Postnatal Exercise
Make your Gym a Safe Place for Women and their Pelvic Floor*
*This is important for anyone with a female anatomy whether they are newly postnatal, never had a baby, premenopausal or menopausal.
Supporting women's health in gyms isn’t just important—it’s essential. Women do not get the information and support after they have had a baby to recover their pelvic floor, heal their stomach muscles and exercise safely. The responsibility then lies with the gym to ensure they are training women safely, considering their pelvic floor and core regardless of how long ago they had a baby.
General fitness training does not cover how to consider women's pelvic floor in exercise and postnatal training is lacking. This leaves coaches lacking confidence and the education they need to consider women's health in your gym. This needs to change! By holding a workshop and educating your coaches or gym members, your gym will set a new standard for women's care and expertise, helping clients feel confident and valued.
Led by former NHS midwife turned Postnatal Recovery Expert, Karen Ellis.
Supporting Women in your Gym
After having a baby, many women join the gym eager to regain strength and confidence and to ‘get their body back’. This may be soon after having a baby or many, many years later. But without the proper support, they risk injuries like pelvic floor dysfunction or making an abdominal separation (Diastasis Recti) worse.
This not only impacts their recovery but also women tell me that they stop going to the gym and cancel their memberships because they do not feel supported and safe. This is your chance to be the gym women want to go to and feel safe at rather than the gym women leave.
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The fitness industry, as a whole, falls short when it comes to equipping instructors to train postnatal women safely and effectively. Even specialised pre- and postnatal certifications often fail to meet the necessary standards—I know this firsthand. When I completed my own training, I was shocked at how inadequate it was.
To fill this gap, I drew upon my medical expertise as a midwife, work with physiotherapists, and relied on my in-depth understanding of women's health. This allowed me to develop a safe and effective approach to training women whilst considering their pelvic floor whether they are newly postnatal or menopausal.
As a gym owner, you have a responsibility to ensure women receive the care and support they need during training to look after their pelvic floor. But with such limited guidance available, this can be a real challenge. That’s why I’ve created this workshop—to give your instructors everything they need to deliver exceptional, 5-star postnatal support to their clients and reduce risk in your gym.
“Alison, a woman who attended one of my workshops, shared her story with me. She had joined a gym hoping to heal her Diastasis Recti and regain her strength. Although the instructor tried to adapt exercises for her, Jenny didn’t feel confident that they truly understood her condition. The instructor never discussed her Diastasis Recti with her or helped her feel sure that she was exercising safely within her limits. Feeling unsupported, Jenny eventually left the gym and hasn’t tried exercising again since.”
Why this workshop matters
01
Safety First
When women start to exercise either newly postnatal or years later, they must learn how to connect with and use their pelvic floor and abdominal muscles in exercise to avoid long-term complications. Jumping into mainstream exercises can be harmful to the pelvic floor and abdomen if there is not a proper understand of how to use them in exercise safely.
02
Retention through Trust
Women who feel understood and supported are loyal members. When your instructors can confidently guide and empower postnatal clients, they’ll build relationships that keep members coming back.
03
Elevate your gym's reputation
Unfortunately, the fitness industry as a whole is very poor at supporting women health correctly. Gyms that provide safe, tailored postnatal and women's health support will be recommended and will stand out.
04
Confidence in coaching
Empower your instructors to work safely with postnatal women and train whilst considering the pelvic floor so they feel inspired and excited to coach rather than worried and unsure.
What your instructors will learn
The Basics of Postnatal Physiology
They will understand how pregnancy and birth affect the body, including the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. They will then be able to teach this to the women they support to build trust and confidence.
Screening and red flags
Your instructors will be able to identify signs of pelvic floor dysfunction and Diastasis Recti and know when to refer them to a physio to support their return to exercise.
Safe Programming
Essential questions to ask postnatal women during training sessions, ensuring they get the feedback from the women that they need to tailor their instruction to their level. This approach empowers instructors to provide appropriate modifications, prioritising each woman's safety and well-being.
Effective communications
Your instructors will have a bank of cues that they can use to help women train safely and feel confident in their workouts.
A workshop held by Karen at SEN-Fit CIC in Derby to a group of women at different stages of their childbearing and menopause journey.
The incredible feedback received, followed by.......
.... this message a few days later.
“Nikki reached out to me because she feels pressure on her pelvic floor whenever she does core exercises in her gym’s group coaching program. Unfortunately, no one at the gym can guide her on this, leaving her unsure of how to progress safely and worried that she might make things worse.
Nikki’s experience could be completely different if there were an instructor who could help her understand how to connect with her pelvic floor, use it effectively during exercise, and work out safely to protect it.”
Why Choose This Workshop....
Even with a Level 3 pre and postnatal Qualification?
While a Level 3 qualification in pre- and postnatal fitness is a great starting point, it often falls short in preparing instructors to work confidently and effectively with postnatal women. Many instructors leave these courses with theoretical knowledge but lack the practical tools needed to apply what they’ve learned in real-world settings.
This workshop fills that gap by offering:
• Hands-On Practical Training: Learn exactly how to adapt exercises, provide modifications, and assess individual needs for postnatal clients from a trainer who has been doing this herself for the last decade.
• Beyond the Basics: Dive deeper into postnatal recovery than a standard qualification, covering topics like Diastasis Recti, pelvic floor health, and progressive strength building.
• Real-Life Application: Gain actionable strategies, a bank of cues and key questions to ask women to implement immediately in classes and personal training sessions, helping you support postnatal clients with confidence.
Gym owners can trust that this workshop equips instructors with the skills to provide a higher standard of care than what is taught in most qualification courses. Choosing this workshop is not just an upgrade—it’s an essential step in creating a safe and supportive gym environment for postnatal women.
Reserve your spot now and transform your gym's postnatal support
Venue - In-person workshop at your gym or online on Zoom
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Duration - This can vary depending on exactly what you want. But a minimum of 90 minutes.
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To the coaches or clients - I offer workshops to directly teach the coaches as discussed above. Or I offer workshops to teach your clients directly as part of your gyms offerings or you could make this a ticketed workshop.
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Cost - £100 per hour of workshop time, plus travel if more than 30 miles from Saltburn-by-the-sea
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Contact Karen to discuss your workshop.
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Karen Ellis
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Email; hello@karenpostrehab.co.uk
Telephone; 07769357334
About The Trainer
Hi, I’m Karen Ellis, a former midwife turned postnatal recovery specialist and advocate for empowering women through safe and effective fitness. With over a decade of experience supporting women during and after pregnancy and throughout different stages of menopause, I’ve developed a deep understanding of how the body changes and what it takes to rebuild strength while prioritising long-term pelvic and core health.
I’m the founder of an online Postnatal Recovery membership and the creator of workshops, group coaching programs, and postnatal exercise classes designed specifically for mums. This hands-on experience, combined with my background as a midwife, fitness qualifications, and ongoing professional development, uniquely equips me to train other instructors to safely and effectively support postnatal women.
My workshops bridge a critical gap in postnatal and women's health fitness education, giving gym instructors the practical knowledge and confidence they need to provide tailored support. I teach evidence-based strategies to help trainers identify individual needs, adapt exercises appropriately, and empower women to achieve their fitness goals while prioritising recovery.
My mission is simple: to ensure no woman leaves a fitness space feeling unsupported or at risk. Together, we can transform gyms into welcoming, knowledgeable, and safe havens for postnatal women.
Interested?
Get in touch with Karen at hello@karenpostrehab.co.uk to schedule a workshop for your gym and together we can ensure women are safe and thriving at your gym.