JoHoltpt

11/05/2026

It’s time we talk about what "fitness" actually means for us and especially when it comes to our female small group PT sessions.

​We’re often told that if we’re going to the gym, we should be there to hit a PB, to "tone up," or to master the perfect "lift". And don’t get me wrong—strength is incredible. Learning to lift is empowering. But for so many women, the gym needs to be so much more than just a place to sweat.

​The truth? Sometimes, women aren’t walking through those doors because they want to lift 50 - 100kg. They're walking through those doors because it’s the only hour of the day where nobody is calling them "Mum," "Boss," or "Honey."

​It’s Not Just a Workout; It’s a Sanctuary

​For a lot of women, the gym is the only place left where they can put themselves first without feeling guilty. It’s a place to:

​Focus on YOU: Not the laundry, not the emails, not the school run. Just your breath and your body.

​Find Connection: To be around women who get it. Who cheer for your confidence as much as your consistency.

​Get Educated: To actually understand how their bodies work—their cycles, their recovery, and their mental health—rather than just following a generic plan designed for someone else.

​Join a Movement, Not Just a Gym

​There are plenty of places out there that will teach you how to "lift." But women deserve spaces that teach them how to thrive as women.

​We are building a movement that prioritizes support over statistics. Where the goal isn't just a physical transformation, but a mental shift. We’re here for the late-night chats on whatsapp, the shared advice on navigating burnout, and the collective energy of a room full of women who are finally reclaiming their time.

​"Your workout shouldn't be another 'to-do' on your list. It should be the thing that helps you handle the rest of the list."

​If you’ve been looking for a place where you belong—not just a place where you train—you’re in the right spot.

If you're interested in these sessions we provide lead by exercise specialist and female health expert, , send us a message today.

29/01/2026

What it means to work with a female health expert.

Menopause changes the body. Your exercise approach has to change with it.

Menopause isn’t just about hormones.
It changes how the body loads, moves, stabilises, and recovers.
That’s why working with an exercise specialist who understands female health and biomechanics matters.

During peri- and post-menopause, women commonly experience:
🎀 Joint pain that “comes out of nowhere”
🎀 Reduced bone density and higher injury risk
🎀 Loss of muscle and strength despite exercising
🎀 Changes in balance, coordination, and confidence
🎀 Fatigue or flare-ups from workouts that used to feel fine

A menopause-focused exercise specialist doesn’t just throw lighter weights or generic “safe” workouts at the problem.

They look at how your body is actually moving.
A biomechanical approach means:
✔️ Assessing posture, gait, and joint loading
✔️ Understanding how hormonal changes affect connective tissue and stability
✔️ Rebuilding strength through the right joints, not around pain
✔️ Protecting bones while still loading them enough to stimulate growth
✔️ Restoring confidence in movement, not fear of it

Instead of:
❌ “Avoid this exercise forever”
❌ Random classes and hope
❌ Pushing through pain or giving up altogether

You get:
✅ Smarter exercise selection
✅ Better joint mechanics
✅ Stronger bones and muscles
✅ Less pain, more control
✅ A body that feels capable again

Menopause isn’t a signal to stop training.
It’s a signal to train with more intelligence.
And that’s exactly where a biomechanically-driven female health specialist makes all the difference.

What a privilege it is to have run this side of the business for us. A wealth of experience and incredibly knowledgeable.

Jo is currently opening more slots for small group PT sessions (3 at a time), so please don't hesitate to get in touch if you want more information!

14/01/2026

Why I pay a good deal of attention to foot health and gait for myself and my clients, especially those in their Menopause Transitional years and beyond.

Many women's feet are impacted by the changes during this life stage as declining estrogen has been linked to changes to soft tissue, bone health, neurological function, mobility and movement acuity, proprioception and blood/lymph supply in the feet and lower limb.

Estrogen Decline:

The decline in estrogen production can negatively impact connective tissue integrity resulting in collagen manufacture decline, ligament and fascial tissue stiffness, reduced tissue hydration and a reduction in overall mobility and pliability of the feet. This can lead to foot shape changes and size increase as arch height falls and women become more susceptible to conditions like plantar fasciitis.

Bone Density, Bone Health & Foot Mechanics:

Menopause-related bone loss (osteopenia/osteoporosis) can affect not just major bones but also small foot bones ultimately leading to changes in gait dynamics, balance, movement acuity, agility, foot pain and fracture risk.

Bunions - A drop in estrogen can weaken the soft tissues that help to hold the big toe joint in place. If the joint becomes less stable, its' chances of shifting out of a healthy alignment increases. Declining hormones can weaken the big toe joint stability and make it more prone to shifting out of position.

The Heel Fat Pad in Menopause:

The heel fat pad is a highly specialised structure made of adipose (fat) chambers separated by collagen-elastin septae. It is designed to absorb impact, distribute load, and protect the calcaneus (heel bone). It's highly dependent on collagen integrity, tissue hydration and vascular/lymphatic support. When the aforementioned degrade, women experience deep heel pain, "bruised heel" sensations and paid made worse with standing/walking barefoot or on hard floors.

Proprioceptors and Mechanoreceptors in the Foot/Lower Leg:

Proprioceptors and mechanoreceptors are key sensory receptors involved in balance, special awareness and movement. Ultimately with estrogen decline, peripheral sensory signalling becomes less efficient. The signal from the ground becomes less clear. Stiffer tissues deform less leading to mechanoreceptors being less stimulated and poorer joint position sense. Menopause can alter the sensory input quality from the foot and lower leg, increasing motor uncertainty.

Balance, Gait & Movement Acuity:

All of the above points (and a few others not mentioned here), can all contribute to an overall, potential loss in balance and postural control as women transition through Menopause, Research shows Menopause is associated with impaired balance strategies, whose severity relates to menopausal symptoms.

The Relationship between Foot Health and Pelvic Health

Instability and lack of mobility at the feet and ankles changes gait and posture from the ground up, may negatively impact pelvic position, load transfer, pelvic function as well as breathing and spinal mechanics. All are ESSENTIAL for optimal pelvic health and function.

Reduced capacity for dorsi and plantarflexion at the ankle have been shown to negatively impact pelvic floor function.

Lack of speed and movement acuity during toileting has also been linked to falls in older women.

Within our specialist training facility, we assess foot position, foot movement, and how your feet behave during gait - not just how strong they are, but how well they function.

13/01/2026

Not being one to feel comfortable accepting praise, I felt immensly proud after an appointment today with an NHS surgeon.

He stated that I had several hernia's in between my re**us abdominis muscles (known as the 6 pack), however COMMENDED me on having an extremely strong linea alba (fibrous midline structure of the abdominal wall) and that I was to continue with whatever I was doing because I clearly knew how to protect and strengthen my body against weaknesses 🙌🙌.

Having undergone surgery to repair a previous hernia which was caused due to damage from a "one-style-fits-all" coaching approach during my return to exercise following my first pregnancy (kickboxing classes), this inspired me to become a specialist in pre- and postnatal fitness. I pursued several advanced qualifications focusing on corrective exercise (physio led), biomechanics & integrative core and pelvic floor including indepth focus on post partum concerns such as Diastasis Recti, P***c Symphysis & SI Joint Pain.

Having been advised today that no further surgery would be required, I felt a great sense of validation in my training approach, especially having gone through a second pregnancy 6yrs post surgery at the age of 46 (and I assure you I was in no way "neat", more "size of a house" so that linea alba was sure challenged again ☺️).

I share this to highlight the importance of safe, informed exercise for women at all life stages and to show that my coaching is grounded in both professional expertise and lived experience, encouraging others to seek support with confidence.

The core and pelvic floor can be subject to dysfunction during many stages in life, whether you're non-parous, throughout pregnancy, post partum or at any stage throughout a woman's menopause transition with declining hormones and age related health concerns.

Being a Qualified Fitness Professional in all these life stages means I can confidently assist you in regaining control where you maybe feel you have weaknesses or indeed just need to check where you're at with regards to your pelvic floor and core control and obtain some sound advice.

If I can be of any assitance please reach out.

BASED IN BEARSDEN

📞: 07385755754

📧 - joholt.pt@gmail.com

06/01/2026

Loving playing around with my amazing gift from a truly wonderful client/friend of mine....I won't tag her unless she wants me to 👀👀😘❤️

04/01/2026

Starting 2026 the best way I know how...with continued education. This course was absolutely fascinating and incredibly insightful. Gaining such indepth details regarding treatment and procedures provides even greater clarity in regards to assisting Cancer Survivors with mobility issues and muscular imbalances and risk factors involved including co-morbidities.

To quote the providers description:

The OncoVie® Cancer Exercise Specialist (CES) is a professional qualified to assess, design, and implement individual and group exercise programs for individuals diagnosed with cancer.

The Cancer Exercise Sprcialist is skilled in evaluating health behaviors and risk factors, conducting comprehensive fitness assessments, writing appropriate exercise recommendations, and motivating individuals to modify negative health habits and maintain positive lifestyle behaviors for health promotion. The CES will have a complete understanding of the entire cancer process from diagnosis to treatment, recovery, prevention of lymphedema, and contraindications.

Participants gain in-depth knowledge of 26 types of cancer and pediatric oncology, including surgical interventions, treatments, side effects, lymphedema prevention and management, reconstructive procedures, and contraindications.

OncoVie™ Cancer Exercise Specialist Advanced Qualification, empowering them to safely and effectively train cancer survivors at every stage of recovery ❤️‍🩹

03/01/2026

Wishing my wee Dad a Happy 90th Birthday, he's achieved a lot throughout those years of which his family are immensly proud. The past year has seen a slight decline in his fitness levels due to resting up following an operation and how that naturally impacts the body, however, in true Davie Holt style, he's in the gym working on improving on this to get back out on the golf course this year. This is the reason I do what I do within the health and fitness industry. Longevity and quality of life, these are the footsteps I aim to follow in and to help others do the same. Looking forward to seeing his wee face later today when loved ones gather to celebrate with him (shhhhh 🤫 it's a secret 🥰) 🥳🎉💕💕

21/10/2025

20/10/2025

14/10/2025

At Liquid Steel Biomechanics, we don’t just “train” people — we rebuild movement, confidence, and control.

Massage therapy, breathing techniques, and education all play a massive role in how we help people move and feel better.

Every session is individualized — from how we assess your body’s current mechanics, to how we design your program, to how we help you understand why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Because when you understand your body, you start to take ownership of it.
When you move with awareness, progress becomes sustainable.

That’s what sets us apart — we don’t do cookie-cutter programs.
We teach, guide, and support you every step of the way — so you can move better, feel stronger, and live life with more freedom and less pain.

If you would like to experience how we work, don't hesitate to get in contact today.






relief

07/10/2025

Can you stand on one leg?

It might sound simple, but your ability to balance on one leg says a lot about your health — especially if you’re over 55, 65, or 75.

Here’s what research shows:

Studies have linked poor balance to a higher risk of falls and even shorter life expectancy in older adults.

Balance is a reflection of how well your brain, muscles, and joints communicate with each other.

The good news? You can train and improve it at any age.

But here’s the key:
It’s not just about standing on one leg — it’s how you stand on one leg that matters.

When you practice:
✅ Pay attention to your posture — are you stacked or leaning?
✅ Notice your alignment — is your pelvis level and ribcage centred?
✅ Feel your foot pressures — are you grounded through the right points?

And remember — just standing still isn’t enough.
Real balance in life means being able to shift your weight smoothly from one leg to the other — just like you do every time you take a step.

That’s why it’s important to progress from static balance work to controlled weight transfer exercises — because that’s the foundation of gait, walking stability, and independence.

Start by slowing it down.
Pay attention to how your body organises itself on one leg, then learn to move through that position with control.

That’s where long-term balance, strength, and confidence are built.

If you need help with structuring an effective program to help you move better or inquire about our over 70's small group PT, don't hesitate to get in touch.