As the weeks and months passed, I looked forward to working out and chatting with the other women. After class we'd sometimes meet for a cold drink and a yak.
As my friendships grew, my arms, legs and stomach got stronger than ever. I started to feel like myself again: confident and brave. And best of all, the energy and feeling of peace that I get from practising judo makes me a better mom to Kale.
When I received my yellow belt after nine months, I felt as proud as I did after graduating from university. This past August I received my orange belt. There are three more belts to get before the black one. Each belt represents a progressively more difficult degree of knowledge, training, leadership and ability. Dare I think that I can become a black belt in my 40s? I wouldn't have thought so a few years ago, but now? You better believe it, baby.
The gentle way
Martial arts can be a fun way to get fit after you've had a baby, says Tina Takahashi, world champion, member of the Judo Hall of Fame and former Olympic coach. It's also a great approach to developing confidence and meeting new people, adds Takahashi, who practised judo after the birth of each of her three boys, aged six, eight and 10, and still teaches at the Takahashi dojo in Ottawa, where the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau trained for his black belt.
Although all martial arts can help you regain your fitness level postpartum, judo is particularly good because it uses all the muscles, including those in the stomach, back and legs, which are most affected by childbirth, says Takahashi. Judo is Japanese for “gentle way” and is appropriate for any mom, no matter what her fitness level, she says. “We have people who are 16 and 60,” says Takahashi. As with any new fitness program though, you should first consult your doctor.
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