#253 True Grit with Jonny Skinner

We are joined by Jonny Skinner AKA @rockstardaduk - 11 x Kettlebell Sport World Champion, 1 x Team Relay World Champion & 1 x European Champion as well as father & musician. We discuss grassroots Kettlebell Sport. The wide variety of disciplines & avenues open to athletes now. The importance of focus, discipline & going ‘all in’ if you want to truly excel at an event or pursuit & Jonny’s upcoming Guinness World Record attempt at 24hrs lifting with a 24kg Kettlebell. Also, how it was actually his mum who got him involved in Kettlebell lifting! You will be inspired - & also possibly think he’s slightly mad! 🙂

We are joined from Hampshire, England by Ben Glasscock AKA - The Notorious BLG (to some of his friends at least). Ben is an online & in-person Strength Coach at ‘Athlete Movement’ & a rising star in the world of Strongman. He recently came 5th at Britains Strongest Man & over the next few weeks will be competing at Giants Live shows in the iconic & historic Royal Albert Hall in London & at Englands Strongest Man in York. We discuss Ben’s background in Rugby & Powerlifting & how he made the transition over to Strongman. We also discuss the power of consistency, adherence, community & enjoyment in training & how self belief & psychology plays such a huge part in performing at the highest level.

In this breather episode Peter & James discuss what they’ve taken away from recent episodes & what they’ve been working on themselves & with their clients. The Rogue Stoneland documentary, the upcoming Stones 2 film, lifting Sandbags with Terry Hollands & Pete’s new biometric tracking ring (as recommended by Dr Nancy Allen in Episode 249) are all covered, as well as the upcoming Health Oddity/Unique Results/Walking Solves walking weekend in Bath & Pete & James’ trip up to Scotland for The Gathering.

We are joined for the 11th time on our 250th Episode by long time ‘friend of the show’ Dan John from Utah, USA. Dan is one of the most experienced & widely respected Strength Coaches & Strength Authors in the world & in this very personal episode he shares his own journey from Discus Thrower, Olympic Weightlifter & Highland Games athlete to grandfather approaching 70. He talks about his change of focus, his body re-composition lessons, mobility practises & practical tips to ageing around sleep & nutrition - all delivered with his trademark warmth & wit. A must listen for anyone wanting to live a long, strong & energetic life!

We are joined Dr Nancy Allen, the medical director of Renaissance Reset for Menopause. Nancy has been a practising NHS GP for the last 25 years & is a proud member of the Royal College of General Practitioners & the British Menopause Society. Nancy’s career has been dedicated to supporting women through every stage of their health journey, particularly during the transformative phase of menopause. In this episode we discuss many health & lifestyle challenges people are having in our modern society & take a deep dive into dementia along with the most recent research. This is our first conversation with Dr Nancy Allen & it definitely won’t be our last If you want to ask Dr Nancy any questions please fill out the form and she will answer them on her next visit >> Ask Dr Nancy 

We are joined from London, England by Sally Moss, owner & founder of Strength Ambassadors. A gym which focusses on teaching, coaching & building strength through Powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting & Strongman training. We discuss the importance of Strength for all, especially women, the changing landscape of strength training over the last 20 years & the wisdom & benefit in getting stronger as an end goal without it being tied to aesthetics, weight loss, fitness or dieting. A fascinating conversation with a pioneer & ambassador of female strength training in the UK.

We are joined from Kendal in The Lake District, England by Vicki Farrington a former member of the MET Police turned Sports Therapist, Strength Coach & Ultra Endurance Cyclist.   We talk about open water swimming, fell running, mountain biking & Vicki’s recent conquering of the Mega Mallorca 312 challenge! We also discuss the stark change of lifestyle moving from London in a highly pressurised & stressful career to a life in the countryside, spending much time outdoors & a totally different pace of life. This is a wide reaching conversation that I guarantee will make you want to spend more time in nature (& possibly visit The Lakes).

Pete & James recap 7 weeks of fantastic guests & pick up some of the themes & conversations that have sparked thoughts & discussions within our businesses. Staying grounded & anchored through times of stress & turmoil & what it REALLY means to find a deep connection to movement, exercise & our physical being are among the topics discussed.

We are joined by a legendary figure of UK (& World) Strongman from Kent in England - Mr Terry Hollands AKA Big Tel. Terry is one of Britain’s best known & most successful strongmen. He competed at the Worlds Strongest Man 15 times, reached the final on 9 consecutive occasions & podiumed twice. We discuss the current Strongman scene, the upcoming 2025 Worlds Strongest Man in USA. Terry’s sporting background, training history & current focus. A fascinating conversation with a man who has pushed his body to the brink in the name of performance & is now focused on being strong, fit & healthy for the decades ahead.

We are joined by Elise Laura Ball from Bristol in Somerset, England for an open & raw conversation about Ballet, professional dancing, body image, eating disorders, alcohol & recovery. Elise is a Strongfirst Elite trainer, Kettlebell & Strength Coach & a Ballet teacher who now focuses on teaching Ballet to adults & passing on her love of dancing without the pressure & pain from her past.