29/10/2026
Recently I visited Motiv8 Fitness, an Essex-based community health and wellbeing organisation that’s on a mission to get people moving, build confidence, and help everyone feel like they belong.
And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. You don’t need to be a fitness fanatic, own the latest gym gear, or look like you’ve just stepped out of a fitness magazine. You just need to turn up and give it a go!
Their Slogan is “Showing up is enough” I think that speaks for itself. Musle💪
At the heart of Motiv8 is Wez, the founder and coach, who has created a fantastic fitness community with a refreshingly inclusive approach. As a personal trainer, Wez wanted to do more than simply help people get fitter. He wanted to create a space where people could work towards their personal goals, feel supported, and discover what they’re capable of achieving.
My Active Essex colleague Jen and I decided it was time to put our trainers where our mouths were and head along to Wez’s Motiv8 class in South Woodham Ferrers. And wow, we were certainly not sorry we did!
We started with a proper warm-up, which was just as well because things were about to get interesting. This wasn’t one of those gentle little warm-ups where you have a quick stretch and hope for the best. We were getting ourselves ready for some serious action!
Then came the first circuit, and what a good bit of fun it was. We tackled a whole range of activities, including lifting tyres, dragging weights, doing sit-ups, and slamming weighted balls around. There was plenty to get stuck into, and every activity felt rewarding in its own way.
Now, I’m all for trying new things, but there’s something quite humbling about discovering muscles you’d almost forgotten you had! Jen and I threw ourselves into it, gave everything a go, and had a brilliant time along the way.
What made it particularly enjoyable was that the session was challenging without losing that sense of fun. You could push yourself, work at your own level, and enjoy the feeling of achieving something you might not have thought you could do.But jokes aside, by the end of the session, I felt amazing. Not just a little pleased with myself, but genuinely rewarded by what I’d achieved.
You see, there’s a bit more to this for me personally. I’ve had some serious leg injuries from playing football, and if you’d asked me before this session whether I thought I’d be able to do this kind of workout, I probably would have had my doubts.
When you’ve been through injuries, it’s easy to lose confidence in what your body can do. You can start focusing on what you can’t do, rather than what might still be possible. Sometimes, the biggest barrier isn’t just the physical injury; it’s the worry about pushing yourself and wondering whether you’ll manage.
That’s why what Wez is doing with Motiv8 really matters.
He’s helped people who have faced even more challenging injuries than mine to get active, build their confidence, and thrive. His approach is about recognising that everyone has their own starting point, their own challenges, and their own goals.
It’s not about comparing yourself with the person next to you or trying to keep up with the fittest person in the group. It’s about finding what works for you, being supported along the way, and celebrating those little wins that can make such a big difference.That’s the real magic of Motiv8. It’s not simply about fitness; it’s about helping people rediscover their confidence, challenge their own limits, and realise that they’re capable of more than they might think.
And if Wez can help someone like me, who had genuine doubts because of previous injuries, feel that good after a session, then I think he’s onto something pretty special.
If you are interested in the sessions then please check out Motiv8 website
-https://motiv8fitnesscommunity.com/join
And check out their FB page too! https://www.facebook.com/share/1EBdB8ZS2d/
