Hypermobility & Strength Training: Listening to Your Body with Coach Karima

About this episode

The episode discusses strength training for hypermobile individuals, focusing on listening to one's body and personal experiences.

Listening to your body is hard – ESPECIALLY when you're hypermobile and struggle to feel things in the first place. On this episode I'm joined by strength and longevity coach Karima Adi (@caffeinated_curves) to talk about our shared experiences with strength training while navigating chronic health issues. Karima opens up about her own personal journey as a hypermobile person – from falling in love with the barbell, to learning how to balance pushing her body and listening to it. Although she recognises each client’s individuality, her personal experiences with joint hypermobility help to inform her perspective as a strength and movement coach. Today, Karima works with hypermobile clients to help them navigate their fitness journey safely and sustainably while honouring the individual needs of their body. And in this episode, she shares exactly how she does it. Karima has been my coach for over a decade, and last year we co-hosted a workshop together on lower body strength training and hypermobility. So this conversation was a long time coming! I hope this episode meets you wherever you are in your journey, whether you're hypermobile or just starting out with strength training…

People in this episode

Host: Alexandra Orfanides

Guest: Karima Adi

Topics covered

• hypermobility
• strength training
• chronic health issues
• fitness journey
• listening to your body

Keywords

• hypermobility
• strength training
• chronic health
• fitness
• listening to your body
• Karima Adi
• Alexandra Orfanides

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Help! I’m Hypermobile, hypermobilityhq.com, Instagram

More episodes of Help! I'm Hypermobile

• Modelling, hEDS, and Disability: Real Talk with Emily Massey · April 14, 2026 · 59 min
• Ankle Sprains and Hypermobility: Why It’s Not “Just” an Ankle Sprain With Charlie the Physiocoach · March 4, 2026 · 1h 1m
• Scoliosis Surgery, Hypermobility, and Enjoying the Little Things: Ellen’s Story · February 4, 2026 · 1h 3m
• How I Stopped Fighting My Body: Hypermobility, Exercise, and Abby’s Story · January 21, 2026 · 60 min
• The Surrender Agenda: Living With Chronic Illness, Pain & Self-Compassion · January 7, 2026 · 1h 15m
• Training With Coach Sean: My hEDS Experience with Exercise and Why Strength Training Isn’t Enough · December 17, 2025 · 1h 6m