The Mother FIGRs Podcast

To celebrate Amelia turning FOUR today, here's my full birth story!! As mentioned in the episode, here is the PDF to my Labor Prep Circuit, which you can also find in my FIGR:Pregnancy program! https://guides.fitisgettingreal.com/laborcircuit Where we can connect and where you can learn more! I love nothing more than chatting with you guys, so please reach out at any time! Instagram: @katedarkofit...

In this episode, I break down Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) — what it is, why it happens, what it feels like, and how to approach it during and after pregnancy. I cover common symptoms, contributing factors, and strategies to manage or reduce discomfort, including movement modifications, strength training, and pelvic stability work. I also share my own experience navigating SPD across two preg...

In this episode, I’m breaking down the most common Q&A themes from my Mother FIGR Coach Certification course at Innerverse Pilates Studio. We dig into four core topics that every coach working with pregnant or postpartum clients should understand: the difference between diastasis and coning (and why they’re not the same thing), how to recognize and interpret real-time symptom expression in cla...

The term “safe” gets thrown around a lot on social media—“safe moves for diastasis,” “pregnancy-safe workouts,” and more. But what does unsafe actually mean when it comes to exercise during pregnancy and postpartum? In this episode, I break down: What truly makes an exercise unsafe (hint: it’s not what you see in most gym settings) Why the conversation should shift from safe vs. unsafe to effectiv...

In this episode, I walk through how I approach workout adaptations during the first and second trimesters—what I modify, why it matters, and how to keep movement effective and accessible. I cover specific patterns that often get adjusted, like sit-ups, planks, and bar hanging movements, and explain the reasoning behind each one. But more importantly, I emphasize that these choices are always up to...

In this episode of the Mother FIGRs podcast, I walk through the 2019 Canadian guidelines for physical activity during pregnancy. My focus is on translating research into practical, real-life advice for pregnant and postpartum women. I highlight the benefits of staying active, the importance of individualized plans, and I tackle some of the most common misconceptions around exercise risks. I also b...

This is "part two" of our trying to conceive journey. In the last episode, I shared our personal timeline—what those two years looked like between our first child and this current pregnancy. In this episode, I’m walking through 10 specific things we actually tried that might help you if you're currently TTC, thinking about expanding your family, or just want to understand the different ways to sup...

In this episode of the Mother FIGRs podcast, I share my two year personal journey of trying to conceive between our first child and my current pregnancy. I talk about the challenges, ups and downs, and the different methods I explored—like tracking, fertility specialists, supplements and lifestyle changes. More than anything, I want this episode to offer support and realness for anyone navigating...

In this Q&A-style episode of the Mother FIGRs podcast, I answer real questions that coaches asked during my Mother FIGRs Coach certification workshop—questions that apply whether you're working with pregnant or postpartum clients, or you're navigating pregnancy and recovery yourself. We cover: Core twisting during pregnancy: when it’s effective, when it’s not, and how to coach it with intentio...

In this episode of the Mother FIGRs Podcast, I share my personal journey with pelvic floor therapy during pregnancy. I talk about why understanding pelvic floor physical therapy matters, what symptoms I experienced, how the evaluation process worked, and the insights I gained along the way. I emphasize how important it is to manage tension and pressure in the pelvic floor—and how even basic techni...

In this episode, I share my own experience navigating symptoms during lunges while pregnant—and how that shaped the way I approach weight selection in general. Instead of offering blanket advice, I walk through the real-time decisions I made, the questions I asked myself, and the adjustments I tested. This isn’t a list of do’s and don’ts—it’s a framework built from lived experience that you can ap...

In this episode, I walk through a real-life postpartum client experience involving pelvic symptoms during step ups. Instead of defaulting to blanket advice like “just avoid it,” I break down the layered thought process behind symptom navigation. You’ll hear how I assess: Client history and context What movements are paired with the symptom When in the workout the symptom shows up What variables co...

In this episode, I’m walking you through how I got here—from "baby step aerobics" in the ‘90s to launching FIGR and building a basement gym into a full-blown fitness business. I share the early sparks, the hustle through college and corporate life, how FIGR was born, and why pregnancy and postpartum fitness became my thing. You’ll hear about the first $100 I made, the pivot during COVID, and what...

Welcome to the FIGR Podcast where we're going into real talk on navigating strength and metcons during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. After coaching hundreds of moms and moms-to-be for over four years, I’m excited to launch this podcast as a space to dive deeper than quick social posts ever could. Here, we keep it casual, relatable, and evidence-based — focusing on strength and interval traini...