The podcast for normal people who want to do abnormal things.
Hey, I am Pete Laverick, an Ex-professional athlete living a pretty normal life in Hong Kong. I talk to people who many of us view as 'abnormal', or having achieved abnormal things.
I want to know if these 'abnormal' people are that much different from the rest of us, what was it that made them go from being normal people, living normal lives, to wanting to do something completely different and make that first step outside of their comfort zone.
The podcast for normal people who want to do abnormal things.
Hey, I am Pete Laverick, an Ex-professional athlete living a pretty normal life in Hong Kong. I talk to people who many of us view as 'abnormal', or having achieved abnormal things.
I want to know if these 'abnormal' people are that much different from the rest of us, what was it that made them go from being normal people, living normal lives, to wanting to do something completely different and make that first step outside of their comfort zone.
Ant Haynes is one of Hong Kong’s most respected CrossFit athletes, a multiple-time CrossFit Games competitor, former Hong Kong rugby player, and co-owner of Coastal Fitness. But behind the medals and highlight reels lies a powerful story about sacrifice, burnout, and rediscovering balance.
In this episode, Ant opens up about his journey from professional rugby to CrossFit, how he built one of Asia’s top training communities, and the moment he realised that success was costing him the relationships that mattered most.
Chapters
00:00 The Cost of Athletic Pursuits
03:01 Navigating Life Changes: From Hong Kong to Dubai
05:54 The Journey from Rugby to CrossFit
09:01 Transitioning to Coaching and Business
12:00 The Evolution of CrossFit and Personal Training
15:00 The Challenges of Competing at a High Level
17:50 Programming for Longevity in Fitness
21:00 The Reality of Competition Preparation
29:47 The Pain of Preparation
31:55 Lessons from Competition
33:29 Training Adaptations and Resilience
36:52 The Evolution of CrossFit Training
39:32 CrossFit vs Other Sports
44:20 The Mental Game of Training
49:32 Shifting Priorities
55:39 Redefining Success
59:30 Legacy and Impact
01:01:18 Courage Over Comfort
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
👉 Subscribe for more conversations with people doing Abnormal things.
Follow Ant: https://www.instagram.com/anthayneshk/