When Dolkar Walsh started her journey with MFK, she had an 11-month-old baby and a three-year-old at home.
After suffering from supra pubis dysfunction during and after pregnancy, her fitness had taken a big step backwards. Her back felt weak, her core wasn’t as strong as it had been, and her confidence had taken a knock too.
Dolkar knew she needed to do something for herself — but getting back into exercise felt daunting.
The Challenge
Pregnancy and having two young children had changed a lot for Dolkar.
Her back and core felt weak, her previous fitness levels seemed a long way away, and she wasn’t feeling confident in herself.
She was also apprehensive about strength and high-intensity training.
Would she be able to lift heavier weights? Would the workouts be too intense? Would she be able to keep up?
Rather than trying to do everything at once, Dolkar started where she was comfortable — at home.
Why She Nearly Didn't Start
Dolkar was worried that her body simply wouldn’t be capable of doing some of the things involved in training.
She felt apprehensive about high-intensity workouts and didn’t think she would be able to lift heavy weights or keep up with everyone else.
But instead of being pushed too far, too soon, Dolkar was able to build things up gradually.
“It was a struggle in the beginning but I started to feel more confident in what I could do slowly as my weights and reps got better.”
The Turning Point
Dolkar started with home workouts for a few months, with George supporting her throughout the process.
There was even an unexpected bonus — her children could get involved too.
“I would follow the workout at home and the kids would join in, making it fun for them too.”
As her strength, repetitions and confidence improved, Dolkar took the next step and joined the MFK classes.
She loved the energy of training alongside others and, importantly, could see the progress she was making.
The Results
Dolkar’s journey has been about much more than simply becoming fitter.
Since getting started, she has:
Become stronger physically
Built greater mental strength and confidence
Improved her core and overall functional strength
Progressed with her weights and repetitions
Become more confident attending classes
Found everyday physical tasks easier
Become more present with her family
Started setting a positive example for her children
As Dolkar puts it:
“I am much stronger than I have ever been physically and mentally.”
She knows she still has fitness goals she wants to achieve, but she’s also learnt that progress doesn’t require perfection. It comes from continuing to show up and doing the best you can with where you are today.
Strength That Makes a Difference Outside the Gym
One of the best things about strength training is noticing the difference it makes in everyday life.
Dolkar experienced exactly that when she recently found herself carrying heavy boxes upstairs.
The lessons from her MFK training immediately came back to her.
“I was thanking the MFK trainers for all the heavy squats — ‘embrace my core and lift’ — that’s a mantra in my head all the time!”
It’s a brilliant example of how the strength developed during training can translate into feeling more capable in everyday life.
What Dolkar Loves About MFK
For Dolkar, the people are a huge part of what makes MFK special.
She loves that the trainers want the best for everyone. They motivate her, encourage her and push her to discover what she’s capable of.
Even after the sweat and aching muscles, she finishes her workout feeling good and ready for the day ahead.
And then there’s the MFK Fenit community.
For Dolkar, it’s a group filled with strong, motivating people — and plenty of craic along the way!
What This Means for You
If you’ve had time away from fitness, your body has changed or you simply don’t feel as strong and confident as you once did, you don’t have to jump straight back in at the deep end.
Dolkar started at home.
She struggled at first. Then, little by little, her weights increased, her repetitions improved and her confidence grew.
Eventually, she went from worrying that she wouldn’t be able to lift heavy weights or keep up with an intense workout to feeling stronger than she has ever been, both physically and mentally.
And perhaps most importantly, that strength is helping her enjoy everyday life with her young family.