Let’s geek out on the pregnancy & postpartum!
From a physiological and biomechanical perspective, few things (if any?) can compare to all of the changes that the human body endures during pregnancy and postpartum. However, as movement professionals, our trainings fall short on educating us about how to best help this population. As such, let’s do a deep dive on this incredibly dynamic period in one’s life and where the current research sits on recommendations to better help our clients and our own bodies!
Taught by studio owner Bre Dumke Helfrich, MSc, PhD, Certified GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® Trainer, Certified GYROKINESIS® Trainer, & Certified Comprehensive Pilates Teacher
If you're a movement professional wanting to go beyond counting reps, choreography and basic anatomy, this is for you. Similarly, if you're a clinician wanting to fully join team exercise and learn more about how to merge the science with the applied, this is for you. And if you're a movement geek wanting to connect with other movement geeks, this is for you.
ABOUT:
The MDL Pregnancy & Postpartum Geek Out is composed of two courses that can be taken together or separately. The first course will be lecture format covering the physiological and biomechanical changes that occur during pregnancy and postpartum with emphasis on how such changes impact movement and physical activity. Following the lecture, we will have a movement class implementing what we learned in the lecture. During the movement class, we will cover specific areas to focus on during pregnancy and postpartum as well as many helpful modifications and ways to work with the ever-changing pregnant & postpartum body.
CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WILL BE COVERED? HERE'S A QUICK ROADMAP:
- We'll briefly discuss the ins and outs to growing a human(s) including the endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic changes that occur during pregnancy.
- With the developing fetus(es), a pregnant person's body undergoes quite a bit of anthropometric changes. We'll discuss how such changes impact posture, gait, balance, and overall movement.
- Now it's time to do it all in reverse! While the physiological changes seem to happen much quicker, we will again cover the endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic changes that occur in postpartum.
- As the body heals from pregnancy, change is again the name of the game. We'll discuss the implications of weight loss, muscle regeneration, pelvic floor rehabilitation, and even the new biomechanical demands presented in postpartum such as breastfeeding!
- With all of these changes, we'll discuss what is best to focus on during pregnancy and how to best help our pregnant clients
- As the body heals from preganncy, we'll focus on the areas that are important to consider in postpartum. We'll also discuss building your network of providers as it really does take a village to raise a child but also to support a mother.
- We'll also discuss longterm postpartum movement considerations because, let's be honest, it takes a lot longer than 6 weeks to heal from pregnancy.
- In this section, we'll cover some basic ways to help a pregnant or postpartum client with few props. This work is critical especially in postpartum care when time is short and movement oftentimes gets squeezed inbetween babe's naps and ALL THE THINGS.
- Adapting both Pilates and the Gyrotonic method to the ever changing pregnant body is all about creativity. We'll explore some of my favorite ways to adapt this work to your client regardless of if they are in the first or third trimester.
Pregnancy & Postpartum Lecture
Pregnancy Physiology Review
Pregnancy Biomechanical Changes
Postpartum Physiology Review
Postpartum Biomechanical Changes
Pregnancy & Postpartum Movement Class
Pregnancy Movement Considerations
Postpartum Movement Considerations
Mat & Small Prop Work
Equipment Work
Note: If you don't have access to equipment, I still encourage you to join. A replay will be available but my goal is to inspire you to take this work and creatively make it your own. We will also discuss ways you can replace the equipment with resistance bands and other more accessible props. Also, please note that traditional cable machines also make excellent step ins for our fancy Pilates & GYROTONIC® equipment. 😉
SCHEDULE
Day: Saturday, March 23rdTime: Lecture: 10-1 PM Mountain Time & Movement Class: 2-4 PM
Where: The Zoom!
Cost: Early bird pricing is $125 for the lecture and $55 for the movement course individually or both for $165. After March 8th, pricing will increase to $135 for the lecture, $75 for the movement class and $195 for both.
Will there be a replay? YES! All enrolled students will receive the recording that will be available to watch at anytime.
About Bre:
Bre Dumke Helfrich, MSc, PhD, is the founder of Movement Design Lab in Salt Lake City, UT. After surviving a mountaineering accident in Southern Colorado that left her with numerous injuries, she left the world of academia on a mission to heal. It is from her own experience rehabbing with both the Pilates and the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® that both systems blended perfectly with her geeky science mind. She is passionate about adapting both systems to fit the needs of her clients. Clients first - choreography second. Bre earned her MSc in Health and Exercise Science from Colorado State University, is a Certified Comprehensive Pilates Teacher, a Certified GYROTONIC® Teacher, and a Certified GYROKINESIS® Teacher. She also recently completed her PhD from the University of Utah in Kinesiology specializing in Cognitive & Motor Neuroscience. To say she is a movement geek is a bit of an understatement.
Outside of the studio, Bre loves all things mountains. From trail running to backcountry skiing, from climbing to simply going on a hike, Bre feels most at home in the high alpine. She feels lucky to call Salt Lake City home with her husband and son.
To Register:
Registration will open Monday, February 26th!
To secure your spot, the non-refundable course fee is required at time of registration. The class zoom link will be sent the day before class via email. A replay will be available after the course for all registered students.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Contact Us:
If you have any questions or would like more information, please email Bre directly at bre@movementdesignlab.com or call us at 801.831.4391.
