Group Classes
About Group Exercise Classes
Willow offer group exercise classes which are a fun, effective, and specific for women including during pregnancy, after delivery, during Motherhood and transitioning into peri-menopause!
Classes are all streamed live via Zoom AND the class recording is available for playback for the whole week after the live class - perfect if you can't make the live time of your favourite classes!
Exercise that is tailored specifically for different stages in a woman's life is vital - from pre-conception, to pregnancy, the postnatal period, Motherhood to peri to post-menopause. Creating a functional and dynamically strong body, and good breathing and posture habits are essential elements to optimal, long term core and good pelvic health. If you're currently pregnant, check out my FAQs for details on if my classes are safe for you.
Choosing to exercise with a trainer who has fully qualified and is experienced in working with women including pre and postnatal exercise and women's health is the only safe and effective option. Check out my FAQs for what to look for in a women's health fitness trainer. All exercises have various adaptations and strategies that take into consideration the physical, physiological and hormonal changes which occur during each pregnancy trimester, stage after birth, during Motherhood and beyond.
When you join Willow, you don't just get an exercise class! It is essential that your are adequately screened to ensure the exercises that you are prescribed are going to be safe and effective for you. Each class, every week is planned and adapted to suit the individual needs of the participants taking part. The screening process will also highlight any need to refer you to a women's health specialist before you participate in exercise. You can also have a more detailed 121 session (or Postnatal Health Check if you're recently postnatal) at any point, ideally before your first class - this will enable me to offer you even more individualised alternatives/adaptations throughout group classes.
Every Willow class includes:
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An in-depth pregnancy/postnatal/pelvic floor health screening;
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Access to Willow closed Facebook group for life;
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Core Flow & Stretch
A mat based class to gently challenge core, bodyweight strength and flexibility
Core Flow & Stretch is a mat based class involving controlled Pilates and Yoga style flows and exercises to strengthen and lengthen your body from your core out and to improve your mobility and flexibility leaving you in a state of calm after a challenging workout.
This class will include a range of difficultly options so you can create a class that works for your body. It is also suitable if you'd like to progress on from my Core Restore class and step the intensity up a small notch to further challenge your core, pelvic floor and whole body strength, endurance and coordination.
Are you Pregnant? If you've undertaken core work/Pilates/Yoga prior to pregnancy, this will be suitable for you to continue during the first trimester, possibly a few weeks into your second trimester although this will be very individual and based on how you feel.
Are you recently postnatal? If you haven't done so already, I'd recommend you build your foundations using my Core Restore class or other New Mum 121 services initially. Re-connecting with your deep core and pelvic floor first, is key to creating a balanced core after having a baby before progressing to more challenging exercises.
Are you experiencing any symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, Diastasis Recti, back or pelvic pain? In this case, I would recommend you initially book in with me on a 121 basis if possible (virtually if necessary) to discuss your needs. Please check out my services if you are in pain, experience pelvic floor dysfunction or have any ongoing postnatal issues.
SEPTEMBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Monday 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th September 12.00-12.45pm
OCTOBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Monday 4th, 11th and 18th October 12.00-12.45pm plus a pre-recording on 25th October
Can't make it live?
Class recordings are available all week so you can complete the class on a convenient day and time to suit you as many times as you wish. There is no requirement to complete the class live if you can't make it.
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Lift
A women's specific, pelvic floor conscious strength and conditioning class.
Lift is a functional core and pelvic floor conscious online class to build a dynamically strong body using kettlebells, hand weights and bodyweight, focusing on form and control.
Resistance training is extremely functional for women. We bend, twist, lift and load our bodies (often at the same time) everyday as we navigate through life.
Take on your daily activities with a strong mind and body. Lift resistance using core and pelvic floor friendly techniques. Build strength from the inside out to support your daily life and other sporting activities such as running, team sports and running around after the kids!
Resistance training is typically taught with a focus on creating a signifiant amount of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in the abdomen to stabilise the movement and many mistakes are often made which compromise breathing and posture. HOWEVER, too much IAP can be problematic for a lot of women. So with prevention as well as management of pelvic floor dysfunction, leaking and pelvic organ prolapse in mind, I have created a class which includes women specific lifting strategies. Lift is for ANY woman who would like a safe and effective resistance workout even if you are currently pregnant, managing mild/moderate prolapse, leaking, have pelvic floor dysfunction or going through/past menopause. It's a great supplement to women who walk and/or run regularly, but it's not recommended during early postnatal period - I'd recommend you take a look at my Core Restore class and my 121 New Mum services initially.
SEPTEMBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Monday 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th September 7.30-8.15pm
OCTOBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Monday 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th October 7.30-8.15pm
Can't make it live?
Class recordings are available all week so you can complete the class on a convenient day and time to suit you as many times as you wish. There is no requirement to complete the class live if you can't make it.
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Birth Ready
Pregnancy, labour and birth places a lot of demand on the body. This exclusive programme of sessions will help you eliminate the aches and pains of pregnancy, strengthen key muscles, prepare your pelvic floor for labour and birth and support the body through the challenging transition into postnatal recovery.
Birth Ready involves weekly 1 hour online practical sessions to prepare your body for pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal recovery, the smart way. You can join these sessions live, or your can complete the recording in your own time (or both!) - the recordings are available for a week, so you have plenty of time to complete and repeat each session as often as you wish.
SEPTEMBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Tuesday 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th September 9.30-10.15am
OCTOBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Tuesday 5th, 12th, 19th October 9.30-10.15am plus a pre-recording on 26th October.
Can't make it live?
Class recordings are available all week so you can complete the class on a convenient day and time to suit you as many times as you wish. There is no requirement to complete the class live if you can't make it.
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Core Restore
Core Restore sessions are designed for women who would like to improve the functioning of their core and pelvic floor, reduce pelvic floor related pain and/or achieve a flatter tummy, if that's your goal.
The "core" contains a whole system of muscles and after pregnancy into Motherhood and beyond, this system can become imbalanced leading to pelvic floor issues, an "empty inside" feeling, and the inability to achieve a better looking, stronger tummy, which maybe your current programme of crunches, planks and other abdominal/core/Pilates training is not achieving.
Core Restore group sessions are based on re-establishing correcting breathing technique i.e. coordinated synergy between the diaphragm and pelvic floor as well as how to access the deep core muscles and challenge them using subtle exercises with detailed cues as well as mobility for the trunk and hips, which is also crucial for good core functioning.
SEPTEMBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Thursday 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th September 9.30-10.15am
OCTOBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Thursday 7th, 14th, 21st October 9.30-10.15am plus a pre-recording on Thursday 28th October.
Can't make it live?
Class recordings are available all week so you can complete the class on a convenient day and time to suit you as many times as you wish. There is no requirement to complete the class live if you can't make it.
HiLo Glow
HiLo Glow’s functional fusion of cardio conditioning, dynamic flow of Pilates and relaxation will leave your glowing on the inside and out.
This online class is for all women from those wanting to stay functionally strong during an active pregnancy through to women who like to “feel a workout”, improve their fitness, alignment, muscle balance, boost their fat loss potential and movement capability in a pelvic floor conscious way. Women during Motherhood will also benefit from the protective effect of this class has on bone, heart, brain health and body composition as we approach peri-menopause into our 40’s.
This pelvic floor and core conscious conditioning class is inspired by HIIT training as well as the flow and dynamic control elements of Barre and standing Pilates. The relaxation finish provides us a time to rest and restore balance to our body and mind.
This class is not suitable during early postnatal period - better options during this time to rebuild your foundations would be Core Restore.
SEPTEMBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Wednesday 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th September 7.30-8.15pm
OCTOBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Wednesday 6th, 13th, 20th October 7.30-8.15pm with a pre-recording on 27th October.
Can't make it live?
Class recordings are available all week so you can complete the class on a convenient day and time to suit you as many times as you wish. There is no requirement to complete the class live if you can't make it.
Release
Release tightness and tension around your body which may either be restricting your movement, affecting your posture and/or causing you pain. Possibly you're pregnant and feel like you need to make some space in your body? Release is a slow-paced mobilising movement class to leave you in a state of calm and give you a feeling of space and length. It includes releases to relieve tension and stress for pelvic, body and mental health. This class is great for rebalancing the 'fight/flight' and 'rest/digest' nervous systems to positively impact on mental alertness and concentration, sleep, immunity, digestion and reduce pain, stress, tension and worry. The live class takes place usually every Sunday 8.30-9.15pm so you can join me live before bed and/or you can complete the recording at a convenient time for you during the week.
SEPTEMBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Sunday 12th, 19th, 26th September, 3rd October 8.30-9.15pm
OCTOBER COURSE SCHEDULE
LIVE Sunday 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st October 8.30-9.15pm
Can't make it live?
Class recordings are available all week so you can complete the class on a convenient day and time to suit you as many times as you wish. There is no requirement to complete the class live if you can't make it.
Menstrual Cycle Package
My Menstrual Cycle Package tunes into your cycle with appropriate exercise. I recommend what class to do during each of your 4 phases through the month. As with any class, you can attend your recommended class each week live and receive the recording if you can't make the live class time.
If you have irregular periods and/or experience significant PMS symptoms, I would firstly recommend you follow my Fix Your PMS 5-week programme.
Live class take place throughout the week (as per above) but recordings are also available if you can't make the live times.