Beyond training
Freedom begins with the right to try
No one should dictate what is or isn’t for you. Freedom is the courage to try something new and find your own path, without waiting for permission or proof of talent.
Freedom in sport, and in every other area of life, starts with a fundamental choice: I can try what sparks my curiosity. It is the right to step into something completely new, to learn from scratch, and to find my own path without having to prove to anyone that I will excel at it. You do not have to know how far you will go before allowing yourself to take the first step.
Fighting other people’s labels
Throughout my life, I heard opinions that were supposed to define the limits of my abilities. “Too short,” “too weak,” “you don’t have the right build for it”—these words often come before the first real attempt. If we start repeating them to ourselves, we give up on a passion before we even discover our own potential. Your natural aptitude matters, but it must not take away your right to enjoy learning and making your own progress.
I have tried many sports in my life. I ran and played football, volleyball, and handball. I skied, inline skated, and snowboarded. I swam and trained in track and field. At many stages, I was written off from the start because I was not tall enough, did not have the right build, or was not good enough. But I was never afraid to try. I kept taking up new disciplines to discover firsthand what I could learn.
Physical fitness as a tool for freedom
Today, I can choose what I want to try, and I do things I once never even dreamed of. Every new skill I learn gives me another way to experience the world. For me, physical fitness has value beyond medals or results alone—it gives me the freedom to move in different environments and take on challenges that used to be out of reach.
Freedom also means being able to move beyond other people’s judgments and draw on your own experience. That first attempt gives you something no outside opinion can replace. You may discover a new passion, or you may decide it is not for you after all—in either case, the decision will be yours, based on facts rather than fear of judgment.
You do not have to fit the image of a champion from day one to step onto the field, into the water, or onto the slopes.
Dare to find out for yourself
Do not let anyone convince you that an activity is off limits just because you do not look like a professional in that field. Freedom is the right to be a beginner, the right to make mistakes, and the right to seek out what genuinely brings you joy. If something calls to you, give yourself the chance to try it. You only discover what is possible by actually trying, not by waiting for perfect conditions.
More in the “Beyond Training” series
I wanted to give up on handstands. What control taught me
Discipline: getting back to work, even on ordinary days
From “I believe” to “I know”: confidence built through experience
Next step
Let’s talk about your training
Tell me where you are now and what you want to achieve. Together, we’ll decide on the first step — with no obligation.