I started working as a personal trainer in Birmingham when I was 17 years old (2007). Soon after I moved to Liverpool for 3 years to study my Sport Science BSc and continue my work as a PT. In 2011 I moved to London and studied my Strength and conditioning MSc, again working as a PT and strength coach. Whilst studying my MSc I was heavily involved in Olympic lifting and suffered a shoulder dislocation. I worked with different physiotherapists however no success. I couldn’t do a side plank or any overhead lifts without my shoulder dislocating. Doctors told me to give up any overhead lifting movements. I felt incapable and lost confidence as a trainer this led me to give up my role as a coach.
In 2013 I started working as health and wellbeing physiologist, this involved a lot of time spent sitting at a desk writing reports, answering emails, and dealing with corporate protocols. I really didn’t enjoy the sedentary work and suffered chronic backpain for a year. Turned out I had various prolapses in my back and neck which I wasn’t aware of.
In 2014 I had a shoulder surgery, quit my physiologist job and moved to Oslo Norway to work as a PT once again. Unfortunately my shoulder dislocated again early 2015. At this point I knew something was missing and once again I got really bogged down and a little depressed because it was worse than ever. I could stamp my foot on the floor and it would dislocate.
During the summer of 2015 I travelled to Brazil to visit a friend in Salvador. This happened to be the motherland for capoeira and I witnessed huge guys display amazing feats of strength and movement freedom. I felt compelled to give it a go despite this falling way outside my comfort zone. My toes, hips, shoulders and wrists felt very stiff and weak. The movements felt so bizarre, awkward and quite frankly dangerous, but as I watched these huge Brazilian guys move in quite impressive ways I realised it’s possible to be both strong and flexible. I left brazil feeling grateful, because it gave me something to think about. I decided to take my body to the mechanics and fix all the individual components. My tight and weak links (toes, fingers, wrist, ankles, hips, shoulders and spine) a full body MOT. I then started working on my general mobility and flexibility with yoga and bodyweight exercises. Locomotives, mobility drills, hand balancing, brachiation and gymnastic rings all helped me tremendously. I could feel the body works in mysterious ways, like a domino effect.
1st January 2016 I decided set the goal to of holding a handstand, 7 weeks later I hit my first consistent 15 second handstand. This moment was so powerful for me, I can’t really put it into words. I was so afraid of my shoulder dislocating however some part of me felt it was absolutely necessary to get close to the injury. I used hanging practices combined with different hand balancing drills and rebuild my shoulder stronger than ever. Before I was simply lost in slow rehabilitative exercises with an unhealthy spine. There was not enough diversity of movement, angles, rhymes, speeds or velocities. I finally found what I was looking for! A process, a clear movement process that helped me get from point A to point B.
After this I was obsessed, it was whole new world. I proceeded piecing together new processes and refining old ones. Movement of the body and mind hold a close relationship. Ill be forever grateful to have such an experience that helps me help others with their journey/story :-).
