About The Active Recovery Co.
Strength. Movement. Confidence.
At The Active Recovery Co. (TARC), we provide a personalised approach to strength and exercise coaching. Our Five Elements Recovery Framework™ and Traffic Light Fatigue Management System™ help clients develop a more thoughtful and adaptable approach to training, supporting strength, fitness and confidence in movement.
Every TARC client completes a cancer-specific health screening before starting, so your programme is built around your diagnosis and treatment stage — not a generic fitness plan. I'm fully insured and CIMSPA accredited, and where something needs a closer look, I'll always work alongside your medical team.
Who TARC Is For
You're preparing for cancer treatment and want to stay as strong as possible.
You're in treatment and need a plan that adapts to how you're actually feeling, day to day.
You're rebuilding after treatment and want your strength and confidence back.
THE TARC APPROACH
Five Elements Strength Training SystemTM
The progressive strength methodology at the heart of the TARC programme.
Every TARC programme is built on five core elements that work together to rebuild physical strength through and after cancer treatment. The programme meets you where you are — pre-treatment, mid-treatment, in recovery, or rebuilding beyond it — and trains physical and mental strength as one.
Traffic Light Fatigue Management SystemTM
The daily system that helps adapt the programme according to how the client is feeling.
Cancer treatment rarely lets you plan a week in advance. The Traffic Light system is how every TARC client checks in before each session and receives a programme built for that day — not an idealised one — so progress keeps moving safely, whatever the day brings.
Why TARC Is Different
1 — LISTEN
Traffic Light Fatigue Management System™
2 — BUILD
Five Elements Strength Training System™
3 — ADAPT
Your training changes according to how you feel.
4 — PROGRESS
Your programme evolves as your capacity improves.
THE ACTIVE RECOVERY CO. OFFERING
TARC REBUILD™
A personalised 12-week strength and recovery programme
£500
• personalised strength programme
• access to the TARC app
• ongoing coaching & support
• progressive training tailored to you
• recovery & fatigue management guidance
• 12 weekly 1-to-1 check-ins (online or in person)
• progress tracking & regular reviews
TARC INSIGHTSTM
#01 — Exercise & Cancer Recurrence
CAN EXERCISE REDUCE THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER RECURRENCE?
Exercise after cancer treatment is often discussed in terms of fitness, fatigue and quality of life. But there is another important reason to stay physically active: research suggests that regular physical activity after a breast cancer diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of recurrence. One of the key studies investigating this was a 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Oncology Nursing.
THE FINDING
Researchers analysed 11 studies involving 29,677 women who had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer. They examined recreational physical activity before and after diagnosis and its relationship with breast cancer recurrence. For women undertaking recreational physical activity after their diagnosis, the analysis found a 16% lower risk of breast cancer recurrence (reported relative risk 0.84; 95% confidence interval: 0.78–0.91). The researchers also found a 23% lower risk of recurrence / disease-specific mortality (relative risk 0.77; 95% CI 0.66–0.93). (ScienceDirect)
BUT WHAT DOES “16% LOWER RISK” ACTUALLY MEAN?
The study does not prove that exercise itself prevents 16% of breast cancer recurrences. The majority of the evidence included in the analysis was observational, meaning researchers were examining associations between physical activity and outcomes. People who are more physically active may also differ in other ways that influence health outcomes. So the scientifically accurate message is: physical activity after breast cancer diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of recurrence. It is not: “Exercise prevents cancer from coming back.” That distinction matters.
WHY MIGHT EXERCISE MATTER?
Regular exercise can help support several systems relevant to health after cancer treatment.
MUSCLE & STRENGTH
Maintaining and rebuilding lean muscle and physical function.
METABOLIC HEALTH
Supporting insulin sensitivity, body composition and metabolic health.
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Improving fitness and reducing cardiovascular risk.
FATIGUE & ENERGY
Helping many people manage cancer-related fatigue and improve physical capacity.
BONE HEALTH
Particularly important following treatments that can affect bone health.
MENTAL WELLBEING
Supporting mood, confidence and quality of life.
And importantly, exercise gives people something they can actively do to support their health after treatment.
THE TARC APPROACH
At The Active Recovery Co. (TARC), we believe exercise after cancer should be about more than simply “getting fit”. It should be about rebuilding the person.
Strength.
Energy.
Physical confidence.
Recovery.
And the confidence to trust your body again.
That's the thinking behind:
TARC REBUILD™
A 12-week strength & recovery programme designed to help you rebuild strength, restore energy and regain confidence.
THE RESEARCH
Zagalaz-Anula N, Mora-Rubio MJ, Obrero-Gaitán E, Del-Pino-Casado R. (2022).
Recreational physical activity reduces breast cancer recurrence in female survivors of breast cancer: A meta-analysis.
European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 59, 102162.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2022.102162
The review included 11 studies and 29,677 breast cancer survivors and found that post-diagnosis recreational physical activity was associated with a 16% lower risk of breast cancer recurrence. (ScienceDirect)
Evidence matters.
Exercise matters.
And rebuilding matters.
Read the full study — European Journal of Oncology Nursing
THE TARC LIBRARY
Our carefully curated selection of books and resources to support your strength, recovery and wellbeing journey.
Strength
Recovery
Mindset
Nutrition
Vitality
The Captaincy: Leading Continues Beyond the Game
Mark Francis
What does it mean to take ownership of your own journey? In The Captaincy, Mark Francis explores leadership beyond the sporting arena. Mark is also a personal friend of mine and was my coach when I played for Scotland, so I’ve experienced his approach to leadership and coaching first-hand. His central message is that leadership isn't simply a position or title — it is something we can choose to practise in our everyday lives. At TARC, I see a strong connection with this philosophy: you are not simply a passenger in your recovery. You can become an active participant in it.
Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond
Dr Stacy T. Sims, PhD & Selene Yeager
A science-informed guide to training, nutrition, sleep and recovery through menopause and beyond. We recommend it because it encourages women to understand how their physiology changes and adapt their approach to strength training, recovery and wellbeing rather than simply doing less.
The Tools: 5 Life-Changing Techniques to Unlock Your Potential
Phil Stutz & Barry Michels
A transformative framework for personal growth and psychological resilience. The Tools offers actionable techniques to help you overcome fear, anxiety, and self-doubt, turning internal roadblocks into opportunities for strength and meaningful movement.
No-Nonsense Nutrition: THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
Dominique Ludwig
This science-based nutrition guide serves as a valuable resource for anyone on a health journey. Before my cancer diagnosis, I consulted Dominique as my nutritionist. When I felt something was off, her advanced testing helped identify and rule out possible causes.
Coping with Breast Cancer
Sarah Swan
This essential resource provides a compassionate and practical roadmap for navigating the complexities of a breast cancer diagnosis, the realities of treatment, and the transition into life as a survivor. Sarah and I are friends from the same gym, we occasionally strength train together, and we shared the same surgeon and oncologist, which made our conversations especially helpful and reassuring.
More resources arriving soon
