Episode 231

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Published on:

24th Dec 2025

#236 – The Health Factor No One Is Talking About

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Episode Summary:

As the year draws to a close, this episode delivers a powerful reframing of what true health really means heading into 2026. Rather than focusing solely on exercise routines, nutrition trends, or biohacks, the host challenges listeners to look deeper, arguing that emotional regulation and unresolved stress stored in the body are the real foundations of long-term physical health. Through personal reflection and lived experience, the episode explores how persistent injuries, chronic pain, and recurring health setbacks often stem from unprocessed emotional and mental tension.


Using compelling sporting examples, including Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Tom Trbojevic, and Cam Green. The episode connects elite athletic performance with emotional load, pressure, and identity. The discussion illustrates how the body communicates imbalance through injury, and how athletes (and everyday people) can become trapped in cycles of breakdown when emotional stress is ignored. The host shares his own journey through recurring injuries, acupuncture, rehabilitation, and emotional self-work, highlighting how addressing internal stressors unlocked physical resilience he was once told he’d never regain.


Ultimately, this episode calls for a holistic health model, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, encouraging listeners to set clear, measurable goals for 2026 that go beyond surface-level fitness. It’s a reflective, thought-provoking conversation designed to help athletes, sports fans, and high performers build sustainable health, prevent burnout, and show up stronger not just in sport, but in life.


About the Host:


Ian Hawkins is dedicated to showing how sports can transform lives. With extensive experience as an athlete, a coach, PE teacher, community volunteer, and manager at Fox Sports, Ian brings a wealth of knowledge to the podcast. His journey began in his backyard, mentored by his older brother, and has since evolved into coaching elite athletes and business leaders. Ian's commitment to sports and personal development is evident in his roles as a performance coach and active community member. Through "Sport Is Life," Ian shares inspiring stories and valuable lessons to help listeners apply sports principles to all areas of life.


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One Day Kings https://www.instagram.com/onedaykings/

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About the Podcast

Sport Is Life
It's More Than Just A Game
The Sport Is Life podcast explores how sport can positively change your life. Join us as we delve into the powerful life lessons that sport teaches you, lessons that can be applied to every aspect of your life. Host Ian Hawkins shares wisdom and insights gained from a lifetime of experience as an athlete, husband, father, PE teacher, community volunteer, manager at Fox Sports and a performance coach to elite athletes, business owners, corporate leaders, and other coaches. Tune in to hear how sports can provide the tools you need to excel in your personal and professional life. From practical advice to heartfelt stories, the "Sport Is Life Podcast" is your guide to unlocking the potential within you through the power of sport.

Sport is more than just a game; Sport Is Life.

About your host

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Ian Hawkins

Ian Hawkins, host of "Sport Is Life," is dedicated to showing how sports can transform lives. With extensive experience as an athlete, a coach, PE teacher, community volunteer, and manager at Fox Sports, Ian brings a wealth of knowledge to the podcast. His journey began in his backyard, mentored by his older brother, and has since evolved into coaching elite athletes and business leaders. Ian's commitment to sports and personal development is evident in his roles as a performance coach and active community member. Through "Sport Is Life," Ian shares inspiring stories and valuable lessons to help listeners apply sports principles to all areas of life.