KRU Arnaud van der Veere

Meet Arnaud van der Veere
Sportsman • Entrepreneur • Writer • Scientist
Born and partly raised in The Hague, the Netherlands, I have traveled the world most of my life. The world became my classroom — cultures my education, and countries my guide. Every journey, every challenge, and every person I met shaped who I am today.
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🌍 Book your training or education here

My Life in Four Words
If I had to describe myself, it would be in this order:
Sportsman, Entrepreneur, Writer, Scientist.
It took me years to understand my true priorities. Today, my number one focus is health — because only with a healthy body and mind can you truly live freely, create, and achieve. A healthy life demands balance: regular physical activity, mindful nutrition, mental relaxation, and ongoing curiosity. These values have guided me from my youth until now.

The Early Years: Building and Believing
In 1978, I launched my first two ventures: a discotheque and my first gym. Both were born in a squat — an abandoned building that we transformed into a thriving, self-sufficient community. It had everything: an art gallery, a car workshop, communal housing, and creative spaces. There, I learned the power of cooperation, community, and self-determination. At the same time, Muay Thai became my lifestyle. I began training twice a day at age 15, driven by my lifelong battle with asthma. Discipline wasn’t optional — it was survival. That discipline has stayed with me every single day since.
Training, however, must be more than repetition. It must bring joy. After 50, when competitive goals fade, the key is to find new meaning in movement — to train not to win against others, but to master yourself.
My greatest opponent has always been within me.

From Sport to Business
Sport and entrepreneurship are deeply connected. To perform at your best, you need the right tools. My first international business began by importing and supplying high-quality sports gear — but I soon realized that selling products wasn’t enough.
To help people use them effectively, I began teaching, coaching, and writing. That led to my collaboration with Rien Thouthenhoofd from Samurai Magazine, who encouraged me to write my first Kickboxing book in 1984 — the first ever published in the Netherlands.
Many books, articles, and translations followed across countries and languages.

The Academic Journey
Parallel to this, I pursued my scientific studies. From the HBO van Leeuwenhoek to the Technical University of Delft, I combined research, teaching, and training. Balancing study, work, and sports was challenging, but it shaped my resilience.
In 1983, a conflict with the university rector — who dismissed boxing as a “low-class” sport — forced me to leave academia prematurely. My thesis was sold without credit, a turning point that deepened my distrust of rigid institutions. Yet even that setback became fuel for independence.
With a small settlement and a free spirit, I took to the world — traveling through China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and other countries, writing books and travel articles, and assisting travel agencies in designing new, exciting routes. Witnessing these nations rise from poverty to prosperity taught me invaluable lessons about change, perseverance, and adaptability.

Family, Travel, and the Art of Living Simply. Between 1983 and 1997, I traveled extensively — often with my children. Those years were the most meaningful of my life. Living simply, moving constantly, and facing new challenges daily bonded us deeply and reinforced a truth I learned long ago: “You don’t need much to be happy. Often, with more, you are less.” My time in the squats and on the road taught me that true strength comes from adaptability and community — not comfort.

Training Around the World

No matter where I went, my daily training never stopped. I trained in gyms across the world, meeting countless teachers and athletes. One of my most significant realizations:
“Those who call themselves experts often stop learning.”
Whether in sport or science, arrogance blocks progress. True mastery comes only through humility and continuous curiosity.

Aging, Science, and the Power of Discipline
Aging fascinates me — how we age, why we age, and how we can age well. During my years of research and as a Visiting Professor in China, I discovered that discipline is the most critical factor in healthy aging.
Your daily habits — what you eat, move, and think—shape your future version of yourself.
Every choice is a step toward longevity or decline. You decide which way you walk.

Life Philosophy
Past sixty, I understand that life is not about collecting titles or possessions.
It’s about the moment, about living and loving fully, and what you give to life — not just what you take.
Two of my guiding principles:
Accept the difference and learn.
Envy wastes energy. Curiosity builds wisdom.

There is always a road ahead.
Looking back won’t change the past, but walking forward will create your future.

“Live with an open heart, wide-open eyes.
Breathe in today.
Breathe out tomorrow.”
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
Whether you seek personal training, life coaching, or mental and physical transformation, my mission is to help you build the same foundation of discipline, resilience, and joy that shaped my life.
👉 Start your transformation today:
🇳🇱 Boek je training of opleiding
🌍 Book your training or education

Live a life, love to do it and enjoy doing it. Share it with who ever comes around.