Rox Lyfe - The HYROX Podcast

chevron_right

Brad Stulberg on HYROX: Goal Setting, Patience, and the Real Path to Excellence

whatshot 12 snips

Mar 19, 2026

Guest

Brad Stulberg

Brad Stulberg, bestselling author and performance coach focused on sustainable excellence. He unpacks what excellence truly means and debunks common myths. He talks goal-setting tied to values, breaking big aims into manageable cycles, and why patience beats short-term overreach. Curiosity, consistency, and designing your environment are highlighted as keys to lasting progress.

47:02

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Train With Restraint To Build Consistency

Prioritise consistency and leave reps in the tank rather than training to failure constantly.
Brad recommends mostly RPE 6–8 to string workouts together and save maximal efforts for rare peak cycles.

insights

INSIGHT

1% Better Works Early But Not Forever

'Get 1% better every day' is a useful early-phase mindset but becomes misleading when progress plateaus.
Brad explains plateaus often arrive after 1–4 years and motivation must shift to love of the process and curiosity.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Lane Norton's Eight Year Deadlift Plateau

Lane Norton took eight years to add seven pounds to his deadlift and stayed motivated by treating the work as the win.
Brad uses Norton's eight-year plateau to show motivation must shift from visible gains to love of the process.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Common Misconceptions About Excellence

02:42 • 2min

chevron_right

Excellence Is Democratic, Not Just Elite Results

04:54 • 1min

chevron_right

Why Brad Wrote The Way of Excellence

06:16 • 2min

chevron_right

Defining Excellence: Involved Engagement

08:41 • 2min

chevron_right

Choose Goals That Align With Your Values

10:26 • 2min

chevron_right

Breaking Big Goals Into Process Steps

12:35 • 2min

chevron_right

Patience: Build a Heroic Body of Work

14:40 • 3min

chevron_right

The 1% Better Trap and Motivation Shifts

17:22 • 4min

chevron_right

Common Training Traps to Avoid

21:24 • 3min

chevron_right

Balancing Multiple Goals and Life Stress

24:10 • 3min

chevron_right

Be Yourself and Go All The Way

26:44 • 4min

chevron_right

Caring Deeply While Accepting the Pain

30:40 • 2min

chevron_right

Failure: Test Limits and Return Quickly

32:31 • 3min

chevron_right

Curiosity as the Antidote to Fear

35:12 • 2min

chevron_right

Finite vs Infinite Games in Training

37:25 • 1min

chevron_right

Designing an Environment for Excellence

38:39 • 2min

chevron_right

Mindset Under Pressure: Curiosity and Presence

40:44 • 3min

chevron_right

Don't Prejudge Your Warmup

44:01 • 1min

chevron_right

Final Remarks and Book Plug

• Mentioned in 43 episodes

Peak Performance

Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success

Brad Stulberg

Steve Magness

Peak Performance uncovers the common principles that drive success in different domains, from athletics to intellectual and artistic pursuits. The book combines stories of top performers with scientific insights into cognitive and neurochemical factors that enhance performance. It teaches readers how to optimize their performance by alternating between intense work and rest, priming the body and mind for productivity, and developing a self-transcending purpose. The authors provide practical advice on managing stress, prioritizing rest and sleep, and setting meaningful goals to avoid burnout and achieve peak performance.

#958

• Mentioned in 38 episodes

The Practice of Groundedness

A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul

Brad Stulberg

In this book, Brad Stulberg presents a healthier model for success that counters the 'always-on' hustle culture. Groundedness, the central concept, values presence over productivity, accepts nonlinear progress, and prioritizes long-term fulfillment. The book interweaves case studies, modern science, and ancient wisdom from Buddhism, Stoicism, and Taoism to teach readers how to cultivate a more grounded life. Key practices include accepting where you are, being present, developing patience, embracing vulnerability, building deep community, and focusing on the process rather than outcomes.

#993

• Mentioned in 37 episodes

The Way of Excellence

Brad Stulberg

• Mentioned in 1,349 episodes

Atomic Habits

James Clear

Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth.

In this episode of the Rox Lyfe podcast, I’m joined by Brad Stulberg.

Brad is a bestselling author whose books include Peak Performance, The Practice of Groundedness, and Master of Change. His latest book, The Way of Excellence, explores what it really means to pursue excellence in sport, work, and life.

In this conversation, we dive into what excellence actually is - and some of the biggest misconceptions around it. We talk about goal setting for athletes, how to stay motivated when progress inevitably slows down, and why curiosity might be one of the most powerful mindsets you can bring into training and racing.

We also get into patience, failure, consistency, and the traps that stop athletes from reaching their potential.

If you’re chasing progress in HYROX or any performance-based sport, there’s a lot in here that will change how you think about training and improvement.

🔗 Subscribe for more episodes

💥 Supporters of this Episode

🏅 MyProtein – Affordable, high-quality supplements to support your HYROX training. Use code ROXLYFE at checkout: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roxlyfe.com/myprotein⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎒 Built For Athletes – Premium backpacks trusted by 150,000+ athletes. Get 15% off automatically at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://builtforathletes.com/ROXLYFE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🧤 The Rox Guys – Lightweight, breathable gloves, with great grip, for fitness racing. Get 15% off with code ROXLYFE or by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theroxguys.com/discount/ROXLYFE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔗 Useful Links & Resources

🤷 New to HYROX? Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roxlyfe.com/a-beginners-guide-to-hyrox/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📲 Stay Connected

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3LDf0XTEWT4Uc_RY4pGOzw?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

💌 Get weekly HYROX tips by email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://roxlyfe.com/subscribe/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📸 Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/theroxlyfe/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

💗 Support us on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/roxlyfe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

#HYROX #HybridAthlete #FunctionalFitness #EnduranceTraining

Home Top podcasts Popular guests Top books