Training with Teya

Training with Teya Inclusive personal training based in Godalming and online.

Practising my big sword action ready for all of these… especially the last one.What would you add?Image description:Slid...
16/04/2026

Practising my big sword action ready for all of these… especially the last one.

What would you add?

Image description:
Slide 1: Teya wielding a sword almost as big as her. Text reads “Me when someone reduces exercise to just making ourselves smaller.”

Slide 2: Same image as the first one. Text reads “Me when someone talks about diversity and inclusion, without mentioning disability.”

Slide 3: Same image as the first one. Text reads “Me when a class instructor says their class is for ‘EverYBoDY’ and then offers almost no modifications.”

Slide 4: Same image as the first one. Text reads “Me when exercise is focussed on ‘fixing’, not a person’s goals or enjoyment.”

Slide 5: Same image as the first one. Text reads “Me when shame is used as a ‘motivator’. “

Slide 6: Same image as the first one. Text reads “Me when the fitness industry revolves around young, thin, non-disabled people, and not those that could actually benefit from exercise the most.”

swords, sword women, women in sport, anti-diet, body neutrality, disability

27/03/2026

I’ll let you in on a secret… ‘correct’ form isn’t really a thing… only the form that’s correct for you and your goals.

I don’t move anything like the textbooks I studied to become a personal trainer. Even the left and right side of my body don’t move alike due to hemiplegic cerebral palsy. And does it really matter? No, as it turns out. I adjust for each side’s needs. I use adaptive equipment like gripping aids for holding dumbbells and gym equipment that best suits how my body moves. Even then I’m often a long way off from ‘textbook form’. Does that mean I haven’t seen results? Quite the contrary. The moment I gave up trying to move in ways my body doesn’t allow, was the moment I started to actually see progress and build strength I never imagined I’d get to.

Also, remember if an exercise really doesn’t work for you, don’t do it! There’s no rule book saying you have to do certain moves or it ‘doesn’t count’. Just find the exercises and adaptations that align with your goals. And if you’re not sure how, find a professional that knows how to tailor workouts to suit your needs (I know a pretty great one if you need 😉).

[Video description: Teya in a studio talking to camera. Clips show of her strength training at various points throughout]

Fitness, disability awareness, cerebral palsy

26/03/2026

When we talk about the challenges of exercising (and just generally living) with cerebral palsy, we tend to focus on the aspects most visible, such mobility, strength or balance difficulties. But I wanted to chat about some aspects that tend to get less focus for cerebral palsy awareness month (which is this month) and specially for cerebral palsy awareness day (today).

The irony being, that the topic of this post was exactly what’s held me back from posting this month, that being fatigue and energy management. (The last couple of weeks it’s been a real struggle to show up anywhere, even online. But it’s important so, here we are.)

Fatigue is symptom many of us with cerebral palsy know well, and is a key self-reported symptom found in research, although more research is needed (surprise) on exactly why we experience it and therefore how we manage it.

But finding what works and makes consistent movement most accessible to us is vital when for a lot of people, exercise may feel impossible when we’re trying to conserve our energy or just simply don’t have it to give because trying to keep up with a world not designed for us takes its toll. This is serious though when we consider that research has shown that adults with CP are less physically active compared with the general population, therefore at risk to the negative outcomes of an inactive lifestyle, particularly as we get older.



Do you struggle with fatigue? How does it impact your relationship with exercise?

22/02/2026

As a personal trainer, there might be an illusion, even to myself, that I am comfortable in exercise spaces. But since I decided to try historical fencing (more accurately, HEMA - Historical European Martial Arts) I have realised that the little girl who dreaded sport and PE is still very much in there. The girl who always got picked last and saw the sniggers at the ways she moved and quickly learnt sport ‘wasn’t for her’.

So every Wednesday of 2026 I have pushed myself to walk into the big sports hall full of people. I wanted to learn a new skill, and I’ve always had an interest in martial arts and, as it turns out, I really like holding a sword.

Despite the urge to walk out the moment I get there every time, I am enjoying it, and feels good to engage my mind in something for me again. I am also very lucky to have found a club really focussing on being inclusive and is accessible to me so thanks .school Godalming.

[Video description: Teya is in a sports hall doing some solo drills with a nylon sidesword]

05/02/2026

My real fitness motivation? Pure rage and the need to feel powerful in a world run by the worst people.

[Video description: Teya is a white woman doing various physical activities - boxing, fencing with a sidesword and deadlifting a loaded barbell. Text overlay reads “Given the state of the world right now, is it any surprise that these are my workouts of choice?”]

30/01/2026

I’m proud of all of us for making it through the 268373 days of January, but I’m especially proud of my clients who have showed up and been working hard on their goals even when January has been January-ing HARD.

If you want to join the gang of people that make it so that I’m the personal trainer with the best clients ever, and want to know how I can support you with your 2026 fitness goals, you know what to do/where to go ⬆️

(Video description: Teya looks exhausted lying/slouching on the sofa talking to camera)

New Year’s resolutions get a bad rap (I know I’ve been skeptical in the past), but actually they can be more effective t...
06/01/2026

New Year’s resolutions get a bad rap (I know I’ve been skeptical in the past), but actually they can be more effective than you might think. This is because our brain responds to clear divisions of time, or ‘temporal landmarks’ (such as a new day, week, or yes, new year) and motivation spikes. This is known as the ‘fresh start effect’.

And the best way to capitalise on this effect? Create goals that align with your values, lifestyle and resources.

Personally, my values do not involve shame or self-hate, but rather going into the year thinking about the positive additions or tweaks I can make to my life (rather than a total overhaul of my life that is ultimately going to fail long term). And it’s also worth recognising that if there’s something you’ve been struggling with or wanting to achieve for a long time, breaking down that goal to steps of seeking (and then acting on) support is a much more manageable, and kinder, resolution to have.

And if any of your resolutions for 2026 involve creating a sustainable exercise routine that is tailored to suit you, you know where to find me!



Image descriptions in alt text and below in the comments.

As much as I love to celebrate wins at the gym and PBs, let’s just remember that of all the achievements I, my clients o...
31/12/2025

As much as I love to celebrate wins at the gym and PBs, let’s just remember that of all the achievements I, my clients or you can list this year, the amount of weight lifted, workouts done or any other fitness metric you might be comparing to right now, the strength shown to just survive these days is the real deal. Proud of us all.



Image descriptions in alt text and below:
Slide 1: Image of Teya at a lifting competition lifting up a barbell from the floor. Text: “Ways my clients (and probably you, too) have been strong this year, that makes me super proud as their PT:”
Slide 2: Image of Teya smiling whilst walking outside. Text: “Worked on their mental health.”
Slide 3: Image of Teya wearing make-up and glasses and smiling at the camera. Text: “Advocated for themselves to medical professionals”
Slide 4: Image of Teya sitting on a rock looking out at a lake and mountains. Text: “Got through a break up or other big stressor in life.”
Slide 5: Image of Teya looking at the camera wearing a ‘Choose Love’ Hoody. Text: “Managed disability, chronic illness and pain.”
Slide 6: Image of Teya walking across a wooden bridge across a river. Text: “Faced a fear or anxiety-inducing situation.”
Slide 7: Image of Teya eating an ice cream. Text: “Defied diet culture and shame (even when it got reallyyy loud).”
Slide 8: Image of Teya looking out at a misty mountain range behind her. Text: “Faced every day even with the state of the world right now.”
Slide 9: Image of Teya walking in a wood and smiling to camera. Text: “Life is so much more than workouts. Making it through 2025 with kindness (to yourself as well as others) is the strength I care about most.”

23/10/2025

It’s invisible disabilities week, so please allow this disabled travel-lover, gym-goer and personal trainer remind you that just because someone’s disability doesn’t meet your expectations of what ‘disabled’ looks like, doesn’t mean it isn’t there or impacting everything we do. You might see my body moving slightly differently and think it’s not that big of a deal, but you also don’t see my constant management of fatigue and pain, my constant assessing for what’s safe and possible for me, and a whole host of other fun (lesser known) symptoms of cerebral palsy. You don’t see it because you don’t know what to look for, but it’s there.

[Video description: clips of Teya going about daily life including ‘fit checks’, hiking, kayaking, about to teach a fitness class, and lifting weights and exercising in the gym. Text reads: ‘Reminder: Just because you can’t see someone’s disability, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. You just don’t know what you’re looking at.’]

23/10/2025

It’s invisible disabilities week, so please allow this disabled travel-lover, gym-goer and personal trainer remind you that just because someone’s disability doesn’t meet your expectations of what ‘disabled’ looks like, doesn’t mean it isn’t there or impacting everything we do. You might see my body moving slightly differently and think it’s not that big of a deal, but you also don’t see my constant management of fatigue and pain, my constant assessing for what’s safe and possible for me, and a whole host of other fun (lesser known) symptoms of cerebral palsy. You don’t see it because you don’t know what to look for, but it’s there.

[Video description: clips of Teya going about daily life including ‘fit checks’, hiking, kayaking, about to teach a fitness class, and lifting weights and exercising in the gym. Text reads: ‘Reminder: Just because you can’t see someone’s disability, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. ]

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