In this episode, I sit down with Katherine Shai — a 7x Team USA National Team wrestler, former University World Champion, two-time Olympic alternate, and founder of the wrestling education platform LuchaFit. Katherine has transitioned from elite athlete to mindset and technical coach, and brings such a powerful perspective on how women in sport evolve over time.

 

We talk about what it truly means to balance athletic identity with motherhood, and how mental performance support is just as critical as physical training. Katherine shares her journey through high-level wrestling, coaching, and entrepreneurship, and we dive into how adaptability, joy, and mindset impact both sport and life. We also discuss changing the culture around weight in combat sports, building community for female athletes, and empowering the next generation to thrive beyond just performance. This is such a grounded and inspiring conversation about redefining what strength and success look like as women in athletics.

 

Connect with Katherine: IG: @katherineshai  Website: https://www.luchafit.com/ 

 

Learn more about the Practice Brave Fitness Program: https://briannabattles.com/practicebrave

 

Need workouts for your pregnancy or postpartum? Check out my programs (now with app access!):

 

The Pregnant Athlete Training Program: https://go.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/pregnancy

 

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program: https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program   

 

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I sit down with Ashley Rose Faure, a former Division 1 springboard diver turned endurance athlete, to dive into what it really means to be a high-achieving woman, especially in the context of sports and personal goals. We talk about the mental and emotional demands of maintaining a competitive mindset while juggling careers, families, and everything in between. We share how the pressure of competition affects us emotionally and why self-awareness has been such a crucial part of our journeys. We reflect on the influence of role models and how our experiences can help shape the next generation of athletes.

 

Ultimately, we emphasize that athleticism isn’t just a phase—it’s something that evolves with us. This conversation is about embracing the fluid nature of sport, supporting each other through it, and redefining what it means to be strong and successful at every stage of life.

 

Connect with Ashley:

 Instagram and Facebook: @ashleyrosegoes

 

Join the Practice Brave Fitness Program: briannabattles.com/practicebrave

Are you a pregnant combat athlete? Check out my free resource for BJJ during pregnancy and postpartum: https://go.briannabattles.com/bjj-freeguide

If you’re a pregnant or postpartum athlete looking for resources, I can help:

The Pregnancy Cheat Sheet Free E-Book:

https://go.briannabattles.com/adjust-cheatsheet

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program:

https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I’m joined by my husband, Jared, for a really special conversation that’s different from our usual topics—because we’re announcing something big: we’re opening a jiu-jitsu gym together here in Eagle, Idaho!

We talk about how we each found jiu-jitsu (at very different points in life), how it’s become a huge part of our family’s identity, and why we’re choosing to build this business from the ground up. From Jared’s law enforcement background to my years in strength and conditioning—and now, coaching athlete moms—this is a story about merging worlds, pursuing passion, and creating a space for families to grow in confidence, athleticism, and community.

 

Join Us at Battles Jiu-Jitsu 🏠 Opening October 2025 in Eagle, Idaho 📍 Learn more and fill out the interest form: battlesjiujitsu.com  📸 Follow our journey on Instagram: @battlesjiujitsu

Whether you’re a local family, a curious athlete mom, or someone who's been watching from the sidelines, this is your invitation to get involved. If you want to train, build confidence, or just see what this world is all about, reach out. We’d love to have you join our community.

Are you a pregnant combat athlete? Check out my free resource for BJJ during pregnancy and postpartum: https://go.briannabattles.com/bjj-freeguide

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I’m joined by Joel Jamieson, renowned strength and conditioning coach, educator, and creator of Morpheus and 8WeeksOut.com. We talk all about athletic development across the lifespan, with a special focus on coaching in combat sports, training youth athletes, and using heart rate variability (HRV) to optimize performance and recovery.

 

Joel shares powerful insights from decades in the field, coaching everyone from MMA champions to teenage volleyball players. This conversation hits on everything from the culture of overtraining, long-term athletic development, and the dangers of early sport specialization to how we can support the next generation of athletes (and ourselves) through better coaching and smarter recovery.

 

Connect with Joel:

Instagram: @coachjoeljamieson

Websites:

• 8WeeksOut - https://8weeksout.com/
• Morpheus - https://trainwithmorpheus.com/ 

 

If you're a parent, coach, or athlete trying to train smarter—not just harder—this episode is for you. Share it with your community, tag me @briannabattles, and let me know your biggest takeaway.

 

Join the Practice Brave Fitness Program: briannabattles.com/practicebrave

 

If you’re a pregnant or postpartum athlete looking for resources, I can help:

 

The Pregnancy Cheat Sheet Free E-Book:

https://go.briannabattles.com/adjust-cheatsheet

 

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program:

https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program

 

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Christle Guevarra—physician, educator, athlete, and all-around powerhouse—for a real, raw conversation about health, hormones, weight loss medications, and what it actually looks like to live inside a female body with high-level demands. Christle shares her personal and professional journey from academic burnout and disordered habits to becoming a leader in fitness-forward medicine.

 

We talk about everything from body image to semaglutide, muscle loss fears, perimenopause, and the psychological toll of chronic dieting. If you’ve ever struggled with your weight, your hunger cues, or simply wondered what’s really going on behind the scenes of the latest health trends, this episode is for you.

 

Connect with Dr. Christle Guevarra:

• Instagram: @dr.christle
• YouTube: @rpstrength

 

Join the Practice Brave Fitness Program: briannabattles.com/practicebrave

 

If you’re a pregnant or postpartum athlete looking for resources, I can help:

 

The Pregnancy Cheat Sheet Free E-Book:

https://go.briannabattles.com/adjust-cheatsheet

 

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program:

https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program

 

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

Every year around Cade’s birthday, we make it a tradition to sit down and record a podcast together. This year, Cade is turning 12, and I can’t believe how much he’s grown. Not just physically (hello, football tackles and jiu-jitsu moves), but emotionally and mentally too.

 

In this episode, we talk about his life right now—what he’s into, what he’s learning, how sports are shaping his identity, and what it’s like growing up in a high-energy, high-intention family. We cover everything from sibling dynamics and friendship to confidence, character, and, yes, middle school nerves.

 

This is a reflection of what it means to 'practice brave' in parenting, in sport, and in everyday life. It’s personal, it’s honest, and it’s a reminder of why I started this entire business in the first place: Cade.

 

Learn more about the Practice Brave Fitness Program: https://briannabattles.com/practicebrave

 

Need workouts for your pregnancy or postpartum? Check out my programs (now with app access!):

 

The Pregnant Athlete Training Program: https://go.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/pregnancy

 

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program: https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program

 

Tag me on Instagram @brianna.battles and share your favorite part of this episode—or a tradition you’ve created with your kids.

 

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I’m joined by longtime industry leader and educator Dean Somerset to talk all about what it takes to have longevity as a coach, trainer, and athlete. Dean has been in the fitness industry for over two decades, blending clinical insight with strength training in ways that are both accessible and high impact. We discuss navigating coaching through injuries, how to bridge the gap between rehab and performance, working with postpartum clients, and how to scale your coaching business without compromising quality.

 

Whether you’re a new trainer, a seasoned coach, or someone navigating injuries while still wanting to train hard, you’re going to take away so much from Dean’s grounded, no-BS approach.

 

Connect with Dean Somerset:

• Website: https://deansomerset.com/
• Instagram: @dsomerset1
• Book: Rock Solid Resilience

 

Need workouts for your pregnancy or postpartum? Check out my programs (now with app access!):

 

The Pregnant Athlete Training Program: https://go.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/pregnancy

 

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program: https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program

 

Learn to coach pregnant + postpartum athletes:

https://briannabattles.com/ppacoach

 

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Kristi Brewer—USA Weightlifting athlete, CPA, athlete mom, and all-around powerhouse. Kristi started Olympic weightlifting at 35 (yes, 35!) and went on to become a national team member in her late 30s and early 40s—all while raising her family, building her career, and training from her garage gym.

 

We talk about her journey into elite competition, the mindset that drives her, pelvic health issues in lifting (yes, we talk about peeing during lifts), and how the athlete identity doesn't just survive through motherhood and aging—it can thrive.

 

Follow Kristi on Instagram: @k_mighty

 

If this conversation lit a fire in you, share this episode with another athlete mom or late-in-life lifter who needs to hear it. Leave a review, tag us on Instagram, and let us know your biggest takeaway!

 

Need workouts for your pregnancy or postpartum? Check out my programs (now with app access!):

 

The Pregnant Athlete Training Program: https://go.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/pregnancy

 

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program: https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program

 

Learn to coach pregnant + postpartum athletes:

https://briannabattles.com/ppacoach

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I’m diving into a question I get all the time—how are we raising our kids to be little athletes? As a former Division I athlete, coach, and now a sport mom to two high-energy boys, I share our family’s values, routines, and philosophies around youth sports. This conversation is rooted in real experience, not just opinion, and is especially for those of you navigating this season of life as athlete moms.

 

Whether you’re just entering motherhood or deep in the youth sports world, this is about more than just raising athletes—it’s about raising well-rounded, physically confident, emotionally intelligent kids who value movement and commitment.

 

Need workouts for your pregnancy or postpartum? Check out my programs (now with app access!):

 

The Pregnant Athlete Training Program: https://go.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/pregnancy

 

The 8-Week Postpartum Athlete Training Program: https://go.briannabattles.com/8-week-postpartum-athlete-training-program

 

Let's create real change together!

 

Want to learn more about coaching female athletes? Check out the all-online coaching certification here: http://briannabattles.com/ppacoach

 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow sport mom, leave a review, and let me know what you’d like to hear more of in this season. Tag me on Instagram @brianna.battles with your biggest takeaway!

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!

In this episode, I sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist Mindy English to discuss what to look for when seeking a pelvic floor PT. This is a common question we receive, and we wanted to provide a nuanced conversation around it, especially for female athletes who may not realize how interconnected pelvic health is with overall movement, training, and long-term well-being.

 

We also discuss what to expect in a pelvic floor PT appointment, why it’s critical for practitioners to take a full-body approach, and how pelvic floor therapy can help athletes of all ages—whether they’re dealing with postpartum recovery, leakage during workouts, or long-term pelvic health symptoms.

 

Follow Mindy English for more pelvic health insights: @mindy.english.dpt

 

Want to elevate your coaching skills? Join the waitlist for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Coaching Certification Course and be the first to hear when enrollment opens! 👉 Sign up now: briannabattles.com/waitlist

 

 

MORE ABOUT THE SHOW:

The Practice Brave podcast brings you the relatable, trustworthy and transparent health & fitness information you're looking for when it comes to coaching, being coached and transitioning through the variables of motherhood and womanhood.

You will learn from athletes and experts in the women's health and coaching/performance realm as they share their knowledge and experience on all things Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism.

Whether you're a newly pregnant athlete or postpartum athlete, knowing how to adjust your workouts, mental approach and coaching can be confusing.

Each week we'll be tackling questions around adjusting your workouts and mindset, diastasis recti, pelvic health, mental health, identity, and beyond. Through compelling interviews and solo shows, Brianna speaks directly to where you're at because she's been there too!

Tune in every other week and share the show with your athlete friends!