Should you stretch before a show?

The answer is yes, but probably not in the way you were taught.

In this episode of the Fit2Perform Podcast, Bobby and Steffan break down the new rules of stretching and explain why your approach should change depending on whether you're trying to improve flexibility or prepare your body to perform.

For years, performers were told to hold long static stretches before going on stage. Then the message flipped completely and static stretching became the enemy.

The reality is more nuanced.

We discuss:

✅ The difference between stretching for flexibility and stretching for performance
✅ Why static stretching can temporarily reduce strength and power
✅ Why dynamic stretching can actually improve performance
✅ What stretching really does to your muscles and nervous system
✅ Why stretching does not simply "lengthen" your muscles
✅ How resistance training can improve range of motion too
✅ Where static stretching can still fit into a performer warm-up
✅ How to tell whether a stretch is useful, or just something you've done out of habit for years

The key question is simple:

Why are you stretching?

If your goal is to improve flexibility over time, train flexibility deliberately.

If your goal is to perform right now, your warm-up needs to prepare your body to produce force, move efficiently and access the range you need without leaving you flat.

Whether you're a dancer, actor, singer, musical theatre performer or anyone who relies on mobility and range of motion, this episode will help you rethink the way you warm up.

Plus, we somehow end up talking about Reacher, Project Hail Mary, Lego spaceships and why turtle shells are basically external bones.

🎭 FREE PERFORMER RESOURCES

Visit The Vault:
fit2.co.uk

📱 FOLLOW FIT2PERFORM

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

Got a question for the podcast? Send us a DM and we might answer it on a future episode.

#Stretching #DynamicStretching #StaticStretching #WarmUp #PerformerFitness #DanceTraining #MusicalTheatre #Mobility #Flexibility #StrengthTraining #Fit2Perform #WestEnd #PerformanceTraining

203 shows. Seven months. No weeks off. And a hell of a lot learned along the way.

In this episode of The Fit2Perform Podcast, Steffan is officially back from China and reflecting on what playing Miss Trunchbull on an international tour taught him about training, nutrition, recovery, professionalism and looking after yourself when you're thousands of miles from home.

This isn't just a China recap. It's the stuff we'd want every performer to know before heading out on a long touring contract.

We cover:

🌍 Embrace the culture you're working in
International touring is a privilege, but expecting everything to work like it does at home is a fast route to frustration.

💪 Preparation really does matter
How strength training, smart recovery and two months of preparation helped Steffan get through 203 performances without missing a show.

📅 The people who do the life admin win
Travel days, PR calls, food, rehearsals, appointments and constantly changing schedules. A little preparation makes everything easier.

🏋️ Hotel gyms require smarter programming
Limited equipment doesn't mean ineffective training. But you need to understand how to adapt when there's no barbell, no heavy weights and very few machines.

🥗 Nutrition on tour is possible
Even when you can't track everything, don't recognise half the food and spend months living out of hotels, you can still fuel performance and work towards physique goals.

❤️ Treat everyone with kindness
Not just "be a nice person". Be professional, civil and actively kind to the people around you. Especially when you're tired, homesick and living in each other's pockets.

Plus, Bobby shares his experience casting Hadestown in Amsterdam, Steffan adjusts to life back in London, we talk wrestling at Wembley, and somehow discover that humans may technically have the ability to evolve venom.

If you're heading out on tour, working internationally or trying to survive a demanding contract without your health falling apart, this one's for you.

🎭 FREE PERFORMER RESOURCES

Visit The Vault:
fit-2.co.uk

📱 FOLLOW FIT2PERFORM

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

Got a question for the podcast? Slip slide into our DMs and we might answer it on a future episode.

#TourLife #MusicalTheatre #PerformerFitness #InternationalTour #TheatreLife #WestEnd #Fit2Perform #StrengthTraining #PerformanceNutrition #Recovery #ActorLife #DancerLife

Travel days don't have to derail your fitness, nutrition or recovery.

Whether you're heading to rehearsals, touring, flying to a new contract or travelling home between jobs, the choices you make on travel days can have a huge impact on how you feel when you arrive.

In this episode of the Fit2Perform Podcast, Bobby and Steffan share their complete travel day toolkit for performers, covering training, nutrition, hydration and recovery.

We discuss:

✈️ How to train before a long journey
🥗 What to eat before, during and after travelling
💧 Hydration mistakes that leave performers feeling sluggish
🚶 Why movement matters more than you think
😴 How to reduce travel fatigue and recover faster
🎭 Simple habits that help you arrive ready to perform

If you're a touring performer, actor, dancer, singer, musician or creative professional who spends time travelling, this episode will help you stay healthy without making travel days more stressful.

⬇️ FREE RESOURCES

Visit the Vault:
fit-2.co.uk

📱 Follow Fit2Perform

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

🎙️ About the Podcast

The Fit2Perform Podcast is the health and fitness podcast for performers, bringing you meaningful, helpful and accurate information to help you look, feel, recover and perform at your best.

#TravelDay #TourLife #MusicalTheatre #WestEnd #Performer #ActorLife #HealthyTravel #Nutrition #Fitness #Recovery #TravelTips #Fit2Perform #PerformingArts #TheatreLife #Touring

Talent might get you the audition.

Your professionalism is what gets you invited back.

In this episode of the Fit2Perform Podcast, Bobby and Steffan discuss the unwritten rules of theatre etiquette and the habits that make performers a pleasure to work with, from rehearsals to the final curtain call.

We discuss:

✅ Being early instead of "just on time"
✅ Respecting everyone in the building, regardless of their role
✅ Backstage etiquette that every performer should know
✅ Why preparation is one of the greatest signs of professionalism
✅ How your attitude can shape your reputation in the industry
✅ The small habits that make people want to hire you again

Whether you're still training, auditioning for your first professional job, or already working in theatre, these simple habits can make a lasting impression throughout your career.

🎭 Fit2Perform helps performers build not only stronger bodies, but long, sustainable careers in the performing arts.

⬇️ FREE RESOURCES

Visit the Vault:
fit-2.co.uk

📱 Follow Fit2Perform

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

🎙️ About the Podcast

The Fit2Perform Podcast is the health and fitness podcast for performers, bringing you meaningful, helpful, and accurate information to help you look, feel, recover, and perform at your best.

#TheatreEtiquette #MusicalTheatre #WestEnd #Performer #Acting #Dance #TheatreLife #Auditions #Backstage #PerformingArts #Fit2Perform #ActorLife #Professionalism #StageLife #TheatrePodcast

Today’s guest is the brilliant Francessca Daniella-Baker, who’s currently appearing in Disney’s Hercules in London’s West End.

Francessca’s career has taken her from major UK tours to the West End and international stages, with credits including Hadestown, The Lion King, My Fair Lady, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium.

In this episode, we talk about:
🎭 Her journey to the West End and landing roles in some of musical theatre’s biggest productions
💪 What it’s like performing in Disney’s Hercules
🎤 The unique demands of shows like Hadestown and The Lion King
🧠 Building resilience and confidence in a competitive industry
✨ The lessons she’s learned from working with some of the best creatives in theatre

Whether you’re an aspiring performer, a theatre fan, or simply love hearing the stories behind the shows, this episode is packed with honesty, laughter, and insight.

🎧 Subscribe to The Fit2 Perform Podcast for weekly conversations with leading voices from the performing arts.

📩 Got a question or guest suggestion? Email [email protected]

📱 Follow @fit2performwestend for more clips, exclusive interviews, and performance content.

Do you still believe that sweating means you’ve had a great workout? Or that lifting weights will make you bulky?

These fitness myths have been around for years, and they’re still holding performers back.

In this episode of the Fit2Perform Podcast, Bobby and Steffan break down five of the biggest fitness lies performers still believe and explain what the evidence actually says.

We discuss:

✅ Why sweat isn’t a measure of workout quality
✅ What a warm-up should actually do before a show or training session
✅ The truth about lifting weights and becoming “bulky”
✅ Why you don’t need the “perfect body” to build a successful performing career
✅ Why endless cardio isn’t the fastest route to getting lean

Whether you’re in rehearsals, performing eight shows a week, auditioning, or simply trying to improve your health, these myths could be stopping you from making real progress.

🎭 Fit2Perform helps performers train smarter, reduce injury risk, and improve performance through evidence-based coaching, not fitness fads.

⬇️ FREE RESOURCES

Visit the Vault:
fit-2.co.uk

📱 Follow Fit2Perform

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

🎙️ About the Podcast

The Fit2Perform Podcast is the health and fitness podcast for performers, bringing you meaningful, helpful, and accurate information to help you look, feel, recover, and perform at your best.

#FitnessMyths #Performers #StrengthTraining #MusicalTheatre #Cardio #WarmUp #WeightTraining #FatLoss #FitnessTips #WestEnd #Fit2Perform #PerformanceTraining #HealthAndFitness #FitnessPodcast #EvidenceBasedFitness

Why do some performers consistently book work while others struggle to get cast?

It’s not always about talent.

In this episode of the Fit2Perform Podcast, Bobby and Steffan share five qualities that make performers stand out, not just in the audition room, but throughout their entire career.

Drawing on years of experience working in the West End, alongside casting teams, directors, choreographers and performers, they explain what actually makes someone employable in today’s industry.

In this episode we discuss:

✅ Why reliability is more valuable than perfection
✅ The importance of preparation before you even walk into the room
✅ How your attitude can influence future opportunities
✅ Why professionalism gets remembered long after auditions finish
✅ The habits that make performers easy to work with
✅ What you can control, even when casting decisions are out of your hands

Whether you’re preparing for drama school auditions, trying to break into the industry, or looking to build a long and sustainable performing career, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply immediately.

🎭 At Fit2Perform, we help performers build the strength, resilience and habits needed to thrive both on and off stage.

⬇️ FREE RESOURCES

Visit the Vault:
fit-2.co.uk

📱 Follow Fit2Perform

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

🎙️ About the Podcast

The Fit2Perform Podcast is the health and fitness podcast for performers, bringing you meaningful, helpful and accurate information to help you look, feel and perform at your best.

#MusicalTheatre #Auditions #Performer #ActingCareer #WestEnd #Dance #PerformingArts #Casting #ActorLife #TheatreLife #CareerAdvice #Fit2Perform #MusicalTheatreLife #DramaSchool #PerformerMindset

Why do some people stay fit for decades while others quit after just a few weeks?

It isn’t because they have more motivation.

In this episode of the Fit2Perform Podcast, Bobby and Steffan explore the five factors that keep people exercising for the long term, and why sustainable fitness has far more to do with psychology than willpower.

We discuss:

✅ Why enjoyment is the biggest predictor of long-term success
✅ How exercise can improve mental health and reduce stress
✅ Why moving well and staying pain-free matters more than chasing six-pack abs
✅ The role aesthetics play, and why they rarely keep people motivated forever
✅ How community, accountability and belonging make consistency easier

Whether you’re trying to build healthier habits, get back into training, or stay consistent around a busy performing schedule, this episode will help you create a fitness routine you can actually stick to.

🎭 At Fit2Perform, we help performers build sustainable fitness habits that improve performance, health and confidence without relying on extremes.

⬇️ FREE RESOURCES

Visit the Vault:
fit-2.co.uk

📱 Follow Fit2Perform

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

🎙️ About the Podcast

The Fit2Perform Podcast is the health and fitness podcast for performers, bringing you meaningful, helpful and accurate information to help you look, feel and perform at your best.

#FitnessMotivation #Consistency #HealthyHabits #MentalHealth #FitnessJourney #Exercise #Performers #MusicalTheatre #HealthAndFitness #Fit2Perform #WestEnd #Wellbeing #GymMotivation #FitnessPodcast #LongTermFitness

Today’s guest is Heather Knott, one of the UK’s leading theatre sound professionals, whose work spans the West End, national tours and international productions.

Heather has worked on some of the biggest productions in the industry, leading sound teams, operating complex live mixes, and collaborating with world class sound designers. From brand new productions to global transfers and award winning musicals, her expertise has helped deliver world class live theatre to audiences across the globe.

In this episode, we talk about:
🎧 What it takes to deliver exceptional sound in live theatre
🎭 The skill and precision required to mix a live musical
🎤 Collaborating with creative teams to shape the audience experience
🌍 Working across major productions in the UK and internationally
🧠 Remaining calm and focused in one of the most demanding roles in theatre

Whether you’re a performer, creative, technician, or simply fascinated by how world class productions come together, this episode offers a unique insight into one of the theatre industry’s most specialised careers.

🎧 Subscribe to The Fit2 Perform Podcast for weekly conversations with leading voices from the performing arts.

📩 Got a question? Email [email protected]

📱 Follow @fit2performwestend for more clips, exclusive interviews and performance content.

Deadlifts have become one of the most controversial exercises in fitness.

Some coaches swear by them. Others say they’re too dangerous and should be avoided completely.

So who’s right?

In this episode of the Fit2Perform Podcast, Bobby and Steffan explore the science behind deadlifts, injury risk, and whether performers should include them in their training.

We discuss:

✅ Are deadlifts actually dangerous?
✅ Why poor technique, not the exercise itself, causes most injuries
✅ The difference between risk and reward in strength training
✅ Why avoiding movements can actually make you more injury-prone
✅ How deadlifts carry over to lifts, choreography and everyday life
✅ When a deadlift is appropriate, and when another exercise might be a better choice

If you’ve ever been told to avoid deadlifts because they’re “bad for your back”, this episode will help you understand the evidence and make better training decisions.

🎭 Fit2Perform helps performers build strength, reduce injury risk, and perform at their best through evidence-based coaching.

⬇️ FREE RESOURCES

Visit the Vault:
fit-2.co.uk

📱 Follow Fit2Perform

Instagram: @fit2performwestend

🎙️ About the Podcast

The Fit2Perform Podcast is the health and fitness podcast for performers, bringing you meaningful, helpful, and accurate information to help you look, feel, recover, and perform at your best.

#Deadlift #Deadlifts #StrengthTraining #BackPain #FitnessMyths #InjuryPrevention #Performers #MusicalTheatre #StrengthCoach #Fit2Perform #WestEnd #GymTips #ResistanceTraining #HealthyMovement #FitnessPodcast