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SARAH COURT, PT, DPT, E-RYT

Physical Therapist, movement mentor, yoga teacher trainer.

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CANCER RESILIENCY PROGRAM


A PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT SERIES FROM GENTLE YOGA TO STRENGTH TRAINING, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND BACKED BY RESEARCH

WHY I MADE THIS PROGRAM

In April 2021, a routine mammogram led to a breast cancer diagnosis, and I spent the rest of the year going through treatment. It was tough, but I am recovered and grateful that it was caught early.

During chemotherapy, I was encouraged to exercise as much as I could. I found tons of research studies that show the benefits of strength training during treatment (links below).

Once I could tolerate it, strength training was a game changer. I had energy, I slept better, and I recovered faster from each round. However, chemo is a rollercoaster. I would go from sick and exhausted on the couch to swinging kettlebells around within the space of a few weeks. As a PT, I was able to navigate these ups and downs and exercise accordingly, but I wondered how non-professionals were supposed to figure it out.

So I've created a six-part program designed to help other cancer patients keep moving during treatment.

Starting with extremely gentle yoga, we make our way up to more energizing movements, including body weight and balance challenges, and finally adding weights. Each video builds on the last, so you can choose where to start, and how soon to move to the next (or just stay with the one that suits you best).

Know someone going through cancer treatment? Gift them this program!

Felt chemo, might delete later.
Felt chemo, might delete later.

DONATION GUIDELINES:

Making these videos was a labor of love, but it did involve labor. The full program is available for free. However, if you can comfortably make a donation, here's what I suggest:

CURRENTLY RECEIVING TREATMENT:

Free. Do not pay me. I made this specifically for you. Cancer is expensive.

FINISHED WITH TREATMENT:

Donate however much you would like, no more than $50. I was still paying for cancer over a year after I finished treatment.

GIFTING TO A FRIEND:

Anywhere up to $100 would be appreciated, but please choose an amount that is reasonable for you.

DONATE HERE:

CLICK TO GIVE

ACCESS PROGRAM:

ALL VIDEOS HERE

Class 1: Gentle Yoga (25 mins)

Designed to reconnect you with your body with ease. No twists, no standing, just gentle movements to soothe your nervous system, including a fully seated version if getting down to the floor is not an option. This one’s great for any day that you need a little quiet time.

intro clip 1-low

Class 2: Gentle Active Yoga (31 mins)

More challenge  – twists, standing, even a few squats, but no weights (not yet). Includes a fully seated version for more options. Bigger movements to get the blood flowing, balanced with some quieter seated poses.

intro 2.mp4-low

Class 3: Active Balance Yoga (36 mins)

When you’re ready to sweat a little, give this one a go. This sequence builds on the first two videos - more flowing movements, balance challenges, and longer sequences, preparing you for some of the strength challenges to come. It’s the Rocky training montage of movement classes.

Intro 3-low

Class 4: Flow, Core, and Bodyweight Training (39 mins)

Here’s where we start to turn up the dial on strength and coordination. Fundamental movements to strengthen hips, core and arms, with playful choreography (don’t worry, you’ll get step-by-step cueing throughout). This one might be my favorite (but don’t tell the others, they’ll be jealous).

Intro 4-low

Class 5: Strength & Plyometrics Essentials (33 mins)

Maybe you’ve strength trained for years, or maybe you’ve never worked with weights. Either way, this class teaches the basics of good form while lifting. Do I make you jump around a few times as well? I mean, I kind of have to, since it says plyometrics in the title.

Intro 5-low

Class 6: Strength & Plyo Challenge (41 mins)

You’ve worked really hard to get this far. Your reward? A fun, challenging sequence including more complex weight training moves, more jumping, and more satisfaction when you’re done. This video easily breaks down into parts, so you can start with a shorter version and work your way up to the full sequence.

Intro 6.mov-low

DONATE HERE:

CLICK TO GIVE

ACCESS PROGRAM:

ALL VIDEOS HERE

FAQ

Can I really do this course during cancer treatment? Won't I be too sick?

The crazy thing with cancer treatment, and in particular with chemotherapy, is that your energy and motivation will be all over the place. Exercise when you're feeling up to it has been shown in research to improve quality of life. It was my experience through multiple chemo cycles that the more I dedicated some time to exercising on the good days, the better I felt overall.

Is it safe to exercise while I'm going through treatment?

In a word, yes - but please get clearance from your oncology team before starting any kind of exercise. Everyone's treatment path is different, and there may be specific circumstances for you that I don't know about.

Some of this looks really hard - like beyond-my-ability hard.

Not to worry - the series is designed to be progressive. Start with the first class, and move on when you can tolerate it. You might get through the first few classes, or you might make it all the way to the end. The most important thing is that you're moving.

Will my hair ever be normal again?

I've been asking the same question for a while now. Let me know if you find anything out.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With much gratitude to Alex Ellis, Trina Altman, Laurel Beversdorf, Terry Littlefield, and Jesal Parikh, who were all instrumental in getting this course made, and to my cancer support team, spearheaded by my mom, Anne Court, and MVPs Matt Court, Marla Lehner, Elise Gibney, Jodyne Speyer, Simonne Overend, Michael "Rearview" Hawley, Karen Khuu, Jackie Finger, and many more I am forgetting, because that's what chemo does to your brain.

 

RESEARCH LINKS

Mijwel S, Backman M, Bolam KA et al. Highly favorable physiological responses to concurrent resistance and high-intensity interval training during chemotherapy: the OptiTrain breast cancer trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018 May;169(1):93-103. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5882634/

De Backer IC, Van Breda E, Vreugdenhil A, Nijziel MR, Kester AD, Schep G. High-intensity strength training improves quality of life in cancer survivors. Acta Oncol. 2007;46(8):1143-51. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17851864/

Schmidt ME, Wiskemann J, Armbrust P, Schneeweiss A, Ulrich CM, Steindorf K. Effects of resistance exercise on fatigue and quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Cancer. 2015 Jul 15;137(2):471-80. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.29383

Montaño-Rojas LS, Romero-Pérez EM, Medina-Pérez C, Reguera-Garcia MM, de Paz JA. Resistance training in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review of exercise programs. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Sep 7;17(18):6511. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7558202/

Klassen O, Schmidt ME, Ulrich CM et al. Muscle strength in breast cancer patients receiving different treatment regimes. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2017 Apr; 8(2): 305–316. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27896952/

Ax AK, Johansson B, Carlsson M, Nordin K, Börieson S. Exercise: a positive feature on functioning in daily life during cancer treatment - experiences from the Phys-Can study. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2020 Feb;44:101713. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31877511/

De Backer LC, Vreugdenhil G, Nijziel MR, Kester AD, van Breda E, Schep G. Long-term follow-up after cancer rehabilitation using high-intensity resistance training: persistent improvement of physical performance and quality of life. Br J Cancer. 2008 Jul 8; 99(1): 30–36. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2453017/#bib16

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sarahcourtdpt

💪Shoulder Play Thursday! (It’s a thing get in 💪Shoulder Play Thursday! (It’s a thing get into it)
 
1. flex/extend
2. circles
3. rotation
4. diagonal Xes
5. S shape
6. tired shape
Started ➡️ Going ➡️Going April 2022 to Ma Started ➡️ Going ➡️Going

April 2022 to March 2023

What a difference a year makes! 

“An amateur practices til they get it right; a professional practices til they can’t get it wrong”

I will continue to bore you with motorcycle content and thank you for indulging me 

🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️🏍️
In episode 31 of the Movement Logic Podcast @laure In episode 31 of the Movement Logic Podcast @laurelbeversdorf and I discuss three types of cues movement professionals use.

VERBAL, VISUAL, AND TACTILE CUES

We look at the plusses and minuses of all three types.

We also discuss:

🗣️What a verbal, versus a visual, versus tactile cue is.

🗣️A debate in the yoga community about whether or not teaching using verbal cues (only or predominantly) is preferable to demoing while teaching.

🗣️How our teaching has changed with respect to cueing.

🗣️Different ways to stage and contextualize a demo.

🗣️Why highlighting the difference between what a movement *looks like* versus what it *feels like* can be helpful.

🗣️Whether to use first person or second person pronouns (or even to talk at all!) while demoing.

🗣️3 main ways you can give tactile cues + tips for teachers when giving tactile cues.

🗣️Why obtaining consent is crucial before touching students.

🗣️The perils of “creepy hands”.

🗣️How trying to teach too many things means not teaching much at all.

🗣️The importance of using multiple types of cues—verbal, visual, and tactile—and aligning them toward a clear movement goal.

LINK IN BIO TO LISTEN! 👂 

Don’t forget to S U B S C R I B E 🎙️

#verbalcues #visualcues #tactilecues #cuetips #yogateachertraining #strengthcoaching #shityogateacherssay
🛑Things barbells aren’t: 💋Only for bros 🛑Things barbells aren’t:
 
💋Only for bros
let’s move past the 5lb dumbbells, friends. If @laurelbeversdorf’s 4-year-old daughter can lift a 10lb kettlebell, so can you. And more. Let’s have a Hot Bitch Who Fights Bears in the Forest Summer.
 
🤓Harder than kettlebells or dumbbells
A barbell is like a big dumbbell, but even easier to manage, because you are holding one thing, not two (if that’s hard to visualize why, imagine holding a barbell in each hand, versus one barbell in front of you. Easier, right?)
 
💪Only for lifting heavy
I’m lifting 55lbs in this video, which I could also do with 2 kettlebells, but the lighter lifts in my program help me focus on the form I need when shit gets heavy.
 
😆More likely to injure you
As a generally clumsy, hypermobile person, the barbell is my friend. I get closed chain feedback through my hands, I’m lifting one thing only, and I create the stiffness through my tissues that actually is protective to my neck, my back, etc…
 
😃Complicated to learn
You know what’s way more complicated? A kettlebell swing.
 
➡️Want to get started with barbells but not sure where to begin? Laurel and I will be putting out a FREE barbell equipment guide in a few weeks that will help you sort through the myriad choices so you can get set up in your own home (or know what you’re doing in the gym). 
 
🔗Get yourself on my mailing list to make sure you don’t miss it!
This makes me so happy and humbled and grateful to This makes me so happy and humbled and grateful to all of you who shared my Cancer Resiliency Program. 

If you’re new to me and don’t know about it, you can check out the program at the link in my bio. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
🤔When was the last time you strengthened your a 🤔When was the last time you strengthened your adductors?
 
➡️Better question:

✅When was the last time you taught your adductors to turn on at the same time as your contralateral obliques and serratus anterior?
 
If your movement diet is mostly yoga, then the answer is: possibly never.
 
Try this series of increasingly challenging versions and let me know what you think in the comments!
 
1) Bottom leg down, isometric hold
 
2) Full position isometric hold
 
3) Dynamic leg movements
 
4) Hip flexion/extension
 
5) Pelvic rotation (NOTE: don’t do it from your shoulder!)
In this episode, @laurelbeversdorf and I discuss t In this episode, @laurelbeversdorf and I discuss the cues movement teachers like yoga teachers and strength coaches use, and then what research has to say about them.

Namely, we look at the difference between internal and external cues, and what both types of cues are good for. We also discuss:

	•	What motor learning is and how it’s different from motor performance.

	•	What motor learning versus motor performance look like in the context of teaching and learning movement.

	•	What attentional focus is and how attentional focus affects motor learning.

	•	The difference between internal and external cues and what specifically defines them.

	•	Which type of cue is better for enhancing sport performance.

	•	What the mind muscle connection is and how it can enhance muscle growth.

	•	How internal cues can enhance the mind muscle connection.

	•	How the goals of yoga are different from the goals of athletics, or even the goal of improving skill within the asanas, and why that matters for the cues we use.

	•	Why internal cues have value both within the context of yoga and rehabilitation.

	•	Whether metaphor and analogy are internal or external cues.

	•	Tactile cues & constraints and what category they live in—internal or external cues.

	•	Lots of example cues in the context of yoga, strength, and kettlebells that illustrate the nuances between these different types of cues.

LINK IN BIO TO LISTEN OR SEARCH MOVEMENT LOGIC WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.

Don’t forget to subscribe!
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#yogateachercues #shityogateacherssay #externalcues #mindmuscleconnection #motorlearning #motorperformance #physicaltherapy #attentionalfocus #contraints #tactilecues #cuetip #cuetips
🦵strength > 💪strength. ✋Any questions? 🦵strength > 💪strength. 

✋Any questions?

@laurelbeversdorf and I are putting out a Barbell Equipment Guide soon - watch this space!

(But if you have a burning question that won’t wait, drop it in the comments)
💪🗣️💪The Movement Logic Podcast is BACK! 💪🗣️💪The Movement Logic Podcast is BACK!
 
First up, Sarah and Laurel tackle the scourge of the pink dumbbells:
 
➡️Why women have been hoodwinked into believing that strength training is not for them (the patriarchy strikes again)
 
➡️How it’s actually the most protective and valuable training for women to do, in particular for bone density
 
➡️When prior experiences of somatic dominance in specific training environments (the gym, CrossFit) can hinder someone’s access to strength training
 
➡️How it can injury-proof your body
 
✅✅✅and more!

🔗Click the link to listen on Apple Podcasts, or find us wherever you listen!
💪Osteoporosis-safe impact training: heel drops! 💪Osteoporosis-safe impact training: heel drops!
 
I got an excellent question from my post about improving bone density: 
 
🗣️How do you start impact training for people who already have osteoporosis, without running the risk of a fracture?
 
✅The answer: heel drops! 

➡️➡️Note that I’m letting my whole body relax as I land. You could also start with these in sitting, though the amount of impact will be decreased.
 
Questions? Comments? Let’s discuss!
 
🔗And get on my mailing list for more free content!
Hesitant about a barbell at home? It takes up less Hesitant about a barbell at home? It takes up less space than you think!
 
My office is 8’x12’ – it’s not a big room, but this fits fine. 

💪You can also get a 6’ barbell – mine is 7’ because I wanted the heaviest one.
 
💪Portable rack from amazon (about $70) + the ability to follow IKEA type directions (or taskrabbit if you really don’t want to bother) and VOILA!
 
⬇️Comment if you have questions!
🦅Got a dragon that needs slaying? 😒Do you 🦅Got a dragon that needs slaying? 
 
😒Do you feel nervous about working with clients with special conditions?
 
💪Do you want to get stronger but you’re not sure where to start?
 
☹️Are you sick and tired of that nagging pain that you can’t seem to get rid of?
 
✅I can help you with all of these – and more!
 
🔗Click the link in my bio, pick your dragon, and let’s slay that MFer together!
Let’s set the record straight - the two proven w Let’s set the record straight - the two proven ways to improve bone density and reverse osteoporosis are:
 
✅Heavy lifting (the equivalent of 9/10 on the effort scale, or ~90% 1RM)

✅Plyometrics (jumping, impact etc)
 
That’s it. That’s the list.
 
➡️➡️Here’s another Monday am fact for you: in order to lift heavy, you’re going to run out of kettlebells or dumbbells that you can hold pretty quickly. 
 
A 70lb barbell lift is a lot easier to manage than 2 35lb kettlebells, and it’s kinder on your wrists and elbows.
 
Not ready to unlearn the “Asana can reverse osteoporosis” story?
 
🗣️Hit me up with your “But what about” comments below!!
Afraid of falling? Time to practice! @the_longevi Afraid of falling? Time to practice!

@the_longevity_blueprint is an awesome, no-nonsense resource for you!

#osteoporosis #osteopenia #fearoffalling #empowerolderadults #yogiswholift #seniorswholift
My Cancer Resiliency Program is here! This has be My Cancer Resiliency Program is here!

This has been a labor of love, and I’m thrilled to finally share it with you.
 
My goal is for as many people as possible to benefit from this program!
 
🔗Learn more at the link in bio

🗣️Share with anyone you think would be interested

📌Save for future use

📫DM me with any questions!
 
 
#breastcancersupport #cancerresearch #yogiswholift #strengthtrainingforcancer #yogaforcancer #pilatesforcancer 
[Video ID: photos of Sarah going through cancer treatment, followed by video clips from her Cancer Resiliency Program. Video is fully captioned.]
💪Side effects of barbells include: increased se 💪Side effects of barbells include: increased self-esteem, improved body image, ability to carry heavy things without help, sense of empowerment, and a big middle finger to all the messaging that told you to stay small, that small is feminine, that feminine is what men want, that what men want is all that matters.
 
➡️Start where you are. And keep going.
 
⬇️DM me or comment below if you need help getting started with lifting weights. It can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be!
✅What to expect from PT I had a zoom session w ✅What to expect from PT
 
I had a zoom session with a movement teacher who needed help with plantar fasciitis, and she said, “I’m so glad I’m talking to you because you’re not going to dismiss me, or talk down to me, or tell me I’m wearing the wrong shoe.” 

💩And I thought: if that is her experience of what happens in PT, that really blows. 
 
➡️So I thought I should list some things you should and shouldn’t get with PT, and some ways to advocate for yourself.
 
One caveat: if you’re getting 20 mins with the PT and the rest of the time with an aide, that is most likely because they take your insurance, and the business cannot afford to give you more time with the PT, because insurance does not pay especially well.
 
But there are still some basics that you should expect, and here they are!
 
👋There’s also still time to get a free 15 minute check in with me – comment below and I will hook you up!
📡NEWS FLASH📡 Your neck/back/any part pain c 📡NEWS FLASH📡

Your neck/back/any part pain can be relieved, and it might be because you are deconditioned. More on this story at 11. 

#movementlogic #pilatesinstructors #yogateachers #movementteacher #physicaltherapist #physiotherapy #physiotherapists #strengthconditioning #mobilitycoach #mobilitywod #worksmarternotharder #movementlogicpodcast #newsflash #chronicpain #neckpainrelief #backpainrelief
🤔Should you wait to add weight? (you’re welco 🤔Should you wait to add weight? (you’re welcome)
 
When I squat to the ground with no weight, I either fall backwards, or I have to work exceptionally hard not to. 

My entire spine flexes (which is FINE), and I have to counterbalance myself with my arms – in short, it is a great deal of effort to stay in place.
 
Now one way of thinking is that I should work on the unweighted squat and get ‘better’ at it where I’m lacking mobility – I’m looking at you, ankle dorsiflexion – before I add weight. 
 
💪But here’s the thing: When I do the same squat holding 40lbs of kettlebells, my body naturally organizes itself, I am balanced, I can access my hip and thigh muscles with ease, and I can go down and up no problem.
 
➡️So should I still wait on the weight? Or do I let the weight’s counterbalance do the heavy lifting? 
 
🤔👋What do you think? Let me know in the comments!
New episode is live on the Practice Human Podcast! New episode is live on the Practice Human Podcast! @laurelbeversdorf and I sat down with @caitlincasella a few weeks ago to talk about scope of practice and cognitive biases.

Swipe left to hear a couple highlights from Laurel on working with different types of people with unique interests and goals, and from my clinical perspective on being able to read a person.

More from Caitlin: 
I’ve always admired Laurel as a colleague and friend for her mental malleability when approaching a broad array of ideas, beliefs, and questions. Thank you Laurel for your insights. I will always consider you an inspiration and valuable partner in learning.

As I mention in the episode intro, Sarah (unknowingly) served as a model for me of someone making the leap to go to PT school after a career teaching yoga. Sarah, I’m so grateful for your guidance still and the wisdom you impart in this talk.

Link in my bio @caitlincasella to hear the full episode. And check out Laurel and Sarah’s podcast and online educational programming @movementlogictutorials 

#scopeofpractice #learningstyles #cognitivebias #cognativebiases #moveinalltheways #physicaltherapy #physiotherapy #physio #getptfirst #practicehuman
#yogaclassesonline #onlineyogaclasses #mobilityclasses #yogatherapy #movementtherapy #practiceyoga #movementlogic #pilatesinstructors #yogateachers #movementteacher #physicaltherapist #physiotherapy #physiotherapists #strengthconditioning #movementlogicpodcast
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