Six-time Fittest Woman on Earth® Tia-Clair Toomey competed in the 2023 CrossFit Open while pregnant. She finished 2,831st worldwide, qualifying her for the 2023 Quarterfinals, where her 2023 season ended, vacating her reign as CrossFit Games champion.
Toomey’s training regimen upon returning to the gym post-pregnancy changed. On June 2, 2023, Toomey explained her training updates in a video published on her YouTube channel. Check it out below:
Toomey took six weeks off per doctor’s orders before lifting anything over 10 pounds or performing high-intensity training. Post-pregnancy, Toomey has emphasized moving her body more in any way possible.
Tia-Clair Toomey’s Training After Pregnancy
In the video, Toomey was asked whether she feels she’s lost a step fitness-wise:
“No, I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything,” Toomey said. “…the last six weeks of being pregnant, I really blew up…my movements, bending over, even walking, [were] so restricting. Now, I don’t have a belly like that; it’s like, wow, I can do everything.”
Toomey’s training starts on the Echo Bike as a warm-up. She then ramps up slowly with static stretches. Once warm, she performs dumbbell work via hammer curls and bent-over delt raises. She oscillates between upright and lateral lifts with the dumbbells, hitting all sides of her delts.
Toomey follows that with glute hamstring bridges on the floor to regain her hip strength after having her baby.
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[Related: Who’s Qualified for the 2023 CrossFit Games?]
Tia-Clair Toomey’s Post-Pregnancy Recovery
Toomey drinks more water than usual during her recovery and is back to her normal coffee intake. During her pregnancy, Toomey consumed only one cup of coffee per day but is now back to three to four cups.
Toomey’s appetite has returned as well. She inferred that she consumed 300 extra calories per day while pregnant. Post-pregnancy and while breastfeeding, the extra daily calories have increased to 500.
Fortunately, Toomey’s newborn spends most of the day sleeping. Toomey’s partner and coach, Shane Orr, wakes up with the baby in the morning so Toomey can sleep in.
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[Related: CrossFit Athlete Kristi Eramo O’Connell On Balancing Weight Training and Running]
What’s Next for Toomey?
Toomey has not returned to a dedicated training routine yet. She’s slowly working her core back into competition shape and adding plenty of walking outdoors. Additionally, Toomey biases upper-body training to establish a baseline and increase her heart rate more consistently.
Toomey enjoys family life with her partner and the little one at home. If she returns to CrossFit competition in 2024, we’ll see if she can reclaim the title of Fittest on Earth®.
Featured image: @tiaclair1 on Instagram
