THE NATURAL EDGE

Forging Great Health | Increasing Human Performance | Inspiring Adventures

Forging Great Health

Increasing Human Performance

Inspiring Adventures

Forging Great Health

Increasing Human Performance

Inspiring Adventures

WHAT WE DO

THE NATURAL EDGE ACADEMY

Online courses and coaching providing the tools and support for exceptional health & fitness.

EVENTS & ADVENTURES

Bespoke experiences to learn skills, reset the mind & reboot the body

Get weekly articles with actionable health & performance tips & strategies via email.

THE NATURAL EDGE ACADEMY

In-depth courses & training

Access our course library with modules on mindset, sleep, nutrition and training plus access to the weekly Q&A session

Exclusive content & member-only perks

Weekly focus blog, downloads, checklists and more - plus receive special perks & discounts on upcoming adventures

Active, Supportive Community

Feedback, support and motivation from fellow members on the same journey as you to keep you on track and accountable

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EVENTS & ADVENTURES

Health Retreats

Trips at home and abroad allowing people to escape the grind of modern life, meet like-minded people, reset and reboot

Corporate & Group Experience Days

Bespoke high quality training & experience packages to develop teamwork, adaptability, and resilience

Microadventures

Short, simple, local adventures in great locations that are fun, exciting, challenging, refreshing and rewarding

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WE ARE SIMON JEFFRIES &
JOHN SYKES-POPHAM

Our journey started in 2009 whilst serving with UK Special Forces. Working in a job that placed huge demands on the body and mind, and where second place could result in serious injury or death, sparked a deep interest in human performance. Along the way we became sick and tired of the misinformation and half truths that confuse people and confuse an already complex topic.

Now our passion is sharing the lessons we have learned with as many people as possible, to help everyone achieve the best health they can.

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FOLLOW OUR STORY

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Compromising The Process.
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I talk about process a lot because I’m a big believer in the idea that this is where the true power of accomplishment lies. The trouble with society is that we love to focus on the end result, the big ‘success’, but that is not where the true success lies. Instead you will find it in the journey, both short and long term. I love this quote from Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard’s:
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“Many people don’t understand that how you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top. You can solo climb Everest without using oxygen, or you can pay guides and Sherpas to carry your loads...llay in six 6000ft of fixed ropes, and have one Sherpa pulling and one pushing you.
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Typical high-powered, rich plastic surgeons and CEOs who attempt to climb Everest this way are so fixated on the target, the summit, that they compromise on the process. The goal of climbing big, dangerous mountains should be to attain some sort of spiritual and personal growth, but this won’t happen if you compromise away the entire process.”
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Along with understanding the power of process is realising that your development is personal to you. My ‘hard’ is not your ‘hard’ and so on. We are all different. So if getting to the top of Mt Snowdon is your equivalent of Everest then never let that be diminished by what others are doing.
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This photo was taken during my Special Forces Mountain Cadre when we decided to do a summer via ferrata route in winter with skis on our backs. Whether we got to the top or not didn’t matter (we did, just), pushing ourselves physically and mentally was the important part.
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When it comes to life, focusing on the actions you take each day rather than obsessing about the results will ironically get you better results in the long run anyway. And realising that everything in life is just a process helps remove the pressure we love to put on ourselves.
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Crossing the finish line is not the measure of your life: You need to honor the highs and the peaks in the moments (and) recognize the fact that the preparation for those moments is your life and, in fact, that’s the richness of your life.” Chris Hadfield (An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth).

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Bad 5 Minutes.
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This is a repost from something I wrote a while ago but after a couple of hectic days with a fair bit of stress I thought it was a point sharing again….
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Everyone, no matter who you are, has bad days now and again. For me personally I find the best solution is an acknowledgement of the feeling with no self-judgement and the knowledge that it will pass. In truth I think back to the advice a group of us going on Special Forces selection received for the inevitable suffering we were about to experience.
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“It’s just a bad 5 minutes”!
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This has become a bit of a mantra for me. In all areas of life there will always be a ‘bad 5 minutes’. But 5 minutes will pass, you just have to accept you are in a struggle and that you will get out the other side. Use whatever tactics you need, from self-talk to supportive friends, but don’t let it spiral past that ‘5 minutes’.
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It is also important to remember that although social media can be a huge force for good it has the tendency to paint an idealised version of what life should be. I like to think I’m pretty positive and happy most of the time but that does not mean I still don’t have struggles like everyone else. If you are having a day when you just can’t ‘get after it’ no matter what you try, don’t worry. Acknowledge it, don’t beat yourself up, do what you can and regroup for the next day. It is your moving average that counts, you do not have to be ‘perfect’ everyday!
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On a wider note, if you are having more bad days than good do not be afraid to ask for help. I know several physically strong and mentally resilient people who have still faced some hard internal struggles. This is not a sign of weakness and it’s not something you can ‘snap out of’. There is some amazing help out there these days, so if you can reach out to someone you trust, then take that opportunity and don’t suffer in silence.

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A Roadmap For Mindset - Part 1.
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“The mind is primary. The mind drags the body - struggling behind it - rarely the opposite. When spirit increases, improved physical performance is a consequence. As performance improves, spirit soars, confidence evolves and character develops.” - Gym Jones
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In this week's blog (link in bio to full article) I have shared a part of a piece from our Tactics Pack which you can grab for free from our website. •
The human brain is the most incredible piece of machinery we possess, on the one hand it can help us achieve amazing feats, and on the other it can be our own worst enemy. And trying to make positive changes can be incredibly difficult until you understand how your mind works.
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Having a strong mindset that enables you to conquer your goals is not something that you either have or don’t have. Everyone can improve their mindset. The trick is to understand the formula that makes this possible
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The common mistake that most people make is relying ONLY on willpower and motivation, and being disappointed when it doesn’t work. A lot of people assume that when people achieve a big goal it is thanks to some kind of iron willpower that only certain people have.
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But this is a myth.
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The process I used to prepare myself for and successfully pass selection for Special Forces is the same process I apply to any goal and it does not rely solely on willpower or motivation. Yes they are of course important, but they must be applied in specific ways to get the maximum benefit.
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BUT they used as a tool to build habits. And habits, systems and processes are absolutely the best chance you have at hitting your goals.
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The entire strategy involves 4 key pillars: Motivation + Willpower + Habits + Process (this week’s article covers the first two).

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Controlled Recovery Periods.
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If you want to reduce stress, enhance recovery rate, and improve performance you need to get the best sleep you possibly can. It is an absolutely critical component in achieving optimal health and fitness. Marketing loves to sell us pills and potions but you’d be far better investing in sleep, plus it’s free and enjoyable!
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There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. The tipping point for sleep debt is usually around 7 or 7.5 hours, so this is the bare minimum you should be aiming for.
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Regularly getting less than 7 hours is a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation, leading to decreased mental and physical performance. And just because you're able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn't mean you wouldn't feel a lot better and get more done if you spent an extra hour or two in bed.
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But there are times when you can’t avoid it and a tactic you can use is the controlled recovery period, better known as the power nap! It’s a skill you get very good at in the military and in studies by NASA on their military pilots was found to restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes.
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The key to successful power napping is duration. Too much takes you into deep sleep mode, and too little is just not enough. Maximum recharging during a power nap is achieved by going from stage 1 sleep (‘drifting off’ feeling) to stage 2 (slowdown of brain activity). In most people, 20 minutes is about right.
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Although a quiet, dark environment is best the truth is that we can nap anywhere. Find a spot where you can make yourself comfortable close your eyes and just let go. And even if you can’t fall asleep use this period to close your eyes and disconnect from the world for a short while. Tapping into that point of the day when you’re not really thinking about anything at all, when your mind is blank, brings benefit in its own right.

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Tactics For Success.
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A repost from this time one year ago but just as relevant…..Being as it is the start of a new year and a time traditionally associated with making changes I thought it apt to summarise an article recently posted by @james_clear.
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Setting goals is necessary to determine your focus but sometimes we get so obsessed with the outcome that we overlook the process we need to do to get there. We become so fixated on the short-term results that we forget to build the long-term habits that make the real difference.
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James outlines 3 strategies which help to accelerate results without ignoring the importance of building better habits. He calls these ‘behaviour multipliers’ because they multiply and enhance your ability to take the right action on a consistent basis. This is what he has to say:
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1. Rapid Feedback: The best way to change long-term behaviour is with short-term feedback. The more immediate the feedback is that you get, the quicker you can make adjustments to your behaviour. The most foundational aspect of a new habit is awareness. If you're not aware of your habits you can’t expect to change them. This is why feedback is so important. Faster feedback leads to faster results.
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2. Simplicity: If you live a life with fewer distractions, it becomes much easier to take effective action. In many cases, the danger isn't knowing what the most important task is for the day. The danger is doing the 7th-most important thing before you do the most important thing. In line with the 80/20 rule, identify the 20 percent of strategies that are most effective and eliminate the 80 percent of strategies that are wasteful.
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3. Environment: The world around us shapes our behaviour. If you live in an environment that nudges you toward the right decision then you'll find success is easier to achieve. A simple action is to remove all junk food from your house and place better options in plain sight. Every environment promotes some behaviours and prevents others. The key is to be in an environment that supports the results you want to achieve.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT US

“Since following TNE my health and lifestyle has improved a great deal. In the beginning my diet wasn’t great, so I decided to start off small. I can honestly say I feel so much better for it, my performance in the gym has improved, as well as my body shape and how much energy I have.”

SOPHIE TYAS

“After struggling with my weight for years I really think I have found a place where I can not only improve my weight but also myself as a person. I feel part of a growing community of like minded people who want to not only improve themselves but help you improve yourself.”

STUART MARSH

“The changes around my nutrition have led to me being generally being happier, my training has come on amazingly and I have again learnt to listen and respect my body. The team are so supportive, informative and above all passionate. I am so grateful to have found this!”

PETRINA GLASS

THE NATURAL EDGE

WHAT WE DO

THE NATURAL EDGE ACADEMY

EVENTS & ADVENTURES

THE NATURAL EDGE ACADEMY

In-depth courses & training

Exclusive content & member-only perks

Active, Supportive Community

EVENTS & ADVENTURES

Health Retreats

Corporate & Group Experience Days

Microadventures

WE ARE SIMON JEFFRIES &JOHN SYKES-POPHAM

FOLLOW OUR STORY

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT US

WE ARE SIMON JEFFRIES &
JOHN SYKES-POPHAM