The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Lockdowns and the traffic light system meant that we were jumping between face-to-face and virtual trainings for a period, but my clients were so accommodating and just got on with the sessions no matter who was in the room (or having a little face plastered to the camera in some instances).
This has opened up another form of training as I now offer live online and recorded trainings for home viewing. For a period last year when there was a lot of sickness circulating, keeping mums and babies at home, this allowed the mums to continue to get their workouts in and feel a part of the class.
With lots of uncertainty on how the traffic light system in 2021 was going to affect day-to-day life, including gym attendance, along with providing additional flexibility, setting up a home studio has been the key to having a purposeful area to work. It has given me the opportunity to switch on when I step out of the house and “go to work” as opposed to tripping over the toys and washing, etc., and with online content, it also provides a more professional look.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
A big pro is having the ability to choose my own hours and the flexibility to make changes as my family’s needs change, which allows my business to evolve and change with my family. Having full support from my husband, right from the early days of pursuing a passion which has developed into a business, has been a big part of the reason I am where I am today.
I have lots of ideas brewing, and projects in the pipeline, but I wouldn’t say that I am a natural when it comes to running a business or managing the technical side of things! It all takes time, which I sometimes don’t feel I have a lot of with managing a young family also.
I’m working on to-do lists as a way of prioritising my projects and admin so that I don’t get to the end of a Thursday and feel that I haven’t made progress with work, before my days with the family begin.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
My dream is to be known as the “go-to” MumSafe™ trainer in my local area by all the mums and mums-to-be, as well as the midwives, physios, chiropractors, osteopaths and other health professionals, who can refer their mum clients where they see appropriate.
As I am personally coming out of the “baby phase” and heading towards perimenopause, I would like to help postnatal mums with older children, to understand their bodies and adapt their training to their cycles and the changes in their hormones. Mums who have had pelvic surgery, or a hysterectomy, are another group who need to take much care when returning to exercise, as it’s like returning after having had a baby. There is currently little to no support on how to return to exercise safely and effectively, strengthening from the inside out, so I would like to close the gap on this.
I would also like more of an online presence, which is one of my current projects that I am working on providing through my website. With offering live online classes, there is the potential to have mums from almost anywhere in the world joining in!
Visit the BRSW Pre and Postnatal Fitness website to find out more. You can also follow Brooke on her Facebook and Instagram pages.
