A Childhood Passion Reignited

At 14, Lauren Potts first stepped into a kickboxing club inspired by her love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. What began as a teenage fascination soon became a major part of her life. Training several times a week, she quickly progressed through the belt system, building confidence, strength, and discipline along the way.

By the age of 19, Lauren had earned her black belt after completing an intense grading session filled with sparring, fitness drills, and simulated street-fighting scenarios. It was one of her proudest achievements.

However, after reaching that milestone, life took her in a different direction. University, travelling, and adulthood slowly replaced the training sessions, and kickboxing became a distant memory from a younger chapter of her life.

A Health Diagnosis That Sparked Change

Everything changed in late 2024 when a physiotherapist informed Lauren she was facing mild arthritis and a cartilage tear in her hip as she approached 40. The diagnosis forced her to reflect on her physical health and the activities she once loved.

On impulse, she decided to return to her old kickboxing club unsure whether her body was still capable of handling the sport after two decades away.

To her surprise, walking back into the gym felt like stepping back in time. Her former instructor was still there, along with familiar faces from her teenage training days. More importantly, the techniques she had learned years earlier quickly returned through muscle memory.

Battling Mental Barriers

Lauren found she could still perform many of the punches and kicks she once mastered. But when asked to attempt a jump roundhouse kick, hesitation crept in. Years of self-doubt and concern over injuries had convinced her she was no longer capable.

Her instructor reminded her of a powerful truth: “It’s not because you can’t do it. It’s because you don’t believe you can.”

That moment became a turning point. Lauren pushed past the fear and successfully landed the kick, rediscovering a confidence she thought had disappeared with age.

A New Appreciation for the BodyAlthough the training session left her sore the next day, Lauren realised something important her body was still far stronger and more capable than she had believed.

Looking back, she admitted that as a teenager she focused too much on appearance instead of appreciating what her body could actually achieve. Returning to kickboxing gave her a renewed respect for her strength, resilience, and potential, even at nearly 40 years old.

Her experience serves as a reminder that age does not necessarily define physical ability, and sometimes revisiting an old passion can completely transform how we see ourselves.