Ignace Mullens
Triathlon
ignace mullens
Sometimes, an idea begins with a simple observation: people want to exercise, but everyday life gets in the way. Busy workdays, a household that needs managing, no time or energy left to go to the gym… sound familiar?
So we turned things around. What if exercise simply came to you? To your workplace, at a time that suits you, with professional guidance and just that little push you need. And that’s how Work-Out was born.
For Ignace, co-founder of Work-Out, this mission is especially personal.
Why exactly? You’ll read that below.
FROM IT TO IM
After studying Applied Computer Science and Business & IT Solutions at UCLL, I naturally ended up in the IT sector. In my role as a cybersecurity manager at companies like Ordina and PwC, I gained a lot of experience and enjoyed contributing strategically to large organizations. (If you’d like to know more, check out the article by BMI).
But then the pandemic hit, and with it came an unexpected opportunity to move more. That’s when I fell in love with triathlon. Swimming, cycling and running: combining three endurance sports in one discipline requires hours of training, structure, and above all: perseverance. And that’s exactly what drew me in. The challenge, the growth, and the energy, I now bring all of that into everything we do with Work-Out.
HOW DID WORK-OUT START?
Work-Out was born from a very simple idea: what if we brought sports to the people, instead of always expecting them to go to the gym? I saw how hard it was for people to exercise after a long day at work — the family needs you, your energy is gone, and before you know it, movement slips into the background.
Together with my partner, I wanted to change that. With Work-Out, we make sure people can work out during their workday. We visit with professional equipment and give sessions on-site, for individuals and groups. Ideally, we schedule this weekly or biweekly. That way, we make movement both practical and achievable.
The best part? You notice the difference immediately. Fitter employees feel better, get sick less often, and are more comfortable in their own skin. And we make sure that everyone feels included, even those who don’t see themselves as sporty. Because ultimately, that’s our mission: getting as many people as possible to move, right at the workplace.
BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS
When I was 9, I was involved in a serious car accident. The doctors told me I might never build a career in sports. As a child, you don’t fully grasp the impact of such a statement, but it settles somewhere deep inside you.
Years later, as I now stand at the starting line of a triathlon, I realize just how far I’ve come. Not thanks to luck, but by building step by step, by believing in progress, and above all: with great coaching.
That is exactly the essence of Work-Out: showing that every body, every situation can evolve. Maybe not perfectly. Maybe not by the book. But always forward.
WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 10-YEAR-OLD SELF?
“Don’t let yourself be limited by what others think you can or cannot do. You don’t have to be the strongest or the fastest, as long as you keep moving and keep believing in yourself.”