Turo Virta: 0:57

Hey, welcome to the podcast, and today's episode, it's a little bit different, because I want to talk about my experience at the Olympics, but not in a way you might expect, because I'm not going to give you a highlight highlight reel. I'm not going to talk about medals or big emotional speeches, because I want to talk about what the Olympics actually look like behind the scenes, because what most people see on TV is celebration, and what I experienced was preparation, pressure, discipline and responsibility and being part of the Olympic Games with Italian Women's National Ice hockey team was one of the biggest professional experiences of my life. And what surprised me most had nothing to do with the states. It had everything to do with the process. So in this episode, I want to share what the Olympics taught me about pressure, consistency, leadership and real discipline, and, more importantly, what normal people can learn from elite environments. Because here is the truth, you don't need to be an Olympian to apply Olympic standards to your own life. So let's get into it. So first, first, it's, it's, it's what, what surprised me most had nothing to do with the metal. So, because if you look on big and shiny, they look very shiny on TV and behind the scenes. It's all about discipline, repetition, logistics and emotional control. So there was, like it was, of course, for me, was I didn't even really know what to expect when we when we get there and and being part of the opening ceremony and and seeing it live, I was actually surprised, like how, like Olympic Village, for example, it is, it is not as amazing as you see. It's actually very boring. What was, what they have done really well, like, it's, it's just basically in the U of R, in a big apartment. Athletes are, they have room. They were shared room. Like, there is a two beds in the same room, but there is nothing else, like not even a table, not not a TV, nothing. There is just place to sleep. And everybody else, who is all athletes who are staying in Olympic village, they are eating in big Mensa, where is a lot of food, obviously different type of foods, but it's very It's not some five star Michelin restaurant. You get normal, basic food. Obviously, choices are enough. Some, some people who, depending like what is your background, they might be complained that it's too less or there is missing thing. But I found it like it's it's all what you need. You had a very, very large choice, but just the basic food, nothing too fancy or anything. So it's the And what surprised me most is that all, like where I was in Milano, there is there were all ice hockey players who are coming from NHL, except Team Canada, who was just, I think, the first day in the Olympic village, and then they moved to some different hotel. But all other teams, superstars, who are making millions per year, are sleeping and being in that environment and, and that is, that is, that was the biggest thing. And, but there is not too much things you can do, like there is you can watch the Olympics from TV with the other athletes. And what I what I really like is what they have put huge kind of thing is that they there is a lot of help for mental health and and athletes like having pressure, and you don't, you don't, and you don't get anything. You don't. There is, Oh, nothing, where you see news. Like, obviously you might be reading them, but you don't. If you don't watch something, you have no idea what is happening outside. Like, great example was one of after one of our games. We played on Saturday in the biggest, hokey stadium, 12,000 12,000 people. After that, obviously, during the game, you didn't see anything. We were going back to back to hotel. They just said that we can't enter so we have to make another round and and, of course, we didn't know. We had no idea what is actually going on and what was actually going on. Then later on, you watch the news that there were some protests going on, some group of people who were protesting against Olympics. They have been trying to enter the hockey stadium while we were playing. And then they were doing some protest action in front of Olympic Village. And we, obviously, we didn't know that. They just told us that we can't enter. And we were like that, what the world is happening like that, we need to get back there, that how we can, if we can't go back in where we used to go, because they were just closing the streets. And nobody told nobody gave us explanation what is actually happening. And then we found a way how to get in there. But this is just an example in the news. We didn't see anything. We didn't see anything, what is actually going on. And then you you saw later some, maybe some videos from social media that it was a scary situation, which probably it was. But as a member of staff and team, we had no idea what is going on, what is going on. So those those things might look a lot worse that in a TV and in the news as it actually was, obviously it have been most likely it was a dangerous situation. And really appreciate all security, what they had there, and that is one of the things like that security, it was, they were sometimes way too strict. It felt like that. How you can, you need to control everything, but better, that way, that there is nothing. It's almost like kind of impossible to get in without accreditation, and, and so nothing is happening. So, so those kind of things, on the other hand, you understand, you appreciate it, and how everything is going. So many, many volunteers taking care of security. They have their own job. Everybody focusing on their own job. And, and that is, that was little bit surprising. So what I, what I, what I, what was for us, huge thing was that the amount of media, what is, who is following our games, like a women's hockey it's, it's, it's, it's not that big that you think that you are, but now, when, when there is Olympics, whole whole world is watching what you are doing. You seeing the games, but what, what people don't see that? How that preparation, what it actually takes, and how long it takes. So we have been, I have been part of this now two and a half years, and during that time, how many days we have spent in a training camp, how hard those athletes have worked for whole past years, basically their whole life. We have been doing this thing, we have been planning, we have been failing, we have been adjusting, and every small detail are mattering. And it's, it's really like that boring consistency, what makes you might think that, Oh, you were lucky at that point. But if I think that you, you like, you get more or less what you deserve in long term, it's, it's short term event where, obviously, many things can happen. You might not deserve your luck. It can go other way too, but it's, it's really everybody is you have a same and same possible things and and in more, more or less, I believe that you get you, you have to deserve your luck also, and and that you are in a position to be able to compete and able to get there, get there. So what is, what is that preparation for Olympic it's not, it's very structured. It's very repetitive, and it's very disciplined. So, so it's, it's, if you think, if I think, as a coaching with the normal people, the principles apply. They apply for fat loss, they apply for building strength, they apply to building business. So basically everything, it's exactly the same. It's, it doesn't, it doesn't. Those principles don't change, change at all. So then the other thing, what I what I really was surprised, is that amount of pressure. And of course, there is a, there was like a, if I just think, what our athletes what they were we were talking before, and obviously there were very few. Few of our athletes have played earlier in front of 12,000 people watching the game. Some of them thought that they have had maybe 1000 people or seven, 800 people watching the game. And usually they have maybe 100, maybe 50, maybe not even that. Now, all of sudden you have, you have a 12,000 people, plus, how many people is watching it through television or somewhere, but just on the stadium, full stadium in front of 12,000 people. So, so, and when I talked with athletes after the event, that how it felt like, and this is, you know, you didn't even basically think about it. It's still, you are doing your you are playing your game. Maybe it was a day before, but I was surprised how surprisingly, of course, we were. Athletes were preparing for this, so they knew they were already learning different kind of strategies, how to deal with the pressure and having their moment. Then, of course, there was extra focus, but there was not like that. You you need to remind somebody to be awake before the game. So it was more like, more like bringing that calm and silence and reminding that it's still in the end of the day, it's one game of hockey. So, so that is, that is not an it's, it's, like most of the people, like somebody used to say it very well, is, I can't remember where I heard it, but it's, it's, or it's, it's very common sentence that pressure is privilege. So pressure, it's not panic, it's just a responsibility. So and of course, there was like, what I was like I mentioned earlier. There are very good tools like to, for example, to draw, have a draw, paint some pictures, doing some meditation, yoga, just to take a moment. Because if you are always with somebody, you some athletes need their own time to just to relax, to be there, to have own time for themselves and with their thoughts. So So, because we are all reacting differently between this, but it's, it's still, it's still in a that level high performance is actually, it's very calm. It's bringing that calm, calmness and not some dramatic. It's not overreacting. It's it's in these short term tournaments, it's all about recovering as well as you can. And it's not that you know you have a you, of course, you use all kind of things, but most important matters is just staying active, drinking a lot of water, making sure that you are eating right foods, like in our sports, in ice hockey, it's all about having enough carbs even you might not feel hungry, but making sure that your energy levels yet, that you have full energy levels, because you Know that you know games, you will need them so, so it's, it's all about those basic things. It's what, what you are, what you are doing. So, and this, this what I learned. It's, it's, it sounds more boring at as it is, actually is because was it is? It is very boring. It's about consistency, like at the highest level, no one is guessing. It's athletes. What we prioritize, sleep over practices at this level, like we gave chances, because after the games, most athletes have a problem to fell asleep. So it was that you get then you can sleep longer. During the morning, you are eating. You are making sure that you are eating well. You are recovering. You are repeating this. So those athletes, they don't change, chase that motivation, that how to get motivation, they respect the process. So, because those are, those are things that, if you think that as a everyday people, you don't need Olympic talent. You don't what you actually need is Olympic consistency. For, for example, all people who I think that that are struggling with the with the fat loss or getting results, what they want is that the most missing part is, by far, is the consistency. And if you think that you go from highest level of athletes, what they are doing. They do. They repeat the same things. It's not about some magical, magical things that they have. They might have a different tools, but do they really matter? Honestly, I believe that it's it really doesn't matter. It's all about that consistency, doing basic things often, and doing them well. And that is that was, for me, the biggest lesson that when I looked there, we had a huge team at the Olympic Village. And obviously my job as a strength and conditioning goes, it was there. But what I love the most of this experience is seeing like another hockey players, professionals, how they are working out, what they are doing. Of course, during the Olympics, it's not that there is nobody who wants to improve something. It was more about maintenance, doing mobility exercises, helping to recover faster, being the best level on the game. So nobody is at this level. Is not. It's it changes little bit if you go off season or during the season, even you might have a you want to improve in something, but at at the Olympics or when there's a world championships or important things, you are not focusing on improving something. You are focusing to make yourself recover faster, maybe weakening up your body. But it's not that it changes a little bit if you try to kind of all the time improve, and this is also for everyday people, is that at some point you can't all the time try to improve, so at some points, it's okay to focus on maintaining everything and and when life happens or something, so it's, it's all about the consistency and not aiming for every time personal bests or whatever. So that is, that is the biggest lesson, and what I when I learned, like how our tournament, when we over exceeded our expectations, or we knew within the team that we believe that that is our gold medal is to make it until quarter finals. And we made it. We beat Japan, we beat France. We lost very, very close game against Germany, which we could win without luck, Sweden. We lost them six, one on a regular phase. And honestly, that was they were so much better. We had no chances. Then quarter finals you get in a women's hockey we played against the USA, and they are, I'm pretty sure they gonna win the gold medal without any, any issue. So in that game, you realistically at this level, you have even it's only one game. In one game, everything can happen. But it's a very, very unlikely that you can, you can beat them. So, so we lost six zero, which was actually amazing result for it sounds that it's, well, that's a bit high. But if you think that six zero losing USA, they beat the, probably the second best team, Canada, five zero before and when I'm recording this, they are playing in the final on on Thursday, when this episode is coming out. And I'm expecting that maybe it's not going to be five zero game, but close to that. And in the semi finals, they beat five zero Swede and so so losing six zero against them, because the level the difference is, at the moment, it's it's that big in a women's hockey but if I think that where we started, we came to this tournament, we were ranked 17th in the world, and we were competing with top nations our athletes, we have never faced, basically top six countries In the world, or even top 10 countries we have faced before this tournament, Japan, which was ranked number seventh, and we lost them in August, two times with one goal difference. So we knew that gave us belief that we we are able to compete against the top 10 countries, and losing against Sweden, which is number six, and beating Japan, who is number seven, beating France, which is, I don't know, 10 or 11, something like that, and Germany, I think it's Number nine. So beating those countries being ranked 17. That's amazing results for us and and, but it's still, it's still what we learned so much from this, that what it needs to be like if you look like that, what our team USA, they are professionals. There is, there is they do everything, just small details a little bit better. And if you think that how much they have, how many women's ice hockey players are in the US, I don't have exact number here, but I know that Team Canada, for example, I was talking with the other coach in in we have, in Italy, maybe five, 600 including all three time players who are 50 years old or or younger kids, we have 600 players. And the other countries, they can choose national team from 40,000 athletes. So it's, it's a it's a bit different to being able to choose from 40,000 people or 50,000 people, or girls, and you have basically 300 or 400 where you can choose. So it's, it's, there is a huge, huge difference, what you can use so, so this is, this is, I hope we were leaving legacy, and we get there is a new athletes coming up. Young girls who were looking at this and started thinking that, Oh, this is cool. I would love to also try ice hockey, find some sport. What is interesting me? So that is what I what I believe, and what is what would be the best possible outcome from this, this result, then what is, what is what I what I learned personally from the Olympics. So if you, if you ask me, somebody asked me that this, did this change me? No, I, I'm still the same person. It was, of course, amazing experience being able to compete in a big level, seeing what other professionals are doing. And it's it was kind of amazing to see like, of course, you as a coach, you always ask yourself that these things, what you are doing, are they would you? Could you do something differently, or what things, but the things, what we were doing, everybody, of course, they have little bit own, their own things, especially in this phase of the season, when the message when you play only for the games, and so it's kind of strength and conditioning coaching at this point. It doesn't even matter that much. It's more more. But what you see, what the things, what we were doing the best, from the best, we're doing exactly the same thing, or more or less same thing. So it's, it's because it's at this point you don't want to what you want to do is to do what they are always doing. So you don't want to bring something, some new things for athletes that to get them confused or something. It's just really that boring routine, what they are already used to do. And and that is, I think that it brings that kind of security, and that is, that is, for me, was the biggest lesson, is that to see that, oh, we have been actually probably doing the right things and worked so hard within the past couple of years that we were able to get up even beat some better countries in a paper before, and that was probably the biggest lesson for me. And did it then humble me like, of course, when you think that you are able to like to see live with the best from the best, it is. It was amazing experience, but also at the same time, it gave even more confidence, kind of saying that, you know, it's we are doing. It's just that we are in the right path. We just need to keep working. Maybe at some points you want to raise your standards, asking more, but also sometimes understanding that it's, it's okay to keep like also relax, because in the end, it's at this level, it's still, it's about having fun, but it's what makes, I think the biggest difference is, is that, like I said, it's that boring consistency, repeating things, what you what you are already doing, and talking with the other coaches. It's, it's really like, it's, if you think that, what is the difference between kind of good player and excellent top from the top player. It's very, very small. There is not huge difference. It's often, it's just obviously, if you think that it's a physique, like how strong you are, how fast you are, how quick your hands are, for example, like a physical part. Then it's in the ice hockey, it's understanding of the game. So you already kind of think ahead, what is, what is happening, what is, what could be the next move? And this is like kind of overall athleticism, if you think like that some, some of people, if you you have never played, for example, tennis, and somebody is giving you tennis racket, you kind of get the idea right away and and you understand how that whole game should be played. What is the objective? You don't need too long time. You kind of can read the game faster and then its own working attitude, like how hard you are actually willing. If you are doing those basic things, if you are doing always little bit extra, you are doing your cool downs, you are doing your warm ups, or if you are there like that, you know it's comfortable. I don't I can skip it today, I do it tomorrow, or whatever. And it's those small things, what you repeat day after day, even they are very boring, that is what makes the biggest difference. And coming talking with the team, Finland coach, he said also that it's with the men's side. It's usually what is the difference some player who is playing in NHL, in a top ice hockey league in the world, and someone who might be very good player, but playing in the Europe, in Finland or Sweden, in top countries, it might be one of these elements that it's not exactly there. If you have all these elements on top, you're going to play within the best players in the best possible league. But if you miss, for example, if you are a little bit you want to be a little bit comfortable, but everything else is top. It might not be enough, or usually it's not enough. So it's it's really focusing on these details, understanding that which player actually what they need the most. And that is, that is, it's the difference is very small, but in the end, it's actually huge. So what I want to what, what I think that everyday people can learn from the Olympics. So it's, there are a few takeaways. So it's the number one is definitely that consistency beats intensity. It's not always that. You know you have to push harder, having the most hardest workouts ever. It's really about that consistency. Then number Step number two, what is, what I learned a lot, is that how much they are prioritizing their sleep and recovery, and that is non negotiable. So everyday people, you might think that, oh, you know, I can sleep a little bit less that I'm, I'm I it's not that important. But if you look top athletes, they really sleep is like for us, it was higher priority during the Olympics than having some workout or something. And third part, it's, which is kind of that related, that recovery is part of the training. So if you are not fully recovered, you are you are not going to make most possible results if you don't like sometimes, of course, you need to push through. But if you are ever, if you are not recovered while you work out, you are doing probably too much at this point, and that is the hardest part to to understand that it's, it's part of the training. Recovery is part of the training. And then what I what I see a lot, it's, it's, it's people are talking about motivation or discipline, but that discipline is quiet. It is there is like, you know you are kind of robot or something, you know you do your things. Of course, if you you know that those things are right, but it's quiet. It's not that you don't you are not. You are doing it. No matter what. If you win or lose, you do it. You are not thinking like the most, biggest, the best athletes. What I saw is that that they didn't. They showed up the team, even they lost, lost the game day after they played late. They probably were tired, but but at some point they maybe they were sleeping like our athletes. They were sleeping maybe longer. But after that, they showed up in in a at the gym, doing the things what I'm pretty sure they didn't want to do, but they still did it, because it's all about discipline and and those results like, if you think that this, you might say that, Oh, this was amazing results. But it took very long time. It took two and a half years, what I have been and, of course, even longer. But it takes time. It takes, you know, there have been, I know that there have been so many days that they were thinking that, Oh, today, I don't want to do it. Maybe some days they skip it. But if you look top athletes, they understand that this takes time, and then then it might come as an athlete. If Olympics are every four years, it's then it's time to shine. But those results, what you see behind the scenes, there is happening so much and it takes so long time. It's not that you know you are seeing results every single day, but once you are doing these things like consistency, focusing on sleep, making recovery part of the training, and being disciplined, it will, you will get there. And this is, this is what I believe in my coaching philosophy, too. It's all these principles, like, of course, some of them, some people are doing them well, but this is these same principles apply for sustainable things, sustainable health. So this was a little bit behind the scenes episode, what I what I saw like, and trust me, it was, if you see some high right highlight reels pictures, it always looks a lot better that reality. It's not that fancy as you as you see in pictures or television. You you get the social media or media, it's finding, always, it tries to find some kind of highlights, or then the worst moments, or speculating with with what is happening. And most of these athletes, they don't, they are not even aware of these things, what you are seeing in the media. Because, honest, Turo's that this what actually happens behind the scenes. It's very boring. It's very boring. You are not seeing that. Oh, superstar player was focusing on sleep, having an activation. No, they so media is trying to search some kind of disaster or some hero story, which, unfortunately, those are a lot less, even they should be a lot more, but it's more like those kind of negative things, disasters, like in the Olympics, where, like, the Turing is not ready, and in the end, everything was perfectly done. There might be some, like, few small details, what you don't even know were not quite ready, or they could be done more, fancier way. But everything as a spectator, as a team member, you don't see anything, so everything really hats off. Hats off, for how well everything was working. But it's like I said, it's more it's not as fancy as you might think, but amazing overall, amazing experience, personally and and this is if you think that Olympics, it's not all about medals. It's all about those standards, basic things, what you do every day, every day. And if you, if you think that, how you can if you want to be you might not be able to compete in the Olympics. But if you can raise your standards, not dramatically, but consistently, you might be able to get in the whole another level of your health, of your life, and especially being better human being if you have a children or anything. So being example with those standards. So thank you so much for listening. If you have any questions, if you have any anything what you would like to know, just send me, DM me in my Instagram version, Turo, or shoot me email Turo at fit me turo.com i i love to explain, tell stories. So if you have anything, just let me know. So thank you so much for listening and talk to you soon. Bye.