Harry Aikines-Aryeetey on Gladiators, Routines and Why Family Keeps Him Grounded

When people think of Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, they probably picture explosive speed, incredible fitness and, of course, Nitro from Gladiators.

But away from the arena, Harry believes the secret to success isn't about extraordinary moments. It's about ordinary routines.

In the latest episode of The MarshyCast, we discussed why building simple habits can have a huge impact, whether you're training for elite competition, managing your finances or just trying to make life run a little more smoothly.

Naturally, with a big England match on the horizon, we couldn't resist talking football before turning our attention to Gladiators. Harry shared what it's really like preparing for filming, the discipline required to stay in incredible shape and the work that goes on long before the cameras start rolling.

One unexpected topic that united us was smart meters. We both admitted we're slightly obsessed with checking them, and Harry laughed that they've even helped settle the occasional household debate over energy use!

Perhaps the most relatable part of the conversation, though, was family life. Despite competing at the highest level and starring in one of Britain's biggest television shows, Harry was refreshingly honest about life at home. We discovered we have something in common... neither of us is really in charge!

It's a conversation full of laughs, motivation and a reminder that behind every superhero is a very normal family life.

🎧 You can hear the full conversation now on The MarshyCast, available on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Find me on all social media @paulswampymarsh

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:13

How important is routine when it comes to achieving your goals? On this episode of The Mastercast, I'm joined by Olympian Harry Atkins Reti, better known as Nitro from Gladiators. We chat about why routines can make such a difference, whether you're training for an elite sport, improving your finances, or simply trying to build better habits. We also talk football, life behind the scenes on gladiators, and what it takes to get into peak conditions for filming. And discover that we have something else in common. Our families. Apparently, neither of us wears the trousers at home. It's Paul Marsh, and I'm delighted to say that I've been joined by Gladiator Star and Olympian Harry Atkins Ariete, better known as Nitro. How are you, sir?

SPEAKER_01 1:01

I'm well, thank you. How are you?

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Uh really, really good. Um, I know that you can't talk about this. Luckily enough, I've interviewed enough gladiators to know what I can and what I can't talk about. But you are gonna be going back to filming in August. You must be really, really looking forward to it.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Aye, I'm buzzing. I think um being able to don the gladiatoral suit and be the best gladiator possible, that's the most important thing, right? Um and is this the time when you say you like you are at your peak fitness? Pretty much. I feel like this is when, yeah, you're you're building towards what you would say is performance, performance level, yeah, you know, gladiatoral stuff, but I feel like there's still a wall that I can practice on and still climb. There's still a few more steps that I can get in, there's still a few more weights that I can go and lift right now.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

Do you ever have like the off days? Because you know, like when you get actors who like they have to get in shape. Gerald Butler and 300 had to be in shape for that film, and then the second filming's done, they're off, they're eating the pancakes and the burgers and everything else like that, and it all just goes. Do you do you allow yourself I know you I know you will never let yourself go, but will you allow yourself a week or two of time off?

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Yeah, like I think this is where it's all about balance and having a routine. Um, I have a pizza every week. Um, you know, I I eat my sweet treats, I like to bake. Um, you know, I do I do enjoy myself every every day, every week, but with that I train just as hard. But I think ultimately it's all about having routine and balance. I think that that's what gives us an essence of control. Um, having a sporting career where I've represented Great Britain at the Olympics or world championships and won medals at those competitions, it's you know, it I I'm a motivated person, but then it does sort of bleed into my home life. Like, luckily, I've got a wife that does allow me to have a bit of a routine which enables me to leave the house happy with clarity of mind and have a good bit of balance.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

I think with any athlete of any sort, routine is incredibly important, right? And I think even when you kind of get to the age where you've retired from whatever you're whether it's football or sprinting, whatever it is, I think you got to that point where you've you've led that life for like 10, 15, 20 years, and that routine is set in now anyway.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Yeah, I think there when you don't have structure and routine, it's it's kind of hard. And I think you know, there's there's a stat that says 76% of Brits uh feel more in control of their life when they have a routine, and you know, especially when they're trying to work towards a goal, whether that be a financial goal or just you know a change of lifestyle. But you know, as little there's such things as little as you know, a smart meter display. I've got one of those at home, and I know where I'm at in the day when I can see what spend I've used because you know, if I spent a little bit longer in the house, obviously my energy usage has gone up the same way that I check how many steps I've done in the day, um, and then know how I need to go and do some more steps or anything like that. I I I like to use technology to sort of implement aspects in my day and make smarter decisions to sort of give me the right choices, the right options, shall I say?

SPEAKER_00 4:12

It's funny, isn't it? How how how do we ever survive before technology? How do we ever survive before smart meters and phones? Because we do, because I'm exactly the same. I've got a smart meter at home and I literally live by it. It's actually quite sad and pathetic, but I live by it.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Listen to the passion that you're talking with. There's nothing sad about the passion that you're talking with.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

Listen, Harry, do you know what it is? I win arguments because of my smart meter. When my wife says to me, you can't use the dishwasher because it's too expensive, I can literally turn around and say the dishwasher's gonna go on for two hours, it's gonna cost us eight pence. We can live with that, it's fine.

SPEAKER_01 4:53

But this is what I say information is key, information is power. The more information you have, the more in control you can be. So obviously, you're you're in control in your relationship as well.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

Well, I mean, I wouldn't go that far, mate. Are any of us really in control of our relationship?

SPEAKER_01 5:09

No, no, my my boss is is listening uh as always.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

Um, with everything that you've done, when you look at like the sprint work that you did, obviously, you know, I'm not trying to, by the way, brush over the fact that you are an Olympian because that's no mean feat, but also doing that is a very individual thing, and then obviously what you're doing with the gladiators, you're out there as a team as a unit. I used to play football, and I know you like your football as well. I found it very, very difficult to be self-motivated. I was always part of a team, and when it came to like training and games and bits and pieces, I always showed up, even if I didn't want to, because I didn't want to let the team down. But when it came to like going to the gym and other bits and pieces on my own, if you woke up in a bad mood or you overslept, or whatever it is, I always found those little excuses because the only person I'm letting down is myself. Do you how have you found that throughout your life and then doing what you're doing now?

SPEAKER_01 6:06

Um, I think it's quite interesting because you you you mentioned the gladiators as a team, but it's the the best way that I would describe it is is more so like being on the four by one thing, the relay. So you're all individuals that come together and then you work together as a team. Um, whereas when you are part of a core unit that trains together, like you can't necessarily you need to pass the ball to someone, so it's integral that you're in part you're you're part of that unit. So for me, it I am just ingrained at getting up and doing things by myself. Um, it took some time because individually in athletics you actually train and run with people, yeah. So you're actually more with people than you would expect not to. But once I then started to train by myself, and once I then started to train away from my training center, it does actually, like you said, you know, you can prolong things. You you're meant to go training for nine o'clock, but then you don't get there till ten because you're just wasting time. And now that I'm a father as well, um, you know, I've got a five-year-old, I don't have time to waste. She's at school between these hours, so I've got to get everything done. Yeah. Um, so you're motivated by life, and I think you know, those things actually give you more direction, more intensity, more efficiency. And like I said, that routine that you have keeps you in control.

SPEAKER_00 7:21

Do you know what I couldn't agree more? Because like doing this slot that I do, I'm exactly the same. It's getting up early with the kids, getting them ready for school, and then once they've gone to school, you go, right, I've got a radio show, I've got the washing to do, I've got this, that I've got errands to run, whatever it is, and you go, and I've got to do all of that by half past two, and that is the routine that I have every day.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

Yeah, and and a root and you're in control, you're you you feel better for it. Um, your smart meter displays doing you a favour later on that night, you know, it's it's it's it's one of those things that as much as I'm doing elite level sport, uh it's still I'm doing normal day stuff, and every everything that is they're transferable skills between my life and your life, everything is the exact same. It's just the fact that I I am slightly more motivated, more energetic. I have obviously more muscle, so I'm just using them.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Hang on, hang on, hang on. I mean, you can you can only see me from like the the chest up. I mean, like, you don't know what I'm like down there. You don't know. I mean, yeah, you probably are. Listen, Harry, let's talk about the important stuff. I mean, everything that we've just spoken about is probably like an eight or a nine out of ten on the importance level. Let's talk ten out of ten on the importance level. England versus Norway.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

Oh mate, it's um after the after historic, after the historic match against Mexico, that you know, they've not lost at that stadium since 2013, and we went there and we we triumphed, which was absolutely amazing. Um more of the same, I think Norway uh are gonna be. I feel like they've been uh sort of belittled because of their game against France. Yeah um but they made like what eight or seven. Loads of changes, yeah. Um, you know, Noose are on the wing. Um there's another there's another there's I play a lot of football manager and I'm aware of a lot of their young upcoming stars, and they've got at least like three players that have performed at this World Cup so far. They do, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Oscar Bob, obviously, we know is a is a great player as well.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Exactly. So, and obviously they're led by Odegaard and Haaland.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

So do you think the Premier League connection might help us? Obviously, it looks like obviously Gay's definitely gonna play, maybe Stones, maybe Conza, but you've got that Man City versus Man City. Obviously, you've got Rice versus Odegaard in the middle, Arsenal versus Arsenal. Do you think that's gonna help us?

SPEAKER_01 9:49

You'd like to say so, but when you watch Gabrielle had a shocker against Ireland, yeah, and you know Well, that's not for the first time, is it? Are you an Arsenal fan?

SPEAKER_00 9:59

Are you not I'm not an Arsenal fan, no? I'm not an Arsenal fan.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

You don't sound like one.

SPEAKER_00 10:03

No.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Um but yeah, I England, England's a triumph, hopefully, I think. And then I think we're gonna do over Argentina as well if they make it. We'll see what happens with Egypt, but I don't know, I just feel like it's coming home.

SPEAKER_00 10:16

I do know what France is the one. I uh up until Mexico, I was dubious because you know we had the 45 good minutes against Croatia, but that that performance against Mexico, if we can keep those levels up, yes, I I think I don't I think you're right. I don't think it's gonna be easy against Norway, but I do think we'll beat them. Argentina, I think they are not a one-man team, they're not obviously just Messi, they have got others, but Messi is the one that makes them tick. So again, much the same as Haaland, if you can, if you can mark them out the game, I don't see why we can't make it through to the final. And if you can make it through to the final, it's anybody's right.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

Exactly. It's only one game, it's only one game, and when one goal goals in, like look at look at Brazil, for example, against Norway. Yeah, they got they had a penalty saved. Yeah, had they scored that penalty, we might be talking about a different opponent right now. And and uh yeah, it's exciting. I think it's it's nice, and the times are sorting themselves out, there's no more one o'clockers.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Yes, I know. It all becomes watchable again. I think once, like you say, once you get to these last little stages, it's the fine margins. And do you know how the fine margins make a difference? By people's routines.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

Well, I I'd be interested to know the conversation between you and your missus now about the smart meter display when you tap the telly on at two o'clock at night.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

I'm absolutely not talking to her about that. We we've already mentioned that I know I like to in my head, I like to think I'm the boss, but it's only in my head. She's got the best pair of trousers you've ever seen in your life, believe me.

SPEAKER_01 11:45

I love that.

SPEAKER_00 11:46

Look, Harry, it's been wonderful talking to you. If people want to find out a little bit more about this study and everything else, where can they do that?

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Um at Smart Energy on their website. So head over to uh to Smart Energy UK. Um, yeah, it's one of those places that you can find out a lot of information. Just do you know what? Like, a lot of people don't know that they can make a difference just by doing the small things and having a like you just said, a smart meter, um, a meet a smart meter display can just make that difference, you know.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Best of luck with all your filming coming up in August. Look forward to watching it all in the new year, and I hope it all goes well for you, sir.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Thank you.