Writing with the Body is a hybrid practice of movement and reflection. We write with, to, and from the body as a way of reforming our relationship with writing, movement, and attention.

The session alternates between gentle movement and writing. Movement is used first — not as exercise, but as a way to rehydrate tissue, tend to joints, and harmonise neuromuscular tone. As physical tone shifts, so too does the tone and pace of thought. Writing then becomes a way to notice that change.

Between movement segments, simple writing games are introduced. These are not about producing good writing, but about observing how bodily state influences language, imagination, and clarity. Over time, this back-and-forth becomes a form of tuning.

You can think of the body here as a complex instrument. This workshop offers practical ways to self-tune — to find coherence, to synchronise rhythm across breath, heart, and thought, and to return to centre when things feel noisy or scattered.

Who it’s for:
Anyone curious about writing, movement, and self-understanding. No writing background required. Curiosity and a willingness to try are enough.

Date-Time-Location

Saturday January 31st

9 am to 10 am welcoming with a warm drink (provided)

10 am to 12 pm Workshop

Lifefit Studio

Ballygarvan

Cork

Lifting Fundamentals looks at the simple question of how to lift heavy things, well. We focus on the core patterns that underpin most forms of strength work — squatting, hinging, carrying load — and how to organise the body so effort is shared rather than strained.

Rather than chasing numbers or techniques for their own sake, the session centres on principles. How you meet the ground. How force moves through you. How breath, bracing, posture, and timing influence force production and structural integrity.

These are explored in a way that lays the foundation to go beyond the gym, into the irregular realities of stones, logs, work, and daily life.

This is not about maximal lifting, yet. It’s about developing a reliable relationship with load — one that builds confidence, capacity, and durability over time.

We’ll explore:

• Squat and hinge patterns as foundations

• Organising the body to receive and move load

• Training that supports joints rather than stresses them

• Translating lifting principles beyond equipment

Who it’s for:
Anyone who wants to feel more capable around weight — beginners and experienced lifters alike. If you lift things in life, this is for you.

Spinal Stewardship & Scribbles is a workshop dedicated to restoring a trusting, workable relationship with the spine. We explore the back not as something fragile to be protected, but as something communicative, adaptable, and capable when tended to with care and understanding.

Through movement, we develop articulative comprehension — learning how the spine moves, bears load, and organises itself against gravity. Strength and mobility are approached together, building resilience without rigidity and confidence without bravado. The aim is not to “fix” the spine, but to help it feel safe enough to do its job.

Alongside the movement practice, there is time to write. These moments are used to note sensations, cues, metaphors, and understandings that speak to you personally. Over time, this becomes the beginnings of a personal user manual — a way of nourishing your relationship with your spine, and with the back of your body as a whole.

A key part of the work is learning to listen. The spine is always communicating. Discomfort is not always structural damage; it can be fatigue, strain, the absence of safety, or a drift away from bodily awareness. These distinctions are explored through practice and conversation, helping to replace fear with understanding.

This is a calm, attentive workshop — practical, reflective, and grounding — offering tools you can return to when your back asks for care.

Who it’s for:
Anyone living in a body with a spine — especially those who carry tension, uncertainty, or a long story with their back. No experience required.

Date - Time - Location

Saturday 21st February

9am to 10 am welcome warm drinks (provided)

10 am to 12.30 pm Workshop

Lifefit Studio

Ballygarvan

Cork

Lifting Fundamentals II continues the exploration of how to lift heavy things well, with an emphasis on adaptability, variation, and real-world application.

For those who attended the first workshop, this session deepens the work through modified grips, altered stances, and more complex lifting patterns. For those joining for the first time, the essential principles are introduced clearly and progressively, so no prior attendance is required.

The focus is not on lifting heavier for its own sake, but on lifting with greater understanding and versatility — staying organised when the load is awkward, asymmetrical, or unfamiliar. This is where strength becomes genuinely useful.

The practices explored here also act as preparation for working with natural loads such as rocks and logs, bridging the gap between gym-based lifting and the demands of the outdoors.

We’ll explore:

• Foundational squat and hinge patterns

• Modified grips and non-standard hand positions

• Asymmetrical and irregular loading

• Maintaining organisation as conditions change

• Preparing the body for stones, logs, and real-world lifting

Who it’s for:
Anyone interested in developing a more capable and adaptable relationship with load — whether you’re building from the basics or progressing an existing practice.

Date - Time - Location

Saturday 28th March

9am to 10 pm Welcome warm drinks (provided)

10am to 12.30 pm Workshop

Lifefit Studio

Ballygarvan

Cork

We’ll take a look at some physical heritage in play.

This morning is about getting out of the room and into the elements to sling and scuffle — to feel a bit of the physical culture that once lived easily on this island.

With the sling, you’ll get the swing of casting — an act so old it lives in our myths. With scuffling, you’ll get to grips with Ireland’s wrestling roots: the Collar & Elbow style, once famous across the country.

We’ll start simply. General movement preparation, then you’ll be introduced to the grips, rules, and principles that guided Irish wrestling before it nearly disappeared. We’ll modify the practice to keep it purely recreational, with drills to level up your trips and sweeps. You’ll then learn the basics of slinging technique.

This isn’t about mastery. It’s about feel. Timing. Balance. Getting hands on, feet planted, and bodies moving together. The craic will come naturally — from shared effort, a bit of resistance, and the odd tumble.

Those old grips are alive again, popping up all over the island. We’ll put the Cork hand to the revival of both — slinging and scuffling — and see what happens when people gather to play.

Who it’s for:
Anyone who fancies a morning outside, learning old skills, having a grapple, throwing a few balls, and being part of something social and physical.

No experience needed. Come ready to move, laugh, and get stuck in.

The gathering is intended as a family-friendly event. Those of the same family not taking part are more than welcome to come along and rub shoulders with their fellow islanders of similar interests.

Date - Time - Location

Saturday April 18th

10 am to 12 pm

Garryvoe Beach