Core (Fun)damentals™ — 12-Week Beginner Core Strength Programme
Rebuild your core, posture and confidence in 12 weeks — even if you're starting from scratch or coming back after injury.
Core (Fun)damentals™ is a structured 12-week programme that teaches you how to breathe, brace and move properly, so you can build strength safely and feel at home in your body again.
Designed for real women with real lives, this isn't about smashing PBs on day one. It's about foundations, body awareness and long-term results.
Currently available as 1:1 coaching in person (N7 studio or at home). Online and in-app versions coming later in 2026.
What is the Core (Fun)damentals™ Programme?
Core (Fun)damentals™ is a 12-week, three-phase training programme that focuses on the foundations most people skip:
- Breathing and bracing for a strong, supported spine
- Pelvic floor awareness and deep core activation
- Posture, alignment and movement quality before heavy loading
- Progressive stability and strength you can build on for life
It’s a blend of mat-based Pilates-inspired work, corrective exercise, and beginner-friendly strength training, designed specifically for women who want to feel strong, stable and confident in their bodies.
Who Core (Fun)damentals™ Is For
- Women who are new or returning to exercise and want to start safely
- Anyone who feels their core is “switched off”, weak or disconnected
- Desk-based professionals dealing with back ache, tight hips or poor posture
- Those recovering from a setback or injury who want to rebuild from the inside out (non-clinical, non-physio setting)
- People who want to move well before lifting heavy and build strength that actually carries over into everyday life
How Core (Fun)damentals™ Works
The 3 Training Phases
The programme is structured into three four-week phases. Each phase builds on the last to take you from "I don't feel my core at all" to moving with confidence in foundational strength movements.
Regardless of the delivery method, all versions of Core (Fun)damentals™ follow the same 12-week structure and progression. In-person sessions are adjusted based on your movement assessment and daily readiness, but the core curriculum stays consistent.
Breathe, Brace, Connect
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4)
Focus areas:
- Breathing for core support (lateral breathing, 360 breathing)
- Pelvic floor engagement and relaxation
- Finding and feeling your deep core muscles
- Gentle mat-based core and hip stability work
- Foundational patterns: hinge, squat, push, pull with bodyweight
Example exercises: dead bug, bird dog, pelvic tilts, glute bridge, bodyweight squat to box, wall push-up.
Stability and Control
Phase 2 (Weeks 5–8)
Focus areas:
- Progressing from two feet to single-leg variations
- Overhead and anti-rotation work with light weights
- Tempo and control instead of simply adding load
- Plank-based variations that teach full-body tension
- Improving balance, coordination and joint stability
Example exercises: tempo squats, split squats, half-kneeling overhead press (light dumbbells), quadruped row, plank row, Pallof press.
Strength Integration
Phase 3 (Weeks 9–12)
Focus areas:
- Building confidence with basic compound lifts
- Adding load gradually to squats, hinges and pushes
- Maintaining breathing and bracing under load
- Linking your core to hips, glutes and upper body
- Preparing you for future strength or performance goals
Example exercises: goblet squat, Romanian deadlift, hip hinge patterns, supported row, incline or floor press, loaded carries.
What You'll Get Inside the 12 Weeks
- Movement assessment & posture check before you start
- Progressive 12-week training plan tailored to your level
- Coaching on breathing, bracing and core engagement
- Guided warm-ups, activation drills and cool-downs
- Support with habit-building, recovery and self-care
- Clear education so you understand the “why” behind every exercise
Ways to Join the Core (Fun)damentals™ Program
Choose how you want to complete the 12-week Core (Fun)damentals™ program. Each option follows the same structure but is delivered differently.
Available now
In-Person Coaching
at the You First Studio or At Home
Best for: women in N7 and the surrounding 5-mile radius who want hands-on guidance and accountability.
- 12-week Core (Fun)damentals™ program delivered 1:1
- Train at the You First studio (N7) or via home visits
- Includes movement assessment and core activation coaching
- Perfect if you’re rebuilding after time off or injury
Status: Open for bookings
Coming soon
Live Online Core (Fun)damentals™ Classes
Best for: women who prefer training from home but still want live coaching and real-time feedback.
- 12-week follow-along live sessions, 2–3x per week
- Focus on breathing, bracing, and foundational strength
- Coached live by Natalie | You First, with replays available
- Ideal if you don’t live near N7 or can’t travel
Status: Launching soon – register your interest
Coming soon
Core (Fun)damentals™ In-App Coaching
Best for: independent women who like to follow a structured plan with on-demand support.
- 12-week phased program inside the You First app
- Exercise demo videos, cues and progress tracking
- Habit coaching, check-ins and messaging support
- Work through each phase in your own time
Status: In development – join the waitlist
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Core Fundamentals is a 12-week structured program built around three weekly sessions that teach you how to move well, brace properly, build deep core strength, and progress safely into full-body strength training. It follows a fixed curriculum based on proven corrective, Pilates-based and functional training principles.
Core (Fun)damentals™ is a structured educational training program, not a general PT plan.
While personal training is built around whatever goal the client has (fat loss, strength, muscle gain, performance, etc.), Core (Fun)damentals™ follows a predetermined 12-week curriculum designed to:
rebuild your foundational movement patterns
teach you how to breathe, brace and stabilise properly
strengthen the deeper core and postural muscles
improve mobility and control
build confidence and body awareness before progressing to load
Your sessions are still adapted based on your movement assessment and what I see on the day, but the program itself follows a specific progression system that everyone completes — at their own pace.
The program is designed around three sessions per week to maintain the intended progression.
For now, the program is only available as a 3-day option for in-person training. If you can only train twice a week, you can still join — but it simply means the full curriculum will take longer than 12 weeks to complete.
Yes — in the in-person option, I personalise your warm-ups, cueing, regressions, and stability work based on your movement assessment and daily readiness.
The core curriculum remains consistent so you still follow the structured 12-week plan. The in-app program and live online classes are not personalised.
Yes — Core (Fun)damentals™ was designed specifically for:
complete beginners
people returning from injury
anyone who wants to (re)learn movement properly
people who feel intimidated by weights or gyms
those who have skipped the “foundations” phase before training heavier
No prior experience is needed.
Many back-pain presentations stem from poor bracing, poor core coordination, or movement compensations.
Core (Fun)damentals™ teaches you how to breathe, brace, move efficiently, and gradually load the body.
Mild to moderate mechanical back pain often improves significantly with this approach.
For in-person training: no — everything is provided. For at-home versions or online versions: basic equipment is recommended (bands, light dumbbells, a mat). A full equipment list will be provided.
Most clients report:
stronger, more stable core
less back or hip ache
improved posture
increased confidence with movement
better mind–muscle connection
improved balance and coordination
readiness to progress safely into heavier training
This is not a “fat loss” or “bootcamp” program — the goal is to build the fundamentals that last a lifetime.
Once you complete Core (Fun)damentals™, you can:
move into progressive strength training
join online classes
transition to app-based training
or continue with 1:1 if you want support with heavier lifts
Completing Core (Fun)damentals™ puts you in the perfect position to progress safely and confidently.
Yes, 100%. Some clients need longer in Phase 1 (activation + control) or Phase 2 (stability). The beauty of Core (Fun)damentals™ is that it’s structured but not rushed.
We progress based on your movement, not the calendar.
Yes — and many advanced clients realise their foundations need work. Even strong people often struggle with bracing, breathing, rotational control, or hip stability. This program improves efficiency, longevity, and injury-prevention for all training levels.
Absolutely. Clients frequently say the biggest transformation is how confident they feel after learning:
how to brace
how to hinge
how to squat properly
how to activate the right muscles
how to control their spine and pelvis
You’ll be able to lift with better form and much more confidence.
Not directly — but it supports weight loss by:
improving movement
increasing activity
reducing pain that limits exercise
building lean muscle
improving consistency
If fat loss is a goal, we can integrate nutrition coaching alongside the program.
Yes — improving motor control, stability, and bracing creates a stronger “base” for lifting.
Clients often find they can progress to heavier lifts faster after learning these fundamentals, and with better confidence and form.
Ready to Rebuild Your Core From the Ground Up?
If you’re tired of feeling disconnected from your body, nervous about lifting weights, or like your core is letting you down, Core (Fun)damentals is your reset button. This is your space to learn, rebuild and get strong in a way that feels safe, sustainable and empowering.