Exercise Support for Every Stage of Recovery
Our specialized exercise programs help individuals impacted by breast cancer rebuild strength, improve function, and safely return to movement at every stage of treatment and recovery.
1:1 Exercise Programming Offerings
A complimentary 30-minute session offered in person or virtually for individuals seeking guidance on safe, effective exercise after a breast cancer diagnosis.
This session is ideal for those preparing for treatment, currently undergoing treatment, recently completed treatment, or anyone who has been inactive and needs structured direction to get started.
During your consultation, you will receive:
- A comprehensive Movement Evaluation (ME)
- Individualized goal setting with realistic expectations
- Education on exercise guidelines specific to your stage of care
- Professional recommendations tailored to your needs
You will also leave with a take-home packet that includes:
- Your Movement Evaluation results
- Exercise guidelines and recommendations
- A template workout to help you begin safely and confidently
All required forms (Waiver, PAR-Q+, Intake Form, and Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale) are completed prior to your session to ensure we maximize your time together.
A self-paced, guided program designed to help you stay consistent, motivated, and progress safely from home or in the gym.
This program is ideal for individuals who are already somewhat active but need accountability, structured support, and guidance to maintain a well-rounded exercise routine.
Program Includes:
- Baseline and Outcomes Movement Evaluation
- Program delivery via app, email or text based off preference
- Individualized goal setting with realistic expectations
- Virtual check-ins weekly to make changes keeping you on track, providing education and support
All required forms (Waiver, PAR-Q+,Intake Form, and Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale) are completed before starting to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Take control of your recovery with an exercise program designed specifically for you. Offered in person or virtually, this program option provides guidance, support and the tools to safely build strength and improve function and reclaim the life you want to live.
This program is ideal for those preparing for treatment, currently undergoing treatment, recently completed treatment, or anyone who has been inactive and needs structured, guided support to get started and stay consistent — with accountability from a professional.
Program Includes:
- Baseline & Outcomes Movement Evaluation
- Weekly 1-hour sessions tailored to how you are feeling that day
- Personalized goal setting to keep you motivated
- Structured workouts to follow between sessions
All required forms (Waiver, PAR-Q+, Intake Form, and Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale) are completed before starting to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Take control of your recovery with a comprehensive 12-week exercise program designed specifically for you. Offered in person or virtually, this program provides professional guidance, ongoing support, and the tools to safely build strength, improve function, and reclaim the life you want to live.
This program is ideal for those preparing for treatment, currently undergoing treatment, recently completed treatment, or anyone who has been inactive and wants extended support to build lasting exercise habits — with professional accountability every step of the way.
Program Includes:
- Baseline & Outcomes Movement Evaluation
- Weekly 1-hour sessions tailored to how you are feeling that day
- Personalized goal setting to keep you motivated
- Structured workouts to follow between sessions
- Unlimited access to small group fitness classes while enrolled
All required forms (Waiver, PAR-Q+, Intake Form, and Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale) are completed before starting to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Small Group Fitness
Foundation
Foundation classes are low-intensity and intentionally supportive, meeting you exactly where you are — whether you’re in treatment, recently post-surgery, adjusting to new medications, or simply low on energy. Through gentle, adaptable movement, you’ll rebuild strength and function without overwhelming your system.
What You’ll Gain
- Preserve muscle and joint health
- Restore posture and stability
- Help minimize common treatment side effects like fatigue and deconditioning
Restore
Restore classes are low- to moderate-intensity and designed for the rebuilding phase of recovery — when you’re ready to be challenged but still need intentionally supportive programming. These adaptable sessions help you reconnect with your strength, coordination, and endurance so you can move forward with confidence.
What You’ll Gain
- Improved strength and stamina to move through daily life with ease
- Increased energy for work, errands, and hobbies
- Better balance, posture, and functional movement
Thrive
Thrive classes are designed for thoseready to challenge themselves with higher-intensity, multidirectional, andfunctional movements. These sessions build on your recovery, helping you regainfull-body strength, agility, and endurance so you can move confidently andthrive in everyday life.
What You’ll Gain
- Build full-body strength and stamina to handle everyday demands
- Improve agility, coordination, and functional movement patterns
- Increase confidence and capacity to stay active and independent
FAQs
If you have other health conditions, finding the right type of exercise can feel challenging. The good news is that exercise is safe and beneficial for many medical concerns. A supervised, individualized program led by a trained professional can tailor movements, intensity, and progression to your specific needs — ensuring safety while improving strength, function, and overall health.
Yes! Always talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program. Gradual progressive strength training is safe and recommended for most people with lymphedema. The lymphatic system relies on both intrinsic contractions and extrinsic skeletal muscle pumping. Research shows that stronger contractions increase lymph flow, improving function and quality of life without worsening swelling.
Yes! Research shows that each bout of exercise temporarily shifts the body's internal environment in ways that help treatments reach their targets more efficiently while reducing side effects or complications.
It is common for areas affected by lymphedema to feel temporarily fuller, heavier, or more swollen during or after exercise as blood flow increases and fluid shifts. These changes are a normal response to exercise and typically resolve within 24-48 hours as the lymphatic system catches up and returns to its usual baseline.
You may also experience Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), a normal response to exercise. Which is when the muscles become tender and stiff, occurring 12-72 hours after a workout. The key to better recovery is light activity because it can increase bloodflow, support nutrient delivery, and help decrease stiffness and soreness without strain.
During aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, cycling, swimming), your heart beats faster, breathing deepens, and you may feel warmer or start to sweat. You shouldn’t feel pain, though mild muscle stiffness may appear the next day and will fade in a few days. Exercise often becomes easier after several weeks, especially post-treatment.
Muscle-strengthening exercises make your muscles work, like lifting something heavy. You shouldn’t feel pain, though soreness or stiffness can last a couple of days. Gentle massage may help.
Schedule a One-Time Consultation!
Don’t wait for the perfect program—starting is more important than perfect timing. Begin with small, manageable activity and gradually increase the duration, intensity, or frequency over time. Even short bouts of movement throughout the day are beneficial, and consistency matters more than doing it all at once.
Exercise can act as medicine after a cancer diagnosis. The body undergoes significant stress from both the disease and its treatments. Regular exercise helps regulate inflammation, maintain muscle mass, protect cardiovascular health, and improves physical function. When properly prescribed and timed, exercise can reduce complications, enhance QoL, and support better overall outcomes.
Iris exercise offerings are specifically designed for individuals impacted by breast cancer and supervised by trained exercise oncology professionals. We offer significant price reductions to decrease financial barriers and increase access to high-quality, specialized exercise care. All 1:1 program and small group fitness classes are tailored to treatment and recovery to safely rebuild strength, improve function, and reduce treatment-related side effects.
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