Who I Am – And Where This Philosophy Comes From
My name is Torbjørn, I’m 44 years old and I live in Skien, Norway. I was diagnosed with MS in early 2009. At that time, MS wasn’t my only problem. I was also extremely overweight – at my heaviest around 160 kg (about 350 lbs).
In 2014, something changed. My daughter was two years old, and I simply didn’t have the energy to be the father I wanted to be. I realised: if I keep going like this, I won’t just lose function – I’ll lose moments with her.
I did my research, changed my diet and discovered indoor rowing. Over the next months I lost around 50 kg, and within ten months I had cut my bodyweight in half – from 160 kg to under 80 kg.
Exercise Is Not Instead of Medication – It Works Together With It
I’ve been on high-efficacy MS treatment for many years. That’s my medical foundation. Exercise doesn’t replace my medication – it works together with it.
- Medication keeps disease activity under control (as much as possible).
- Training helps me manage fatigue, mood, sleep and daily function.
- Both are needed. One doesn’t cancel out the other.
When I talk about “exercise as my most important daily medicine”, I mean: it’s my most important daily medicine that I can directly control myself.
If you want to understand why physical activity is often described as “the most underrated medicine in the world” — including its effects on the brain, mental health, metabolism and long-term health:
Physical Activity: The Most Underrated Medicine in the World →
2019 – When the Philosophy Really Took Shape
For many years I lived by a simple rule: “Ignorance is bliss.” I took my infusions, trusted my neurologist – but didn’t read much about MS.
That changed in 2019, when I prepared for a stay at the MS Centre in Hakadal. For the first time, I really sat down and learned about my own diagnosis. I also did detailed energy mapping exercises to track what drained me – and what filled me up.
The result surprised me:
- Most everyday activities cost energy.
- Many social situations cost energy.
- The only thing that consistently gave me energy back… was training.
Not gentle “walk in the park” kind of training – but training where my heart rate went high, my brain finally woke up and the MS fog lifted a bit.
So I changed my entire approach:
- From “fat-burning zones” and light cardio…
- To high intensity, carefully monitored.
- A lot of trial and error – but eventually landing around 90% of my max heart rate as my sweet spot.
The One Rule: Hard – But Not So Hard You Can’t Come Back Tomorrow
I push as hard as I can – but never so hard that I can’t do it again tomorrow.
That might sound simple, but it’s the backbone of my entire training philosophy. It’s the reason I’ve been able to keep up a high training volume for so many years without burning out.
What this rule really means
- Every session is important – but tomorrow is just as important as today.
- I’m allowed to push – but not allowed to destroy myself.
- Short-term performance is always less important than long-term consistency.
Anyone can go all out for a week. Very few can go hard – and smart – for a decade.
My Two Priorities Every Time I Train
When I sit down on the rower (or do any planned session), I have two priorities – one non-negotiable and one fully flexible:
1. Finish – this is the mission
- If I’ve decided to train, the goal is to complete the session.
- On bad days, that might mean scaling down – but still showing up.
- The real win is: I kept the promise to myself.
2. Time and performance – this is flexible
- If my body is exhausted, if MS symptoms are loud, if fatigue is heavy – time doesn’t matter.
- A “slow” session still gives me structure, routine and mental clarity.
- The benefit for my MS is almost identical – even if the pace is lower.
On many days, I still train around 90% of my max heart rate. But the important thing is: the heart rate is not the goal – function is.
The Numbers – Built Slowly Over Years
To give some context, this is what my training has added up to over time:
- More than 11 years of focused, structured training.
- Over 27 million meters rowed on the Concept2.
- More than 3,000 logged workouts.
- Over 76 full days of my life literally spent on the rowing machine.
These are results of the philosophy – not the target. The target has always been simple: show up, do the work, protect tomorrow.
Please Don’t Copy Me – Build What You Can Sustain
If you live with MS (or any chronic illness), your body, your disease history and your life situation are unique. That means your training needs to be unique too.
What I strongly recommend instead of copying me
- Start much smaller than you think – even 5 minutes can be a big win.
- Increase slowly and systematically – over weeks and months, not days.
- Use professionals where you can:
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational therapist
- Manual therapist if you get injured
- Always discuss changes with your neurologist or MS nurse.
The goal is not to train like me. The goal is to build something you can sustain – and recover from – day after day.
How You Can Apply This Philosophy
You don’t need my training volume to use my mindset. Here’s how you can adapt the philosophy to your own level:
1. Start ridiculously small
- 5 minutes of movement.
- Light indoor cycling, short walk, gentle rowing, simple strength work.
- The win is not intensity – the win is showing up.
2. Protect tomorrow
- After each session, ask: “Can I realistically do something again tomorrow?”
- If the answer is “absolutely not”, you went too hard.
- Adjust until you find a level you can repeat.
3. Think in months and years, not days
- One “perfect” week is nice.
- One solid year of mostly good-enough weeks can change your life.
- Consistency beats intensity – especially with MS.
The Podcast Episode: The Art of Not Breaking Yourself
If you want to hear the story behind this page in more detail – including how I deal with injuries, fear of losing my streak, and why “don’t destroy yourself” was one of the best comments I’ve ever received – listen to this episode of The MS Warrior Podcast:
🎧 The Art of Not Breaking Yourself – listen on Spotify
For more episodes in English about MS, structure and training:
➜ The MS Warrior Podcast – main page
Why This Philosophy Matters
In the end, this is not about streaks, numbers or records.
It’s about staying alive on the inside of a chronic disease. It’s about using structure and discipline as tools – not as chains. It’s about finding a way to train that makes you more you, not less.
For me, this philosophy has become my way of fighting back:
- Push your limits – but don’t break them.
- Go as hard as you can – but keep it sustainable.
- Chase excellence – but never at the cost of tomorrow.
That’s the art. That’s the mindset. That’s the discipline that built more than 27 million meters of rowing – and, more importantly, a life with more energy, presence and hope.
How this connects to the MS Warrior system
This training philosophy is not a standalone idea. It is part of a larger system built to function in real life with Multiple Sclerosis.
Training is the anchor — but the system around it is what makes it sustainable over time.
If you want to understand how this philosophy fits into a broader structure, you can explore:
The MS Warrior Operating System – the framework for structure, routines and long-term consistency.
The MS Warrior Cognitive Energy System – how fatigue, energy and cognitive load shape daily capacity.
The MS Warrior Emergency Mode – what to do on the days when the system breaks down.
The MS Warrior Digital Hygiene System – how reducing input helps protect focus and recovery.
The MS Warrior Concepts – definitions of the key principles used across mswarrior.no.