Lessons from Coaching C-Level Executives for 15+ Years
I’ve worked with founders, senior executives, investors, and high performers across fast-moving industries.
One thing they all have in common? Time pressure and high stakes — in health, just like in business, there’s very little room for wasting energy on things that don’t work.
I’ve worked with people who operate under pressure, juggle complex responsibilities, and don’t have time for fluff. One thing is clear: generic fitness advice doesn’t work for this group. Most training programs are built for 20-year-olds with hours to spare and no risk tolerance. Executives need something different: systems that are efficient, adaptive, and backed by outcomes, not hype.
But here’s where it gets tricky. Even the smartest people I’ve worked with have internalised myths that hold them back.
Myth #1: “If I’m not training hard or sweating buckets, it doesn’t count.”
Actually, it does. In fact, training too hard too often can wreck your recovery, suppress your immune system, and increase the risk of injury, especially when stress and sleep are already compromised.
→ A 2021 study published in Frontiers in Physiology found that low to moderate-intensity resistance training, done consistently, can yield similar strength gains to high-intensity training, with better adherence and lower injury risk.
What works: Structured, time-efficient sessions (even as short as 25–35 minutes) that prioritise progressive loading, movement quality, and recovery. That’s the sweet spot for performance without burnout.
Myth #2: “If I’m injured or stiff, I should stop moving until it goes away.”
The opposite is true in most cases. Movement, tailored and controlled, is often the best medicine. Staying inactive during periods of joint pain, low back discomfort, or general stiffness tends to worsen mobility and slow recovery, especially with age.
→ A 2022 review in The British Journal of Sports Medicine emphasised that early, guided movement after injury leads to better outcomes than passive rest in most non-surgical cases.
What works: A plan that adjusts intensity without stopping movement altogether. Recovery protocols should be as deliberate as your training blocks. Add active recovery to get much better outcomes than immobilisation.
Myth #3: “Heavy lifting is dangerous after 40.”
In reality, the danger lies in not maintaining strength. After age 30, most people lose 3–5% of muscle mass per decade unless they actively train. This decline accelerates after 50. The result? Reduced bone density, slower metabolism, and higher fall/injury risk.
→ Strength training just 2x/week can prevent muscle loss, improve glucose regulation, and enhance longevity markers, according to the American College of Sports Medicine and recent meta-analyses in The Lancet.
What works: Prioritising compound lifts with controlled progression, smart deloads, and a long-view approach. No ego lifting. No chaos. Just better movement, more strength, and a body that works better for longer.
A Smarter Approach for High Performers
What I’ve learned coaching executives is that they don’t need extreme routines — they need systems that return energy, not take more of it.
That’s exactly what we do at FitLounge:
Science-backed strength and mobility training
Time-efficient structure
Programs that evolve with you — across travel, work cycles, and recovery needs
Data-driven, coach-led accountability that fits into your calendar, not against it
If you’re running companies, teams, or portfolios, your health should support your performance, not compete with it.
Let’s build that foundation.