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Core and Pelvic Floor Programs | Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification

Professional Certification

Pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise training for health and fitness professionals

The Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist Course is leading a movement in women's fitness and healthcare. This certification focuses on pregnancy modifications, postpartum timelines, limitations, and special considerations. You will learn proven corrective exercises that progress pregnant or postpartum clients with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (leaks, tightness, and prolapse), Diastasis Recti, SI Joint Pain, and Low Back Pain into high-intensity exercise.

Dr. Sarah Duvall, DPT, PT

Dr. Sarah Ellis Duvall, PT, DPT, CPT, CNC

Dr. Anna Hammond, DPT, OCS

Dr. Anna Hammond, DPT, OCS

Programs for Women

Online core and pelvic floor rehab programs for pregnant and postpartum women

The CES team is the last stop for many women on their path to recovery. We are passionate about finding solutions to the problems no one else has been able to resolve. Through our comprehensive, industry-leading online programs, the CES team has rehabbed thousands of women with prolapse, leaking, pelvic floor pain and tightness, diastasis recti, hip pain and much more.

Articles

CES articles cover a wide range of topics including diastasis, the pelvic floor, hip strength, back pain, posture, working out and personal motherhood triumphs.

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C-section: Reasons, Risks, Recovery

October 27, 2021

safe exercises with prolapse FI

Safe Exercises with Prolapse and Ones to Avoid

July 20, 2021

low down on lube FI

The Low Down on Lube

June 28, 2021

DR- definition, causes and treatment feature image

Diastasis Recti: Definition, Causes and Treatment

May 10, 2021

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How to Check for Diastasis Recti

March 31, 2021

Dr and pregnancy article

Diastasis Recti and Pregnancy

March 12, 2021

More Articles >

Videos

Improve Pelvic Floor With Posture

What is Pressure Management: Diastasis Recti Recovery, Pelvic Floor Recovery and Hernia Health

How to Train Pelvic Floor Muscles | Isolate and Contract

Front Pelvic Floor Contraction

Why Strengthening Your Middle Traps Helps Core and Pelvic Floor Issues

Why Does a Full Squat Cause Back Pain?

More Videos >

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@drsarahduvall

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Oct 27

I’ve been tracking my HRV for a couple years and it has been fun to see how life stress unfolds in my HRV readings. HRV stands for heart rate variability. It’s not your heart rate. HRV is the variation in the time interval between heartbeats. Research has shown HRV to be a good indicator of exercise recovery, disease process, and stress. 🔹Higher HRV numbers indicate a parasympathetic state. 🔹Lower HRV numbers indicate a sympathetic state. Your parasympathetic nervous system is your rest and digest, relaxed state. Your sympathetic nervous system is your I’m stressed out everything’s on fire state. An HRV that’s chronically low or too high is an indication that you’re maxed out. Everyone’s HRV range is individual, which is why I blocked out my numbers. LOL! If you’re like me, comparison just stresses you out and leads to lower HRV numbers. The other day I was scrolling back through my Oura ring data and decided to compare the monthly averages to major life events. It was fun! You can clearly see stressful events and the toll they took compared to months with fun vacations. I don’t think you have to track your HRV to know what state of stress you’re in though. All you have to do is pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you. I know. Novel concept right? 😂We all know the signs of excessive stress but how often do we listen to them versus push through? There are things I can’t change, like having a sick kid in the hospital BUT there are things I can change, like how much I try to take on at work. Lastly, the thing that’s helped me the most is changing how I think about stress. Life happens, I’m in control of how I react to it. I choose to not let my feathers get ruffled. I choose to not let overwhelm run my life. I choose to let it go and know everything will work out. So, the next time you’re feeling stressed, take a moment and choose to not let it consume you. #postpartumrecovery #postnatalrecovery #workoutrecovery

Oct 25

It is amazing to watch Kendra’s passion for serving mothers. It is evident in the way she shows up in the Inner Circle. She is always looking at things from every angle, striving to always gain more knowledge, asking questions, and finding any possible way she can support her client with the many resources she has. The company she started with her sister, @devotedmamas, is focused on just that, supporting mothers, giving them the best tools and support to achieve their goals. Kendra herself is a mother, who has gone from experiencing prolapse to serving other women each day, and most recently partnering with Daily Burn to reach even more women! I am so proud of her and the things she has accomplished and I cannot wait to see what she does next! Here is a great excerpt from her PCESHero Interview.“The best part of PCES (if I had to pick one, which is hard!), is that Sarah has taught me how to see my clients with a deeply inquisitive eye. I’ve learned how to spot and fine-tune movement patterns that could cause issues either soon or later down the road. Then, she gives so many options for how to handle each issue, and I feel that I have the knowledge necessary to be creative with how I implement this with my clients so they get the best results. We blow people’s minds (and sometimes our own!) on a regular basis with the results we get by applying what we continue to learn from this course (even 4 years later!) It’s really common that clients say “how can you see that?!” - and it’s all because we’ve been trained to take a curious eye with each and every person.I find this attention to detail incredibly important because no two clients follow the same path. And honestly, even one client can throw you curveballs in a matter of minutes. No matter what challenge I’ve found with a client, I’ve been able to find an alternative way (or 10!) to address their issue with the resources available with the PCES course, group and ongoing Inner Circle (which is pure GOLD).”Read the full article here (live link in bio): https://www.coreexercisesolutions.com/sarah-is-raising-the-bar-for-the-world-of-pregnancy-and-postpartum-care/#pces #postpartumrecovery #pceshero

Oct 22

Do you ever find yourself suffering from overly tight hip flexors after sitting for long periods of time? You might not even be sitting for that long but when you go to get up you think, “oh goodness, I can’t extend my legs, it hurts to walk or I feel bent over.”If you have ever had this happen to you, I want you to pay attention to how you are sitting in your chair. It is possible to have a posture that is “too good” and can come back to bite you. 🤦‍♀️😂Watch today’s video for a full explanation of why holding “perfect” posture could cause you to end up with tight hip flexors, and to see what I recommend if you’ve ever had this happen to you.Were you able to notice a difference in your hip flexor activation after you watched the video and tried this trick?#posture #sitting #relax #hipflexors #tighthips #tighthipflexors #postnatalfitness #postnatalfitness #postpartumrecovery #fitpro

Oct 20

Why do kids always make smiling look so painful? 😂 We recently spent some family time talking about a study that showed people who smiled became happier because they were smiling. The facial muscles signaled the brain instead of the brain dictating the facial muscles. Smiling also helps us decrease the tension we hold in our jaw. If you tend to be a jaw clencher and have TMJ or neck pain, try smiling more! Tension in the jaw area can go hand-in-hand with ab gripping and pelvic floor tension. It’s no wonder we tend to feel more relaxed on vacation -- we’re smiling in all the photos. LOL! If you’re feeling a bit tense and stressed today, try on a smile and see if it helps. 🥰😊 Even a small happiness boost can go a long way. Parent note: It’s also slightly harder to whine when smiling. 😂

Oct 18

Caitlyn has been such a joy to have in the group! It has been awesome to watch her journey and the amazing progress she has made. She has fully participated, showed up for herself and others, posted videos, taken detours when needed, and embraced all the different exercises needed. She always puts in the work when things become challenging. With any setback (which are expected and part of the process!) Caitlyn is able to apply her learned knowledge, being an active and reflective participant in her own journey. Never wavering in her trust that she can accomplish her goals has been an asset to her, and has proven to be true! I wish I could include the entire interview here because it has so many good nuggets so instead I will include a short excerpt!“I felt really down about my body and like I had no clue what to do to “get my body back.” Before getting pregnant I had been in the “best” shape of my life, and I was extremely discouraged at the state of my body after having my son. Birth was really rough, my son was colicky, I “failed” at breastfeeding, and I felt completely inadequate. I knew my recovery after birth would be hard, but the road ahead felt impossible. So I started looking for a program to help, and I found CES. The difference between 2017 and 2021 is astronomical. In 2017 I felt weak, broken, and hopeless. I was stuck in a deep, dark hole of PPD and PPA, and was also shocked with a surprise pregnancy that knocked me off my feet even more. Today, I feel strong, capable, and confident that the strength I’m building now will carry me forward for a long time. When I was in counseling in 2019 and 2020, my counselor helped me come up with this mantra: With the right help, I can do it. I am 100% confident that the support, feedback, and camaraderie of this group has been the right help for me.” Read the full interview here (live link in bio): https://www.coreexercisesolutions.com/with-the-right-help-you-can-do-it/#momfithero #postpartumfitness #postpartumrecovery #momtransformation

Oct 15

For the last part of our walking and hiking warmup we are going to work on standing hip extensions for glute activation. We have worked on several things this week including getting our hips moving, adductors on board and internal/external rotation (be sure to check out the other videos first if you missed them). Now we are going to work on a warmup for your glute max and abs. Focusing on abs during this exercise prevents your back from extending and helps your glutes work more. We don’t want to be spilling forward during the exercise and using our low back muscles instead of our glutes. Having your glute max warmed up will help you power up hills without compensating and using muscles that will leave you feeling tight after your adventure or morning walk to drop the kids at school. Be sure to watch today’s video for some tips and tricks to help get the most out of this exercise. Were you able to notice a difference once your abs and glutes were warmed up? I hope this week’s tips help keep you feeling great on your next walk or hike!#warmup #glutes #gluteworkout #postpartumfitness #fitpro #strengthandconditioningcoach

Oct 14

For part two of our warmup we are going to work on decreasing hip tightness that could result from walking or hiking. We are going to take the small (PRI influenced) squat that we worked on already and we are going to work on turning it into a hip shifting exercise. Let’s get those hips moving! Make sure you try part 1 of the warmup first. Mastering the starting position for this exercise is important. This warmup is going to help you with stepping up on rocks, curbs and with turning as well as walking straight without excessive hip flexor tightness. You need to have fluid hip internal and external rotation to do all of these movements. Great hip movement will help you come back from a hike or walk without your back or hips hurting. 🎉Check out today’s video for a full demonstration of the warmup. Try this out before your next walk or hike. Were you able to feel a difference after you got back?#warmupexercise #exercisedemo #postpartumfitness #postnatalfitness #fitpro #fitness #strengthcoach #strengthandconditioningcoach

Oct 12

Hiking Warm Up Part 1. In today's hiking tip I would like to start going over some great warmups to do before a hike to help your body feel great at the end!Watch today's video to see a demonstration of the first warmup. In this exercise you will be accessing your adductors and anterior glute medius. These hip muscles help to move your pelvis into internal rotation which is a dynamic part of the hiking gait cycle. Without internal rotation at the hips and pelvis you will get the movement from further above or below the chain, like the SI joint, low back or feet (think plantar fasciitis).Part one of our hiking warmup is a modification of the PRI squat. You often have to be able to warmup standing at the base of the trail, so having some exercises you can do anywhere is a great idea. You are not always going to have a wall or ground that you want to lie down on.Give this exercise a try before you head out on a neighborhood walk today and see if you feel the difference it makes. Stay tuned for more because this is a 3 part warmup! 😊What did you think? Could you feel the difference? Do you ever have back pain or foot pain after long walks or hikes? #hiking #exercisedemo #postpartumfitness #glutemedius #adductors #fitpro #fitwomen #strengthcoach #warmup #warmupexercise

Oct 11

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