Sharna O’Connor – Strength, Simplicity, and Sustainable Performance

Sharna O’Connor is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Sports Nutritionist, yoga teacher, former bodybuilder, runner, handstander, coach and mother.

With over 20 years in the movement and allied health space — and 15 years running Calma Health — her work has evolved from performance and rehab into something deeper: helping people reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and build health that actually lasts.

She’s not about doing more. She’s about doing what matters.

What does your day-to-day look like?

No two days are the same — I’m a mum and a business owner.

But every day starts the same way: hydration, mobility or yoga, and meditation on my bedroom floor. Sometimes it’s 10 minutes. Sometimes it’s 40. It sets the tone.

From there it’s school drop-offs, client sessions, online coaching, movement classes, injury assessments, and creating educational content. I still prioritise my own training, time outdoors, and slow moments with my son.

Structure. Movement. Presence.

What shaped the direction of your work?

I’ve always believed people are meant to feel vibrant and fully functional.

Over time, I realised lasting change doesn’t come from the physical body alone. It’s breath. Nervous system. Lifestyle. Awareness.

My own evolution — and thousands of hours coaching others — shaped that shift. Now my work is about helping people build trust in their bodies again and create health that feels grounded and sustainable.

Advice to your younger self?

You don’t need to rush.

Trust your intuition more than external validation. Rest and softness aren’t weaknesses. They’re wisdom.

One recovery tool or wellness habit you swear by?

Daily morning ritual. Hydration, mobility, meditation. Non-negotiable. And Advance CBD of course, twice a day for the past 2 years! 

For recovery: ice baths and sauna four times a week. It’s a reset. It reminds me I can do hard things. No matter how sore or tired I am, I walk out clearer.

What’s most rewarding about your work?

Watching people reconnect with themselves.

Seeing someone move without pain. Breathe deeper. Realise they don’t have to burn out to live well.

That shift never gets old.

One thing the health industry gets wrong?

Harder doesn’t mean healthier.

Sustainable health comes from consistency, not punishment. And no one knows your body better than you do.

Learn it. Test it. Trust it.