Introduction to FullStart Inclusive Fitness with Founder & Movement Specialist : Sousanna PT

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sure... Hi, Im Sousanna. I'm a Personal Trainer, Movement Specialist, mother of 1 and founder of FullStart Inclusive Fitness.

I've studied and performed as a professional actress & movement artist most of my working life with both international and UK based companies before moving into the fitness industry.

I set up and ran a theatre company after my degree in performance art and cultural entrepreneurship and I took a bit of an unusual path in that my artistic passion was inspired by the expression and language of the human body and how that can be translated.

I suppose, as odd as it seems, it has been somewhat of a natural progression for me to come to a place where I am now focused on the health elements that movement brings to us and in turn, the beneficial effects that has on our whole wellbeing.

Coming from a Theatre and Dance Studio to a Gym Studio was so transposable that I felt at home the moment I walked through the door and I have allowed my own journey to organically progress in the fitness industry using the unique set of skills I have obtained throughout my creative background.

Fitness for me is a way of expressing myself through my body, connecting with my health, harnessing my skills and developing my wellbeing in its totality. How often do we give ourselves time to really take up space with our bodies and create a change, even if its just a little and even if its just for yourself, in that moment. That's what fitness is about for me. The focus and the dedication it takes to harness your body inspires me to create something for others to connect with.

I remember reading somewhere that standing still is the smallest dance in the world and I love that. The work I am doing with FullStart is encouraging everyone to "dance" in a sense, to move your body and connect with yourself... only loudly and with weights... *laughs*

What is FullStart?

In a nutshell, FullStart is an Fitness Company Based in Norwich and wider Norfolk community, supported by the Princes Trust Foundation. FullStart is committed to working inclusively; providing a wide range of fitness services from Classes, personal Training, group fitness and workshops with a unique creative ethos towards health and wellbeing.

Everything from practical mobility in house to training for a sports performance event... we are more than a fitness company :)

What inspired you to create FullStart?

Well, it kind of grew around me if that makes any sense?

I was working as a movement artist on a stage show at the time and the rehearsal process was tough, not anything I hadn't experienced before but I didn't seem to be recovering as quickly from a lengthy rehearsal than I had before and eventually I took myself to the doctor.

After some time had passed I was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E) and I took time away from the rehearsal studio to focus on my health and that's what started me on my new working journey.

Id always thought I had a strong connection with my body and here it was stopping me in my tracks as I was just warming up to who I was supposed to be, or so I thought.

After what seemed like hundreds of doctors visits and tests later It became clear that if I was to have any sense of a life back and still retain a level of artistic merit I was going to have to take matters into my own hands. So that's exactly what I did.

I came out of the dance studio and into the gym. I studied the human body in more depth, taking my human biology and sports science papers and obtaining my personal training qualifications as a by product of my own journey to health. I learnt more about nutrition and how to harness it for fuel more effectively in my own life and I learnt the importance of work to rest ratio.

I started my own training and found that just as dance has spoken to my soul previously, this new way of movement was rewarding me in similar ways I hadn't expected.

Not only did I see an improvement in my overall health, I was able to better manage my condition, read my body, listen to its warning calls, perfect my form and connect with a deeper understanding of what it it to be in my skin.

There are those out there who have a longing to connect to their bodies with more substance than the average gym session and that's were we come in.

All of that combined is what inspired me to create FullStart and I believe it is a message worth sharing with others.