Real Women. Real Progress. Real Results.
Every woman who joins Rawcourage starts with a different story.
Some are struggling with pain.
Some are rebuilding confidence.
Some want to stay strong and independent as they age.
These are their stories.
Tracy's Story: "I Thought This Was Just What Happens"
When Tracy joined FIRE, she wasn't looking to become a fitness model or spend hours in the gym.
She simply wanted to feel better.
Like many women, she was dealing with lower back pain, sore hips, disrupted sleep, pelvic floor concerns and the physical changes that come with age. She had also watched many women in her family experience similar issues, often leading to surgeries, hip replacements and prolapse repairs.
For a long time, Tracy believed these problems were simply part of getting older.
"I thought maybe it was hereditary. I thought maybe it was just what happens."
Despite being nervous and unsure of what to expect, Tracy decided to take the plunge and join FIRE.
"I was scared shitless, but I thought, you know what, I'm just going to do it."
Within the first few weeks, she started noticing unexpected changes.
One of the first improvements was something many women don't often talk about – improved bowel function and pelvic floor control.
By seven weeks, the results were becoming hard to ignore.
What Changed?
✔ No lower back pain
✔ Less sciatica and hip pain
✔ Improved sleep
✔ Better bladder control
✔ Improved pelvic floor function
✔ Increased strength and mobility
✔ 3kg weight loss
✔ More confidence in her body
One moment stands out in particular.
While bathing her dogs, Tracy found herself squatting comfortably and standing back up without pain, stiffness or hesitation.
Previously, this simple task would have left her sore, uncomfortable and struggling to move.
This time was different.
"I stood straight up and thought, well, this is pretty cool."
Another breakthrough came when she realised she was no longer crossing her legs every time she coughed or sneezed.
"A couple of weeks ago, I thought, what if I just brace my muscles and see what happens? It worked. I didn't have to cross my legs. That's pretty cool."
For Tracy, the biggest change wasn't just physical.
It was realising that the future she had accepted wasn't necessarily the future she had to live.
"Getting old doesn't bother me. Becoming tragic bothers me."
Her goal isn't simply to exercise.
It's to stay strong, capable and independent for as long as possible.
"The biggest thing that scares me about getting older is not being independent."
Today, Tracy continues to build strength through FIRE and is excited to see where the next six months take her.
Tracy's Advice
"If you think these issues are just part of getting older, what is the harm in giving an alternative a try?
You've got nothing to lose."
More Stories Coming Soon
We're currently documenting the journeys of several Rawcourage members and look forward to sharing their progress and achievements with you.
Every story starts with a first step.
Current Case Studies
Brooke's Journey | Week 0 – Before We Begin
This isn't a story about learning to lift weights. It's a story about rebuilding confidence in movement, one step at a time.
Over the past few months, I've realised something about myself.
I absolutely love coaching.
I love watching people discover they're capable of more than they ever imagined.
I love seeing confidence grow.
I love helping people improve their lives.
But if I'm honest...
I've never been very good at telling those stories.
Most of the work I do happens quietly behind the scenes.
The conversations.
The fears.
The planning.
The coaching.
The little breakthroughs that eventually become life-changing moments.
I've realised that's something I need to change.
Because every time I share one of my clients' stories, another woman reaches out and says,
"I saw myself in her."
That's why I've decided to start documenting these journeys.
Not because every story ends with a dramatic transformation.
Not because every journey is easy.
But because they're real.
And if one person's story gives another person the confidence to take that first step...
Then it's a story worth telling.
Today, I'd love to introduce you to Brooke.
Meet Brooke
For many years, Brooke has lived with persistent back pain.
Over time, scans identified scoliosis, arthritis and degenerative changes in her spine. But regardless of the diagnosis, the outcome was the same—she slowly began adapting her life around what her body could tolerate.
During our conversation, Brooke told me something that genuinely stopped me.
She said there was a time when she couldn't carry a 2.5 kg bag of dog food.
Not a 20 kg bag.
Not a 10 kg bag.
A 2.5 kg bag.
Then she told me something that surprised me even more.
She couldn't carry her handbag and her 1-litre water bottle into work at the same time.
She would carry her handbag into the office first, then walk back to the car to get her water bottle because carrying both together was simply too painful.
That was the moment I truly understood how much pain she'd been living with.
Carrying shopping hurt.
Cleaning windows hurt.
Long walks became difficult.
Like so many people living with persistent pain, Brooke gradually stopped trusting her body.
She wasn't looking for a quick fix.
She simply wanted to keep doing the things she loved.
During our conversation, Brooke quietly admitted something that really resonated with me.
"I've always wanted to start doing some sort of strength training."
It wasn't that she didn't want to.
She simply didn't know whether her body could cope.
And she was frightened that starting something new might bring the pain back.
If you're reading this and thinking,
"That's exactly how I feel."
You're probably not alone.
Choosing a Different Path
Over the years, Brooke sought advice from a number of health professionals.
Different treatment options were discussed, including spinal injections and surgery.
But Brooke knew she wasn't willing to go down that path.
Instead...
She chose to swim.
Nobody promised it would solve everything.
She simply knew moving in the water hurt less than moving on land.
So she kept showing up.
Week after week.
Year after year.
Swimming became the one thing that allowed Brooke to stay active and manage her pain.
The Conversation That Changed Everything
Brooke had been swimming on her own for some time when I launched Ocean Cardio Club.
She decided to join us.
Movement Snapshot | Week 0
This is Brooke before she begins her 10-week Foundations Program.
For years, swimming has been the one form of exercise that has helped her stay active and manage her back pain.
Over the next 10 weeks, we'll be documenting Brooke's journey as we work towards building the foundations that support her movement, improve her confidence and help her continue doing the activity she loves.
We'll revisit this video at the end of her journey and see what has changed.
That decision was bigger than she probably realised.
As a busy mum, Brooke rarely took time just for herself.
Sunday mornings became her time.
As I started coaching Brooke in the water, I began noticing things she couldn't see herself.
Swimming was helping her back.
But years of adapting to pain had changed the way her body moved.
As her swimming increased, she started mentioning tightness through her neck and soreness in her shoulder.
That wasn't because swimming was bad for her.
It was because her body had learnt to compensate.
And the more she swam, the more those movement patterns would eventually catch up with her.
I didn't want Brooke to stop swimming.
I wanted to help her keep swimming.
That's a very different goal.
By this stage we'd spent months together in the pool.
Trust had already been built.
So I asked Brooke one simple question.
Would you trust me to help you build the foundations your body needs before we ask it to do more?
She said yes.
"I Just Don't Want The Pain To Come Back."
When I asked Brooke what frightened her most about starting strength training, she didn't hesitate.
"I just don't want the pain to come back."
A few minutes later she said something else that stopped me in my tracks.
"I think I hurt more when I don't move."
Those two sentences explain exactly why so many people never begin.
It isn't laziness.
It isn't a lack of motivation.
It's fear.
Fear of making things worse.
Fear of hurting again.
Fear of trusting a body that has let them down before.
More Than Strength
One question completely changed our conversation.
I asked Brooke,
"What worries you more as you get older... losing strength, or living with pain?"
Her answer came immediately.
"Being in pain."
That wasn't just Brooke's answer.
I think it's the answer for so many people.
Most people don't want to become bodybuilders.
They simply want to stay active.
Carry their shopping.
Travel.
Play with their grandchildren.
Keep swimming.
Live independently.
That's what healthy ageing means to me.
Why We're Starting With Foundations
One thing surprised Brooke during our conversation.
I explained that she definitely wouldn't be squatting or performing split squats during this first 10-week block.
Not because those exercises are "bad."
But because, right now, her body isn't ready for them.
Her goal is stronger legs.
But before we ask her legs to become stronger, we first need to build the stability and control that will allow her to use them safely.
If Brooke doesn't yet have the strength and stability to control her pelvis, core and hips, asking her to squat or split squat would simply be asking her body to compensate again.
That's not how I coach.
We'll earn the right to progress.
When Brooke has built the foundations.
When her body is ready.
And when she feels confident enough to take that next step.
This first block isn't about lifting heavier.
It's about rebuilding confidence in movement.
Teaching Brooke's body to move well.
Teaching Brooke to trust her body again.
Because strength training doesn't always begin with lifting weights.
Sometimes...
It begins by building the right foundations first.
Looking Ahead
I don't know exactly how Brooke's body will respond over the next 10 weeks.
But I do know exactly how I'll coach her.
There won't be any rushing.
No pressure to "keep up."
No exercises simply because they're written on a program.
Every exercise.
Every progression.
Every decision.
Will be guided by how Brooke's body responds, how she moves and, just as importantly, how confident she feels.
We won't progress because the calendar says it's Week Four.
We'll progress when Brooke's body is ready.
And when Brooke is confident enough to take that next step.
Confidence is part of progression too.
That's how I coach.
A few days from now, Brooke will walk into her first Foundations session.
She'll probably be nervous.
She'll probably wonder whether she's doing it right.
That's okay.
Every confident person starts exactly where Brooke is today.
At the beginning.
And I can't wait to introduce you to Week One.
Follow Brooke's Journey
✅ Week 0 – Before We Begin
⬜ Week 1 – The First Step
⬜ Week 3 – Finding Confidence
⬜ Week 6 – Building Strength
⬜ Week 10 – Looking Back
Could You See Yourself in Brooke?
You don't have to have Brooke's story to relate to Brooke.
Maybe you've been thinking about starting for years.
Maybe you've been living with aches and pains that have slowly changed the way you move.
Maybe you've lost confidence in your body.
Or maybe you simply want to stay active, strong and independent for many years to come.
Wherever you're starting from, you don't have to figure it out alone.
Every journey begins with a conversation.
If Brooke's story resonated with you, perhaps it's time to start writing your own.
Book your Complimentary Consultation
We'll talk about where you are now, where you'd like to be, and together we'll create a plan that's right for you.