Today we’d like to introduce you to Cori Seif.
Hi Cori, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Since I was in elementary school I’ve participated and been interested in all things sport. From doing my 4th-grade biography on Arnold Schwarzenegger, stuffed animals in the arms of my sweatshirt for the presentation of course, to going to local sport games with my dad. I loved being around the atmosphere and culture whether it was watching the Clippers play basketball, the Ducks on the ice, or looking for Angels in the outfield. Volleyball ended up being the sport that captured my heart, but what happened in the off-season of my freshman year of high school would be a pivotal event for my future. To avoid doing P.E. I signed up for Track and Field as a thrower. The throwing coach introduced me to the weight room and taught me everything from lifting technique to mental toughness. Here I discovered a passion to push myself and my teammates and the joy of rooting for and celebrating our improvements.
Fast forward a decade or two in which I played 6 years of national-level club, Collegiate Division 1, and professional volleyball overseas all injury-free. I credit the physicality of my game and lack of injury to my solid strength foundation developed off the court. I followed my passion right back into the weight room as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach. I knew I loved working with athletes, but it was only the beginning of my fascination with the academic side of learning physiology and how our amazing bodies work.
Now, as a mother of three with my collegiate coaching days behind me, my love of physiology research and application into strength training has shifted into women’s health. Scientific research and support has exploded in this field, especially regarding menstrual cycles and hormone health. I feel strongly about educating how menstrual health affects athletic performance and the benefits to be had using strategies to support sport training, as well as employing management skills for individual physical needs for woman in any situation in everyday life: cycling, perimenopause, menopause, or unique health considerations like hashimotos and Osteoporosis. Including hormonal health and female physiology into the lens of strength and fitness has been a game-changer for the women I work with.
Running my own business as a female during the Covid-19 Pandemic brought a lot of things to light. In particular, the added stresses that especially hit women and moms in careers and running households. The major highlight is prioritizing health and wellness for ourselves first. The second realization is how essential my services and information are. This motivated and enhanced my ability to pivot my business and continue to support women.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The hardest struggles have come during transition times. The biggest and first for me was having children and deciding collegiate coaching wasn’t the best fit for our family and letting go of that chapter of my life. Then, in the same situation but flipped, reestablishing my career and taking on entrepreneurship with a growing family was a journey of self-confidence, learning, and grit. Juggling family life and running a personal business will continue to be the hardest part.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a virtual strength coach who is all about menstrual health. Training, coaching, and education all revolve holistically around the individual’s unique situation and goals. While I am known for “Lift with your cycle” training programs I really want to use my business as a platform for menstrual health in athletics. Normalize conversations around cycles and periods, debunk harmful information and cultural pressures, and empower women through their own beautiful physiology. Nothing lights me on fire like seeing the “ah-ha” moments and connections made by women during my presentations and online coaching sessions.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Be proactive. There are many doors and windows. You have to be willing to walk or climb through. Take the first step. To paraphrase a favorite excerpt from a book, “When someone is passing around a plate of tarts, take a tart!” Send the email, apply for the job, make the connection. You can’t get a yes if you don’t try.
Contact Info:
- Website: fitnessbycori.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/fitnessbycori
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/fitnessbycori
