THE HYPERMOBILE STRENGTH COACH

Hi, I'm Annie. I'm a strength coach, exercise scientist, powerlifter, bodybuilder, and Ehlers-Danlos'er. 

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Hypermobile Strength Coach

I learned at a young age just how beneficial strength training can be for the hypermobile body. 

I was diagnosed with hypermobility as a child, started lifting when I was 13, became qualified as a personal trainer when I was 15, received my Ehlers-Danlos diagnosis when I was in my late teens, and my ADHD diagnosis a few years later. 

As my Ehlers-Danlos got a lot worse across my 20s, I realised how important strength is for the hypermobile body and how much I'd been using it to manage my symptoms without realising for years. We are limited by the laxity of our connective tissue, and our muscles are our one of our best tools to hold our bodies together, prevent dislocations, improve functionality, and manage pain. 

 

The Human Body

 

It's easier to manage our EDS if we have a basic understanding of anatomy.

In 2019 I graduated from my Bachelor of Exercise Science degree; and since then I have tutored anatomy, contributed to anatomy courses & workbooks, and been mentored by some of the best coaches, physios, and rehab specialists in the strength industry.

Through the years of managing my own Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and working with the best rehab specialists I can find, I've learned how important it is for us to develop our own anatomy knowledge to help manage our EDS. 

The deeper your anatomical knowledge, the better you will be able to manage your EDS and/or hypermobility. 

Competitions

An EDS diagnosis doesn't mean you have to stop doing everything you love.

Since my diagnosis I have competed in more than 25 powerlifting competitions, with 4 National Wins and multiple National and International records. 

In 2020 I transitioned to bodybuilding, and competed at a National level in the IFBB Wellness division. 

Even if you don't have competitive aspirations, I want to encourage you to set goals. One big goal for those with EDS is to manage pain and dislocations, but we shouldn't stop there.

Every EDS'er has a different level of disability, and I'm not saying that everyone with this condition can do what I did, nor that I could do what another person with EDS can do. But I am saying that with the right management plan we can achieve things beyond simply managing this condition. 

Education

 

Your hypermobile body deserves to be listened to.

Who else agrees there isn't enough information out there on managing Ehlers-Danlos symptoms?? Or about strength training with hypermobility - the benefits it can have and the specific ways we need to adapt the training to get the best results. 

In 2023 I decided I wanted to make it my full time job to raise awareness and knowledge around managing EDS and hypermobility - by sharing my experiences, teaching the fundamentals of strength training for hypermobility, and connecting my resources with the wider Ehlers-Danlos & hypermobile community. 

As awareness about EDS & hypermobility grows, it's exciting to see the narrative change: we're no longer letting able-bodied people call the shots on what our bodies can and can't do. The conversation around managing hypermobility needs to start with lived experience. We need to be the ones starting - and moderating - these conversations. It's inspiring to be a part of that. 

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