Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
My name is Rachel Prince from London UK. I am 36 years old, wife, and mum to one lively toddler — a little girl called Coco who is 2 years old. I am also pregnant with my second daughter (due date 15th Feb), so I fall into the cliche of having a Covid-19 lockdown baby!
I am an ex-retail and eCommerce specialist turned women’s fitness trainer, specialising in pre and post-natal fitness.
I have always enjoyed fitness, but I worried about the effects of exercise while trying for 7 months for a baby and then suffering a miscarriage. I also found pregnancy very difficult, struggling with changes to my body and the aches and pains that came with it. I googled like crazy and soon realized there was a need for more education and dedicated training support for women trying to conceive, and also throughout pregnancy and motherhood. In particular, around how to exercise safely.
Having a consulting background and a maths degree, I’ve always wanted to know why I should be training in a certain way and how it would impact my body. I bought a personal training course during my first pregnancy with the aim to give myself the knowledge to understand my own body and train smart. However, it soon became a passion, and after maternity leave I left my existing career and started my brand re|Born to help expecting and new mums on their fitness and/or rehab journey, giving them the dedicated support and bespoke training they deserve.
How did you hear about the PCES Course?
I came across Sarah on Instagram, and after following her for a while, I was made aware of the PCES course. When I was certified as a Pre and Post Natal Trainer, I was a little shocked at how straightforward that course was and how ‘easy’ it was for people in the UK to get certified, and I thought there needed to be much more detail around how to effectively train this population. I wanted to make sure I had really in-depth knowledge in this specialized field, not only for myself but to make sure I could help expecting/new mums to the best of my ability. I also believe that continuous learning is the only way forward in any industry! Given my prior background — I'm a total geek at heart and obsessed with human anatomy — the PCES course, which bridged the gap between physio and traditional personal training (i.e. more on the rehab and corrective exercise side) was perfect for me.
How are you feeling after doing PCES?
I feel so confident in my ability to help my clients! I actually don't know how people can train pre and post-natal women effectively without this level of knowledge. Most of my clients suffer from one or more pregnancy / postpartum related issues, ranging from common aches and pains (back, neck, shoulder, knee), and breathing/core/pelvic floor dysfunction to more troublesome issues such as post-natal arthritis. I would not have programmed in the same way without this qualification or witnessed the results my clients have seen as a result of taking the PCES course and being part of the Inner Circle.
How has this program changed the way you train your clients?
It all starts with the planning phase. I spend time reviewing client pictures and movement pattern videos to identify compensations so I can program effectively and provide corrective exercises they can do, either during sessions or in their spare time. It allows me to create truly bespoke training plans by combining corrective exercise with traditional training methods.
Do you feel your clients are getting better results because of what you learned in PCES?
100%, particularly for postpartum women who have specific issues they want to resolve, usually around core and pelvic floor dysfunction, but also to assist with problems arising from pregnancy/postpartum such as PGP, sciatic nerve pain, SI Joint pain, 'twisted' pelvis, etc.
How are you feeling in your second pregnancy compared to your first, now that you are armed with your knowledge from PCES?
I am completely aware of my own body, the changes that are occurring and compensations / muscle imbalances arising, and therefore how to train to mitigate the impact. Not to mention, I've already suffered from wrist pain and sciatic nerve pain and have managed to 'rehab' myself while waiting for NHS referrals (as I am a business owner now, I don't have private health insurance so I have to go through the national healthcare system which has a huge backlog, so I've been unable to see anyone).
It also makes it so much easier to have control over my own programming, though I have little time when programming for everyone else! The most beneficial for me at the moment with all the changes to my body is continuing to manage deep, 360 degree breathing, intra-abdominal pressure and core function. I feel I have so much more control and am so much stronger than the first time around.
That is amazing! Overall, what was your favorite part of the program?
All of it! Though I genuinely feel the opportunity to join the Inner Circle is the best part. The ongoing support, learning and community. I've also made some great virtual friends from it.
Did anything surprise you about PCES?
I expected to learn a lot on the rehab side of pre/post-natal fitness and programming. I genuinely didn't expect to learn as much as I did, and having all the research (PDFs) to back it up was great. Science backed evidence! Again, it comes back to what I felt was lacking in the industry in terms of educating women and training in a safe and progressive way.
Tell us more about how being a member of the Inner Circle helped you in your business.
The things I have mentioned above, but also being able to troubleshoot client issues (with their permission, of course) if you are unsure of the approach. Everyone is so helpful and experienced, so it's really great for personal and professional development, not to mention genuinely making a difference to your clients. It has also encouraged me to launch my Postpartum Essentials course — the new type of ante-natal course aimed at the mum's recovery and return to fitness — something that doesn't get covered over here, as it's all about the birth and the baby, but what about us mums!
Thank you so much for being a PCES Hero! We love hearing from you in the Inner Circle, and have enjoyed following along with your second pregnancy!
You can find Rachel here:
re|Born: offering Pre & Post Natal Personal Training & Corrective Exercise face to face and online. I also run a Postpartum course for mums alongside a pelvic health physio and nutritionist. The aim of this course is to educate and give mums the practical skills to aid their postpartum recovery after the baby arrives, something that is lacking (not covered) in traditional antenatal courses in the UK.
IG: @rebornactive
FB: @rebornactiveuk
Email: [email protected]
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