Optimum Coach

Postpartum training works best when it’s built, not rushed. 📈

We had a conversation today in the Optimum Postpartum Group sessions about how it can feel odd going to the gym and not coming out sweating like you would have done. We start to question:

Am I not working hard enough?
Was I doing something wrong?
Should I be adding more?

This led to a discussion about why we follow the approach we are taking for our recovery and return to exercise after having a baby.

The goal is to re-establish foundations first:
• body awareness and movement quality
• breathing, core, and pelvic floor coordination
• tolerance to load and volume

From there, we layer in light external load and progressively increase intensity. (Little did they know that today the program would be stepping up the intensity 💦)

👶🏼Your controllable and uncontrollable factors are different now — sleep, time, energy, recovery. Training should reflect that.

You are not weak or behind. You are being smart!

This doesn’t mean forever. 🔜
It means for now, so you can move forward stronger and possibly even better than before!

Need support or to discuss your exercise plan during pregnancy/postpartum, DM "BUILD" for help!

This is just the start...

Whether you're expecting or navigating postpartum recovery, exercise should be thoughtful—not just intense. Getting to spend time and focus on you is so important - both physically and mentally. Before diving into a workout, consider:

⚖️Quality vs Quantity – It isn’t about doing more; it’s about moving well and with purpose. And from that we keep building.

⚠️Risk vs Reward – Will this movement support your body’s needs, or place unnecessary stress it may not be able to handle right now? What's that ego saying?

❓ Could I vs Should I? – Just because something is possible doesn’t always mean it’s appropriate for this phase. And chances are, if you're thinking about it, you may already know the answer!

Your body is changing, healing, or both. Training should reflect that—safe, intentional, and supportive of long-term strength and wellbeing.

We are here to support you along the way and take the guess work out of it!

🤰🏼Optimum Pregnancy group sessions starting *Wednesday 5th November*

🧑🏼‍🍼Optimum Postpartum group sessions starting *Saturday 1st November*

Send a DM for more info and to claim your spot!

Give your 🍈🍈 the support they deserve!!

If you were to be honest, how old is your go to sports bra? Is it really giving you the support it once did? 

One of the 🚧 roadblocks to exercise during pregnancy and beyond is finding comfortable, well-fitting clothes. This includes bras. 

We don't want to rely on your pre-pregnancy sports bra. 

🗒️ It's common to go up a cup size or two during pregnancy. This can then fluctuate throughout the day when we are nursing our baby. Many women will also notice they are also broader across the back because your rib cage has expanded to make room for your baby. This can change from morning to night. It will also take time to return to pre-pregnancy state after having your baby. 

🙅🏻‍♂️A badly-fitted bra can cause poor posture, back pain and neck pain. That means wearing one that feels comfortable, supports your breasts and back, and which stretches to accommodate your growing body is very important at this time. 

When we return to exercising postpartum we want to feel comfortable, supported and confident. We want a sports bra that limits bounce , particularly as we start to introduce impact. And breathable too for all those sweaty workouts! 💦

Not feeling comfortable or having an ill-fitting bra has been found to be a barrier to exercising. That really shouldn't be the case!

🛍️ So this weekend, go buy yourself a well fitted sports bra! You deserve it!!

🌟Kickstart your year with confidence, strength, and a healthy mindset—whether you’re expecting or just had your little one! 💪🤰👶

✨ 𝗣𝗿𝗲 & 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 isn’t just about working out—it’s about empowering yourself, embracing your body’s incredible changes, and creating a foundation for long-term health.

📜It can be easy to end up with a long list of what a ‘perfect pregnancy’ is or the ‘best way to recovery postpartum’, but this can often lead to a lot of self-pressure and possibly disappointment if you can’t do it all. 

⁠Our advice, focus on what you CAN control and do the basics really well. 

🔹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗽: Focus on maintaining overall strength, along with building core strength and mobility to support your changing body.
🔹 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝘁𝗶𝗽: Start slow and steady. Ease back in - focusing on pelvic floor & core recovery, and regaining strength & endurance.

🧘‍♀️ It’s about progress, not perfection.
💫 Let’s build strength, confidence, and wellness this year, together.

🎉Reminder: Optimum Postpartum Group Sessions begin again on 𝙎𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙮 11𝙩𝙝 𝙅𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙮. For more information, click the link in bio 🔗

💥Want 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗺, Get in touch.

We focus on all that we CAN DO. 🏅

🛑 If you are always being told 'you can't do that' or 'you shouldn't do that', all you're going to focus on is what you can't or shouldn't do.

We are not ignoring the fact that there is caution needed when exercising during pregnancy and there are in fact movements we may need to avoid or modify at different stages, but you don't want to be exercising in FEAR of hurting or injuring yourself (or your baby). That's a very negative mindset. Especially when there's so many benefits of continuing to exercise during pregnancy.

💪🏼Instead of thinking "I can't do sit ups" ... why not focus on - I can do farmer's carries, bear holds, pallof presses (the list goes on) - to continue to work on your core strength.

🧎🏼Instead of thinking "my hips are sore, I can't do lunges"... Why not focus on - I can do split squats, step ups, single leg box squats...Or it may be as simple as changing the direction of movement.

At Optimum, if we advise dropping a movement, we will give you 5 more to replace it with so you continue working towards your goal and don't get bored along the way!

📸.coaching

A post to shout out all those that have allowed us to be part of their journey in 2023! And what a year it's been! 🎊

Being able to help and provide support in a time that can be exciting, challenging, and full of many questions, is so important to us! And we really enjoy doing it!

Seeing the physical progress and confidence grow in each and every mum or mum to be brings us so much joy. ✨

That feeling when you see someone achieve what they didn't think was possible is something else! During pregnancy 🤰🏼 and postpartum 👩‍👧! This just encourages us to keep helping others the best we can! Along with pushing us to continue to grow and be the best we can be too!

It's exciting to see the diary for next year already start to fill up! 🧾

So if you're looking for support during pregnancy or postpartum, get in touch!

When I say there's quiet a few exciting surprises coming in 2024, you have no idea! And we can not wait! 🎉

THERE IS NO ONE WAY - Everyone's experience of pregnancy, birth and overall health is different so everyone will have a different recovery & return to exercise, on their own time line.

We hope you didn't need reminded but *don't compare yourself to others*! What you hear from others or even see on social media, isn't always the full story! And also, doesn't make it "right" because it looked good in the moment🤳.

We will often start a sessions with a quick life update getting to know ➡️ how your overall feeling, how's sleep been, where's our stress levels, tell us about food this week, what activities you've been doing, how's baby eating/sleeping, where do we think we are on reaching our goals etc. Soo many factors (controllable and uncontrollable) can influence how each session will go. It's important that we can adapt. You don't always have to push through.

‼️*Exercise should compliment what's happening outside of the gym, not take away from it*!

🎯Seek out what you need that will support you and help you work towards your goals!

"Exercise after having a baby is not just about about restoring and building physical fitness, it's about reclaiming your strength, your confidence, and your magic."

It will always be beneficial to build foundations in the postpartum period before resuming your usual exercise and activity - regardless of how active you were before or during pregnancy, and especially if you plan on returning to heavy lifting, high intensity exercise or contact sport.

The first month you want to focus on rest and recover, and then SLOWLY and PROGRESSIVELY return to what you love. This can help reduce the risk of injury (jumping in too soon) and burnout.

Burnout is real! I know you may want to jump straight back into what you've done in the past, but give yourself some grace. Your energy, sleep, eating, stress, mobility...(the list can go on) may not be the same. BUT this does not mean you're ADAPTABLE. And your plan should take this into consideration.

Need support?

Our next OPTIMUM POSTPARTUM GROUP SESSIONS starts

👀 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫.
⌚ 𝟖𝐚𝐦
📍 𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐊

This block will run for 5 weeks and will be the last of the year 🎄!

Want to end the year strong? Give yourself a head start for the year to come!

Click the link in the profile to get involved!

Go! Go! Go!

OPTIMUM POSTPARTUM GROUP SESSIONS

5 WEEK BLOCK STARTING ✨SATURDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER ✨ AT 8AM

Optimum Postpartum group sessions are a step by step approach to exercising after having a child - whether you are 2 months or 2 years postnatal.

Whether your goal is to:
- increase strength and fitness
- get back to a specific sport/exercise
- feel more comfortable in your clothes
- be confident in your body again

The program is designed specifically to get you these results

Open to all levels of fitness and experience.

*This program is suitable for mothers 6 weeks (vaginal delivery) or 8-10 weeks (cesarean) to anytime thereafter, & you feel right yourself to start exercising*