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Mr Motivator: ‘From the cradle to the grave, we all need to move, and movement is medicine’
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TV fitness legend and one of this year’s WellFest headliners, Mr Motivator is on a mission to get people moving — regardless of age demographic or what stage of your fitness journey you’re at. Here, he speaks to IMAGE on his evolving approach to exercising, health and wellbeing, and shares some words of wisdom for those struggling to find the mode of fitness that best suits their needs.
On Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10, 2026, WellFest — Europe’s largest outdoor fitness and wellness festival — returns to IMMA, Royal Hospital Kilmainham to mark a milestone 10-year anniversary, and the festival is northern bound as they head to Ormeau Park on September 12-13, 2026 for the first time ever.
This year’s two-day summer festival will welcome over 150 health and fitness experts across 15 stages and areas. Enlisting their biggest and best line-up to date, the programme of events includes the return of Joe Wicks for his first-ever joint main stage appearance with his other half, Rosie Wicks.
Saturday’s festival headliners will feature podcaster and mental health advocate Blindboy, endurance athlete and wellness entrepreneur Spencer Matthews and TV fitness legend Mr Motivator, whose joyful, high-energy workouts have inspired millions. We caught up with the man himself to discuss all things fitness, harnessing the right mindset, and what awaits at this year’s WellFest.
Tell us about your approach to exercising, health and wellbeing.
It doesn’t matter what your age, from the cradle to the grave, we all need to move, and movement is medicine. It needs to be done in a fun way. I don’t believe in it being all about just press-ups, star jumps and burpees. If you make it fun with music and laughter, people are more likely to start it. They’re more likely to continue. And that’s the important thing, because it all needs to be regular and consistent in order to get the benefit.
Has that approach changed or evolved over the years?
Everything has to change, otherwise it gets a bit boring. We can’t keep doing the same thing every day. When it comes to exercise, if you keep doing the same thing every day, you won’t get regrowth, development and their benefits. After a while, your muscles get used to what you’re doing, and they basically say, ‘Oh, you again’.
As you get older, it’s more important that you do lots of weight training and lots of resistance training, because that will keep you upright and looking straight ahead. People of a certain age are all looking at the floor, which is only three feet in front of them, rather than looking 20 feet ahead.
For me, my training regime has changed dramatically. I do far more weight training than ever. I don’t do a lot of very high-impact, although I have some classes online that are really, really tough. I know I will suffer afterwards, but it doesn’t matter. I do it because it keeps me interested and it keeps me motivated.
Was there a turning point that made you want to pursue this as a career, and step into the role of Mr Motivator completely?
Most of us are far removed from anything we ever expected to be doing when we left school. But I believe that whatever you do, you’re putting in the foundation stone of who you become. It’s a question of seizing every opportunity, and that’s what I did. My initial drive was to do things to try to look after my daughter. I was a single parent for a while, so I was doing whatever I had to do to put money on the table. Enjoyment didn’t really come into it.
The point at which there was a big change was when I got exposed to top mobility back in the ‘80s. I was hooked, and that became my kind of exercise. I loved it. There was not a day that went by that I didn’t want to do it, and I decided to set up my own classes. The fame of those classes spread around the whole of the UK. I was being asked to travel all over the country, to come and do my brand of exercise. I kept pushing, and before I knew it, television opportunities came to create the character that we now know: Mr Motivator.
What is your advice for those struggling to find the form of fitness that best works for them?
Basically, if you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go far, you go together. The fitness journey is a long journey, and if you really want to succeed, you need to find some key elements. The most successful athlete out there has a team of people around them, and that is their support mechanism. If you’re thinking about starting your fitness journey, you need to sit down and decide if you want to run, or walk, or swim, or just generally feel better about yourself. Then you need to decide who you want on that journey with you.
Get them involved in what you’re doing. Try to identify what you want to do and choose wisely. Choose something and then make sure there’s an enjoyment factor, that it’s not going to feel like a chore. Your friend is really useful, because when you don’t feel like going, they’ll encourage you, and you can lift each other up.
Tell us about what we can expect from your adrenaline-pumping appearance at WellFest 2026.
It’s really great to be in the company of all these like-minded people, as well as people who may be just starting out on their journey. There’s a variety of different exercise classes that you can do. You can come along and you can get a taster. Choose wisely, and you can taste all these differences to determine what suits you and what will work for you. And when you come to my place, I do everything. There’ll be dancing, movement and laughter.
Find out more about WellFest 2026 and get tickets today by visiting wellfest.ie.
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