We sat down with Ben Seymour, BYS athlete and performance coach, whose path from professional rugby to helping others train, recover, and perform at their best has been shaped by discipline as much as ambition. These days, life looks a little different - balancing his work with Rhise, coaching, and a new chapter as a father - with a BYS coffee still setting the tone for every morning.
Can you tell us about your journey and what led you to build a career around helping others train, recover, and perform at their best?
Coming off the back of playing professional rugby, being in a team environment, when I retired I really missed that. I kind of went into a bit of a solo fitness stage, but now I really enjoy working with others, in both a coaching and training capacity. I want to be able to give back some of the knowledge that I've learnt over time, and continue pushing my own limits.
As an Athlete, Business Owner and new Dad, what does your day-to-day juggle look like?
I wish there was some sort of repeat structure to it, but I’m just taking it day by day at the moment. I usually wake up at about 4am and feed my son if he is awake by then. Otherwise I will get into my training - something meaningful and purposeful. Then I get stuck into some work for Rhise at home before heading in to do some coaching. I usually have to skip lunch, so it’s a good day if I’m able to eat and fuel from it. From there, maybe some more training in the afternoon then home for family time before putting my son to bed, spend some time with my wife and get ready to do it all again.
Recovery seems just as important to you as training. Why do you think recovery gets overlooked, and what does your own recovery routine look like?
Yeah, you can’t outwork bad recovery. It’s honestly the most important thing. You don't have to be in a sauna and an ice bath daily or anything like that, the most important things around recovery are making sure you are fuelling enough, getting enough sleep, and taking 1 or 2 days off a week to allow your body to build the foundations. You are continuously breaking your body down with your training so you need to solidify that to move to the next step. It's also one of the more unpleasant or unglamorous sides of training, you don’t really see a lot of it and people don’t really show it, but it's probably one of the most important.
How important is your morning routine, and where does coffee fit into it?
Yeah, my morning routine is the most important part of my day, it sets my day up. If I don’t get my coffee in and workout done, my wife will probably say I'm a pain in the ass and I'm just not focused and productive. It’s super important. Coffee is how I start my day, and usually how I get through the afternoon as well.
Outside of the business and competing, what would you say is your biggest personal achievement?
Definitely having a son and building a family.
And lastly, what's your favourite BYS blend, and how does it fit into your day?
Still a Collagen Mocha guy without a doubt, but also love the double espresso can.