Today I chat with Trisha Cicero, a former MMA athlete who has transitioned into coaching and supporting women in combat sports. Trisha shares her journey through the challenges of weight management, the impact of training intensity on women's health, and the importance of balance in nutrition and training. We discuss the toxic culture of weight cutting in combat sports and the significance of recovery in athletic performance. Trisha also offers advice for young women entering combat sports...

Today, Julia Scardone joins me as she shares about her career as a Judo athlete and how she’s embraced the change and growth in motherhood. She discusses how she approached her training during her (unexpected!) pregnancy and how, despite having an emergency c-section was determined to get back to the mat as fast as possible. She soon learned how different life was now, but wanted to prove that she was still an athlete. Because she is. Athleticism does not end when motherhood begins and Julia...

Adam Fuller is a CrossFit Level 4 Coach, garage affiliate owner (CrossFit Thin Air, Buena Vista, Colorado), and Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coach. He tells us his story of opening and growing his affiliate, why he decided to become a P&PA Coach, and how he applies the certification in more ways than just pregnancy & postpartum. He has a passion for coaching moms, helping them with their specific needs and goals, and seeing their wins as they pursue their lifetime of...

Pelvic floor physical therapy is becoming more and more of a mainstream thing…but we have a long way to go. Mindy English is a PFPT local to Eagle, Idaho who chats with us today about what pelvic floor physical therapy is, why it’s helpful, and why she’s so passionate about it. Mindy took the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Certification and it’s helping her connect the dots between treating her patients through the lens of physical therapy and how to help athletes in their specific...

Today I have with me Antonia Henry, owner and head coach of A1 Fit Coaching and P&PA Coach, as we discuss what the research actually is saying about intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and how that translates to your lifting. We discuss common reasons you may be peeing while you lift and what can be done about it, as well as dig into more about IAP and why pressure management and core + pelvic health are important factors in your performance as an athlete. Big thank you to Antonia for sharing...

Today I sit down with my friend Miranda Granger who is a retired UFC fighter and is now pregnant with her second baby. Miranda reflects on her journey as a fighter and how she came to the decision to have her first baby and how that changed her as a fighter. She’s excited for the next phase of motherhood with her second baby and anxious to see how that postpartum goes. Go follow her on Instagram at @mirandagranger.   Miranda has been utilizing the Pregnant Athlete Training Program and has...

Today, I have with me OBGYN and Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coach, Lamia Zafrani, who shares with us what her life currently looks like as a pregnant athlete. Lamia is an incredible resource and collaborator and is actually one of the expert interviews in the P&PA Course itself. I truly value her perspective and work in this community! Today she shares more in-depth about what it means to be “cleared”, her own very personal experience with miscarriage and recovery from...

We’re told “just do what you’ve always done” and “just listen to your body”, but we know that this is not enough. I hope by the end of this episode you gain a better understanding of how to train during pregnancy and why we need to adjust in the first place. I dive into mindset (athlete brain), core + pelvic health considerations, and more.   If you’re a pregnant or postpartum athlete looking for resources, I can help:   The Pregnancy Cheat Sheet Free E-Book: ...

A little more personal of a podcast today… with my youngest son Chance’s birthday coming up (turning 7!), it had me reflecting on the decision to have a second baby and what that looked like. I wasn’t even in a mental place to think about another baby for the first 3 years postpartum after Cade, but I knew we wanted to have a second. I have had experiences within my own family that reaffirmed the decision to have another baby and not have Cade be an only child. I was also worried that 4...

Today, P&PA Coach Katie joins me and shares her inspiring story of going from a hairstylist of 18 years to a full-time P&PA Coach in her very own space. It’s a story that we so commonly hear - we don’t know we need this information until we do. This was the case for Katie when she realized she developed prolapse after her first baby, leading her down the rabbit hole of pelvic health and desperately seeking answers. Eventually, she finds the P&PA Cert and her path completely...

Let’s be honest…female athletes, and women in general, are not taught a lot about their bodies, especially as it relates to pelvic health and athletic performance. Most people don’t learn until they have to, so in an effort to provide some practical advice for female athletes across the span of their lifetime, I elaborated on a very popular Instagram post I did last week which sparked a lot of questions! This episode covers 11 kinda awkward, but very helpful things you should know and do to...

Cade joins me again this year for another interview where it’s made super clear his love for sports and In-N-Out. But in all seriousness, Cade is a kind, supportive brother and friend who can’t wait for his future career in the NFL. They grow up fast…one day they aren’t sleeping at all and the next they, like Cade, sleep in until 10:30. If you’re in the trenches right now with little boys, hang in there. It’ll get better. Happy Birthday, Cade! If you’re a busy mom looking for a workout...

If you have a dream of opening and running your own gym, this episode is for you. Hannah Donnelly pulls back the curtains on the process of opening their very own Get Fit gym based in Meridian, Idaho. It took faith, grit, patience, and drive to achieve their goal and they were highly successful. When they opened their doors in 2023, they started with 40 members. That number has now doubled! Hannah explains how important it is to get involved in the community and never give up on your dreams. ...

Today I have P&PA Coach Ryan K. Reynolds with me as we chat about her journey as a pro Rubgy player, firefighter, and advocate for women in sports and first responder careers. As a pioneer in the Rugby world, Ryan saw first-hand the growth of women in the sport, having had the opportunity to be on the Olympic team. She decided to use her athletic skills and talents later in life to become a first responder and is now working as a firefighter for her local community. Her mission and hope...

Today, I have a special guest Dr. Luke Pomerantz who is an Orthopedic Surgeon out of San Diego, California, and a black belt in Jiu Jitsu. He shares with us the most common sports injuries he sees among combat athletes, his experiences as a surgeon, and best practices for healing and treating the injuries he sees.   As a lifelong athlete, Luke has always been immersed in the world of sports and that passion has now led him to his current career. He loves the opportunity to help others heal,...

Today, MMA Athlete and mother, Molly Lindsay, joins me and she is out to be a game-changer in the world of martial arts. She’s passionate about advocating for women and mothers within the sport with a desire to create more support and awareness surrounding mental health struggles, sexism, and returning to the sport postpartum. I have no doubt she is going to go on to change the game! In this episode, Molly shares with us about her experience as a female MMA fighter and the struggle it has...

Today I chat with four of our very successful P&PA Coaches on how they have found unique ways to make an income with their Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Certification. The impact, opportunities, and options are endless with the P&PA Cert. Listen to the stories of these coaches and see what ideas spark for you and your business and what the P&PA Cert can make possible for you. Coaches featured on the show: Trish Evangelista, CrossFit Affiliate Owner of Babylon CrossFit...

Annie Thorisdottir is BACK on the Practice Brave Podcast! The last time we were here, we talked about her postpartum experience with her first baby. Now, she gives us behind-the-scenes information on how her second pregnancy is, how her previous birth has impacted her, how her training is going, and her hopes and ideals for the future. Annie is the total embodiment of athletic maturity as she is training with intention during this pregnancy, ultimately doing what feels best to her and best...

Today, Bethany Robinson, or as many of you know her, Sporty Beth, joins me as we dig deep into her history with fitness, her ED, life as a content creator, and now navigating her pregnancy. Her pregnancy has been a difficult experience so far with intense morning sickness and she is finding ways to work through each of her challenges. Through it all, Beth has stayed active and consistent with her fitness as a way to manage her mental health and feel good through pregnancy. Sporty Beth is a...

Today, Midwife and P&PA Coach Elena joins me as we discuss all things birth. So often we hear “fit pregnancy = perfect birth”, but in Elena’s experience, this is not always the case. So how do we prepare? Elena shares 5 considerations pregnant athletes should have for preparing for birth. Some of them might surprise you!   Elena is based in England and is the founder of Wise Mamas Wise Mamas and a fierce advocate for family-centered care. She believes pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal...

In this episode, Olympian Emily Muskett joins me as we delve into her inspiring weightlifting career. Despite setbacks and the disappointment of not being chosen for the Olympics initially, she persevered, eventually making it to the global stage in Toyko for the 2020 Summer Olympics.   After retiring from professional weightlifting, she transitioned into motherhood, navigating through pregnancy and postpartum recovery. She shares her experience of adjusting her exercise routine and...

Today I chatted with Kate Lyman, owner of KL Nutrition, P&PA Coach, and new mom. Kate gave birth one year ago and experienced the unexpected at her home birth as she pushed for 9 hours straight. As a result of her baby’s position, she underwent a severe tear and later realized she had a Pelvic Organ Prolapse. She has been working hard to overcome and heal from this experience and shares with us all of the details. Her hope is education and awareness around birth trauma and pelvic health...

Today, I am honored to have Angela Lee Pucci join me as she shares her story of becoming a world champion MMA fighter, a first-time mom, and ultimately creating her nonprofit organization, Fightstory. Angela has always been in the combat sports world and knew that it’s what she wanted to do from an early age. She pursued it and was successful as a six-time world champ. When she became a mom in 2021, she knew that she was not done yet and returned to fighting postpartum. She retired from...

Today I’m joined by one of the members of the P&PA Team, Juliann Balley, as we discuss approaching the CrossFit Open as a pregnant or postpartum athlete. Juliann has participated in the Open while pregnant and postpartum through the years and shares her perspective as a recreational athlete, P&PA Coach, and CrossFit Level 1. Ultimately, it comes down to adjusting your expectations, and mindset, and honoring the season you are currently in, while also keeping core + pelvic health in...