Julie Holl shares how ViPR can be a game-changer for the way you support postnatal women on their path to holistic health.

After the beautiful journey of pregnancy and childbirth, it's crucial for new mums to prioritise a safe return to exercise. This journey may take many forms and will undoubtedly have a huge array of timescales depending on any number of factors, including the type of delivery the mother has, to whether she has had complications following birth, down to the simple task of “Does she have enough energy to exercise and does she actually want to?”

As a fitness professional, I think we can all agree that exercise for a new mum is important and can be hugely beneficial – for her mental health, her postnatal core and pelvic floor recovery, as well as her confidence in her body image. But what should she be doing?

Being a mother is a whirlwind of joy, challenges and surprises. From lifting her precious little ones to navigating strollers, car seats and daily tasks, a mother's life demands strength and adaptability in all dimensions.

Traditional exercises, while effective, often fall short in preparing mothers for the multi-directional movements they engage in regularly. Squats with barbells and lunges with dumbbells are wonderful, but they don't capture the full spectrum of a mother's daily physical demands – which less face it, are many!

ViPR is magic for mums

One of the best things about ViPR is its adaptability. Whether it's a 2kg load or a 16kg challenge, ViPR meets postnatal women where they are on their unique journeys. It allows us to progress safely, ensuring that each movement is purposeful and supportive of the mother's physical needs and goals.

One of the challenges I am often met with when it comes to new mums is that they feel stiff and achy; by moving the whole body in all directions, this can certainly alleviate some of those aches and discomforts.

ViPR plugs the gaps that are often created from traditional exercises. Using a range of motion, ViPR can deliver loaded movement in three crucial directions: forward, sideways and rotation. It's a fitness tool designed to resonate with the rhythms of motherhood.

Movement that mirrors real life

Motherhood is a demanding, full-body experience. It requires lateral movements, rotational control and a keen sense of stability, while juggling the adorable chaos of children. ViPR mirrors these daily challenges, making it an essential tool for postnatal women looking to build their confidence and strength through functional fitness.

Take a look at these three simple exercises using ViPR that cover the three crucial directions of forwards, sideways and rotation.

ViPR Loaded forward lunge

This is a move that mimics the action of picking up a stroller or swooping in to save your child from a misadventure. With ViPR, mums can master these motions in a controlled environment, building confidence and strength for real-life situations, teaching the body to recognise these moves and then utilising them in a real-life scenario.

Lunges are a favourite of mine for new mums. I remember fondly holding my children when they were babies and having dropped a burping cloth on the floor. The only way to get it off the floor while holding the baby upright, having just fed them, was to lunge forward and scoop off the floor! Lunges got me out of some tricky positions as a new mum!

ViPR Kneeling Swing

The kneeling swing of ViPR is a great postnatal exercise. There’s no need to load heavy with this. Your lightest ViPR will be perfect. By kneeling on one leg, we are doing hip stability and pelvic stability work (great for her pelvic floor). The drive of ViPR in this diagonal motion encourages mobility of the front of the hip, which can be rather ‘sticky' post pregnancy. The diagonal movement mimics the lifting of her baby on to her shoulder.

You can play around with tempo with this exercise as she progresses though her postnatal journey.

ViPR Forward Hinge

The forward hinge with reach backwards is also a favourite of mine for new mums (well, everyone in fact!). One big factor that I always consider with my new mums is, what is their thoracic mobility like? In most cases, it is restricted. The cause: reduced thoracic mobility during pregnancy due to their ever-growing bump and breasts, then long periods of time feeding and holding the new baby all take its toll on the new mother’s thoracic spine. But why is thoracic mobility so important, particularly for new mums? If this area is restricted, it can affect their breathing patterns, and how effective their breathing motion is can impact on their pelvic floor.

So this exercise is a key to unlocking the restrictions in the spine, while also teaching mums a good hinge position (really helpful for bath times, lifting car seats and lifting the baby in and out of their cot).

These are only three examples; ViPR has the versatility to deliver so much more to accommodate the needs of postnatal mums while they are building their strength.

Remember, it's not about bouncing back – it's about moving forward, one ViPR swing at a time, as we support postnatal mums to build strength, confidence and a deeper connection to their bodies.

Author bio

Julie Holl has dedicated over 15 years to supporting postnatal women. As a holistic core restore coach, pregnancy and postnatal massage specialist, and scar therapist, she developed the Happy Body Project. While open to everyone, the therapy centre is a haven for mothers seeking support on various fronts – from talking therapy to lactation guidance, physiotherapy and cranio-sacral therapy. Julie’s commitment is to create an environment where mothers are empowered to nurture themselves in mind, body and soul. Find out more at www.happybodyproject.co.uk