Behind The Door
Norwich Fitness Festival
08/05/24
I don’t know about you, but too often the thought of entering a new gym or exercise class fills me with an abundance of worries- from stressing that I won’t be ‘strong enough’, to worrying about how others will see me- it has stopped me signing up to a fun fitness class or starting a new sports club on too many occasions!
However, we need to tackle this ‘gymtimidation’ together to realise the power fitness can have in our lives (and feel the benefit of those excellent endorphins!).
On the 1st June, Earlham Park will be home to the debut Norwich Fitness Festival, celebrating ‘all things health and fitness that Norwich has to offer’! Last week, I caught up with Jess Hamilton and Anthony Trebble, who are the Founders of Norwich Fitness Festival, to discover what amazing fitness fun we can look forward to at the festival this summer, which is sure to welcome all of us into the local fitness community (and beat that dreaded ‘gymtimidation’!).
What activities and events can we look forward to at the Norwich Fitness Festival (and how did you choose what was to feature)?
EVERYTHING! Well not everything, but we’ve got a huge variety! Bootcamps, combat, dance, pilates, athletics, boxing and more, including activities for kids too.
We also have a load of vendors showcasing their businesses, including the Norwich canoe club, physios, sports massage, gyms, personal trainers, and charities. Oh and great food and coffee from Moco kitchen, Namaste, and Nourish!
We received an overwhelming amount of applications for instructors and guest speakers, which was amazing! But also created a difficult job for us so to select the final lineup. We wanted to make sure there was something for everyone and believe we have chosen a great mixture for our first festival. Hopefully those who missed out can join next year!
What inspired you to create this festival?
Norwich did! We have an incredible health, fitness and wellbeing community within our City, which we really wanted to showcase.
We are so passionate about all things health and fitness, and felt it would only be right to provide the opportunity for the people of Norwich to experience all there is to offer. We hope to emphasise that fitness isn’t just what you remember in PE at school. It can be so diverse, fun and leave you feeling great!
What do you hope for this festival to achieve?
Bringing everyone together with feel good fun! If we can help even just one person try something new, meet new people, and maybe discover a new passion, then it is job done for us.
Can anyone get involved with the festival?
Yes, absolutely! Fitness is for everyone. All ages and abilities. We want as many people to feel welcome and embrace the day of activities. Some classes will also be suitable for surpervised children (8 years and over), which are marked with a (c) on the timetable.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced when creating the festival (and how have you overcome this)?
To be honest, it’s just been a learning curve throughout! We’re not a big events company with huge backing. We are just two people, who wanted to create something local, that you would usually have to travel hours for.
What we can say, is just how grateful we are for the support of so many people. Whether it's vendors, food trucks, instructors, or friends, they’ve all gotten on board with what we are trying to achieve. They've given guidance, helped with promotions, advertised the festival, and we cannot thank them all enough!
We hope the people of Norwich will see the level of passion, organisation, and enthusiasm, that has been put into what we hope to be a success, so that we can do it all again next year!
How important do you believe the relationship between our mental and physical health is?
Both of us cannot stress enough that relationship. Anthony – Fitness saved my life, it’s as simple as that. Years of depression and anxiety were accompanied by really poor health choices, and it was no coincidence that this began to change whilst training for the London Marathon (which I drunkenly applied for at a time when I struggled to run to the end of the road.) Whether it’s a run to clear your head, a Dance fitness class to have fun and sweat, a simple walk, or getting headphones on and switching off in the gym. Any movement is good for the soul!
Social media- friend or foe for the fitness community?
I’m not sure there’s enough space to really get into this one, but the short version is both. It’s given people an opportunity to learn, promote businesses, gain nutritional and fitness guidance, the list goes on. But, as with most things these days, clickbait wins the day and often sensationalised versions of the truth are seen and taken as gospel.
We also only tend to see the top 0.1% of fitness models, posed and unnatural media, not the every day person who trains. This can unfortunately lead to comparisons about where you are in your own journey. But some important things to remember are; focus on your own individual path, look back to where you started to see how far you've come, and accept that progress isn't linear.
Often engaging in fitness can feel like a chore or a burden, which can make it seem less enjoyable for many of us- how do we tackle this?
There’s 2 tips for people that feel fitness is a chore.
The most important one, try something new and keep trying until you find what you enjoy and feel is right for you. Fitness is not just one thing for all, there is so much choice out there now!
And 2, reframe the language you use around fitness. For example, rather than say "I have to exercise", say "I get to exercise". There are so many people in the world who are unfortunately unable to move their body the way you can, and it’s a disservice to yourself if you don’t use it to it’s full potential.
What is your favourite element of the fitness community in Norwich?
The people! When you surround yourself with people who radiate positive energy, push you on, you can laugh with, sometimes cry with, and everything in-between, it gives you that sense of belonging, comfort, calm, and release from day to day stresses.
Many of us can suffer from ‘gym intimidation’ and ‘gym anxiety’- how can we tackle this?
It comes from both sides really. Those already in the gym need to ensure that gyms are presented as welcoming and a place for people to come look after their health and wellbeing. Those who are worried need to take the leap. Most people at the gym are just purely focused on themselves and they shouldn’t let the minority ruin it for them.
If you're just starting out, go with a friend to a class or train together. Or maybe hire a professional to show you the ropes, so you can feel confident in doing the right things, and eventually that anxiety will settle.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start their fitness journey?
Try it all! Just because you don’t like one form of it, does not mean you won’t like something else. Go to classes, try the gym, or try sports clubs until you find something that feels right for you with the right people around you. Fitness is always more enjoyable when you’ve got a community of likeminded people around you.
Have you got any plans for after the festival this summer?
BREATHE… It’s been a lot of work, late nights, and a huge learning curve, as we are not event planners. But we are so passionate for this project to be a success.
We’ve booked a holiday to Malta a few weeks after the festival to relax, and then when we’re back, we'll be looking at what to do for 2025!!
And, if you want to find out more information on this fantastic festival, then you can head to their Instagram (@norwichfitnessfestival)!