I wanted to share something interesting that came up in a conversation I had earlier this week.

I was carrying out a health assessment with a client, a genuinely motivated guy who's already pretty active and keen to build some muscle mass.

He'd started weight training recently and was seeing some positive changes in his body, which was brilliant to see. The kind of progress that keeps people going.

But then he asked me the question I hear all the time: "What do you think about creatine?"

As it turns out, creatine is actually one of the most well-researched supplements out there.

The evidence is solid. It has clear benefits for muscle performance and recovery, and there's now good science supporting its role in brain and connective tissue health too. So it's not a bad question.

But I was very clear about one thing with him.

Creatine is the cherry on top. It only works well when the foundations are already in place.

However, in his case, the foundations weren't yet in place. Sleep was a struggle. His nutrition could definitely be improved.

His training was consistent, which was great, but the rest of the pyramid was shaky.

So rather than jumping to the next supplement or "quick fix" that social media is pushing, I told him the real work needed to be done lower down.

Because here's what I've learned: if sleep, nutrition, and training consistency aren't solid, supplements won't move the needle in any meaningful way. They just won't.

And this is exactly what I see all the time.

People looking for the next thing to add, without first checking whether their foundations are strong enough to support it. It's like building a house on sand and wondering why the walls keep cracking.

Sleep, nutrition, movement, and recovery will always outperform any supplement if they're done well. Always.

Supplements can help — but only once the basics are nailed.

This is the approach we take with our clients. We start by getting the foundations of good health and performance right, and then add other elements when they actually make sense.

It's a different approach, sure. But it works.

Take Jon, one of our clients. He told me his last 12 weeks with us felt like night and day compared to working with an Olympian coach before.

Not because the training was harder, but because it was simpler, more sustainable, and actually aligned with real life. He could stick with it.

He could see results. He didn't feel like he was chasing his tail.

That's what proper support looks like.

If you're looking for that kind of coaching, not hype, not shortcuts, but guidance that focuses on what actually works — I'd like to chat with you about it.

Just reply to this email and let me know. I'm happy to point you in the right direction.

Talk soon.

Neil