AXO

I don’t think we talk enough about what exercise does for your mental health.

Not because of endorphins or burning calories.

Because sometimes it’s just about getting out of your own head. Some days you’ll come into the gym and chat to everyone.

Other days you won’t feel like talking to anyone.

And that’s okay too.

There’s something really powerful about simply being around good people. Seeing familiar faces. Having someone say, “Hey, good to see you.” Training alongside people who are all trying to look after themselves too.

One of the things I love most about semi-private PT is that you don’t have to think.

The workout’s already planned.
Your coach is there.
Everything’s set up.

You don’t have to decide what exercises to do or whether you’re doing enough.

You just show up.

And when life already feels like one big list of decisions, removing just one of them can be enough to get you moving.

It’s amazing how often people walk in saying, “I really didn’t feel like coming today…”

And then leave saying,

“I’m so glad I came.”

I don’t think that’s a coincidence

Turns out… we’re not as good at Pilates as we thought. 😂

We spent the afternoon getting humbled, finding muscles we didn’t know existed, and discovering just how much our balance, control and stability could improve.

But that’s exactly why we did it.

As coaches, it’s easy to stay in your own lane. The problem is, that’s where learning stops.

We believe the best coaches never stop being students.

Every time we step outside our comfort zone, we learn something that helps us become better at ours. Sometimes it’s a new coaching cue. Sometimes it’s a different way of thinking about movement. Sometimes it’s simply remembering what it feels like to be the beginner in the room.

Will we be replacing barbells with reformers at AXO? Absolutely not. 😅

But will we take some of the movement quality, stability work and coaching principles back into our programming? Without a doubt.

Huge thank you to Pilates by Tamsin and Studio Three NZ - Pilates, Reformer, Barre, TRX for putting up with three guys whose egos were definitely left at the door.

As parents, it’s easy for our entire world to revolve around everyone else.

The kids.
The family.
The schedules.
The endless list of things that need doing.

Somewhere along the way, looking after ourselves often ends up at the bottom of the list.

That’s why we loved what Cat said:

“Feeling strong for them, but most importantly, feeling strong for me.”

Because exercise isn’t just about weight loss or fitness.

It’s about having energy.
Feeling capable.
Building confidence.
And remembering that your health matters too.

Not because you’re a parent.

Because you’re a person.
❤️

One thing we’ve realised at AXO is that helping women return to exercise safely is about so much more than just modifying a squat or deadlift.

It’s about understanding the journey.

As three male gym owners, we’ll never have the lived experience of pregnancy and postpartum, which is exactly why we talked with Rebecca from The Pelvic Institute . Not only to educate our community, but to educate ourselves and our coaching team so we can better support women through every stage of their return to movement.

One of the biggest misconceptions around postpartum recovery is that exercise only means sweating, lifting weights or going back to the gym.

In reality, movement and exercise exist on a spectrum.
For many women in the early stages after an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth, exercise may simply mean reconnecting with your body through breathing, gentle pelvic floor activation and controlled movement.

In this video, Rebecca takes us through three simple exercises that may help reconnect with the pelvic floor, improve pressure management and begin rebuilding the foundations for future movement:
✔️ Diaphragmatic breathing
✔️ Diaphragmatic breathing with gentle pelvic floor contraction
✔️ Bridges with coordinated breathing and pelvic floor activation

Our goal isn’t to tell women when they should return to exercise. It’s to help them feel informed, supported and confident whenever that time is right for them.

As our coaches continue learning alongside experts like Rebecca, we hope to better support women returning to AXO with appropriate progressions, pelvic floor-friendly exercise options, and an understanding of when additional support from a pelvic floor physiotherapist may be beneficial.

This is just the beginning. We have a lot more educational content coming because we genuinely want AXO to be a place where women feel understood, supported and safe throughout their postpartum journey.

A huge thank you to Rebecca from The Pelvic Institute for sharing her expertise with both our community and our team. 💜

People love talking about balance like it’s something you eventually figure out.

Parents know the truth.

Some weeks the house is spotless and the workouts don’t happen.
Some weeks you’re training consistently and the laundry is judging you from across the room.
Some weeks you’re running on coffee and pure determination.

Nobody is balancing everything perfectly.

The goal isn’t perfection.
It’s making sure you don’t completely lose yourself while looking after everyone else.

If you’re waiting until life settles down before prioritising your health and fitness, you might be waiting a very long time.

Just start where you are.

What’s currently being neglected in your life? 👇😂