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Climbing & Training Postpartum: Advice from World-Class Climbers & Experts

Lattice Training

7,275 views

In today’s video, we dive into a topic that affects so many yet doesn’t get nearly enough attention: climbing and training postpartum. This conversation goes beyond those who have given birth—it’s also for partners, co-parents, and the support network.

To help shed more light on this important subject, I’ve interviewed some incredible climbers, including Caro Ciavaldini, Mina Leslie-Wujastyk, and Beth Rodden, alongside pelvic health specialist Emily Elgar and postpartum climbing coach Joy Black. Together, they share their personal stories, expert advice, and practical tips on how to approach climbing and recovery after childbirth.

From when to start climbing again, the most important exercises to consider, to common misconceptions and the essential role of partners, this video covers it. Whether you're an elite athlete or a recreational climber, everyone's experience is unique, but there are common themes like regaining pelvic and core strength and the importance of patience and self-compassion in the process.

If you or someone you know is navigating postpartum climbing, this video is packed with insights and resources that can help. Don’t forget to share your experiences in the comments, and check out the links below for additional resources from the experts featured in the video.

Featured Guests:
Caro Ciavaldini: @onceuponaclimb
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk: @minaclimbing
Beth Rodden: @bethrodden
Emily Elgar: (Pelvic Health Specialist) @thewomankindphysio - https://katiebellphysio.com/
Joy Black: (Postpartum Climbing Coach) @climbingwithjoy - https://www.trainedbyjoy.com/courses

Additional Resources:

Podcast;

How to get back into climbing post-childbirth?
https://latticetraining.com/blog/how-...

Postpartum Climbing with Joy Black
https://latticetraining.com/blog/post...

Diastasis Recti and Postpartum Exercises with Joy Black
https://latticetraining.com/blog/dias...

Pelvic Health: Pregnancy & Postpartum with Emily Elgar
https://latticetraining.com/blog/pelv...

Pelvic Floor & Climbing: An Interview with the UMI Health Experts
https://latticetraining.com/blog/pelv...

Pro athlete, Emily Harrington, on climbing, pregnancy and motherhood
https://latticetraining.com/blog/pro-...

Videos;

Pilates as part of Postpartum Recovery for Climbers
Pilates as part of Postpartum Recovery for...

Pro Climber Interview: Caro Ciavaldini on Pregnancy and Life As a Climbing Mum
Pro Climber Interview: Caro Ciavaldini on ...

Blog;

Female Climber Series: Female Athletes and Urinary Incontinence
https://latticetraining.com/blog/fema...

Becoming a Mum & Climbing 8a | Latticer Stories
https://latticetraining.com/blog/beco...

External

Free 6 part course with Core Exercise Solutions - Pelvic Floor and Diastasis: What You Need to Know About Pressure Management: https://www.coreexercisesolutions.com...

Core Exercise Solutions on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/drsarahduva...

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:36 - When did you start climbing again?
08:00 - Most important exercise for postpartum climbers
15:53 - Biggest myth about postpartum climbing
20:36 - Advice for first-time parents
26:15 - Supporting postpartum partners
32:30 - Positive outcomes from climbing after becoming a mother

If you enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up and share it with friends. Your support helps this crucial content reach more new parents in the climbing community!

DISCLAIMER: The contents of this video are for informational purposes only. By watching this video, you agree that any actions you take as a result of the information or content provided are entirely at your own risk and Lattice Training Limited shall not be responsible for the loss, or damage, of or to any property or to any person arising from the same.

14 Comments

@teostrong6973 1 year ago

It would be great to also interview non-professional climbers for something like this

@jaimseygirl2415 1 year ago

I started climbing when my 2nd child was 2, climbed for a year, then got pregnant again. Returning to climbing after birth is one of the hardest things I’ve done! I went from a V6/7 climber to having no core strength or tension, and being super injury prone due to hyper mobility and lack of muscle. 10 months later I am finally starting to feel like myself again, getting close to my previous level. The unexpected gift of my lack of strength is that it forced me to try other styles of climbing because my muscles and fingers just can’t pull hard for 2 hours right now, so I’ve dabbled in slab and coordination moves (particularly with foot moves—step ups, shuffles on volumes, etc) that I neeevvvvverrrr would have touched before as a burly girly. 😂

@pamchirathivat 1 year ago

Thank you so much for making this! 25 weeks now and worried about post partum. ❤ just nice to have more resources.

@kristieburke8640 1 year ago

I came back stronger and better after my first child, and continue to climb through my second pregnancy now. The idea of micro training is real. You have less time as a mom, but women are superheroes and we figure out how to do more with less. Functional training has been most helpful for me, personally, to keep strength and power. As I near the end of this pregnancy, I need to remember the first few months postpartum are not easy! It took a year to feel myself last time, and two to feel even better than before. I hope we talk about this more and more so there is a norm/manual for women to get back to themselves after births.

@yamkaryee 1 year ago

Great video on (actually) a very relevant topic for many climbers out there! Thanks for making this!

@TheGreatAscent 1 year ago

I did not know what "Pastpartum" means and clicked on the video because I always check out the new stuff from Lattice. Because of my sex this video is not relevant for me directly but i still watched it all. I know what video to refer to the next person that i meet that this is relevant for :)
Thank you for making this very valuable content Lattice!

@Aris-Darling 3 weeks ago

Thank you for content on this topic! As a female climber, pregnancy and childbirth is EXTRA scary and stressful for me

@bellablue1347 1 year ago

Thank you so much for making a video about such an important topic.

@carolinagregori222 1 year ago

So interesting and so little viewssss! Dont understand it! So many of us or our partners will go through this process that it should be mandatory to watch!!! 💪🏼💪🏼

@4astock 1 year ago

Thank you for this, so bloody important! I'm now 4 months and as someone who just enjoys climbing and is in no way pro, yoga supported my recovery back to climbing movement so much. Breathing, pelvic floor, ligaments, and general strength. It has been (and continues to be) vital. But it's so simple and doesn't involve spending a ton of money 🫶.

@abigalindo-mj5ow 1 year ago

Los tres primeros meses escale normal, trabaje normal (trabajo como guia de alta montaña) fue dificil por el cansancio, pero mi crimp mejoro muy considerablemente incluso cuando no estaba entrenando como antes. Ahora me cuesta mucho mas 6 meses, me incomoda ya el tamaño y me seinto mas pesada, ejercicios de fuerza he disminuido la carga pero aun asi, con el abrazo al bebe y las contracciones y respiraciones de suelo pelvico sumado el yoga y la conciencia de esto siento q me ha ayudado. Hay dias terribles animicamente hablando, y creo q vengo aprendiendo es aceptarlo y saber q habran momentos en q estare bien y otros en q todo me pArecera mal y pensare q no puedo. Ahora aclimatarme a mayores alturas me es un poco mas dificil pero el tren inferior lo sigo sintiendo fuerte y asi mismo sigo trabajandolo, con la misma intensidad por el cansancio y el tiempo q siento ahora me toma mas recuperarme u otros motivos (mucho pis cuando sales a correr, o sentirte pesada). Pero todo suma... Gracias por el foro, tengo un par d amigas mas en embarazado y de verdad ayuda mucho a leerse y compartir las experiencias.

@emmavermeulen176 7 months ago

Really good and informative video, so happy that this topic is covered so well. Only thing that i would lile to add is the influence of breastfeeding. Due to high prolactin levels during breastfeeding, your tissue, tendons and muscle are way weaker. So during breastfeeding up untill 2 tot 3 month after breastfeeding (prolactin decreases slowly and has a long-lasting effect) you will be far more injury prone! So that is something to also take in consideration when you start training during or after breastfeeding

@artemisdanae1313 7 months ago

Appreciate this very much, and I’m definitely not a pro climber…but man these ladies have me feeling like a lazy slacker 😅

@alemarco28 1 year ago

Thank you so much for making this video! Lots of useful advice and information. Would a love a companion piece about climbing and training while pregnant.