Ben Brillante is a 36 year old freeskater from Paris, France. Together with Greg Mirzoyan, he has traveled the world creating freeskating edits to promote Rollerblade. Recently Rollerblade posted the X-Fit Challenge created by Ben on their website.
What is your current setup?
I started skating the final version of the Twister Edge four months ago. I really like the 3WD setup for everyday use and for speed training. This skate is very versatile so I can easily switch to a 4x80mm setup.
What kind of rollerblading did you do when you began skating?
I started skating 20 years ago. For me, the original purpose of rollerblading was to get around Paris. I didn’t start with the idea of doing slalom or jumps. I just wanted to skate through the streets.
Training on the streets of Paris.
How has your skating changed throughout the years? What kind of skating do you mostly do now?
I started skating quads. In the early 2000’s I bought my first pair of Rollerblade Twisters (the orange ones). It was the beginning of the Freeskate movement (FSK), so I fell into this kind of skating early on. Many skaters in Paris knew me as the “big tricks” skater. Now I am getting old and after many years of jumping things all over the place, I have started doing “smaller” tricks. I have concentrated my training on speed and long distances like marathons. I like challenging myself to achieve new goals constantly.
What are you favorite places / cities to skate in?
As a Parisian, I’m really lucky to live in one of the best cities to skate. But after so many trips (most of them with Greg Mirzoyan) around the world, I am now a bit bored with my home town. I really enjoy discovering new horizons, new cities and new people.
What was your motivation into beginning fitness?
My first motivation was to lose weight. I started preparing for the GM’s Diaries Tour in March 2016, I only had three months to get ready for the trip in June. I began to run a lot, started eating well and ended up losing 12kg (26 pounds). After the tour I continued the same diet but added more workouts to suppliment my training. Now I have been doing this training regiment for over a year.
Exploring a bike lane through the countryside and pine forests.
Have you achieved your goals?
Yes! I achieved my “being fit” goal very fast. I got a good result in the 2016 Berlin Inline Marathon, completing it in 1h11min and also ran a 10K race in under 39min. However these results are never enough when you like sports. Over the next couple of months I hope to break my current best time at the 2017 Berlin Inline Marathon and run under 1h25m for a 20k and 1h30 for a half marathon.
What were the biggest hurdles you had achieving your fitness goals?
Keeping to a schedule was the most difficult part. I have a kid, a wife and a job. Being able to juggle all of this along with an active fitness schedule is not very easy. Thankfully, my family is very supportive of my lifestyle. Even my diet is not easy to follow. For now, I try to fill any free time I have with training and preparation.
What are your fitness goals going into the future?
After the inline and running competitions in September and October, I want to try swimming to be able to compete in a triathlon. There is just one problem, I need swimming lessons first!
Practicing part of his X-Fit Challenge.
Are you a fitness instructor?
No, I’m not an instructor or a coach. I know how “I” can be fit by eating well and doing sports, but I don’t know this for everyone else. I also don’t have the time to do it! Hopefully being inspirational will help motivate other people to achieve their fitness goals.
What is a High Intensity Workout?
HIIT (for High Intensity Interval Training) is a series of exercices you have to do as fast as you can. The benefit of this training is that you burn a lot of calories, improve your cardio and stamina. Even after the workout your body continues to burn calories because of this intensity. It’s a really good way to be fit.
The X-Fit Challenge is a three-month program involving some harder exercise with running and skating. How long did it take you to come up with this routine? Why is the running aspect so important to the routine?
All athletes run. You cannot do without running. Yes it is sometimes boring but it is a good basic exercice. The X-Fit Challenge is a combination of the exercices which brought me success at the Berlin Inline Marathon. This made it quite easy to formulate a detailed plan for other people to follow.
Why would you suggest someone stick to and complete this challenge?
I have only 1 rules : NO EXCUSES. All is in the title : X-Fit “Challenge”. Challenge yourself ! The program starts off with some really simple exercices. But I never say it will be easy, you have to motivate yourself ! I know that sometimes it is easier to stay on your couch with a beer and Dorito’s…
How much of a difference has fitness made in your life and in your skating?
Right now I really feel better with my body. I am not shy anymore and I feel confident at the beach. I don’t have difficulties waking up and I am not tired after every meal. Because my training sessions have become longer and longer, I really feel my stamina when skating has no limits. I have to push myself very hard to feal pain or exhaustion.
Healthy eating is the key to healthy living.
How much do eating habits affect fitness? Do you recommend people change their diets on this challenge?
The diet is the key. You can be slim with a low calorie diet and no excercise. But with this technique the lack of energy becomes a big problem in a persons day to day activities.
What do you eat on a normal day?
I follow a “Flexible Macro diet”, I fix my macro goals on 50% carbs, 30% fat and 20% proteins. I weigh 69-70kg (152-154 pounds) so I need at least 70g of proteins. After this, do the math. I filled my macro diet with the rule of 50/30/20 but only with healthy food! To be more precise, on a “rest day” I’ll eat a meal of around 500-600 calories (breakfast-lunch-snack-diner). At the end of the day, it’s a 2000 to 2400 calorie diet. On a sports day, when I am able to burn a lot of calories, I can eat meals around 700 to 800 calories to reach more than 3000 calories a day.
What would you say to people who just want to give up halfway through a challenge?
Just have fun ! If you find this way of life difficult or boring, try to find your rhythm and not quit. I cannot describe how much better I feel now versus last year. I am a new Ben. I’m sure everyone who commits to changing their lifestyle will have something to reveal!
Any other recommendations you have for healthy living?
You can live healthy 80% of the time but never forget the 10+10% rule. 10% for the little extras and 10% for the big one! Trust me, it helps.
Ben skates the Rollerblade Twister Edge with 3WD frames.
Links
- Check out the details of the Rollerblade X-Fit Challenge here.
- To follow Ben’s progress in fitness and to see the healthy foods he eats follow his instagram and facebook pages.
- Contact Big Wheel Blading for any questions, suggestions, story ideas or to contribute content.
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