Dr Rangan Chatterjee

How This One Habit Built a Life of Confidence, Resilience & Success | Warren Smith

This episode is brought to you by: AG1: Get a signed copy of my book Make Change That Lasts, £20 off your first month with Welcome Kit! (Limited to the first 200, UK/EU only.) https://drinkag1.com/livemore VIVOBAREFOOT: Get 15% off your first order https://bit.ly/4iG2II4 BON CHARGE: Save 25% off with code LIVEMORE https://boncharge.com/livemore Today’s episode is with someone who is regarded as one of the best ski coaches on the planet, yet this is not a conversation about skiing. The things my guest has experienced over the years through teaching, coaching, and working in the mountains in unpredictable conditions hold valuable lessons for us all. Warren Smith is one of Britain’s leading professional free skiers, an Internationally Qualified Performance Coach, creator of the Warren Smith Ski Academy and someone who has spent several decades helping people understand their bodies better to help them move and ski with more freedom. Warren has been a sponsored Volkl athlete for over 10 years and is one of the most innovative instructors working in the Alps and is held in high regard for the research and development he carries out combining Ski Technique, Ski Biomechanics and Ski Physiology. As well as coaching tens of thousands of recreational skiers, he is also well known for being the ski instructor that many high profile individuals seek out when wanting to improve their skills , including Prince Harry, Heston Blumenthal, Laurence Dallaglio and Bradley Wiggins. I myself have known Warren for around two decades having sought him out in my mid 20s when I first started getting into skiing because I was deeply fascinated by his philosophy, which made a lot of intuitive sense to me. In our conversation, we discuss: ● Why so many of us feel limited by our bodies and how simple, five-minute functional exercises can help ● Why differences in strength or mobility between the two sides of the body are incredibly common, and how they affect everything from skiing to running to daily movement. ● What Warren’s injuries have taught him about resilience, patience and rehabilitation. ● Why fear on the mountain mirrors fear in life, and how breaking challenges into smaller steps can help us stay calm and move forward. ● The mental and emotional benefits of elevation and nature, and why gaining perspective from a higher vantage point can help us reset and unwind. ● The life lessons Warren learned from surviving an avalanche and losing friends in the mountains ● Warren’s incredible life story from growing up in a council state to living in one of the most prestigious ski resorts in the world. This is not just a conversation about skiing, but one that reminds us that when we prepare well, stay curious and look after ourselves , we can keep doing the things we love for longer. I hope you enjoy listening. #feelbetterlivemore Connect with Warren Smith: https://www.instagram.com/warrensmithski https://www.facebook.com/warrensmithski Warren Smith Ski Academy https://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com https://www.instagram.com/warrensmithskiacademy https://www.facebook.com/WarrenSmithSkiAcademy https://www.youtube.com/user/TheSkiAcademy Ski Technique Lab https://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/technique-lab/ Training Courses https://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/seasonal-ski-training-courses/ Courses https://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/courses/ Snow Camp https://www.snow-camp.org.uk/ #feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast ------- Order MAKE CHANGE THAT LASTS. US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3RyO3SL, UK version https://amzn.to/3Kt5rUK ----- Follow Dr Chatterjee at: Website: https://drchatterjee.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Dr. Rangan ChatterjeehostWarren Smithguest

Dec 2, 20251h 19mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Preparation builds confidence: biomechanics, mindset, nature, and safer skiing decisions

Smith’s journey from a council estate in Hemel Hempstead to elite ski coaching began with accessible local facilities and pivotal adults who redirected his energy toward constructive goals.
A central theme is that technique fails without biomechanical readiness, especially left-right asymmetries in hip rotation that limit performance and increase injury risk across many sports.
Confidence and calmness are framed as outcomes of preparation—small daily mobility and strength habits create trust in the body and reduce fear in high-pressure moments.
Smith explains practical fear-management coaching by breaking intimidating challenges into small, achievable steps and choosing tactics that leverage an individual’s stronger side.
Nature, elevation, and panoramic views are presented as powerful tools for perspective and nervous-system regulation, while mountain risk highlights the need for education, humility, and restraint amid social-media-driven ego.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Opportunity often comes from accessible local infrastructure and one timely mentor.

Smith credits a council-funded dry ski slope and a police officer’s restorative approach (work at the slope) for channeling youthful frustration into a lifelong skill and career pathway.

Technique coaching is limited by your body’s available movement.

Smith argues many learners struggle not from lack of instruction but from restricted ranges—especially hip internal rotation—making certain turns or movements biomechanically impossible until addressed.

Most people are asymmetrical; your “weak side” sets your ceiling.

From testing ~2,000 people, Smith reports a common pattern of ~65° hip rotation one way and ~35° the other; performance (and safety) is constrained by the smaller number, not the larger.

Confidence is built through small, consistent preparation habits.

Both men emphasize that 5–10 minutes a day—scheduled and repeated—creates self-trust; Smith’s sprint to catch a train became a real-world “tolerance test” validating his rehab and fitness.

Injuries are rarely isolated; compensation travels up the chain.

Smith’s snapped Achilles later contributed to back surgery due to altered gait and alignment, reinforcing the need to address early warning signs rather than pushing through recurring discomfort.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Everything I learned for my career was accessed locally in the UK at a council dry ski slope.

— Warren Smith

Preparation is everything.

— Warren Smith

You’re only as good as your weakest link.

— Dr. Rangan Chatterjee

Preparation of the preparation… sounds ridiculous, but it’s actually… the only way you’re gonna get it.

— Warren Smith

True wealth is knowing what is enough.

— Dr. Rangan Chatterjee

Council-estate upbringing and opportunity through local dry ski slopesMentorship and redirection from negative behaviorBiomechanics before technique; functional movement patternsHip internal rotation asymmetry (70° ideal; common 65°/35° split)Daily micro-habits (5–10 minutes) and scheduling preparationInjury chains, compensation patterns, and aging recoveryFear management via segmentation and tactical coachingPerspective shifts through elevation, nature exposure, and EMDRAvalanche risk, climate-driven snowpack instability, and ego/greedCoaching fundamentals: listening beyond words

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