In this episode, I sit down with longtime friends and CrossFit athletes Annie Thorisdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir to talk honestly about their journeys into motherhood as elite athletes. We reflect on how pregnancy and postpartum seasons have reshaped how they view training, identity, and long-term athletic sustainability.

We discuss the importance of shifting expectations, letting go of the pressure to "prove" anything during pregnancy or postpartum, and instead focusing on building a strong foundation for health, recovery, and longevity. Annie and Katrin share real experiences—both physical and mental—that highlight how transformative these seasons can be, even for the most seasoned athletes.

This conversation is a reminder that pregnancy and postpartum aren't detours from athletic life—they're powerful catalyst seasons that can ultimately make you a more adaptable, resilient, and grounded athlete.

Connect with Annie & Katrin:

👉 Annie Thorisdottir: @anniethorisdottir

👉 Katrin Davidsdottir: @katrintanja

🌐 Empower by Dottir: https://empowerbydottir.com/

Ready to coach pregnant & postpartum athletes with confidence?

Join us for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism LIVE Coaching Certification, a hands-on, in-person experience built for coaches who want real-world skills, not just theory.

📍 San Diego, CA

📅 February 21–22, 2026

👉 Save your spot: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-live-certification

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 solo episode, I unpack a conversation that's been building for over a decade—one sparked by a recent post that stirred both strong agreement and strong reaction. I reflect on how the pregnant and postpartum athlete narrative has evolved, especially within the CrossFit and strength-training space, and why so many women still feel confused, frustrated, or unsupported during these seasons.

This episode is about finding the middle ground. Pregnancy and postpartum aren't about fragility or invincibility—they're about adaptability. I talk about why these seasons are powerful catalysts for growth, how ego and identity get challenged, and why long-term athleticism should always be the goal. More than anything, I emphasize the importance of coaching and messaging that considers the whole person: mindset, physiology, and future performance.

If you're an athlete, a coach, or a mom navigating these transitions, this episode is a reminder that athleticism doesn't end when motherhood begins—but it does evolve. And when we respect that process, outcomes improve not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Join us for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism LIVE Coaching Certification, a hands-on, in-person experience built for coaches who want real-world skills, not just theory.

📍 San Diego, CA

📅 February 21–22, 2026

👉 Save your spot: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-live-certification

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

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

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 Julie to talk about the evolving relationship women have with their bodies, strength, and identity through pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood. We explore what it looks like to move away from pressure-filled fitness narratives and toward a more sustainable, empowering approach to training and self-care.

This conversation is a reminder that strength isn't just physical. It's built through self-compassion, adaptability, and honoring the version of yourself that shows up today. If you're in a season of redefining what fitness and athleticism look like for you, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and encouragement to keep moving forward—on your own terms.

Connect with Julie:

IG: @juliesnodgrass

Ready to coach pregnant & postpartum athletes with confidence?

Join us for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism LIVE Coaching Certification, a hands-on, in-person experience built for coaches who want real-world skills, not just theory.

📍 San Diego, CA

📅 February 21–22, 2026

👉 Save your spot: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-live-certification

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

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

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 solo episode, I share what this current season of life looks like for me and how I'm resetting after a busy and disruptive stretch. Between growing Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism and opening the new Battles Jiu Jitsu gym with my family, I've had to rethink how I approach consistency, capacity, and care for my body.

This episode is a reminder that progress comes from meeting yourself where you are and taking small, intentional steps that support long-term health, confidence, and athletic identity through every season of life.

Learn More and Contact Us: Instagram: @battlesjiujitsu Website: https://www.battlesjiujitsu.com/contact-battles-jiu-jitsu-in-eagle-id

Curious about starting Jiu Jitsu?

If you've been thinking about stepping onto the mats but don't know where to begin, I've got you covered. Download my FREE Beginner's Guide to Jiu Jitsu for practical tips, expectations, and everything you need to feel confident walking into your first class.

👉 Grab the guide here: https://go.briannabattles.com/bjj-freeguide

Ready to coach pregnant & postpartum athletes with confidence? Join us for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism LIVE Coaching Certification, a hands-on, in-person experience built for coaches who want real-world skills, not just theory.

📍 San Diego, CA

📅 February 21–22, 2026

👉 Save your spot: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-live-certification

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 my husband, Jared Battles, to share the story behind our newest chapter together: opening Battles Jiu Jitsu. We reflect on how this idea moved from a quiet "what if" conversation to becoming a real, brick-and-mortar space rooted in purpose, faith, and community.

We talk about why jiu jitsu has played such a meaningful role in our lives, how our backgrounds in athletics, coaching, and service shaped the culture we want to create, and why building a family-centered training environment matters so much to us. From welcoming beginners to supporting women, kids, first responders, and hobbyists alike, our goal is to create a gym where people feel safe, supported, and genuinely cared for—on and off the mats.

This conversation is about more than opening a gym. It's about practicing brave, trusting the redirects in life, and building something meaningful alongside the people we love most. If you've ever thought about starting something new, stepping into discomfort, or redefining what success looks like for your family, this episode is for you.

Learn More & Connect:

🌐 Website: https://www.battlesjiujitsu.com/

📸 Instagram: @battlesjiujitsu

Want to get started in Jiu Jitsu?

Download my FREE Beginner's Guide to Jiu Jitsu—everything you need to know before stepping onto the mats.

👉 Get it here: https://go.briannabattles.com/bjj-freeguide

Join us for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism LIVE Coaching Certification—a hands-on, immersive event designed to help you confidently coach pregnant and postpartum athletes.

📍 San Diego, CA

📅 February 21–22, 2026

👉 Register: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-live-certification

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 strength and conditioning coach Jason Brown to talk about what truly matters in training—for both athletes and coaches. Jason shares how his early exposure to powerlifting, years in the trenches coaching in-person, and deep dive into exercise physiology shaped his approach to programming and the concurrent training model he's known for today.

We also talk about coach development, training longevity, and the importance of adapting your approach based on your season of life—whether that's early career, parenthood, or training into your 40s and beyond. Jason also shares insight into his PhD work on concurrent training and how this research is shaping the next evolution of his coaching.

Connect with Jason:

• Website: jasonbrowncoaching.com
• Instagram / YouTube: @jasonbrowncoaching

Want to elevate your coaching with an in-person experience? Join us for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism LIVE Coaching Certification—a hands-on, immersive event designed to help you confidently coach pregnant and postpartum athletes. 📍 San Diego, CA 📅 February 21–22, 2026 👉 Register: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-live-certification

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 Kayleigh Summers, a perinatal trauma therapist and the voice behind The Birth Trauma Mama. Kayleigh shares her powerful story of surviving an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE)—a rare and often fatal childbirth emergency—and how that experience completely reshaped her life, identity, and path into motherhood.

We talk about what it was like to navigate recovery after a traumatic birth, the emotional complexity that comes with surviving something life-threatening, and the grief that can follow when your birth and postpartum experience look nothing like what you imagined. Kayleigh also opens up about rebuilding her sense of self, the importance of trauma-informed care, and why community and shared stories matter so deeply for women who feel alone in their experiences.

Today, Kayleigh uses both her clinical background and lived experience to support others who are processing perinatal trauma, helping mothers feel seen, validated, and less alone in their healing.

Connect with Kayleigh:

• Website: https://thebirthtraumamama.com/
• Instagram: @thebirthtrauma_mama
• Podcast: The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast

Want to elevate your coaching with an in-person experience?

Join us for the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism LIVE Coaching Certification—a hands-on, immersive event designed to help you confidently coach pregnant and postpartum athletes.

📍 San Diego, CA

📅 February 21–22, 2026

👉 Register: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-live-certification

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 once again by my good friend and collaborator, Mindy English — a pelvic floor physical therapist here in Eagle, Idaho, who works extensively with female athletes, especially pregnant and postpartum women.

We've been running a pelvic floor PT series this past year, aiming to make conversations around women's pelvic health less taboo and more empowering. For this episode, we took your questions from Instagram and dove into everything from clinical pelvic floor assessments to practical, everyday strategies that support athletic performance and recovery.

This was one of my favorite conversations because it captures the curiosity, confusion, and honesty that come with understanding your body — especially as an athlete and a woman. Mindy and I always aim to make this information approachable, practical, and relevant, no matter what season of life you're in.

Connect with Mindy:

IG: @mindy.english.dpt

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

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

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 talk with Olympian swimmer Hannah Miley about her transition into motherhood and what it's been like navigating a return to swimming postpartum. We dive into the culture of swimming in Scotland, why pelvic floor health matters for swimmers and female athletes in general, and the identity shifts that happen when you step away from sport after competing at the highest level. Hannah opens up about her own postpartum recovery experience, the gaps she's seen in resources for female athletes, and her vision for building more support and community for moms in sport. This is an honest, powerful conversation about redefining athleticism, rebuilding postpartum, and staying connected to the parts of ourselves that still feel like athletes.

Connect with Hannah:

• IG: @smiley8889
• FB: @hannahlouisemiley

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 again with Mindy English, Orthopedic & Pelvic Health PT with a background in sports and orthopedics based here in Eagle, Idaho. Mindy and I have done several episodes together as part of our pelvic health series for female athletes, and this one takes on a topic that doesn't get enough attention: constipation, gut health, and how they connect to pelvic floor symptoms. We dive into how digestion, nutrition, and pelvic health are deeply interconnected—and how constipation can affect everything from athletic performance to prolapse symptoms. Mindy shares what she sees clinically in both adults and kids, and we talk through why simply "eating more fiber" often isn't the full solution. This conversation is real, relevant, and full of practical takeaways for athletes, coaches, and anyone who's ever struggled with gut issues or pelvic health symptoms.

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

Learn more about the Pregnancy & Postpartum Athleticism Certification: https://join.pregnancyandpostpartumathleticism.com/ppa-cert Are you a pregnant combat athlete? Check out my free resource for BJJ during pregnancy and postpartum: https://go.briannabattles.com/bjj-free-guide

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!