Man Up / Man Down

07/12/2023

Another first for Man Up / Man Down. Our first returning guest, the legend that is Andy Delderfield.

Andy came on the podcast last year to tell us about his amazing transformation from booze-guzzling rugby fanatic to alcohol-free (4 years and counting), vegan, ultra runner.

Sadly, at the time, Andy had also been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. But rather than taking it easy, while receiving intensive treatment, Andy decided to enter a 250km multi-day, ultra event. Running across the Namibia desert.

In this episode of Man Up / Man Down, Andy tells us his story. How he managed the gruelling heat of the desert and fought off the cancer....

👇Listen now👇

https://pod.fo/e/208ee3

Another first for Man Up / Man Down. Our first returning guest.Andy Delderfield runs the Alcohol Free Runners Facebook community and also coaches those interested in the alcohol-free lifestyle, but...

23/11/2023

Do you live in and fancy a night of , a discussion on and a FREE drink on 28th November?!

Because thanks to the amazing generosity of our sponsors Infigo, FatFish Digital and welldoing you’ll also get a Christmas Tipple on us.

And it gets even better - there are less than 5 early bird tickets left. So if you get in quick enough, you’ll get an extra £5 off your ticket price!

https://tinyurl.com/MUMD23

Code: EARLYMAN

Can’t wait to hear from our fantastic panel!

A LIVE panel discussion recording of the UK's fastest-growing podcast for Middle-Aged Men. An evening of laughter, inspiration & community.

15/11/2023

The excitement’s really ramping up and the preparation is in full flow. Tickets are selling fast

So if you want to join David, Volker, Louise, Dan and Mick in on 28th November, to discuss why us men can sometimes act a bit weird then click on the link below to get your ticket

https://tinyurl.com/MUMD23

09/11/2023

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Possibly the most inspiring tale you're likely to hear.

Given just a 3% chance of survival, after being trapped in a fire as a teeenager, Marc Convey has continued to beat the odds.

In this episode he takes us through the agonising months of recovery, followed by a zest for life and exploration.

Give it a listen and let us know what you think. David and Volker found it particularly emotional but also hugely inspiring.

https://pod.fo/e/2002ad

Marc Convey’s story is one of the most inspiring tales you are likely to hear – it certainly was for us. Despite suffering life-altering injuries from a devastating fire, at the age of 14, whe...

06/11/2023

💥TICKETS GOING FAST 💥
So there's good news and bad news. The good news is, we've had a fantastic response and have sold more tickets than we expected at this stage.

The bad news, there's only a few early bird tickets left.

👇So click on the link and use the code EARLYMAN to knock a third off the price, for what is shaping up to be an incredible evening👇

https://tinyurl.com/yekhrhca

01/11/2023

You may have seen that we have announced a live discussion and recording yesterday (Brighton, 28 November). Well, a few weeks ago, we had a bit of a dry run.

Not only was it the first time David and Volker had recorded in the same room but we were joined by Nathan and Gavin who run Talk Club, as well as a couple of members.

So, what is talk club? It’s a positive space for men to be vulnerable, to be themselves, to talk about what is bothering them.

It was a superb discussion, sharing the everyday pressures that men face, as well as chatting about the benefits of, well, talking!

Check it out by clicking the link below - and please share and leave us a review on your listening platform of choice!

https://pod.fo/e/1f78e4

This was a special episode as it was the very first time David and Volker had recorded an episode in the same room. But we also had four guests.With us were Nathan and Gavin who run Talkclub in Hay...

31/10/2023

💥BIG ANNOUNCEMENT💥 Our first live event.

Click on the link to book now, and get in quick with the discount code EARLYMAN (there's not many early bird tickets left!!)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/live-panel-discussion-man-up-man-down-the-podcast-for-middle-aged-tickets-735334253547?aff=oddtdtcreator

13/10/2023

Missing male company this weekend? But don't fancy the pub? Then why not check out one of our recent episodes with the amazing Dan Flanagan FRSA, creator of Dad La Soul.

Male bonding at its most creative!

👇Click on the link👇

https://pod.fo/e/1ee369

10/10/2023

Today is . Raising awareness around , particularly following the pandemic, was one of the main reasons we started the .

The feedback has been superb, and after less than a year, we are ploughing through the recordings for season 2. So we'd like to give a big shout out to our supporters and amazing guests.

Thanks to Matthew Knight, Lurata Lyon, Fiona McKinnon, Andy Barham, Roei Samuel, Andy Delderfield, Steve Core, Louise Chunn, Glen Beamson, Mick Rigby, Charlie Bethel, Ollie Henderson, 💡Matt Pattison FRSA, Albertina Fisher, Gill Caleary, Ruth Devlin, Gavin Demurger-Jones for helping us raise awareness around mental health in middle age.

Also big shout out to our producer 🎧 James Marriott

08/10/2023

😱Are you constantly expecting someone to tap on your shoulder and say: "Sorry, there's been a mistake; you need to pack up your stuff and leave the office now?"😱

Well you're not alone.

In this episode, we discuss and how it can impact us in middle age. Thanks again to our amazing guest Gil Caleary.

Click on the link to give it a listen

https://pod.fo/e/1ebb34

06/10/2023

Where does the time go?! It only feels like the kiddiewinks went back to school yesterday, but we've already published several episodes you might have missed.

👇Here's the intro to season 2👇

https://pod.fo/e/1e9307

Hello all, After a (we think) well deserved break, we are back with season 2! A very exciting journey ahead, with lots of interesting guests and solo episodes lined up. Thanks for over 4,000 down...

22/07/2023

💥HOT OFF THE AUDIO PRESS💥

Albertina Fisher is the co-founder of Revive S*x and Relationship Therapy. Albertina specialises in psychos*xual and relationship therapy, working with people from all backgrounds, s*xual and gender orientations, relationship types, and disabilities.

She helps individuals and couples with s*xual concerns and relationship issues.

Albertina has particular skills in working with s*xual problems, including:

🤕 Relationships where s*x has stopped.
🤕Where there are differences in levels of desire.
🤕 Conflicting s*xual interests.
🤕 Problems relating to s*xual functioning, such as vaginal pain or erectile difficulties.

These issues often arise due to life changes, such as pregnancy, birth, grief, illness, and ageing. However, sometimes couples do not have any such specific problems; they just want to have better s*x!

To find out more, click the link in our bio.👍

*x

20/07/2023

AND IT'S A WRAP!!!

Here's the last episode of Season 1

https://pod.fo/e/18de58

We made it through 30 episodes in season 1 and are well on track for recording season 2.

We recorded some fantastic episodes (if we may say so), and had some incredible guests. Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support, love and taking the time to be on our podcast.

Thanks also to Welldoing .org for being a partner and sponsor. And most importantly, thanks to our listeners and champions.

We couldn't do it without you.

We will be taking a short break in the summer and will be back in September.

But keep your eyes on the socials and don't forget to catch up on any episodes you may have missed

This is the wrap up of Season 1 of Man Up / Man Down. Thank you to all our guests. We had a lot of fun, and we now have big plans for Season 2. Enjoy this episode and hear you again in September fo...

18/07/2023

‘The delayed acknowledgment of burnout, he thinks, “is probably very specific to my age group, the baby boomer thing.

“We are never allowed to cry, we are never allowed to give up, we’ve got to be tough. You battle within yourself. You think there is something wrong with you – ‘I’m a failure.’”

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jul/10/a-new-start-after-60-burnout-quit-ceo-dream-job-truck-driver?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook =1688985034

Greg Ross, 72, is living his best life at the wheel of a 190ft ‘road train’. As he puts it, ‘I let my hair down’

17/07/2023

💥HOT OFF THE AUDIO PRESS💥

😵 S*X 😳

A fantastic conversation on something a lot of us don’t talk about enough.

Albertina Fisher is the co-founder of Revive S*x and Relationship Therapy.

Albertina specialises in psychos*xual and relationship therapy, working with people from all backgrounds, s*xual and gender orientations, relationship types, and disabilities.

She helps individuals and couples with s*xual concerns and relationship issues.

Albertina has particular skills in working with s*xual problems, including:

🤕 Relationships where s*x has stopped.
🤕Where there are differences in levels of desire.
🤕 Conflicting s*xual interests.
🤕 Problems relating to s*xual functioning, such as vaginal pain or erectile difficulties.

These issues often arise due to life changes, such as pregnancy, birth, grief, illness, and ageing. However, sometimes couples do not have any such specific problems; they just want to have better s*x!

To hear the episode click on the link

https://www.manupdown.com/2023/07/13/albertina-fisher-s*x-in-the-middle-age/

*x *xlife *xualissues

Albertina Fisher is the co-founder of Revive S*x and Relationship Therapy. Albertina specialises in psychos*xual and relationship therapy, working with people from all backgrounds, s*xual and gender orientations, relationship types, and disabilities. She helps individuals and couples with s*xual con...

14/07/2023

Mick is the founder and CEO of Yodel Mobile, one of the world’s leading app marketing agencies.

Despite founding several successful businesses and winning industry awards, Mick was diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADHD at the age of 54, back in March 2022.

When he was in school in the 1980s, the local authority tested him for behavioural ‘problems’ but didn’t receive a diagnosis other than ‘just having problems’. Mick always struggled with spelling and writing from an early age but just accepted them and tried to work around them.

When his son was diagnosed with dyslexia seven years ago, Mick felt he could relate to many of the symptoms. As a result, he had an assessment and was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD.

For him, it was a considerable relief to understand why there are some aspects of life that he struggles with. Over the years, he would jump feet-first into opportunities while avoiding things he wasn’t interested in.

To find out more, click the link in our bio.👍

14/07/2023

This week’s episode was special for several reasons, mainly because we welcomed Louise Chunn, the founder of our sponsor Welldoing.

Secondly, we wanted to mark the fact that it’s Mental Health Awareness Week. And obviously, we talk about mental health on here A LOT!

Thirdly, David was in Portugal for a stag do, so he was living the digital native dream. Recording from Home 2 the nicest co-working space David has ever used. He even had a soundproof booth to record from. Although this only helped amplify the squeaky plastic stool he was perched on, which Volker helpfully pointed out when he heard it.

Fourthly, this was the first episode David had recorded since his Dad died. David didn’t want to go into details, but it had been a very traumatic experience (that he may share in the future). However, he wanted to thank everyone who supported him and reached out during this period. It’s been an emotional time.

However, while it was impossible to avoid the subject, David didn’t want this to overshadow Louise’s story, who was an incredible guest. And we’re not just saying that because her organisation sponsors the show. Louise Chunn is a prize-winning journalist and former editor of several magazines, including Psychologies, Good Housekeeping and InStyle. She has also written for publications ranging from The Guardian to Vogue. As a former journalist, David wanted to hear how Louise had changed from journalist to digital and wellness entrepreneur. Partly as this had happened relatively late in her career

To find out more, click the link in our bio.👍

14/07/2023

In this episode, we welcomed Joe Horton from Guild of Dads. Joe set up the Guild of Dads podcast and brotherhood for dads in 2020 after he went through a period of significant personal change and upheaval in his own life after his dads’ passing.

He now coaches and mentors other professional men and dads who are at the midway point of life – to navigate this tricky time with more excellent balance, purpose, and thriving relationships. He also organised a monthly dads’ hike on the Ashdown Forest in Suss*x aptly called The Guild of Dads Hike.

Joe lives a great life, but at some point a few years ago, he asked himself, ‘Is there something else I should do’? Given he is a keen student of personal development, he thought there must be more in life and more he could do. Listening to a podcast about brotherhoods for men, he founded the Guild of Dads, getting dads together to walk in the forest, but also he offers 1-2-1 coaching for men.

To find out more, click the link in our bio.👍

#121

14/07/2023

This episode was recorded back in February, the day before David and his family visited David’s dad. Sadly it was the last time David’s wife and children saw him.

However, on that day, which was the last opportunity for David to have a coherent conversation with his Dad, following some suggestions from Steve, David got to know a few things about his father’s childhood, which helped strengthen their bond. In short, David feels he has no unresolved issues, despite a complicated relationship with his Dad. So David will always be grateful for recording this episode at (in hindsight) such a critical time.

But enough about David – let’s learn more about Steve. Steve spent his 20s and 30s working flat out as a Marketing Manager in three big organisations. Aged 40, he “fixed it” with his father (who had put him in a children’s home at the age of 13, following Steve’s stepmother’s wishes), which transformed his life.

He followed his heart and established his own company as a leadership coach. Since then, he has worked with over 20,000 people – most of them being men- in more than 100 organisations in 20 different countries. He has given Ted Talks on Understanding Men and the relationship between Fathers and Sons.

To find out more, click the link in our bio.👍

14/07/2023

This week we were joined by Andy Delderfield, the founder of Alcohol-Free Runners. Although Andy and David only met a little over a year ago through one of the co-founders of One Year No Beer, they immediately hit it off and made a firm friendship.

Andy’s story is that having travelled and finally settled in Spain, he began to enjoy the ex-pat lifestyle a little bit too much – spending the weekends drinking solidly and feeling like crap for the rest of the week.

As a result, he was overweight and depressed, and his relationship with his family was suffering.

He discovered the One Year No Beer Movement and, after several hiccups, has not had a drink in 4 years.

To find out more, click the link in our bio.👍

11/07/2023

THE SECRET TO A LONGER LIFE!

Two new research papers published by the British Medical Journal have shed new light on what behaviours in middle age might help improve our chances of enjoying good health later in life.

The first study found that satisfying relationships with partners, relatives, friends and colleagues are linked to a lower risk of accumulating multiple long-term conditions in old age.

The less satisfying these relationships are in your 40s and 50s, the greater the risk of having several illness later in life, the research suggests.

Read more here

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/feb/22/exercise-and-satisfying-relationships-are-the-secrets-to-good-health-in-later-life

New research finds strong social networks and physical activity in mid life can help prevent long-term health conditions

06/07/2023

Our latest episode was with the fascinating Matt Pattison. Who is everything from documentary maker to and everything in between.

CLICK ON THE LINK

https://pod.fo/e/18a298

He was primarily discussing Mindful Eating and Slowing Down [for those used to going too fast] - why we need to Slow The Fork Down (which is the name of his incredible mindful eating programme)!

We discussed everything from the frenetic pace of life, cutting out booze and why Matt is “more Manc than monk”.

There is a special offer for Matt’s Slow the Fork Down, as well as a useful discussion on some life hacks for many of the challenges of the accelerated life speed we all seem to be struggling with.

We met Matt Pattison when he put a post out about a course on mindful eating on Leapers. Matt is the founder of TEN - The Experience Network / Anatomy HCD & MeetingProof. He describes himself as: A...

04/07/2023

"According to a recent YouGov poll in the UK, almost one in five men (18 per cent) owned up to not having a single close friend. Furthermore, one in three (32 per cent) stated that they didn’t have a best friend.

"For women, these figures were lower at 12 and 24 per cent respectively, suggesting that, on average, men in the UK are leading more solitary lives compared to women."

Who do you go to when you need to get something off your chest?

https://www.happiness.com/magazine/health-body/male-loneliness-time-bomb-killing-men/

Male loneliness is on the rise, as is male su***de. But just why are our men – young and old – so lonely, anxious and depressed, and how can they be helped?

30/06/2023

***LATEST EPISODE**** We welcome experienced founder and CEO, Ollie Henderson, who pivoted his career while juggling the pleasures and pressures of raising a young family.

Living in North London with his 3 kids and family, he used to run a digital agency. That’s how Volker and Ollie got to know each other.

Finding he needed a change, he exited the business in 2020. Not knowing what he wanted to do, he started writing about what his life should look like. Having had several burn-outs, he decided that his life needed to be more balanced.

This is his story and how he ended up founding Future Work/Life and being an advocate for a better work/life balance.

Enjoy this episode and let us know what you think

https://pod.fo/e/186008

We welcome experienced founder and CEO, Ollie Henderson, who pivoted his career while juggling the pleasures and pressures of raising a young family. Living in North London with his 3 kids and fami...

27/06/2023

An interesting read on what teams can do to improve men's at work.

Do you think your employer does a good job of looking after your needs?

👇Let us know in the comments below👇

The growing tide of rhetoric suggesting ‘men are the problem’ is damaging men’s mental wellbeing

22/06/2023

LATEST EPISODE - We speak to best-selling author and entrepreneur Ollie Henderson about the future of work, spending more time with your family and the myth of a work/life balance.

👇Check it out here👇

https://pod.fo/e/186008

We welcome experienced founder and CEO, Ollie Henderson, who pivoted his career while juggling the pleasures and pressures of raising a young family. Living in North London with his 3 kids and fami...

18/05/2023

As promised, a special episode to mark .

This was an important episode for a number of reasons, primarily because we welcomed Louise Chunn from our incredible sponsor Welldoing.

We discussed:

💥Why it's never too late to carve out a new direction for yourself in , even if that means putting yourself out of your comfort zone

💥How mental health can be caused by a multitude off issues and if it's impacting you, then it's important to address it

💥The importance of finding a therapist that's suited to YOU

💥 David's squeaky chair

👇Check out the episode here.👇

This week’s episode was a special one for a number of reasons. Mainly because we welcomed Louise Chunn, the founder of our sponsor .  Secondly, we wanted to mark the fact that it’s Mental Health Awareness Week. And obviously we talk about mental health on here A LOT!  Thirdly, David wa...

16/05/2023

As we mentioned yesterday, this week is Mental Health Awareness Week, with a focus on anxiety.

This is a great read from Fortune
where Google executive Daryll Henrich explains how being open about his anxiety and depression made him a better leader.

“When leaders of public companies and other high-profile institutions start speaking openly about their experiences with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges, the veil of shame that conceals many of these conversations at work starts to lift.”

https://fortune.com/well/2023/05/15/google-executive-who-struggled-with-anxiety-and-depression/amp/

"Good human values as a leader creates a safe and compassionate place where people want to work."

15/05/2023

This week is Mental Health Awareness week, so we’ll be posting a bit more than usual.

First post is something David read over the weekend. Bad mental health doesn’t discriminate.

Even some of the biggest stars have their struggles…

Which is why we need to keep the conversation going

https://www.darkhorizons.com/dwayne-johnson-talks-depression-battles/

If any one actor out there now is larger than life, it’s Dwayne Johnson. The “Black Adam” and “Fast and Furious” actor is known for his hard work ethic, insane fitness regime and blockbuster films. Recently though, he also spoke about something else he’s dealt with his whole life – bou...

05/05/2023

It's a bit odd posting this now. This episode was recorded the day before David last saw his father before he was taken ill.

As a result of Steve's openness, David asked his Dad a few questions that he wouldn't have thought of. Many of us men have complicated relationships with our fathers (and sons).

This is a highly valuable listen if you feel that you have drifted apart from your Dad or have had difficulties in the past.

https://www.manupdown.com/2023/04/27/fixing-it-with-your-father-steve-core/

18/04/2023

A (rather sad) update from David

08/04/2023

What an episode!

Volker has known Jason for a while, but when he shared his story about how he got ripped at the age of 50 (!), we were both blown away.

Jason is a former CMO of a multi billion dollar global media business who decided to completely change his life as he approached his 50th birthday. Fed up with his lacklustre energy and lifestyle Jason embraced health & fitness.

In a remarkable personal transformation, Jason lost 20kg in weight, while self correcting several ailments and gaining a lust for life he hadn’t experienced since his teens.

Find out more about his story on our latest episode of Man Up / Man Down, our podcast for men in middle age.

https://buff.ly/3ZAM0yB

Jason is a former CMO of a multi billion dollar global media business who decided to completely change his life as he approached his 50th birthday. Fed up with his lacklustre energy and lifestyle Jason embraced health & fitness. In a remarkable personal transformation, Jason lost 20kg in weight, whi...

04/04/2023

We couldn’t agree more…

Please like and share.

28/03/2023

To paraphrase Meatloaf, "I'd do anything for a quiet mind, but I won't do that..."

David has generously offered Volker the use of his sweaty gym gear to help with his mindfulness practice, but Volker's not quite convinced...

Would you give it a try?!

https://news.sky.com/story/sniffing-other-peoples-sweat-can-help-treat-social-anxiety-study-suggests-12842747

Using mindfulness as an anxiety therapy could be more effective if participants sniff sweat at the same time, a new study suggests.

23/03/2023

In this week's episode of Man Up / Man Down we welcome 2x Neurodiverse Founder and CEO of Connectd, Roei Samuel.

He shares his story about his challenges growing up with ADHD and being neurodiverse.

Roei says the power behind neurodivergent founders is that they build workplaces that understand that people’s brains work differently, and the power behind neurodivergent team members is the diversity of thought.

Roei even went as far as suggested that ADHD can give you a competitive edge when being a founder, as long as you can use the part that is hyper focused to your advantage. People just think people with ADHD can’t sit still but that isn’t true.

A great episode and fantastic insights into his habits, routines and tips as a neurodiverse founder.

https://www.manupdown.com/2023/03/23/2x-neurodivergent-founder-roei-samuel/

21/03/2023

How do you deal with a difficult day?

Volker gives some tips