Our Ryderwear athletes are more than just the sculpted cores and sweat-soaked workouts you see on your Instagram feeds.
They’re real people, leading real lives beyond the lens, each with their own ambitions, anxieties and adversities to overcome.
What we want to do is offer a window into the people behind the physique. Sure, part of that is what they eat and how they train, but also their stories, their passions and their habits. How did they get to where they are today? What influences an influencer?
Arran Aro is a Ryderwear athlete and fitness model who emphasises mindfulness just as much as muscle. We spoke to Aran about his daily rituals and how he balances his mental and physical training.
8:00AM: Wake Up
The first thing I do when I wake up is make my bed, then I do a 10 minute yoga session followed by a 20 minute meditation mantra. At the moment I’m trying to focus on how I can enjoy this beautiful experience whilst becoming a better human being. I’m working on developing certain characteristics within myself that I wish to see more of in the world. I always ask what would my best self do?
9:00AM: Morning Cardio
After making myself a coffee I jump on my spin bike for 40-50 minutes for morning cardio. During that time I’ll listen to Meek Mill’s Dreams and Nightmares album or 50 Cent Get Rich or Die Trying. Following this I do 100 reps of abdominal exercises.
10:30AM: Work
I jump in the shower and head to work. I oversee and manage a gym just outside of Oxford, so my main focus is on service and marketing. I spend my time thinking of new advertising ideas and how to improve sales. I just want people to enjoy their training. I want them to push themselves more than they think they can. I want them to give more reps, more energy, eat right and sleep well.
3:00PM: Meal One
I’m currently Intermittent Fasting, so I won’t eat between 11PM and 3PM. My first meal is 100g Salmon, 100g Sweet Potato, 100g Broccoli and some Mediterranean Vegetables. I’ll have this meal a few times throughout the day.
7:00PM: Workout
I train for about an hour and a half. My favourite collection to wear is the Duty range. It’s functional and lightweight, and always has me covered for when I go to war with the weights. I’ve been training for ten years now. I first competed in a fitness competition back in 2014, and since then I’ve taken training and nutrition more seriously, while still enjoying the journey.
9:00PM: Dinner | Me Time
I’ll go home and cook dinner (180g King Prawns, 125g Basmati Rice, 100g Broccoli, 100g green peas and two free range eggs) then relax by reading a book or watching a TV series. I love developing myself through reading and learning. I once picked up a weight and never looked back. I have now picked up many books and never looked back. I still have great enthusiasm for growing my physique, however I now have great energy for growing spiritually and mentally. It’s so important to me to have a healthy mind, not just look aesthetically pleasing
