Nike Is Launching a Maternity Training Program

Nike wants to make it easier for pregnant and postpartum people to get back into sport.

The athletic giant revealed its global maternity training program today, dubbed Nike (Move) Like a Mother. The new Nike Training Club app program, according to the company, is aimed at offering guidance and support amid high rates of dropout from exercise due to pregnancy.

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The program features a prenatal and postpartum exercise plan with 24-workouts that includes strength, cardio, mobility and yoga movements. Nike said the workouts were designed by qualified trainers and vetted by a panel consisting of five pregnancy experts, as well as an OB/GYN, and cover three seasons of pregnant life: early pregnancy, later pregnancy and postpartum.

The plan, Nike explained, also features a postpartum program with a six-week deep core and pelvic floor recovery plan designed by a pelvic health physical therapist, which is safe to start in the early days after delivery.

Additionally, Nike said its Nike Run Club app now has guided runs that are tailored to each trimester, and service-oriented stories are now available via Nike.com, the Nike app and within the Nike Training Club program.

While this training program is Nike’s latest effort to help pregnant and postpartum people, the athletic powerhouse has been scrutinized over alleged unfair policies around pregnancy.

Most notably, Nike faced public criticism in May 2019 over its maternity policies — which included decorated athlete Allyson Felix speaking out about her “heartbreaking” experience as a pregnant Nike-signed athlete — which led the company to revise its contracts regarding female athletes three months later to include more protections for pregnant athletes.

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In the time since, Nike has expanded its initiatives support pregnant people through products and services, including the September 2020 debut of the Nike (M) maternity athletic clothing collection. Nike expanded the collection in 2021, and confirmed it will debut in Asian markets this month. And in March 2021, the company further solidified its support of mothers with a video titled “The Toughest Athletes,” which at the time was created to showcase the strength of women during pregnancy and early motherhood.

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