Jen (00:00.828)
Brooke, welcome to the podcast. How are you?
Brooke Crisp (00:02.702)
Thank you. I'm so excited. I like, I love, this is the stuff I really love doing. So I'm very excited to be here and sharing and a little bit nervous of what's gonna come up, I think it'd be good. I think it'd be really fun.
Jen (00:17.392)
Yeah, I love, I will share with the listeners that I just watched your Instagram story about pre coming on and I got a message from you before about, know, what do I need to prepare? It's like nothing. Just come, show up as you and I'm not sure. You're not sitting completely comfortably with that, you?
Brooke Crisp (00:32.736)
No, I like to be prepared. Like I like to know what we're going to talk about and topics that we're going to touch on because then I like to be like a quick because I can talk a lot and I can get very sidetracked very easily. So I like to have a structure when I'm doing podcasts because it's otherwise I end up on a tangent. So that's why I wanted the prompts.
Jen (00:52.044)
Maybe that's where the magic comes out. Maybe it does. Yeah, we will see. We'll see where we go. And if we go too far, we can both reel each other in because I like to go off on tangents too. Hey, Brooke, let's start with your word, your win and something that you're working on.
Brooke Crisp (00:54.734)
Probably.
Brooke Crisp (01:00.3)
You can bring me back.
Brooke Crisp (01:06.626)
So I am gonna share my word of the year, because I felt I was thinking about a word and I thought this week I actually feel the word I chose for the year, which was capable. So yeah, I feel very capable. I feel like I can take on the world this week and that's a really exciting, exciting feeling for me. So that's my word. My win, I suppose I'll share, actually I'll share my, what I've been working on because then that leads into my win. So I've actually been working on myself.
Jen (01:10.14)
Thank
Brooke Crisp (01:36.204)
recently. And I know we'll probably touch on this a bit later, but I've had a bit of a weight gain issue and a bit of a health issue over the past sort of six to 12 months, if not previous to that. So my win is that I after three years of being, you know, postpartum with my second that I'm finally feeling like I have energy, I feel like I'm, I'm becoming that healthier version of myself that I was.
And that is really exciting for me. So that's my win. My win is that I'm feeling like I have more energy and things are really aligning for me now that that's happening and that I've been working on myself. So yeah, that's it.
Jen (02:18.468)
love it and if you think about the word capable that you started you chose at the beginning of the year in order to feel well I'm gonna say good feel good about yourself that word really kind of does come into that and it's like you've set that intention and then that gets to I'm capable of managing my health or growing my business or you know whatever it may be very cool very cool I noticed you're wearing your bracelet as well
Brooke Crisp (02:39.662)
process everything that word, which is a good thing. Yeah, no, I love, I love. I don't have you talked about these on the podcast, Jenny. The bracelets every year you give us the bracelet. Well, I have three. I've got one that says Super Mom, which is part of my Fabio Mommas and they get a bracelet when they get Momma of the Month.
Jen (02:46.652)
No, I don't think I have. I don't think I have. How many have you got? Have you got three or two?
Cool
Jen (02:58.768)
Did you do that pre your one or after your one?
Brooke Crisp (03:01.518)
I think you gave us, when you gave me last year's, I was like, this is so cool. I want one for my mom. So then I make, I got someone to make the Supermom ones and I have one that I made with my niece and my daughter, which says grateful. So I'm wearing three.
Jen (03:06.3)
You
Awesome.
Jen (03:14.702)
Amazing. I love it. Yes, we have yeah, I'll have to put a link on the podcast to the show notes But we well I started a tradition last year of sending out everyone's word of the year on a little bracelet Which it's kind of good But last year no one really knew what I was doing this year everyone did and then now I'm like Can you just fucking send me your word for the year so I can send you a bracelet?
Brooke Crisp (03:34.734)
I waited by my mailbox like for like a week. I was like, is it coming today? Because when you'd said it would come again, I was like, come on, where is it? So I was very eager to get my bracelet this year. was so fun.
Jen (03:40.334)
It came late. It did come late. Yeah. Yeah, you've got it. You've got it. And we also have like a backup word for anyone that doesn't send me a word for the year. So I sent out the word believe this year to anybody that didn't choose a word. So they don't have to have that word, but it was a reminder to believe in themselves. So cool. Hey Brooke, tell us how and where it's all started to get you to today.
Brooke Crisp (03:55.384)
I'll stop.
Brooke Crisp (04:00.47)
Yeah, I love that. That's great.
Brooke Crisp (04:10.254)
Oh man, when I heard you had a master class last year, oh God, I can't remember who it was with. And they had been in the industry for 15 years and they referenced themselves as a dinosaur. And I was like, oh man, I'm a dinosaur. Jesus, I was like, I'm a dinosaur. So I've always been into health and wellness since I was young. I played loads of sports.
Jen (04:25.126)
predinosaurs.
Brooke Crisp (04:35.31)
So I think I was always destined to enter the fitness industry and I did that in 2009. So I did my study way back in 2009 and started working in the industry. And I've been so lucky in my career. Like I've been blessed with meeting incredible people, training awesome clients. You know, I kind of lucked into an awesome job that I had at the Australian Institute of Sport here in Canberra. And I worked at that job for 12 years. ran
I was like the two I see of the gym. I ran their rehab program. I taught aqua fitness and Pilates and in 2021 that all came to a halt. So I had been through everything at that job. Like I had done, I was 18 when I started and I went through.
getting, you know, my 21st birthday and getting engaged and getting married and my first baby and then my second baby. So the people at the AIS were very, very special to me. And in COVID, when my daughter was about six weeks old, I got a phone call, we're in lockdown. And my boss just basically said, that's it, we're not reopening. You're done, your job's over. Thanks very much. And that was it. There was no
goodbye, there was no, like we're all in lockdown at the time and I know many people will understand like the feeling of loss that I really struggled with because those people were my family, they knew me from such a young age and you know they'd looked after my babies and we'd celebrated lots of things. So in 2021 I found myself postpartum with my second and my first baby was easy and my second baby was anything but easy.
But in the midst of all the chaos, I was like, what's next? What do I want? And being at home with my kids, you know, having baby number two, being exhausted, feeling financial pressure, because obviously I've lost a job and feeling that I knew that other moms out there were feeling that pressure and that struggle. And they, I knew so many people needed an outlet for exercise. So when I lost my job, I decided that
Brooke Crisp (06:52.982)
I wanted to train moms and I wanted to give moms an accessible way to exercise something that was very community based, something that wasn't going to break the bank. And that's where Babio by Brooke was born and Babio stands for being authentically beautiful inside and out. And that's exactly, think what I, I suppose that's what I stand for. Jen asked me that before, but
I guess that's what I stand for and that's what I want my moms to feel when they come and work out with me is that authenticity and that value that they bring to my community. yeah, Babi O'Briar Brooke was born in 2021. It took me 12 months to launch the business recording, learning websites, all the business stuff. It took me 12 months to launch it.
and it's been running now for nearly two and a half years. So that's super exciting. And I work at other gyms as well, as well as running the business. So yeah, that's kind of my story, Jen.
Jen (07:59.932)
I love it. I did not know your timeline. I did not know that you worked at the Institute of Sport Gym. I kind of want to touch on the loss of a job, both during COVID, but also early postpartum.
Brooke Crisp (08:06.498)
Mm-hmm.
Brooke Crisp (08:18.85)
Yes, that was stressful. that like a, when I think back of 2021, I have no recollection of like from my daughter being born, which was such a high, her birth was incredible. Like everything that happened to me, like, you know, I was coming off such a high from her birth and feeling like just incredible. And then within the space of a week, I actually also, my nan got sick.
and died three weeks after she was born. And then I lost my job two weeks after that. So there was like a lot that happened in a really small space of time. So I have these two little kids at home and I am trying to be like, I am powerful, I am okay, I am safe. Everything works out for me. was trying to almost positive my way out of...
Jen (08:51.12)
My goodness.
Jen (09:13.1)
Hehehehehe
Brooke Crisp (09:15.444)
out of the shit, right? Like I was trying to be so positive and trying to be like, I'm going to be fine. Everything's going to be fine. But as 2021 dragged on, I started to really struggle. started to, you know, obviously the sleep deprivation comes into that and all the hormones and things like that of not sleeping and yeah, just a lot. So I developed postnatal anxiety towards the end of 2021.
And I'm just very lucky. Like I have an awesome support network. and I knew the right people to see when I started to feel those things. And I know a lot of people just don't know who to turn to. And I know that I was really blessed to have an awesome match nurse that I could call and be like, I'm having these feelings. And, and for me, it was, I resented my husband for being able to go to work. And that's one of the triggers I knew.
Jen (09:55.42)
Hmm.
Brooke Crisp (10:14.306)
I was like, I'm not right. I'm not okay. Something's not right. I need to go see people to try and sort this out. So yeah, I think, and also not being able to talk to people, being a fitness instructor, we see people all day, every day. We're always talking to people. So from going to like seeing people every day and talking to people every day to being in complete isolation with two children was, I think one of the things that really made me struggle as well. So.
Yeah, it was a huge loss, but I have no recollection of timeframes towards the end of 2021. It's all just kind of a blur of stuff, of mental state, of just pure surviving at that point.
Jen (10:48.796)
you
Jen (10:56.612)
Hmm. Yeah. Were there any other symptoms or signs that you recognise that other people might recognise?
Brooke Crisp (11:04.781)
For me, like anxiousness, like I struggled with some mental health stuff in my 20s. So all of that was starting to come up again and I was starting to feel anxious. And I like to think of my anxiety, you know, from going through for years, it's probably 10 years now, is when I start to feel anxious, that's a sign that I need to be growing. So...
the current version of myself is no longer serving me. And when I start to get anxiety, that's me needing to find growth, whether that's going to see and speak to someone or whether that's reading books or listening to podcasts. It's my sign that I need to grow and evolve so that I can be of service, better service to other people. So that's kind of how I look at my anxiety, but it was anxiousness. You know, was emotional like I was crying.
a lot, which you know, I think is fairly, fairly normal for someone. It was so long ago and I think I was angry. I was angry and short and had no tolerance. had, I was so irritable all the time. So I suppose there's some of the other symptoms that I had during that time.
but it's like, seems like so long ago now. It's still, it's not, and it's not, and the feelings are still there. Like you could, you could see, I don't know if you, well, you probably could tell, like when I talk about my job and losing my job, I still get emotional and I still get teary about it. Cause it just brings it all back. Like it just brings everything back. And I still see clients from the old days and they still follow me to different places. But when I've seen a client that I've not seen in a long time and they bring it up,
Jen (12:33.028)
It's so long ago but not that long ago really.
Brooke Crisp (12:59.734)
I still, I still, I don't know, I still get mad about it. I still get angry at the way it was done. I get angry at, yeah, lots of different things that happened, yeah, because of that. So yeah, it still, it still brings up a lot, a lot for me.
Jen (13:05.646)
Hmm.
Jen (13:15.846)
think there's a lot of women out there that find themselves out of a job after they've had a baby, which is, and it's often not done in the right way. And the only thing that I can, like given the circumstances with COVID, the only thing that, and I'm sure that you've thought about this is the other person absolutely did not know how to handle the situation and was just having a really hard time. That doesn't make it right. It doesn't make it good. It just offers that empathy to.
Brooke Crisp (13:42.39)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jen (13:42.714)
that other person that had that really shit job of telling all of these people that
Brooke Crisp (13:47.566)
And I think my clients love to remind me that they did it on R U OK? Day. So like bit of irony, right? And they love to remind me of that when I see them. They're like, and the fact that they did it on R U OK? Day is like, and I have to have a giggle and I'm like, I don't think that was on purpose, but just kind of kind of coincided.
Jen (14:03.676)
Hmm
Jen (14:09.468)
Kind of good day though, if you're gonna do it any day, yeah.
Brooke Crisp (14:13.664)
Yeah, so it's just yeah, and I think that's the thing when you work for such a big organization, it's not personal. It's business, right? Like they didn't
Jen (14:19.674)
Hmm. But there are people within the business, right? We are the people run the business and there's ways.
Brooke Crisp (14:24.718)
And they understood and like when I had my meeting with them to discuss what was happening, I couldn't keep it together. I was just a mess. Like I just was, I pretty much sobbed the whole time and they were like, you know, you're a huge part of what we've done. We're so grateful for the work you've put in. And they were really lovely. Like they were so, you know, they thanked me for all my hard work and they're like, we know how much this place means to you. So again, like it wasn't personal. That doesn't help that it doesn't like, it still feels.
personal, but you're like, you have to put that aside and go, they made a business decision. It is what it is. But the funny thing is, is I always used to joke about it. Like I always used to joke with the, with my gorgeous reception team. And I'd be like, one day they'll shut this place down. It'll be a YMCA or a Belgravia leisure and we'll just come work for them. And so I always just say, they'll make me redundant one day. so be careful, guys, honestly, be careful what you wish for, because one day it just might happen. And I was just not prepared for like the whole.
whole thing and then I went hang on a second I asked for this like I asked for this so and that again is where my mindset went in this is what I asked for this is this is my chance this is this is my opportunity to do something different without feeling guilty because you know me Jen I feel guilty I have severe loyalty issues and I would feel guilty if I had to leave a place so kind of they you know they kind of did it
Jen (15:26.8)
Just sing.
Brooke Crisp (15:52.472)
did it for me and now I get to do what I love doing at lots of different places, but also getting to experience running my own business and having that passion. And yeah, I think that's, it's been oddly a blessing. It's still hard though. It's still really hard, but it's definitely been a blessing. That's how I look at it anyway.
Jen (16:14.318)
I I really like how you framed that. And I also liked the way that you framed anxiety, but not so much the anxiety, but the opportunity to get help. So what you offered us was when I feel anxiety, it's my signal to grow and to do something. And whether it's an opportunity to go and ask for help, right? And I think the biggest problem is that...
most people, not most people, a lot of people when they experience like depression or anxiety or something that's uncomfortable, they try and deal with it themselves. But if we could all reframe that and go, I'm going through something tricky that I've not done before. I'm, I always like to think of like, I'm out of my knowledge capacity. And it's the exact same thing. I'm enjoying the reframe on anxiety, like I don't, I get anxiety. And there's two sides for it. For me, it's like,
if I am pushing for something that I haven't done before, then I, and it's still a growth thing, right? Like I'm growing into something else, so I'm feeling anxious, or I'm feeling anxious, therefore I need more tools in order to grow. So I really like that reframe, and I hope that for anyone listening, it's a permission piece.
Brooke Crisp (17:25.944)
think the thing is as well, it's so hard to know where to get help. I was incredibly lucky when I first started suffering, I knew something was wrong and I would always sort of said to my family, it's like I'm in a hole. It's like I'm in a hole and I know I'm the only one that can climb my way out. I know that if I wanna feel better, it's up to me to do the work.
to feel better. So I had a client when I first struggled, I had a client and her brother was a life coach, brother-in-law was a life coach. And so when I started feeling bad and I started telling her about what I was going through, she's like, you need to go and see Peter. And so I did and Peter honestly changed my life. Like I was seeing counselors and I was talking to counselors, but what Peter did was Peter gave me my power back. And so I think like if you're seeing a therapist and you know, everyone,
you gotta find your right people and sometimes that might take a bit but I think the right person will honor you and show you how powerful you are and give you your power back because that's what to me that's what feeling depressed and anxious is is is you lose your power you lose your spark so
you want to find the right person who's going to give that back to you. And Peter was amazing in the fact that we did a lot of different techniques and different tools, but Peter was like, Brooke, you have established yourself in a position of authority, in a position of, and power's probably not the right word, but you know, you are someone who educates not only people, but your family. Like you have put yourself in an authoritative position within your family. So now, the
the hierarchy's pushing you down, you feel unsafe and you now, it's disrupting the balance. So he then were like, when that happens, this is what you can do. So then when things would happen, I'd be like, okay, Peter said this would happen. So this is what I've got to do in order to feel safe again. And I've worked with a lot of other health coaches over the years as well. And it's...
Brooke Crisp (19:48.0)
It's been a real journey for me and I'm so grateful. before I had kids, I just think like, I'm so glad I went through that in my twenties because I knew how to handle it when I had kids. And yeah, it's just about finding the right people. have to, and it just, might take time, but try different modes of care. Maybe counseling will work. Maybe a therapist will work. Maybe you need a life coach. Maybe it's a breath work coach. I don't know who that person is for everyone cause we're all so different.
And anxiety and depression is different for everyone, but it's about finding that person who makes you feel you again. And I think that's important.
Jen (20:20.444)
Hmm.
Jen (20:24.892)
Absolutely. yeah, and knowing that it's okay to go get that support. That's the biggest thing. Or not going, well, or not going, I should go get support, but I won't. Or just it's that constant over and over again, we should do it, but we don't do it. I started working with a counselor about...
Brooke Crisp (20:31.938)
Yeah. You can't do it on your own.
Brooke Crisp (20:38.572)
Yeah.
Jen (20:45.882)
I think about six months ago now again, like, I didn't want a psychologist because I'm like, don't fucking psychologize me. Like, hats off to all the psychologists out there. My best friends are psychologists. She doesn't psychologize me, which is good. Or I don't think she does. Maybe she does and I don't know. But it's like you, it is very much like you said about finding that right person. And I do also think the further down the personal development,
Brooke Crisp (21:01.102)
You just don't realize. Peace, you're good to just start your day.
Jen (21:15.248)
journey that you get, the more you have to become aware of what you think you know and therefore you judge people on. Like I know myself, I could feel myself in those first few sessions and I went to see someone, like I was, there's.
stuff with my daughter happening and business and all these things. But I could feel most like the judgment part of me being out of me, like assessing this person. And it was quite a fascinating experience to then go, no, get back inside yourself and be in the room and be open to that support from that other person. Yeah.
Brooke Crisp (21:49.41)
yet. I think that's where my personal development journey started was when all that stuff started to happen and it's really funny story. And many people may know this actor but many people may not. So I actually trained Alex O'Loughlin's mum.
and he was on Hawaii Five-0. So he was one of the lead actors in Hawaii Five-0 and his mum would come to my actual classes. And anyway, she was telling me he was coming to Australia and she was talking to me about how he was struggling with anxiety and all like his struggles. And all of a sudden, one day he showed up to the pool and he gave me this book and I read it. It was called The Four Agreements of F***ing
Jen (22:24.636)
Hmm.
Brooke Crisp (22:25.814)
happiness or something like that. And that book was instrumental in starting me on that journey. And for me, there was something happening in my life where I was holding on to this like bitterness, like this bitterness was just eating me alive and I couldn't forgive what was happening around me.
And when I read that book and it had, know, forgiveness is one of the key elements to happiness, right? And I was like, but how, how do I, how do I let, I let them off the hook if I forgive them? Like, what is this? And he's like, but you drink, and he, he was the first person to say it to me. goes, but you're drinking the poison expecting them to die. And I was like, so I think again, when I deal with mental health stuff and like, I don't want to drink the poison, like, and.
it's only affecting me, it's not affecting anyone else. So I need to just do what I need to do to get out of that. yeah, but that book, that was a a really interesting book to read. Very, very odd book, but a very good book.
Jen (23:26.716)
The words personal responsibility keep coming up when you're talking and I don't know if you've read, is it radical responsibility? But it's everything that you're, and it's, really believe in it myself, is everything that happens to us is our responsibility. Whether it happened, and I use the words to us on purpose because we often as humans think that things happen to us.
but no one's doing anything to us. And there's always a way that we can take responsibility for what's going on around us to change it. So yeah, it's one of the biggest things I'm trying to teach my children and one specifically has no interest in taking it. It's like always, I won't say which one it is, but there's always an outward look on who else did that to me? Why is that not fair? And it's like, man, where does this come from? Cause I can't relate to it, but it's fascinating.
Brooke Crisp (23:59.222)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jen (24:20.112)
And I think it's fascinating as well, you when you look inside it, being someone who runs and you'd be the same, you work in the fitness industry, you've got all of these people in front of you, which ones are gonna take on board what you say and gonna do well and which ones don't. And that is quite an interesting observation of human beings. Yeah, yeah, very, very cool. Brooke, tell me about your move into working with moms. So you...
What did you do first? Did you start the business and then get educated? Did you get educated and start the business?
Brooke Crisp (24:54.984)
So I had always had a like a passion for pelvic floor. you know, when we are when we go through tape and mind you, I did my tape a long, time ago, You know, they talk about core and they talk about your abdominal, like your six pack and your obliques and like, that's it. That's as far as they go into the whole core training. And I was at a Philex one year and Marietta Mahoney and my God, no, mushy, not mushy. No, she's an aqua one.
Jen (25:20.538)
Lisa Westlake.
Brooke Crisp (25:25.102)
She's a physiotherapist in Melbourne, works for the Continent's Foundation. You know her, Jen. God, her name will be there.
Jen (25:31.984)
What, Diane? No.
Brooke Crisp (25:33.492)
No. Anyway, they were doing a presentation on core. I can't remember the exact name of the workshop, but I went into that. And then they started talking about pelvic floor and they started talking about your transverse abdominis. like, and that blew my mind. I walked away from that and I was like, and I thought to myself, how many people have come to me over the years that have all these things happening to them? And I literally have been teaching them all this core stuff that's not correct or not.
in depth enough and so for me that's where the journey of like pelvic floor came into it and I think that was where my passion started because you know when we talk about pelvic floor issues we think about mums first right we think about that all happens after childbirth that's what you know that's the journey that happens after we have kids and it's not like that doesn't just happen like that can happen for anyone pre-kids too.
which is obviously what we learned. But that was where my journey started way back in 2015. And then obviously becoming a mom myself and going through it myself. I then started working at Fernwood Fitness after I lost my job. And I did a little pre postnatal certification, which really wasn't in depth. It didn't really cover any more than I already knew. And then when I was working on obviously Babio,
I'd come across Jen, I think I'd been in the business about a year and I was like, I need to do Jen's Safe Return to Exercise because I need to know more. I need to make sure what I'm doing is aligned with what is safe for mums and what's current for mums. So that's where, you know, I joined MumSafe and did the Safe Return to Exercise course, which was awesome because it went into such depth that even, although I knew bits of it.
it really brought everything together and helps me structure not only my queuing for exercises, but also when I get new clients, it really helps me to help them understand it too. So yeah, the journey with that has been really fun and I love that I talk about that because when I talk about that in class and particularly at the places where I am employed,
Brooke Crisp (27:51.97)
people come up to me after and go, hey, Brooke, like I had a question because you mentioned abdominal separation, you know, can I talk to you about X and Y? And one mom talked to me about it last week. She's like, I had a 10 centimeter split after her kid and she saw a physiotherapist and it came back to two and a half centimeters. She's seven months postpartum. And I said to her, keep doing the activations that I taught you in class. You know, if you are worried about it, go back and have a checkup with your physiotherapist. I said, you know, two and a half.
is it's not coming from 10, it's getting there, it's getting there and you're obviously doing the right things and we need to make sure that we're keeping that. So people now feel safe enough to come up and talk to me because I'm having those conversations, whereas normally they'd come into my class, they'd leave and they might not be having those conversations. So are they doing the right thing? Are they engaging correctly? Like this is why I'm so passionate about making sure that we're doing it correctly because not only now, but when they get to 60, 70, 80,
Jen (28:25.094)
huge. See ya.
Brooke Crisp (28:50.742)
your pelvic floor and your transverse abdominis and your core has such an effect on your quality of life. And that's where I'm passionate about, you know, making sure that we're doing the right things as we age through.
Jen (29:03.856)
Hmm. Brooke, at what point or how when you go into a class, like I was having a chat to another trainer and we'll listen to her on the podcast at some point, but when you walk into somebody else's environment and you don't do any pre-screening with them, with the people in the class, what is your approach to starting those conversations in those environments?
Brooke Crisp (29:29.258)
I when we go through and I'm mainly so mainly teaching reformer Pilates and mat Pilates. So Pilates is probably a little bit of a different space to just generally like an exercise class. But I think when I walk in, you know, I open it up straight away. Like I am not afraid to be like, hey guys, like, you know, I am super passionate about this and this. And I generally will say pelvic floor.
you know, if you've got any issues, don't hesitate to pop your hand up and say, Hey Brooke, this doesn't feel right. I'm feeling heaviness, dragging any of those things, because that is not what we should be feeling throughout the class. And we should be able to engage our pelvic floor through, through movements. So I think I open it up from the get go and just make that a safe space to be like, you can come and talk to me about this. If you don't feel comfortable putting your hand up in class, you know, you can speak to me after and I can go through a bit of an activation series with you or
We do that in the beginning for most of my mom classes anyway, particularly in the first couple of weeks if we're working in terms. We do that activations and making sure that they're engaging correctly. So yeah, I kind of just talk about it anyway. I, and Jen, you can hate me for this, you can come for me and I will argue about this. But when people go, you know, I'm really bad at holding a plank. And I'm like, why holding a plank? Because it's a really good core exercise. And I was like, it is absolute rubbish.
And like, have a real thing for planks guys, because for me, what I've been taught is that your pelvic floor doesn't hold for more than what, 10 seconds Jen? Like.
Jen (31:07.228)
It's gonna vary from person to person, yeah.
Brooke Crisp (31:09.262)
So if you're holding a plank for two minutes, what's the point? Why is that functional? Why is that, why are you doing a plank for two, why is holding a plank a core strength thing? that, so I have issues with planks. So I'll hold a plank for like eight to 10 seconds in my Pilates class, because we're generally moving through a flow. But even in a fitness class, I don't even bother putting planks in, because why?
There are better, more functional exercises out there for your core strength than a plank. And again, Jen, you can come for me for that.
Jen (31:44.156)
No, not at all. think we've all got our bugbear, right? And it's like, I feel the same about pushups. I mean, not pushups, sit-ups. And I'm, at the moment, there's all this research, new research that says, you know, when you do a sit-up, it brings directors closer together. It's like, well, of course we knew that 20 years ago, but anyway, we'll keep, we'll roll with that. And so now, but what I do like about the sit-up conversation, we'll come back to your points in a second, is that they're not being demonized in the way that they were. They're not all bad, but they're also not,
Brooke Crisp (31:51.267)
Yeah.
Jen (32:13.54)
right for everybody. what I would say both to planks and sit ups is there are way better exercises that you can do that are more functional, that will engage your core better, that will do all of these things that you probably want to do. And it's just, you know, the lazy trainer puts sit ups and planks at the end of the workout because they can't think of anything else. And I say that with love. And if you're a lazy trainer, you can hit me up or whatever it is. But there's just better stuff we could be doing.
Is a plank bad? No, it's not bad. Is a sit up bad? No, not bad. Is it right for everyone? No. Is it the most effective exercise for everyone? Probably not. And there's so many extra layers to that. And especially with a plank, you know, if someone is holding a plank and their pelvic floor is not coping and now they're bearing down, not good. You know, same with a sit up. If they're doing a sit up, it might be bringing their rectus together, but are they getting good TA activation in order to create tension at the lineal and then do the sit up if they're not?
Maybe not that exercise. I think there's places for everything, not, you know, we wouldn't do the same squats and lunges every week. So why do we do the same setups and planks at the end of every single session to make the core burn, to make clients feel like they've worked their abs and yeah.
Brooke Crisp (33:20.302)
core exercises.
Brooke Crisp (33:28.28)
Yeah. You know, I definitely, I definitely, the planks for me are definitely, yeah.
Jen (33:34.512)
I do think though, when a woman learns or anyone learns how to activate their pelvic floor and TA well, they can hold a plank for a much longer time. And that's really fast because they're recruiting now from the inside out and then the other muscles are coming on outside. So that's kind of cool. Whereas before their lower back was hurting and their rectus abdominis was burning. And now they're just like, well, my shoulders are getting sore because my inner core unit is holding everything up. And it's like, that's fucking cool.
Brooke Crisp (34:01.248)
Everything's healthy.
Yeah. Yeah.
Jen (34:06.15)
But yeah, don't be fucking lazy, think is the message to everybody. Don't be lazy. I've lost my train of thought now. Where was I going with that? So we entered into the world of working with moms. we were talking about how to start that conversation in a, you know, an environment that's not yours, which I think is really, really important because it's very easy to start doing all the right onboarding within your own business, but can be very tricky when you step into somebody else's business. But what I would say,
Brooke Crisp (34:10.734)
Don't be lazy.
Brooke Crisp (34:24.674)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jen (34:36.048)
to anyone listening that either works for a bigger brand or is a bigger brand, by recruiting trainers and instructors that have more knowledge, you have no idea what that is bringing to your class because you're not witnessing it every day. So Brooke, I don't even know that the places that you work, they realize the value that you're bringing into that environment because the alternatives.
Or if you feel okay, keep doing it. Or she just ends up not feeling okay or doesn't know what she's doing and then doesn't come back. It's huge. And what really should be happening is that those brands and those environments should be training the instructors, not hoping the good ones walk through the door.
Brooke Crisp (35:19.394)
Yeah. I think that's a big issue in the industry at the moment is the continuing education. just don't think.
you know, lot of trainers in the cost of living crisis, it's not a priority for a trainer to go out and do, you know, spend a lot of money on courses and every trainer is different. So I'm probably speaking for myself here. You know, they genuinely can't afford to go out there, you know, if they're teaching classes, and that's their livelihood. It's very hard to then go and spend your like your money that you need to eat on.
to go and do continuing education. And those bigger brands, I feel should have budget to send trainers if they can to do continuing education because it only benefits that brand to have trainers with higher knowledge. And we used to, we used to have a budget for it for not every staff member, but the staff members that were with us for a long time, we would send them like,
as a thank you, we would send them to a course that they wanted to do or a conference that they wanted to go to. And that was how we showed our appreciation for what they do and how we kept them because they felt like we valued them and they stayed with us. we, I know a lot of gyms have a very high turnover of trainers and that's always been the way in the industry. We had a very low turnover of trainers at the AIS in the 12 years I was there.
And that's because we had really great management above me as well as myself. But yeah, it's just, there's lots of things I think that could be fixed in the industry, but it comes down to organizations and money and it comes, it's very hard, but I think it is important for trainers to try if they can to get that education because you definitely, you do not,
Jen (37:11.942)
Yeah.
Brooke Crisp (37:24.918)
You don't realize the value and the power that we have when you can get in front of a group and deliver what you deliver with the knowledge that you deliver it with. So I think we have such a personal responsibility to try and make sure that we keep current and that we keep up to date and that we keep learning because it keeps us fresh, keeps us engaging as well. Clients come back to us because they know we know what we're talking about and they know that we're passionate about it. So it's definitely an important thing to do.
Jen (37:27.004)
Mm.
Jen (37:50.844)
And Brock obviously you're part of of Mum Safe. How I'm gonna ask this, shamelessly ask the question, how do you find the edgy? I'm like should I do this as a leading question? No that's bad. Just ask the question.
Brooke Crisp (38:01.122)
Yeah
I love it. There's so much variety in the sessions that we get as a part of MumSafe. And again, it's an investment, but I think it's one of the best ones that I've made, both from a trainer perspective and a business perspective. I think all the lessons that Jen gets and we get to hear from some amazing people.
leaders in their fields about loads of different topics. And I think we've had a few that have been very, I don't know, suppose transformative is not the word, but it like it really hones in that we really are lucky that we have Jen and that Jen cares so much in providing the value that she does as a part of MumSafe. Yes, it's an awesome community. I love it.
Jen (39:01.572)
I love that you just started talking to me in the third person then as if you weren't talking to me. That was cool.
Brooke Crisp (39:09.294)
You can clip that audio and use it as a testimonial later, Just did that on purpose.
Jen (39:13.852)
I love it. Absolutely love it. Brooke, tell me about your business journey. So it's not been the easiest, look at your face. Talk to me.
Brooke Crisp (39:24.814)
She's been a ride.
Brooke Crisp (39:31.114)
Obviously having to juggle lots of different things like when obviously losing my job I couldn't just start a business and rely on that income and I still haven't got there yet with my income But I'm getting there each year that I do my financials. I'm seeing growth Which is very exciting But juggling mom life work life and business life my business then
you know, drops a priority because my bills need to be paid. So I have to go I have to go work at the gyms, which I love working at the gyms, right? Like I still love working for other people as well. Because I can't teach aqua on land, like I can't, unless someone has a pool, I can't do virtual aqua classes like that. Doesn't I love that I love that I get to go to gyms that I can teach aqua at because it aquatic fitness is a massive passion of mine and always has been.
Jen (40:18.202)
He swims through it like...
Brooke Crisp (40:28.618)
but also now I've lost my train of thought, business. So it's been hard. I've burnt myself out a lot. And every time I burn myself out, learn a little lesson. But someone, we were on a mom safe call last month, I think it was, and a mom turned up and she was sharing her hard at that point. And it really hit home for all of us because we were all like, we, we totally get it.
But as Jen has pointed out many times, we're so lucky, we get to build a business alongside our kids and we get to build, and depends on where you are in your motherhood journey. I still have littler kids. My son is seven, almost seven. My daughter is nearly four. So Jen said, you know, when you're in the trenches, you're building the foundations for your business.
So every time it feels hard, I think of Jen and I think I'm just building foundations. And another mentor of mine references the plane, the train, the plane, the car or the bike. So sometimes in business, you're on the plane and you're killing it and you're flying. Sometimes you're in the car and you're plodding along and you're getting to your destination. It's not slow, but it's not fast. And then sometimes you're on the bike and it's just really slow. And I have built my business on the bike and that's okay.
because it's been very slow, but I've been able to make mistakes that haven't been detrimental to my business. I've been able to learn and grow along the way. And I've also been able to be a present mom. I get to pick my kids up from school every day. Obviously not, maybe not today, but that's okay. Some days it's okay not to. It's Poppy day today, so they're at my dad's. And that's really cool. Like I never miss a thing at school.
Jen (42:11.004)
Sorry.
Brooke Crisp (42:22.572)
And my business doesn't thankfully take a huge amount of time out of my day because at the moment I'm just slow. I'm happy with the pace and building those foundations. And I'll continue to build on those foundations until I have more time when my kids go to school. And when my kids go to school, I'll have more free time to work on it and do it. But it's been building. I think it's last year, not last year, the year before when I joined Mom Safe.
I saw a massive growth in my business because I started doing private classes, not just online training. I got more in-person stuff. So I saw a huge growth in my business and I'm still seeing that growth. Nearly, I think I'm two years in Jen, I think. So yeah, still going strong, still building. And I think that's really cool.
Jen (43:13.244)
I think it's really cool to recognize that different seasons of life will enable you to move at different paces. And I think that it's almost like when you're a mom to young children, it's what you think is gonna take you a year, probably double it or maybe triple it even, but be okay with that because if you don't allow yourself to double the timeline, you're moving the timeline for when you get started.
and then you've kind of gone backwards. So I would say, you know, if you thought your business was going to take a year to get to where you want it to go to, get you to where you it you know what I'm trying to say, get there. It's going to take you two or maybe three. And it's also going to depend on your child and their temperament. And I think, like I heard you say before, you had a child that slept and then a child that didn't sleep. And I had the exact same experience, like my second child.
I don't know, she challenged me hugely. We get lulled into this false sense of security and then it's like, sucked in. You couldn't do it anyway. But I just, I get sad for mums that are trying to build businesses that give up too soon. And I get sad for mums that don't get started because not giving up. And of course there's times when you just need to give up and it's not the right thing. And you've got to recognise that too, but.
Brooke Crisp (44:15.982)
It's always the second child.
Yeah, absolutely.
Jen (44:45.03)
Don't hold yourself back thinking that you, it's not happening quick enough or it's, or you can't do it at all.
Brooke Crisp (44:51.918)
reminded me of a book, Jen, The Compound Effect. And if you are a trainer and if you are a business owner, read this book, because it talks about, you you just do one thing, and then you do one thing. And over time, those things compound, and then you look back and you see how far you've come. So like, as I said, my business started, and in the first 12 months, made, like, it went backwards.
Jen (44:55.1)
I've not read that.
Brooke Crisp (45:16.374)
I lost clients. like thought I'd have 50 moms online and I didn't get even close to that. And so that was hugely crushing because I thought I'd have this big business and it just didn't go the way I thought it would go. But I slowly put one foot in front of the other. And even in the hard times going on, this is rubbish. I'm just like, I'm not, it's not working. I look back and I'm like, but I started with five moms on launch week five. When I launched my business,
five people purchased. That was it. That was, which was so exciting, which I was like, I was like, I have five mums, yay for me. And then two mums joined, I think in January. And then there was nothing for a long period of time. And then I did something else and I grew another five mums. And then like that slowed again. And like, it comes down to what you can do. Like, you know, different seasons when you're busy, you're not going to do as much in your business and that's okay.
Jen (45:47.773)
but also five people purchased.
Brooke Crisp (46:11.826)
But you know, that slow putting one foot in front of the other and showing up and doing the do and all the things, it slowly compounds. So even when it feels hard, if you can just do one thing, one thing to move that needle in a year's time, who knows what that one thing ends up being for you. So if people need a book recommendation, The Compound Effect, very good book.
Jen (46:37.83)
I mean, it's the same as our money, right? Like, and a lot of trainers don't look at money and you shouldn't. And if you're not putting super away, please do. Cause we talk about that inside MomSafe. You need these things going in these places. But get on the internet and look at a compounding calculator and it's the exact same effect. Like you put a dollar away today and it's compounding. But if you only, yeah, if you don't put anything away, it can't compound at all. Brooke, what are some of the biggest things in your business that you've done that have?
Brooke Crisp (47:00.268)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jen (47:06.842)
moved it forward, do you think?
Brooke Crisp (47:09.11)
Obviously, when I joined MumSafe, a lot of the training, there wasn't a lot of trainers that were doing online. So they were all doing in-person stuff and they were charging more and generating really great revenue. And I thought I'm missing out on being able to touch mums in my community because I'm so focused on building this business where I can train any mum anywhere, anytime, which is also super valuable.
But starting in-person classes was a really great thing for me. And this year I've put more into one-on-one training as well, so personal training, because I think, yeah, being so focused, I can't serve my online community if I don't have revenue. And so I needed the in-person revenue to keep the online side of it afloat so that I could keep giving those moms value and all the moms get.
get a huge amount of value from me. I'm all about the give, right? Jen keeps reminding me I'm not a charity, but you I like to give. Yes. Jen says there's a lot to unpack with me, but we just never have the time to unpack it. So, yes.
Jen (48:13.862)
So long as you're charging appropriately for the value that you're offering. And that is a whole nother conversation.
Jen (48:25.542)
And here we are.
Brooke Crisp (48:29.58)
I think, yeah, the in-person stuff and working in terms, like the girls were working, a lot of the mums were working in terms so that they could have school holidays with their kids. And I was like, well, my son's school. Like that would be really cool if I don't have to work school holidays and like I can be with my kids. And I mean, I take my son to work with me anyway. Like he just comes everywhere and he loves it. Like he knows my workplaces by what he gets. So there's holiday program work where he goes into the holiday program at the gym that I'm at. And then he knows there's candy pool.
because he has lollies at the pool. There's ice cream pool, because he gets ice cream at that pool. And some of the time, like the ladies like know him now, they just give him free stuff. Like he just comes back and like, did you give them the money? And he goes, no, they didn't want it. And I'm like, just goes and gets a slushie and he's like, whatever. Like, and he loves it. He's like, he, just loves coming to work with me, loves coming in and like seeing everyone and everyone knows him and it's like so funny, but yeah, he's, he's.
hilarious and I get to do that with him on school holidays so I can still work but he just comes with me and if I don't want to work I don't generally have to but I like to work like I like to I still I feel bad if I don't see my classes because they cancel them and I feel guilty that they cancel them so I still turn up.
Jen (49:51.462)
We'll you sit with that.
Brooke Crisp (49:52.686)
One day I will get over this but yeah I'm working on it. I'm working on it.
Jen (49:57.668)
It's, it's nice. Brooke, what would you say to a mum that is, you know, wants to start or has started a fitness business for mums and is in the thick of it? Like, what would you, what's your words of wisdom?
Brooke Crisp (50:15.416)
breathe, it'll all be okay.
Pick a niche, I think. And I mean, moms are niches anyway, right? But like, you need to know when you're, particularly when you're marketing, who you're speaking to. So who's the mom that you're talking to? Who's the mom that you wanna work with? Who's someone that you'd be happy to show up with every day and train them and speak specifically to those people? I think that's a really good message. And just keep showing up.
Jen (50:21.915)
Mmm.
Brooke Crisp (50:50.776)
keep showing up as hard as it is, you know, the compound effect, keep going and be yourself. Comparison is the thief of joy, right? Don't look at social media, don't look at those influences, don't look at any of that, cut the noise out and just do you because people need you. People don't need those influences on Instagram.
They don't need those people. They need you. They need your voice. And everyone has something special to offer. And there's room for success for everyone. There is room for everyone to be successful in this industry. You just have to believe and keep going.
Jen (51:37.276)
I don't think I could have wrapped that up any better myself. Brooke, thank you so much for joining me today. It's been an absolute pleasure to dig into your journey a little bit more. I learned some new things and for us to have a whole hour long chat, pretty much. Thank you. Keep doing what you're doing Brooke. Say again. And you talk very well. I like listening to you. Keep doing what you're doing. Keep traveling that business journey and the foundations that you're laying are so deep.
Brooke Crisp (51:43.864)
Thanks, Amnesia.
Brooke Crisp (51:52.366)
I did say I could talk. I did say I could talk.
Jen (52:06.906)
that I have no doubt that when the time is right, the sky's the limit. Yeah, very exciting. Thanks, Brooke.
Brooke Crisp (52:12.142)
Thanks, Jen.
