Interview: Andrea Nisler Talks About Qualifying for Semifinals 6 Weeks After Giving Birth
Andrea Nisler, twice a member of the Fittest Team on Earth (2021 and 2022), did most of the 2024 CrossFit Open while pregnant.
- She went on to qualify for Quarterfinals and performed the workouts just six weeks after giving birth, stirring a small social media frenzy around the topic of women and fitness postpartum.
Remind me: Individual Quarterfinals took place earlier this month, and athletes were given four workouts to perform in two separate submission windows. It’s important to note that video submissions are currently under review, and the leaderboard is subject to change until all details are finalized.
Nisler, once one of Rich Froning’s teammates, recently gave birth to a baby girl and documented her workouts throughout her pregnancy. It was clear from her social media posts that she continued to train until she gave birth.
[Related: Important Canadian Study Suggests High-Intensity Training Might Be Safe for Pregnant Women After All]
- “I did the third Open workout four days after giving birth,” Nisler tells the Morning Chalk Up in an interview. “I didn’t go hard. I’d been doing chest-to-bars throughout my entire pregnancy, so those felt really good,”
Nisler added that once she got through the Open, she ramped up the intensity after seeking medical approval and seeing a pelvic floor specialist. She notes that her pregnancy and birth were smooth and not complicated, whereas some women have it much harder and need a longer recovery time.
The details: Nisler finished Quarterfinals in 167th place worldwide (reminder: the leaderboard was not finalized at the time of publication). Her goal was to qualify for the Age Group Semifinals (35-39), which takes the top 200 athletes out of Quarterfinals.
She did end up qualifying as an individual but plans to focus on the Age Group division for right now, especially with a new baby. Her performance has drawn the attention of many on social media who have an opinion about the decision to compete, arguably, so soon after giving birth.
- “I think it’s wild to have an opinion on it because everyone is so different,” Nisler says. “If you look at any injury people get, the healing rate for everyone is so different based on how you were before that, such as what you’re doing currently or just your genetic makeup.”
Another important point is that Nisler is a professional athlete and has qualified for the CrossFit Games nine times.
- “Where I started even before pregnancy was higher than most people’s, and then I tried to maintain as much as I could during pregnancy,” she says. “So where I started postpartum was probably a lot different than where a lot of people start.”
- The Morning Chalk Up made an Instagram post (below) regarding her performance, leading to a healthy amount of comments both in support of and against Nisler’s decision to compete.
[Related: Here’s How Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr Trains While Pregnant]
For Nisler, it wasn’t just about being in the gym; it was also about fending off postpartum depression.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in eight women with a recent live birth have cited symptoms of postpartum depression.
“Coming to the gym and working out is my happy place,” Nisler says. ”I have a history of depression and anxiety, so knowing that, as well as knowing where I find happiness, I’ve just really dove back into working out because it’s been great. It’s helped me so much throughout the last month and a half.”
One last thing: Nisler is no stranger to pregnancy and fitness. At her gym, Timberwolf Fitness, she’s seen and coached 12 women with 12 very different pregnancies.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to postpartum, and for Nisler, the main takeaway is simple: “Mind your own business.”
Featured image: Ava Kitzi