 and by 23 owned a very large gym (about 40,000 square feet) and trained mainly rugby players. Where I come from (Wales), the national sport is rugby! I then sold the gym after two years so that I could concentrate on studying clinical, medical and sports nutrition. This became a real passion. I had learned very early on in my career that health is always the deciding factor in performance.
After several years of study, I became one of the first professional rugby full-time strength and conditioning coaches in the UK. This really was a dream job for me because I have a passion for the sport. I worked for 10 years in professional rugby and won multiple league and cup titles with the teams for whom I worked and consulted. I moved on to train and consult for athletes from 10 different sports. These included: strongmen, runners, swimmers, cage fighters, soccer players, boxers and others.
MH: What influenced you to take up the career you have?
PR: I used to cycle competitively as a kid and was always fascinated with improving my performance. I would spend hours planning my weekly schedule so that I would peak for races. I spent a lot of time studying the latest nutritional strategies so that I didn’t fatigue during races.
MH: What type of athletes/competitors do you work with?
PR: At the moment, I’m mainly consulting for professional boxers and rugby players. I’ve recently relocated back home to Wales to set up a nutritional clinic. Currently, that’s taking up most of my time.
MH: If you could sum up your nutritional philosophy with a couple of sentences, what would they be?
PR: The further you move away from nature, the closer you move toward disease.
It really is that simple. Today, if you want world-class results, you must have a world class detoxification program in place. On the toxic front, we get hit from all angles. I see that so many things surrounding us today, from amalgam fillings in our mouths, parabens in our shampoos through to the non-stick frying pans we use for cooking, are causing our health and perfomance to decline quite significantly.
MH: Do many athletes come to see you for advice with anabolics?
PR: None. I genuinely have no interest in anabolics. My whole life has been dedicated to creating healthy people. Anabolics don’t come into the books I read or the way of life I prescribe.
MH: Having said that, are you a believer that you can manipulate your hormones to create the effect of anabolics - The Anabolic Diet by Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale, for example?
PR: The problem with this diet is from Monday – Friday, you’re eating high protein, which yields high acidic load and then weekend high carbohydrates yielding a high acidic load. Now, when I analyze the bloods of people on this type of diet, it looks like liquid sludge. That’s how they feel - totally wiped out. There are more effective ways in my opinion to build the optimum physique while also getting brutally strong. How do I know? I’ve done it with one of the world’s strongest men and countless professional athletes from rugby to cage fighters.
MH: Where do most athletes go wrong with regard to nutrition?
PR: Most don’t drink enough clean water. Everyone thinks only about food. When it comes to nutrition, you must get your priorities right. I helped to develop a water machine, which alkalizes and oxygenates the water. The machine is now installed in a number of cancer hospitals in the UK and is also starting to make it into the sporting world.
MH: If you could think of a couple of things out there in the world of nutrition that are overblown, what would they be?
PR: High protein diets from animal and dairy are a disaster to the human organism. Animal protein in excess creates the environment in which cancer thrives: high acidity and low oxygen levels. One of the first things I now do with my athletes is reduce animal and dairy protein in their diets. Ten times out of ten, performance improves significantly.
EFS: So possibly a more vegetarian-based template is in order for athletes? The key here is balance. We’ve got this misconceived idea that you can only get protein from animal/dairy sources and if you get protein from a vegetable source, then you need to question your sexuality as this simply isn’t macho enough for the big bad world of strength training.
PR: Spirulina, for example, is exceptionally high in absorbable protein and vitamin B12 and is truly a super food. Another example is the combination of rice and pea protein, it’s exceptionally high in amino acids and it’s what I use in my post workout shake.
MH: Typical Sports Nutritionists stress the importance of sugary sports drinks and the loading of high carbohydrate meals before training. Do you agree?
PR: Yes, if you want them to lose. Unfortunately for the university-educated dietician who gets involved with professional sports, it’s often a disaster - which I have seen countless times. I recently had a call from a colleague who’s a strength coach for a Gaelic football team in Ireland. My colleague told me how the team’s nutritionist loads the players for three days before games with carbs - from jelly beans to soft drinks. That’s nutritional insanity! I manipulate brain chemistry through the use of various nootropics and amino acids, which we can talk more about later, as it’s so important.
Please add caption- Phil trains Amir Khan, who is regarded as one of the world’s most feared boxers in the light welterweight division of the World Boxing Association and the Olympic Games. He earned the silver medal in 2004.
MH: Do you have any BASIC ideas for someone with no background in nutrition?
PR: Study sick people and do the exact opposite.
MH: Supplements can be confusing to most competitors out there. How important are supplements in today’s world?
PR: The right supplements are paramount for human health. My top five are: apricot kernals, Spirulina, transdermal magnesium chloride, sodium bicarbonate and vitamin D. A bit different to all the other crap being peddled out there! Always remember if you want performance, you must have health. That’s why my whole philosophy is about building health, then strength. Performance is then a natural progression.
MH: What is your position on probiotics and do they have an effect on athletic performance?
PR: Yes and I’m very fortunate to have a very good friend who is one of the world’s leading experts in this field to really educate me on probiotics. He also manufactures my range of probiotics. He recently advised me that the more meat you eat, the more vigilant you need to get good bacteria into the bowels. Especially as excess meat can putrefy and create many health problems.
MH: How can someone get in touch with you or follow your work? (Website, etc)
PR: If anyone wants to get in touch they can visit my website www.enhancinglifesjourney.co.uk
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