Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Friedman.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Thank you so much for having me! My story really begins during my first pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Becoming a mom has changed my life in many ways. One of the biggest is how and why I move my body and who I support.
In 2018, I got pregnant with my oldest son. During my pregnancy, I quickly realized how little guidance and resources there were for womxn who wanted to stay active during pregnancy. Growing up as an athlete, I had often been engrained with the “push through it” mentality, but pregnancy was the first time I had to slow down. I felt overwhelmed with the “what not to do” and generalized recommendations and found very few coaches teaching about core and pelvic floor health and training during pregnancy.
After delivery, I felt overwhelmed by how to return to movement, heal my body, and connect to a core that felt so weak. Society told me I needed to “get my body back,” but my body was different. I had just had a baby!
I decided that pregnant and postpartum people deserved better care and support during this season of life. I wanted to be the coach I wish I had. Pregnant and postpartum people have unique needs that are very individualized. We need guidance, support, and more than blanket statements.
Since then, I’ve made it my mission to learn as much as possible and educate and empower others on their own pregnant/postpartum bodies for long-term success and health.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Creating a business has not come without its challenges. You can say I’m still figuring it out. One of the biggest challenges initially was launching a business during COVID and my second pregnancy. My whole business shifted to online work, even when I was relatively new to training pregnant and postpartum people.
Imposter syndrome has definitely been a challenge for me, especially with my business being online or primarily via referral and word-of-mouth. There is SO much to know about the human body, especially during this season of life. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and/or that you do not know enough. I have invested a lot of time, money, and passion into continuing education, mentorships, and surrounding myself with amazing coaches and colleagues that challenge me, encourage me, and help me grow as a coach and person. As I grow and learn my confidence improves.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
My goal as a coach is to help moms feel strong, confident, and powerful through movement. As a Certified Pre-& Postnatal Fitness Coach I create fitness programming that prepares moms for delivery, postpartum recovery, the demands of #momlife, and a return to sport.
I’ll equip you with the knowledge, strength, and function to heal, move well, and have the energy for the toughest job you’ll ever love – motherhood. I currently offer 1:1 personal training and group training (virtually and in person in San Diego), with a focus on core + pelvic floor health and rehab and a safe (re) introduction to movement postpartum.
I love working with athletes looking to bridge the gap from postpartum rehab to dynamic activity and return to sport. After having a baby, it’s completely normal for movement to feel different. Our bodies have gone through a lot! I bring a thoughtful progression, education on pelvic floor health, breathing, and a TON of passion for helping you move well (and I love to refer out to Pelvic Floor PTs).
I truly love what I do and supporting moms during this season of life. We deserve the best, and I feel honored to be a part of your care team.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Podcasts:
– Katie St. Claire: https://www.katiestclairfitness.com/ep-podcast
– Alex Effer: https://www.resilientedu.com/podcasts/resilient-rehab-podcast
– David Grey: https://davidgreyrehab.com/category/dgr-podcast/
– Mamastefit: https://mamastefit.com/podcasts/
Blogs:
– Mamastefit: https://mamastefit.com/blog/
– Laura Jawad: https://www.laurajawad.com/blog/
– My personal blog: https://www.ericafriedmanwellness.com/blog
– Katie St. Claire: https://www.katiestclairfitness.com/blog
– Alison Marie: https://www.alisonmariephd.com/blog
So many others <3 I reference tons of blogs and listen to podcasts quite often about biomechanics, pre & postnatal training, nutrition, and more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ericafriedmanwellness.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericafriedman_wellness/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricaFriedmanWellness
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@ericafriedmanwellness
Image Credits
Charie Juaneza
