Independent Studio and women’s health expert Shakira Akabusi have launched a YouTube channel, Strong Like Mum, aiming to empower mothers to lead healthy and active lives through pregnancy and beyond. Strong Like Mum builds from the pregnancy and postnatal fitness platform founded by Akabusi. This is the second YouTube channel launch from Independent Studio who say they have previously seen success with ACFC - the Adam Clery Football Channel. Strong Like Mum builds on The Independent’s strongly engaged female audience who it says are under-served when it comes to fitness content.
Every week new and exciting videos will be shared with followers all led by Shakira in her signature relatable style, added Independent Studio. This will include a range of sessions for people at all stages of their motherhood and fitness journeys, categorised into four easy subsections; Core, Upper Body, Lower Body and Full Body, offering accessible and functional training tailored specifically to pre- and postnatal bodies. Each session blends evidence-based guidance with real-life experience, creating a trusted space for women navigating the physical and emotional realities of motherhood.
Founded in 2018, Strong Like Mum was born from Akabusi’s personal experience of being told that pregnancy would mean the end of strength, confidence and ambition. Now a mother of four, including twins, she built the platform to prove otherwise - combining professional expertise with lived experience to help women reconnect with their bodies and identity postpartum.
“During pregnancy, people often want to tell you of the things you’ll never do again. I think it’s time to shatter the stereotype,” says Akabusi.
A qualified pre- and postnatal trainer, Akabusi is a regular fitness expert on ITV’s Lorraine and has appeared across BBC 5 Live, Channel 4, This Morning and Good Morning Britain. She is passionate about decoding and demystifying health news and trends, ensuring that race and gender are part of the conversation.
She has worked with brands including Adidas Global and Amazon UK, and in 2022 published her debut book, The Strong Like Mum Method with Hachette. She is also a regular contributor to publications including Vogue, Stylist and Women’s Health. Beyond fitness, Akabusi is an ambassador for 50:50 Parliament and works with Mental Health UK to champion women’s representation and open conversations around maternal mental wellbeing.
With its launch on YouTube this week, Strong Like Mum expands its reach to support more women with practical advice, creating a welcoming and convenient space to rebuild strength and confidence, continued Independent Studio. The channel combines structured workouts, honest conversation and community connection, helping mothers prioritise their physical and emotional wellbeing.
As cultural attitudes shift away from “bounce back” narratives and towards safer, more realistic approaches to postnatal recovery, through Strong Like Mum Independent Studio is using its trusted editorial position to publish calm, authoritative, service-led video content that women can use.
Shakira Akabusi, founder of Strong Like Mum, says: “Strong Like Mum is a combination of my personal experience and my professional expertise as a women’s health expert. As a mum of four I know first hand how overwhelming the postnatal period can be and I’m excited to be launching the Strong Like Mum YouTube platform, to provide expert information and compassion care for all women post-pregnancy and throughout motherhood.
“By providing women with the support they need post-pregnancy, to feel confident in their body and mind, we can shape how they engage with exercise throughout the rest of their lives. ‘Exercise and being active not only improves our physical health but our emotional wellbeing. And for parents, this can have a ripple effect throughout the entire family.
“Women’s health is my passion and I’m thankful to be launching a platform in partnership with Independent Studio that can empower all women to stay active and healthy, from pregnancy, postpartum and throughout perimenopause. Alongside expert advice and workouts, at the heart of Strong Like Mum is community. Bringing women together to feel healthy, active and understood! I’m looking forward to connecting with everyone via the channel.
“For too long, expert advice around women’s health has been difficult to access. Kept behind a barrier, limited to those who have the resources to find and afford it, but the Strong Like Mum YouTube channel will now bring expert advice for free for all who need it.”
Olivia Foster, creative director at Independent Studio, says: “Having first met Shakira a decade ago, I remember being immediately struck by her ability to offer easy-to-follow fitness advice that felt truly actionable - she has a unique, relatable style that stands out in a world that can feel really alienating for people who don't know where to start. Now, launching the Strong Like Mum YouTube, our aim is to bring that unique voice to a much bigger audience, with a fitness proposition that really meets women where they're at; whether that's pre or post-partum.”
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