A Galway-based sports performance guru can claim his share of the All Blacks’ spectacular Rugby World Cup success – and it was all in the water!
Because Pure Athlete – the company run by former Auckland Blues and Connacht Rugby performance coach Greg Muller and his wife Gena Brewerton – supplied his homeland with their recovery bath salts before and throughout the RWC.
Greg and Gina founded the company in 2010 – bringing together their combined love of sport, health and naturopathy led to them create a company with a very clear vision.
“We wanted to develop sports performance and recovery products that not only cleansed, helped to heal, repaired and rejuvenated the body but that they were also made from the highest ingredients,” he says.
“Being conscious that everything we put onto our skin is absorbed into the body we had a strong desire to formulate ingredients that would have both a positive effect on health and athletic performance,” he adds.
They started from their kitchen in Knocknacarra – but the vision was more important than the location.
“We were adamant that we would only use quality, natural, wild-crafted and organic ingredients wherever possible,” he says.
Greg has over 20 years’ experience in the health and fitness industry, working and studying around the world.
He has trained professional sports teams and soldiers – he used to work as a physical training instructor with New Zealand’s elite forces – as well as helping a great many people achieve their health and fitness goals.
And he reveals that his company ethos focuses around four key elements.
“Our four key elements are service, hones, positive and earth conscious and it is always out intention to apply these in everything we do.
“We believe that by staying true to our values, inspiring the passion and talent of our people, working in sustainable, innovative ways and doing our best to be service orientated, honest positive and earth conscious, we will keep on making the products our customers love, while at the same time have a positive impact on the world we live in every day,” he says.
Greg’s philosophy is to ‘combine the physical and mental aspect of sport’.
As a performance coach, he was responsible for getting athletes and soldiers into peak physical condition – but he began to realise that physical conditioning alone was not enough.
A myriad of factors are involved and balance is required between skill development, strength and conditioning, nutrition and recovery.
Pure Athlete takes wisdom from ancient cultures that understood the importance of recovery and healing. During the physically demanding days of the Roman Empire, bath houses were common and bathing was a daily activity in Roman culture.
So Greg and Gina have adopted the Roman approach and reimagined bath time as an essential part of recovery.
Taking a hot bath has many associated health benefits which include helping with blood circulation, reducing muscle tension, removing toxins, reducing stress, boosting the immune system, inducing and sleep and indeed allowing for better quality sleep.
The combination of Epsom salts and essential oils, expedites the body’s natural process to bring about faster healing and recovery.
Using only natural ingredients and with a blend of 15 essential oils, the company has concocted a winning formula – the very one which helped New Zealand’s superstars recover so successfully during the Rugby World Cup.
All Blacks Strength and Conditioning Performance Coach, Dr Nic Gill, came across the product by chance at an Ironman Competition in Australia.
“When the website went up, people in fitness and health immediately started showing interest,” says Greg.
But one man in Australia showed more interest than most, and had an expo table at that Ironman competition. And who should stop by this stall only Nic Gill – Doctor of Sports Science, Performance Coach….and, as it turns out, Ironman competitor.
The All Blacks coach bought some Pure Athlete products to try out for himself, and Greg followed this up with an email after hearing the prestigious sports coach had taken samples.
Dr. Nic, impressed by the products, extended that he was in the market for something of a similar nature for the rugby team.
“He said: ‘I’m looking for something like this for the All Blacks’ I said okay – let’s do it!” says Greg.
Nic Gill has worked with the New Zealand All Blacks for the past eight years, during which time they secured Rugby World Cup titles in 2011 and 2015.
The renowned All Blacks strength and conditioning coach was so impressed by ‘Pure Athlete’ products, he included a testimonial on his website.
“Body care is essential and yet is regularly just taken for granted for the simple reason that it is well… just too simple or obvious.
“Many, many years ago Hippocrates said “Health is our greatest Wealth” yet it is not until we are ill or have an injury that we fully appreciate the power or importance of such a statement and the wisdom it holds.
“This is a simple, affordable and relaxing way to take care of your body on a regular basis and its right in your home,” he wrote.
Greg recalls flying over to England during the Rugby World Cup, rushing from plane to taxi to hotel in order to replenish supplies for the rugby team who would go on to win the Rugby World Cup.
Only downside? He still didn’t get a match ticket – but he played his part in his native country’s success from the sidelines.
The post Real secret of All Blacks’ success is in the water! appeared first on Connacht Tribune - Galway City Tribune.