Max Gawn Proves Finding Balance Is Key to Staying at the Top of His Game

Variety is the spice of life for Max Gawn. Standing at more than two metres tall, the Melbourne Demons captain has been a formidable presence on and off the AFL field for close to two decades. With 250 games to his name, including a premiership win in 2021, Gawn is lauded for his longevity.

“As I’ve gotten older and more experienced, I’ve realised that holistic wellness is so important for being the best version of myself – physically, mentally and emotionally,” he tells Broadsheet. “It creates the best footballer, the best husband, the best dad.”

Gawn has become an advocate for fitness routines that prioritise mental and emotional health just as much as physical capabilities. “For the first 10 years of my career, it was all about physical. And I think that’s such an athlete thing to do. But what’s given me the edge in the past five or six years, and made me enjoy it so much, has been dipping into mental and emotional [wellness] to create a healthy balance.”

He’s big on “finding different ways to train”. For nine months of the year, he’s at home in Melbourne with his team. But in the off-season, he seizes the chance to mix things up. “I like to go train in different countries, at different facilities.”

His training regimen varies from strength training and running, through to stretching, mobility work and reformer Pilates.

Rest and recovery are just as important. “If I ever wrote a book on recovery, it would have about 98 chapters,” he jokes. “Walking is a great form of recovery – particularly a no-technology walk, where you don’t even take your phone or Airpods out with you. You’re just going for a walk in nature.” If Gawn gets stuck on one form of recovery, he’ll switch gears and let his body adjust to something new, like hot-cold therapy.

From his at-home sanctuary to a membership at Saint Haven, Gawn incorporates a range of wellness modalities into his routine. “Just being in my wellness room creates positive endorphins for me. I don’t have to do any exercise to feel good in that room.” His home space is equipped with a traditional Finnish sauna and ice bath, as well as a Pilates reformer machine – and a great speaker system.

“There’s a massive trend, particularly in my career – but I dare say in a lot of people’s careers – that you can no longer just lift heavier weights. You’ve got to a point where the maximum has been reached, and you’ve got to find the competitive advantage in a different way,” he says. “I think Pilates can do that. It can hit muscle groups that weights can’t necessarily, and with not much load.”

When he’s not wearing his Melbourne Football Club team kit, Gawn gravitates towards training outfits that are comfortable, functional and cool. “I ride the ‘Look good, feel good’ train,” he says. “I was very Melbourne for a long time – black on black on black every time I left the house. But I’m in my colour era.” He favours lululemon’s Pace Breaker and Zeroed In shorts, which have been refreshed in new colourways for the season. Designed for no-fuss, distraction-free movement, they’re a staple for his strength and conditioning sessions, running drills and mobility work.

Gawn is wary of not spiralling into an overtraining mentality – something he’s learnt can do more harm than good, particularly when it comes to diet. “I’ve been an athlete for 17 years, and I’ve tried almost everything under the sun in terms of diets. But funnily enough, when I’m not thinking about my diet too much and finding balance, that’s when I’ve been at my correct weight and also mentally healthiest.”

At nearly 34, Gawn acknowledges he is “battling old age” as an AFL player – a point where many would be considering retirement. But far from slowing down, he’s even more motivated. “As an athlete, you never want to be beaten, and you want to prove people wrong. That’s my drive. I’m going to show everyone that I’ve got longevity in me and that’s because of what I’m able to do away from the football program,” he says. It’s a mindset that perfectly captures his approach to training and life: no holding back.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with lululemon. Explore lululemon’s Pace Breaker and Zeroed In Shorts, now available in fresh seasonal colours. Shop the collection now.