Since joining the Team Body Project ranks in 2023, Hollie Darke has been a ray of sunshine on your screens. Her let’s get ’em attitude and generous spirit has been an inspiration to many of our team – not to mention her fantastic coaching expertise!
As a strength and conditioning expert, Hollie combines her Sports Therapy education with more than 10 years’ experience working in the fitness industry. She has a holistic approach to health and aims to empower every single one of us.
Hollie may be one of Team Body Project’s newest coaches, but she’s wasted no time in winning us all over. Her accessible training style means that members of all fitness levels can start reaping the rewards of her strength training.
You may have noticed the beautiful accent. Hollie hails from the UK and came to Australia on a one-year working-holiday visa back in 2011. But she loved it so much she just never left. Her impressive energy levels may be the result of being part of a huge family – she is one of six kids (and a twin)!
As a firm believer that ‘exercise and laughter are magic for the soul’, Hollie is a coach you want in your corner. When she’s not talking to herself (which she claims happens a lot!), this self-confessed ‘plant nerd’ and keen organic gardener can be found walking and swimming around her new hometown of Moreton Bay.
We caught up with Team Body Project favourite Hollie to learn more about her fitness journey, health philosophy and goals for the future.
Let’s meet Team Body Project’s coach Hollie
Can you tell us about your journey in the fitness industry so far?
It was my mum who initially ‘encouraged’ me to go into personal training. She was basically trying to find me a job (and I think get me out of the house!) after finishing my Sports Therapy degree.
A year into my career as a PT, my dad passed from brain cancer in his 50s. It was a super life-changing moment for me. From everything that happened as a result of that experience, I found myself wanting to learn more and more about all areas of health. How we can care for ourselves on every level, from the different ways we exercise to the importance of the food we eat, down to how our emotions can affect our physical body.
So the last 15 years have been me continuing to study things like nutrition, different types of exercise, injury and rehabilitation, holistic health and lifestyle coaching, to name just a few… And also continuing to develop my personal skills on how to be the best coach I can to help the TBP team create the life, body and health they desire. I freaking love my ‘job’!
You clearly enjoy your work. Do you have a favourite memory as a trainer?
I’ve had a few. One that stands out for me was before joining the TBP team I worked with a 16-year-old young man who’d had a bad motorbike accident. We worked together for about a year or so to build back his movement and strength. Witnessing that process, from the resilience of the human mind to the ability for the human body to heal, was really very special.
How did you get involved with Team Body Project?
Through Luke! We worked together in the fitness industry first and he knows how much I love to teach and have fun at the same time, so he suggested I give filming a go with TBP.
I started off participating in his Team Body Project workouts, then he gave me the opportunity to lead one. I was pretty nervous about it! But luckily it wasn’t a total disaster. So from there I was invited by Daniel and Alex to become a part of the trainer team. I said, ‘Yes please!’
What is your training philosophy and how does it align with the values of Team Body Project?
I came across this quote from Arthur Ashe when I studied the Precision Nutrition courses back in 2015 and it’s always stuck with me.
‘Start wherever you are. Use whatever you have. Do whatever you can.’
That’s the philosophy I live by with training and my life in general. And I think it aligns beautifully with the values of Team Body project. At its core, it’s reminding us that we don’t need to believe in the story ‘we can’t’ based on where we’re at right now.
Regardless of what we have available to us, and the time we perceive we have in our days to do something, we can always do it in the way that’s possible for us. It doesn’t have to be ‘perfect’. In fact, it probably won’t be, because life isn’t.
We get sick, we get injured, we lose our mojo, we get short on time. It doesn’t matter, we find the way that works for us so we can just keep moving.
What are your goals as a Team Body Project coach?
I would love to create a couple more strength series with Luke over the year.
I also LOVE the workouts where I get to take part with members. It’s always so much fun. The more people in a workout, the merrier, I say!
I can’t wait to see what fun and movement we can bring to people’s living rooms in 2024.
Want to work out with Team Body Project coach Hollie?
Team Body Project’s Hollie has an infectious smile and high-energy style that are sure to help you find your fitness mojo! Head to Team Body Project to try out some of her popular workouts, such as Super Strength Pairs Lower or Maximum Mayhem.
You can dip your toes into the Team Body project community with a bunch of free workouts or sign up for a membership. Register here.
