Fitness personality Joe Wicks has stated that his daily exercise routine is crucial for managing stress and preventing him from "shouting and screaming" at his four young children. Wicks, 40, attributes this practice to his desire to avoid replicating the aggressive parenting he experienced from his own parents.

In a candid question-and-answer session, Wicks spoke about his upbringing, which included his father's struggle with heroin addiction and his mother's significant mental health issues, such as OCD and eating disorders. He shares four children with his wife, Rosie: Indie, eight; Marley, six; Leni, four; and Dusty, two.

"The message I always share now is that exercise is about mental health," Wicks explained. "It's about boosting your mood into being confident and energised and being a good parent and being patient. I have got four kids under seven and they stress me out so much, right? And if I didn't exercise, I would be like my mum – she screamed at me and shouted at me and slammed doors. I'd be like, my dad, I'd be aggressive and so for me, it's like, I exercise every morning before they wake up, so I'm a calm dad."

Wicks emphasized that fitness is about more than just physical appearance, advocating for its power to improve emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships. He encouraged others with platforms to share this message.

He also discussed personal struggles with self-confidence, particularly in light of social media portrayals of idealized bodies. "I'll be honest with you, like right now, at this moment in my life, I'm 40 years old, and I've got the lowest self-confidence in my body ever, because I'm seeing videos every day and reels with guys who have the most amazing bodies, doing testosterone and peptides," he admitted. Wicks cautioned against chasing unrealistic fitness standards, urging a focus on fundamental health practices like sleep, exercise, and nutrition.

Previously, Wicks has shared how exercise served as an outlet during his childhood. "If I hadn't exercised, I would have been a nightmare. No one would have been able to control me. PE was the one subject I looked forward to because it helped me focus," he recalled.

His father's battle with drug addiction was a significant factor in Wicks's childhood, detailed in the 2022 BBC documentary "Joe Wicks: Facing My Childhood." In the program, Wicks became emotional discussing the impact of witnessing his father's addiction, recalling code words his father used when leaving to obtain drugs. His father, Gary, also expressed guilt over his son's experiences during the documentary.

His mother's mental health challenges, including OCD, also played a role in his upbringing. Wicks noted that as a child, he perceived his parents' issues simply as his father being a drug addict and his mother's preoccupation with cleaning, without fully understanding the scope of their mental health struggles.