Small Gains: The Inclusive Strength and Running Podcast

What happens when you’re out of that Newbie gains phase and you stop getting PBs every week in the gym or at park run? Once we are out of that phase, our rate of progress can slow down, but that isn’t a bad thing. A lot of people get disheartened and give up at this point, but I want to talk about why this isn’t by any means a negative, and why it’s so important to set the right expectations for t...

I had a funny old time at Hyrox last week washing out my first attempt at the Pro Category. I’d had a lot of stress on and this resulted in a very disregulated and strange race experience and I thought this would be a fun one to chat through to give you an insight into how mental health can really impact our training and performance. Love you! 00:21 Hyrox Pro Race Debrief 02:00 What is Hyrox? 03:5...

Happy new year small gains family! We are back and chatting about mindset shifts and anecdotes to help us stop procrastinating, improve our consistency in our workouts this year, and take action even when our motivation is fleeting and we are struggling with HOW and WHERE to even start. I hope you enjoy this one, be sure to let me know if any of the 3 prompts I shared help. If you’d like 50% off y...

Hey team! Little end-of-year wrap-up from me today. We spoke about how the pressure to go BIG on those New Year’s goals can actually get in our own way, and how important bringing some softness and kindness to your goal-setting process can be, without stopping yourself from dreaming big or taking a big swing at something that you're really gassed up against. Happy New Year, Small Gains Family, and...

Is your smartwatch actually helping? Or is it actually negatively impacting your sleep, stress training and recovery and maybe you haven't realised that part yet? This week we’re talking data obsession, the all-consuming sleep score, comparison traps and why your watch will never know your body better than you do. Let’s bring some soul, intuition and common sense back into our training tech. 00:44...

To Winter Arc or not to Winter Arc? To Blanket Goblin or not Blanket Goblin? Today’s chat is all about approaching winter when it comes to training, and allowing yourself to embrace the cosy season when you struggle with the change in seasons or find you’re affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder more at this time of year. We shouldn’t let our environment change get in the way of our enjoyment of...

Today I have my coach Tom Smith on to chat about Low Volume training. Low volume is getting thrown around a lot, but it can be very different for everyone depending on training age and time availability. We speak about balance, recovery, session frequency, the minimal effective dose to make progress, and considerations for hybrid training. I also thought it would be cool for you guys to hear from...

The time reality check… we do not have a lot of it at all. Last year I hit a bit of a wall in August. I felt like I was doing everything right but I still just felt like I was on a constant hamster wheel with work, life, socialising and I felt like I was missing out on a lot. I sat myself down and spent 30 minutes mapping out all the things I was trying to fit into my week, including travel time,...

Oh bloody hell where I do even start. Joe Wicks decided to make a ‘killer protein bar’ to raise awareness of Ultra Processed Foods but instead he just instilled fear and misinformation into the general population of the UK. Are we surprised? Probs not. Another millionaire with a huge platform - not considering their direct impact on society. I got my bestie Sophia Harris, from Apollo Nutrition, on...

Welcome back gang. In part two of this yap with Craig from Good Time Running Club and Up & Running, Edinburgh. We dive into the costs of running shoes, the importance of shoe fits, the benefits of shoe rotations, and whether carbon plated shoes are worth the investment. Craig also shares insights on common running shoe myths, tips for runners in larger bodies, and how to assess if a shoe needs...

All About Running Shoes - no rubbish or fluff or sponsors. Just honest advice and yapping! In this episode, we delve into the world of running shoes with Craig, an expert from Good Time Running Club and Up & Running store in Edinburgh. We discuss the nuances of choosing the right running shoe, including understanding gait analysis, selecting the proper size, and differentiating between road an...

Small Gains fam we are back! I've been on a little Small Gains hiatus, but I'm back with lots to share. August was wild with our first in-person Fuzz Culture Club lifting event. It was an emotional, joyful experience with clients from across the globe uniting and smashing their lifting goals. I've also been battling a nasty bout of tonsillitis, and it's thrown a wrench in my half marathon and dead...

In this episode, I chat with Olive (@yogawitholive) about their journey from growing up playing sports in Dubai to inclusive yoga and mixed movement. We discuss their training style, how they discovered yoga, how they strive to practice it ethically, ED recovery, overtraining, making fitness spaces more inclusive, and we even had time to rave about the new Turnstile album. Link to submit a questio...

We’re diving deep into the world of autoregulation in training today, and I reckon it’s the missing piece that SO many folk have been searching for when it comes to consistency and longevity in their training life. In this episode, we’ll explore what autoregulation is, all the amazing benefits it brings to our training, and how we can put it into practice. We’ll also discuss the potential challeng...

The British summer has arrived, and it’s HOT and SWEATY and HUMID and HOT. Whether you’re melting in your gym warehouse, swallowing flies on your run, or trying to stuff sun cream into your one tiny pocket in your shorts — this episode is for you. I asked the FCC and Superhuman community what really grinds their gears about training in the heat and what actually helps. From cold showers and shady...

Are you running too fast to get better? This week, we're talking about the power of easy running and how mastering your conversation pace can lead so improved endurance, recovery, and injury prevention . 🎙️ In this episode: What conversation pace actually means (and how to test it) Why easy runs are essential for aerobic fitness How slowing down helps you run longer, recover faster , and train con...

Being a functioning human adult is tough, especially when balancing training, wellness, nutrition, and sleep. In this episode, I get Talia back on to discuss the practical hacks we've picked up over years of training. From gym kit maintenance to running-specific tips, nutrition, and organization strategies, we share small, practical steps that reduce the barriers to entry and don’t involve plungin...

This week is part two of the big debrief on my journey from injury to marathon. I delve into navigating work, personal life, and the time commitment. I discuss the mistakes I made, what I did well, race day experience, and unexpected learnings. Balancing dual careers with training, managing ADHD, setting boundaries, and understanding the importance of rest. Join me for a real look into the maratho...

In this episode, I walk you through having 4 separate unrelated injuries and building up to completing a full marathon within a 14 month timeline. Despite not ever being a ‘natural’ runner, I completed Manchester Marathon running continuously and pain free, which felt like a huge triumph after months of set backs and bad luck. I discuss how my coach and myself worked together to adapt my training...

In this episode, I share my lifelong struggles with sleep and how they impacted my life, especially as a touring musician. We dive into how prioritising sleep can improve our overall health and recovery, and I give you a bunch of my best tips for setting sleep routines and keeping them simple without compromising your social life. If you're struggling with sleep, to get enough of it, or to regulat...

I dive into the all-or-nothing mentality that often traps us in a vicious cycle and holds us back from making progress with our fitness and nutrition. Today I share four rules for ditching your own all or nothing monster for good so we can make steady progress with our fitness and nutrition goals. My brand new intro to Hybrid 12 Week Program is now here. Sign up and use the code ‘LETSGO’ for 50% o...

In this episode, I explore the feeling of ‘not doing enough’ in areas like fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing, often driven by social media and societal pressures. I discuss the pitfalls of comparing ourselves to others and the dangers of overwhelming ourselves with too many self-improvement activities simultaneously. We talk about how to choose what truly matters to us individually and avoid falli...

Getting your wellbeing together can feel massively overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to! In this episode, I break down the absolute bare basics you need to feel good (without turning your life upside down). And show you how to define what your own basics are. We’re talking small, doable steps that actually make a difference—no guilt, no stress, no ‘you must wake up at 5 AM’ nonsense. Whether you’r...

This week I team up with Brighton’s best looking Squat aka Talia, an inspiring queer coach and Aussie Rules Football player from Brighton. We discuss the importance of balancing training and recovery, recognising when to push through fatigue, and when to take a necessary rest. We also touch on alternative gym options and the concept of deload weeks, as well as trusting your intuition and adapting...

A bitesize episode from me today all about Progressive Overload. It's a term that get's thrown around a lot in gym culture, and we know we should be using it, but can someone just please explain it simply so we can crack on and get stronger and faster? Yes yes I can. Hope it helps! Link to submit a question or topic for future episode: https://forms.gle/hot8uQmVMjjKLRru6 Apply now for my Fast and...