Mobility and yoga-inspired flow
Wake up the body with breath, curiosity and movement from the inside out.
Reimagining fitness · 1 June · £100
MOVE PLAY Retreats
Movement. Connection. Play. Restoration.
1 June
£100 per person
Only 14 places
Coed-Y-Mwstwr Hotel, Wales
About the retreat
A more human way to move.
A retreat for the veteran exerciser facing burnout, the fitness newcomer unsure of where to start and everyone in between.
At MOVE // PLAY, our mission is to reexamine the myths fitness culture has built around exercise and rediscover our natural attitude of movement as play.
Expect strength, mobility, games, boxing, recovery, food and connection. It is movement with challenge, but without the pressure to perform.
What to expect
Movement, connection, play and restoration.
Boxing, games and teamwork
Learn new skills, move with other people and remember that fitness can feel fun.
Food, recovery and space to land
Shared lunch, nervous system down regulation, stretching and a slower close.
The retreat flow
How the retreat unfolds.
A clear rhythm through the day: arrive, move, play, eat, box, recover and leave with simple practices you can take home.
01 / Arrival
Coffee, tea & welcome
Coffee, tea, refreshments and a gentle welcome. We will share what the day is about and the thought behind MOVE // PLAY.
02 / Activation
Wake up & mobilise your body
Wake up and mobilise parts of your body that may not have moved in a while. We approach the body with curiosity and learn to move from the inside out.
03 / Play
A movement-play block
Games, partner work and team challenges. The point is to move, laugh, connect and not take it all too seriously.
04 / Lunch
Time to enjoy & connect
A shared lunch with space to pause, enjoy your food and connect with the group. No rushing. No pressure. Just time to be together.
05 / Combat
Boxing & pad work
Learn a new skill through boxing basics, pad work and partner drills. Challenging, energising and suitable for all levels.
06 / Recovery
Integration & deep rest
A slower practice to let everything settle, stretch out tension and feel your body more deeply as it relaxes.
07 / Closing
Reflections & goodbyes
We close with space to reflect on the day, notice what you are taking with you and say goodbye properly before heading home.
Who it's for
Come if this sounds like you.
You train hard but feel burnt out. You want challenge, but you also want softness, recovery and a healthier relationship with rest.
You are new or returning to movement. You want to start again without feeling judged, rushed or pushed into something extreme.
You are tired of fitness pressure. You want movement to feel enjoyable, human and connected instead of performative or punishing.
You sit somewhere in between. You want community, fun, confidence and a day that helps you feel more at home in your body.
Venue and nourishment
A beautiful setting with space to slow down.
The retreat is held at Coed-Y-Mwstwr Hotel in Wales, with movement sessions, shared lunch and time to connect built into the day.
You can expect food that supports the day, enough room to breathe, and a setting that helps the whole experience feel grounding rather than rushed.
Our philosophy
What we actually believe about movement.
Movement should add to your life, not drain it.
Training should support the life you want to live. If movement leaves you exhausted, guilty or disconnected, something needs to change.
Exercise is a tool to serve life.
Exercise is not an identity, a punishment or a moral test. It is one tool for feeling more alive, capable and connected in the body you have.
Movement can be playful, expressive and deeply human.
Children do not exercise to earn rest or burn calories. They run, climb, balance, explore and play because it feels good to move.
Strength and softness can coexist.
Challenge, discipline and intensity have value. So do recovery, curiosity, creativity and rest.
Play is not childish. It is human.
Play builds confidence, adaptability and connection. Movement can be both challenging and enjoyable.
About us
Meet Lydia
Meet Lydia
& Mike.
MOVE // PLAY is the work of two coaches with very different lineages and one shared belief about movement.
Between us, we bring movement coaching, mobility, recovery, martial arts and play. We've combined what we each do best into a single day, designed for the body you actually have, not the one you think you should have.
Your host
Lydia
Movement & mobility teacher · Eating disorder coach
Lydia has been teaching movement for eleven years. Her work sits at the meeting point of strength, mobility and the nervous system, helping people feel more at home in their body, on and off the mat.
As an eating disorder coach, she brings a softer, reflective side to the day: intuitive movement, breath, and the kind of training that rebuilds your relationship with your body instead of fighting it.
- 11 yrs teaching
- Mobility
- Nervous system
- Intuitive movement
Your host
Mike
MMA athlete & coach · Former BAMMA World Champion
Mike has coached martial arts since 2015 and competed professionally in MMA since 2013. He's won titles with three organisations, including the BAMMA world title, and was formerly the number one ranked middleweight in the UK and Ireland. He's currently moving up to heavyweight.
On the day, Mike brings the skill, play and challenge: pad work, boxing fundamentals, partner drills. Confidence and athleticism, without pressure. Sport made accessible.
- Pro MMA since 2013
- BAMMA World Champion
- Coaching since 2015
- Pad work & play
Together, we built the day we kept wishing existed: movement that is challenging and human, athletic and approachable. Strength, recovery and play in the same room.
Testimonials
What people say after a MOVE // PLAY day.
Real words from people who came for movement, boxing, connection and a new way to feel at home in their body.
“I was lucky enough to attend a day retreat recently with four of my friends. It was an amazing and motivational day. It was a mix of movement, yoga, fun games and boxing exercises. So much fun.
The location was stunning and the food was delicious, nutritious and freshly prepared. Lydia led the movement sessions and was incredible throughout, paying close attention to everyone, offering support where needed and making sure all abilities felt comfortable and included.
Mike ran the boxing sessions, which were so much fun, empowering and suitable for all levels. I brought four friends to the day, all different sizes and fitness capabilities, and it truly catered to everyone. I would highly recommend the retreat to people of all ages and abilities. We will definitely be returning.”
“I was genuinely scared in the morning, having not worked out in so long. But you guys were so friendly and supportive throughout. It was such a good mix of strength, flexibility and play. I loved the emphasis you placed on breath and appreciating those moments of peace and mindfulness. It has inspired me to get back into fitness. I thoroughly enjoyed the boxing too, to the point I’m now searching Facebook Marketplace for a bag.”
“I’ve done a lot of yoga over the years, but haven’t stuck at it consistently because I didn’t easily find the mind-to-muscle connection. The way Lydia explains positions, movements and breathing clicked so easily for me. This retreat was an amazing taster of what movement like this can do for our bodies. I had so much fun trying out boxing and by the end of the day felt mentally and physically nourished.”
“Such a fun day. The stretch and movement sections were great for my bad back and left me feeling more flexible and relaxed than I have in years. Lydia is clearly very knowledgeable about injuries and how to adapt exercises to get the best results. Loved the boxing section too, which catered to a range of levels. Lydia and Mike were so friendly and we all had a wonderful day. Can’t recommend enough.”
“Thank you so much Lydia and Mike. I absolutely loved the whole day. Both the movement and stretching sessions were incredibly relaxing and also motivating. Lydia, your approach was so positive and knowledgeable and your passion for movement in all forms really shone through.
The outdoor game and obstacle course was fun. The boxing was something completely new for me, so I was lacking in confidence initially, but Mike’s patient approach was perfect and I loved experiencing the new challenge. I came away feeling really uplifted and motivated to pursue more movement, fun and fitness. Absolutely 100% would recommend.”
Book place now
One day. Fourteen places. Monday, 1 June.
We keep the group small on purpose. When the fourteen are full, that's it. Book below and your details go to the host, who'll confirm payment and the final practical details with you.
Practical things
The questions people usually ask.
If you've got something not answered here, write to us. We'd rather you ask than wonder.
No. The day is built for a real range of bodies, from people who train daily to people getting back into movement after years away. Every session has options and the group is small enough for genuine attention.
This is built for you. No mirrors, no leaderboards, no shouting. A small group of fourteen, paced kindly, with as much or as little optionality as you want.
Fourteen places, full stop. We've capped it deliberately so the day stays personal and nobody is anonymous in the room.
Monday, 1 June, at the Coed-Y-Mwstwr Hotel in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It is a Victorian mansion set into a wooded hillside, easy from Cardiff and Cowbridge. Full travel notes and the practical brief go out once your place is confirmed.
£100 per person. That covers every session of the day, a long unhurried lunch, the recovery practice, and the take-home plan for the week after. Payment options are confirmed with you once you book your place.
Comfortable clothes to move in, a water bottle, and an open mind. A full kit list comes with your confirmation. Nothing exotic, nothing expensive.
Yes. A short written take-home: a simpler way to plan your training week, a recovery practice, and a breath drill or two. Small, repeatable, designed to fit into a real life.
1 June · 14 places · £100
Book place now and experience movement differently.
When the fourteen are full, that's it. If something here has been quietly nodding at you, this is your nudge.