🎙 Episode 8 — Piers Day: Out of the Darkness Founder of Suffolk Hypnotherapy | Subconscious Coach | Mental Health Advocate

In this final episode of Season 1, we’re joined by the brilliant Piers Day — a subconscious coach, speaker, and founder of Suffolk Hypnotherapy, as well as the powerful new mental health initiative, Out of the Darkness.

After a deeply personal experience with loss, Piers set out on a journey to understand the mind, heal from grief, and support others in doing the same. In this honest and emotional conversation, he shares:

• Why so many people suffer in silence — and how to reach them

• How subconscious beliefs affect our self-worth and well-being

• His own journey from physical crisis to personal transformation

• The simple daily actions that build confidence and clarity

• What freedom through fitness means when both body and mind are in balance

Piers is passionate about helping people feel safe, seen, and fully human again — no labels, no diagnoses, just real conversations and deep, lasting change.

This episode is for anyone who wants to better understand themselves or support the mental health of those they love. Although much of Piers' work focuses on men’s mental health, this conversation transcends gender — because empathy, openness, and healing are for all of us.

✨ And since recording, we’re thrilled to share that Out of the Darkness is now live — another huge step in making mental health support more accessible and human.

🔗 Learn more about working with us at: https://freedompod.focusedpt.co.uk

In this powerful and refreshingly honest episode, host Megan Batchelor is joined by her sister — Dr. Ruth Guest, GP, lecturer in military medicine, and specialist in women’s health.

Together, they explore the intersection of professional expertise and lived experience — covering everything from postpartum recovery and mental health to menstrual education, pelvic floor myths, and how to navigate fitness across the lifespan. With stories from military life, motherhood, and even indoor rowing championships, Ruth shares how movement has helped her reclaim personal strength and identity.

This is a must-listen for anyone who wants to better understand women’s health — and that includes men who are seeking to bring greater empathy and awareness to the women in their lives.

💬 Honest. Informative. Empowering.

💻 Want to explore what working with Focused PT could look like for you? Visit freedompod.focusedpt.co.uk to book your free discovery call.

Visit https://freedompod.focusedpt.co.uk/ for further support on attaining your own Freedom Through Fitness

Training for the Camino: A Journey of Strength, Survival and Self-Belief

At 72 years old, Leon Edwards set himself a bold and deeply personal challenge — to walk the 800km Camino de Santiago across Spain. Not as a lifelong adventurer, but as someone who had faced a quadruple heart bypass, a PTSD diagnosis, borderline type 2 diabetes, and the physical setbacks that come with age and injury.

In this powerful and heartwarming episode, Leon shares how he worked with the Focused Personal Training team to transform his strength, health and mindset — preparing his body and spirit for the pilgrimage he had dreamed of for more than four decades.

And we’re thrilled to share that since this episode was recorded, Leon has completed his 800km pilgrimage. His journey is living proof that it’s never too late to reclaim your health, pursue a goal, or rediscover what your body is capable of.

This one’s for anyone who thinks they might be “too old,” “too unfit,” or too far gone. You’re not.  Fitness can open doors to you that you may have thought already closed for good. Let Leon's story inspire you to get out there and live!

Visit https://freedompod.focusedpt.co.uk/ for further support on attaining your own Freedom Through Fitness

In this week's Athlete Spotlight, we sit down with international powerlifter, British record holder, and World Champion bench presser — Ellie Steel.

Just a few weeks after this recording, Ellie travelled to Norway for the Equipped Powerlifting Open World Championships, where she took gold for Great Britain in the under 57kg women’s bench press. But there’s so much more to her journey than the podium.

Ellie is also a mum to her two-year-old son, Blakey, and plays a key role in supporting her husband’s business — New Forest Family Butchers — a beloved local brand with locations in West Wellow, Winchester, and Lyndhurst.

We talk about:

• What it takes to train and compete at elite level

• The physical and mental resilience behind lifting heavy

• How motherhood reshaped her approach to recovery and strength

• Breaking stereotypes for women in powerlifting

• Balancing sport, business, and family life

Follow Ellie on Instagram at @elliefrickensteel

Whether you're a seasoned lifter, new to training, or just curious about what’s possible when strength meets intention — this one’s for you.

🎧 Episode 4: From Performance to Presence — with Sean Cole

In this episode of Freedom Through Fitness, we’re joined by fitness industry veteran and business owner Sean Cole — founder of Elevation Training Club (formerly SC Vital Fitness) and Balance Wellness Club, two standout facilities helping people live healthier, more grounded lives.

Sean’s journey spans decades of experience: from his time in the military as a Physical Training Instructor and Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist, to running a high-performance gym, to more recently embracing a more holistic, authentic approach to movement, mindset, and recovery.

Together, we explore:

• How Sean went from performance-focused coaching to truly serving his community

• The power of authenticity and why “people don’t care what you’ve done — they care what you can do for them”

• How cold water therapy, breathwork, and contrast therapy changed his life — and sparked the creation of Balance Wellness Club

• What it means to coach for the real world, not just the gym floor

• Why finding your version of balance is the key to long-term wellbeing

🧠 Whether you’re a coach, a gym-goer, or someone seeking deeper alignment in your fitness journey — Sean’s honesty, experience, and transformation will strike a chord.

📍Recorded before the recent rebrand of his gym, you’ll hear Sean refer to it as SC Vital Fitness. It has since re-launched as Elevation Training Club.

🔗 Find Sean online: Instagram: @elevationtrainingclub Website: elevationtrainingclub.co.uk

Instagram: @balance_wellness_club Website: balancewellnessclub.co.uk

🎙️ Subscribe to the Freedom Through Fitness podcast on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | YouTube

In this Ask the Expert episode, I’m joined by Amy Linford — also known as “The Pain Whisperer”. Amy is an applied neurology practitioner, strength and conditioning coach, and passionate mental health advocate who helps people rebuild their relationship with movement in a way that feels safe, empowering, and sustainable.

Her work goes far beyond reps and routines — Amy helps people understand the root cause of their pain, and provides practical, therapeutic treatment and personalised rehabilitation programmes that support long-term recovery and resilience.

Whether you’ve struggled with anxiety, felt overwhelmed by traditional fitness environments, or sensed that “just go to the gym” wasn’t the whole answer — this conversation will speak to you.

We explore:

• How trauma, anxiety, and the nervous system affect training

• What it means to take a trauma-informed approach to coaching

• Why safety, choice, and compassion matter in fitness spaces

• Tools and insights for creating more freedom in your body — and your life

This is an episode about meeting yourself where you are, working with your body instead of against it, and redefining strength beyond aesthetics.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music and YouTube

👉 Want to explore what your own version of fitness and freedom could look like? Book a free discovery call at freedompod.focusedpt.co.uk — no pressure, just a real conversation.

In this episode, I sit down with Dave Hurlock — a Southampton local who’s on a powerful journey of reclaiming independence, confidence, and strength.

Born with Cerebral Palsy, Dave grew up hearing all the things he “couldn’t” do. But in the past year, he’s flipped that script — walking into a gym for the first time, challenging his own expectations, and building a version of fitness that’s entirely his own.

We talk about:

• What it’s like to begin training later in life with a lifelong condition

• Navigating gyms and coaching with a disability

• How fitness has impacted his physical ability, mindset, and day-to-day independence

• The power of showing up — especially when it’s hard

This isn’t a story about quick fixes or six-pack abs. It’s a story about self-belief, courage, and the kind of freedom that comes from proving to yourself that you can.

👉 Inspired by Dave’s story? Take the first step toward your own transformation at freedompod.focusedpt.co.uk.

In this first ever episode of Freedom Through Fitness, we’re joined by Kelly Friel — international CrossFit competitor, local Southampton legend, and living proof that it’s never too late to rewrite what fitness looks like in your life.

Kelly didn’t start CrossFit until her mid-30s — already a mum of two, with no background in competitive sport. But what began as a spontaneous decision quickly became a path to international success in the Masters division — and a radical shift in how she saw herself, her body, and her future.

In this conversation, we explore:

• What it’s like to compete on the world stage

• How Kelly balances training with work and family

• Why fitness is about what your body can do, not how it looks

• Her advice to anyone who feels like they’re starting “too late”

This episode is about more than reps and results — it’s about resilience, identity, and the kind of freedom that comes from feeling strong in your own skin.

🎧 Listen now, and if Kelly’s story resonates, share it with someone who needs a reminder: it’s not too late to start.

🔗 Learn more or book your free discovery call at: freedompod.focusedpt.co.uk/home