🟣 Is it over for the boys?

As a kid, I was told football and rugby were “men’s games.”

But my dad, raging feminist icon that he was, went “sod that” and plonked me in the local boys team at 5 years old.

For years I was one of 4 girls holding our own… until age 9, when apparently it became a “men’s game.” At 9. Because apparently testosterone really kicks the day you stop believing in Santa.

So we begged, borrowed, and guilt-tripped enough to scrape a squad of 11 girls together.

We wore second-hand bibs that smelt like a second-hand foot.

Played on pitches so waterlogged the boys wouldn’t touch them.

And spent weekends trekking across the county to find other teams just as delusional as us, purely to prove we belonged.

I still remember paying £2.50 to watch England women in a half-empty Gillingham stadium.

The undercooked burger at halftime cost more than my ticket.

Now fast forward:

The Lionesses bring home the Euros.

The women’s rugby squad win the World Cup in front of a sold-out Twickenham.

Impossible not to feel inspired.

Because these teams - and the ones before them - fought like hell just to play.

And they’re still fighting, while dealing with “banter” from mouthbreathers that are fuming that the lasses are getting airtime

But there they are: full force, full voice, full fuck-you energy.

For me, this runs deeper than sport. It’s proof the stories we’ve been told:

“Be smaller.”
“Don’t take up space.”
“Shrink yourself.”

- are absolute bollocks.

Your body is not here to apologise for existing.

It’s here to do ridiculous, brilliant things.

So this week? Don’t hide in the corner of the gym like you’re trespassing.

Take up space.

Lift the heavy weights.

Decide what you want this body to do.

If you want a place to start, my favourite program in the app is the Strong Program. It’s built around the big lifts - the ones that make you chase PBs and surprise yourself with just how powerful you can get.

And my GOD, will you hit some PBs with sticking to this program for the coming months.

You can start it for free today 

→ Try my Programs: BITS Free Trial

Big love,

Rachel

P.S. Two weeks today until we launch our next round of BYB. You’ll want to be an active member of the app before spaces open on the 13th as first spots go to app members. Pencil it in your diary as this will be your last chance to work with me closely this year! :)