Joe Wicks admits he exercises so he 'doesn’t shout and scream' at his kids
Joe Wicks has revealed that exercise is about more than staying in shape, admitting this week that his daily workouts help him become a calmer parent.
Nicknamed 'The Body Coach', the fitness star opened up about using physical activity as a way to manage his emotions, explaining that remaining on the go helps him regulate his mood and show up better for his family.
As a reminder, British star Wicks became the face of lockdown fitness when his PE With Joe workouts brought families across the UK together during the Covid-19 pandemic. What started as a way to keep children moving while schools were closed quickly became a global phenomenon, cementing his status as one of the country's most recognisable fitness personalities.
Away from the workouts, cookbooks and fitness empire, Wicks' biggest role is being a dad.
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The 40-year-old shares four children with his wife Rosie, and has often spoken openly about the realities of parenthood, including this week in a candid Q&A in The Longevity Show at London's Tobacco Dock.
He began by reflecting on his own chaotic home life, which was largely dictated by his father's battle with addiction and his mother's OCD and eating disorder struggles, things he has said shaped his determination to become a different kind of parent.
"The message I always share now is that exercise is about mental health," Wicks said. "It's about boosting your mood into being confident and energised and being a good parent and being patient.
"I have got four kids under seven, and they stress me out so much, right? And if I didn't exercise, I would be like my mum - she screamed at me and shouted at me and slammed doors."
He continued: 'I'd be like, my dad, I'd be aggressive, and so for me, it's like, I exercise every morning before they wake up, so I'm a calm dad. And that's what I always share: excellence isn't about how you look; it is also more than that.
"It's so much more than that."
The father-of-four continued: "So just wherever you are, if you're an influencer or you've got a platform, always share that message that exercise is a really powerful tool to change how you feel and help the relationship around you."
This week's candid convo is far from the first time that Wicks has admitted that parenting can push him to his limits, especially during stressful moments when his children are upset, or he is trying to juggle work and family life.
Rather than allowing frustration to take over, he previously told The Father Hood that exercise gives him the reset he needs to respond more calmly.
The star told the publication that, when he was younger, he struggled with anger; he used to punch walls, throw his phone and smash things when he felt overwhelmed, but claimed being a dad has made him determined not to repeat those behaviours.
"I was well angry and stressed out," he confessed at the time. "But realising that you can choose to react differently, that’s a powerful thing.
"It’s like with road rage, you can shout and swear and call someone a name, or you can just have a breath and let it go. That’s how I think about stress and negative thoughts now."
Wicks added: "I don’t want to be someone who screams and shouts and scares my kids. I was shouted at all the time when I was a kid, but I don’t want to be that parent. Plus, I know that screaming at my kids doesn’t help.
"It doesn’t make them any calmer."
Topics: Joe Wicks, Celebrity, UK News, Parenting, Mental Health
Rhianna Benson