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Pilates instructor and Studio 281 founder Georgia Testa told Fit&Well that Pilates helped her rebuild strength after skin cancer treatment and a complicated C-section birth. She now aims for at least three workouts a week, mixing Pilates, strength work, boxing, walking and functional fitness.
Pilates instructor Georgia Testa has described how she rebuilt her strength after skin cancer and a complicated C-section birth, sharing a weekly exercise routine that includes Pilates, strength training and functional fitness. In an interview with Fit&Well, the Studio 281 founder said recovery took time and changed her view of fitness, which she now frames around long-term strength and capability rather than pushing herself as hard as possible.
Testa said she was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2018, at age 22. In 2021, she had what she described as a complicated C-section birth. She told Fit&Well that it took her about three years after giving birth to feel she had properly rebuilt herself. The source does not specify the type or treatment of her cancer, or further details about the birth.
She credited Pilates with helping her during postpartum recovery, saying it encouraged her to slow down, reconnect with her body and rebuild strength gradually. Testa said she now works out at least three times a week, with sessions lasting 20 to 45 minutes. Five sessions would make for a strong week, she said, but she avoids making that a requirement.
Her described schedule includes a walk or treadmill session on Monday, a Hyrox or functional fitness workout on Tuesday, and 30 minutes of boxing on Wednesday. Thursday is for strength training, while Friday and Sunday are rest days; Saturday is set aside for Hyrox training. She also said Pilates, on both the Reformer and mat, remains a significant part of her training, alongside running and other forms of exercise.
A Routine Built Around Recovery
Testa’s account offers a personal example of how a return to exercise can involve gradual rebuilding, rather than an immediate attempt to resume a previous level of activity. She describes changing her goals after major health experiences: fitness, for her, is now about being strong, mobile and capable over the long term.
That approach also shapes the routine she shared. Rather than prescribing a fixed plan for others, Testa says she aims for three achievable sessions and treats five as an optional bonus. She recommends that beginners start with two or three manageable sessions a week, noting that even 20 or 30 minutes counts. Her comments are personal guidance, not a clinical recovery plan; people returning to exercise after illness, surgery or childbirth may need advice from a qualified health professional.
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From Health Setbacks to Training
Fit&Well presented the interview as part of its Workout Diaries series, which asks trainers to describe their own exercise routines. Testa’s account connects that routine to two experiences: her skin cancer diagnosis in 2018 and a complicated C-section birth three years later. She said Pilates became central to her postpartum recovery, but the source does not provide medical records or independently verify her account.
Testa also described practical factors she says help her maintain consistency. She tries to make exercise part of a regular schedule instead of relying on motivation, and says training with people she enjoys being around can make workouts more appealing. She cited her daughter as one reason she wants to maintain her energy and model exercise as a normal part of life.
“It took me around three years [after the birth] to feel as though I had properly rebuilt myself.”
— Georgia Testa, speaking to Fit&Well
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Details of Her Recovery
The Fit&Well report does not detail Testa’s skin cancer diagnosis, treatment or current health status. It also does not explain what made her C-section complicated or describe any medical guidance involved in her recovery. Her account is a personal interview and should not be read as evidence that the same exercises or timeline will apply to other people.
The source gives an outline of a typical week, not a complete training programme. It does not specify the intensity, exercises or modifications used in each session, nor whether her schedule changes over time.
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Her Ongoing Weekly Practice
Testa’s account points to a continuing routine rather than a newly announced programme or a specific upcoming milestone. She says she intends to keep strength, mobility and long-term capability at the center of her training, while maintaining a baseline of three sessions a week and allowing room for rest and variation.
For readers considering a similar routine, her stated advice is to begin with two or three realistic sessions, choose activities they enjoy and build gradually. Anyone recovering from cancer treatment, surgery or childbirth should seek individualized guidance from a qualified clinician before starting or changing an exercise plan.
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Key Questions
What health setbacks did Georgia Testa describe?
Testa told Fit&Well that she had skin cancer in 2018, when she was 22, and later had a complicated C-section birth. The report does not give further medical details.
How often does Testa work out?
She said she aims for a minimum of three sessions a week, usually lasting 20 to 45 minutes. She considers five sessions a good week but does not require herself to reach that number.
What does her weekly workout schedule include?
Her example week includes walking or treadmill exercise, Hyrox or functional fitness, boxing and strength training. She schedules rest on Friday and Sunday, with Hyrox training on Saturday.
What role did Pilates play in her recovery?
Testa said Pilates helped her slow down, reconnect with her body and rebuild strength after childbirth. She described it as central to her postpartum recovery, but the report does not present her experience as medical advice for others.
What does Testa recommend to people starting a routine?
She suggests beginning with two or three achievable sessions a week, choosing movement that is enjoyable and building gradually. People returning to exercise after illness, surgery or childbirth should seek advice tailored to their health circumstances.
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