Ashley Freeman-Rudd EXCLUSIVE: In Her Flow

With her husband on an international tour, two young boys at home and a career in full swing, Ashley Freeman-Rudd carves out time to chat with me candidly about what fuels her: health, wellness and family.

Words: Katie Robke

Ashley Freeman-Rudd wears many hats: personal trainer, Pilates and yoga instructor, wellness coach, retreat host, mother of two, and wife of Australian musician, Xavier Rudd. 

Her life is full to the brim, yet when we speak she is calm and grounded, and grateful for the small gift of time made possible by a babysitter.

Movement, she says, has always been her anchor. Growing up in Cronulla, afternoons were a blur of swim squad, netball and dance rehearsals. 

“I was always a really active kid,” she says. 

Her parents were both primary school teachers and nurtured that energy, working extra jobs to support Ashley and her sister in their early passions. 

“They didn’t care what we did, they truly just wanted us to follow what we loved,” she says. “Now, as an adult, I can really appreciate that.”

After studying dance in Sydney, Ashley set her sights further afield and moved to Macau. Travel, for her, was less about escape and more about immersion. 

“I’ve just always wanted to attack life and be in the world, travelling and trying new things,” she says – a philosophy that has followed her ever since.

Sydney eventually drew her home, and with it came a shift.  She began leading 5am boot camps on her local oval, coaching women through sunrise squats and sprints. 

It was around this time that she met Xavier. Not long after, they moved north, first to Byron Bay and then to the Noosa Hinterland, where they eventually settled. 

“There’s something about the energy of this place [Noosa], and the people this land attracts – it just feels so positive,” she says. 

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Today, Ashley’s career is a mosaic of disciplines, each chosen with intention and rooted in connection. What she loves most is helping people feel good in their bodies. 

“Movement is just a tool I use to help people shake off their stress, find their energy, and be a bit brighter for themselves and those around them."

A serious back injury, though, once threatened her entire career, leaving her unable to walk. 

“At the time I didn’t think there was any way I would be able to continue a career that had anything to do with movement,” she says.

What followed reshaped everything. As her body healed, she sought new movement practices. Her injury led her to yoga, yoga to Pilates, and soon she found herself building a layered, intuitive approach to movement. 

“I have huge respect for every movement practice out there, and I’m always trying to expand my knowledge," she says.

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Motherhood, while deeply rewarding, has also been a time of self-reflection for Ashley. 

"That first year with Jundi was incredibly hard and I struggled a lot. Having Buddy was such a healing experience for me though; it softened something around my heart and helped me look back on that first time with more empathy for myself."

Ashley speaks with gratitude for the steady presence of Xavier. 

“I was lucky. Xavier already had kids, so I got to see him be a dad before we had our own, and I knew he’d be amazing,” she says. 

“Watching him with our boys brings me so much joy, and I’ve learnt so much in terms of parenting from him.”

But like any couple balancing careers and kids, their relationship takes intention.
“I think our relationship deepens over time because we keep choosing each other, even when it’s hard,” she says.

And while Xavier’s touring schedule would overwhelm many, Ashley sees it differently. She needs space to create. 

“I know a lot of people wouldn’t cope with a partner who goes away a lot, but for me I love and need space to be in my own world, and in my own head creating the things that I want to create,” she explains. “Now with kids that feels impossible at times, but when Xav goes away I immerse myself in projects.”

Now 33, Ashley is embracing a slower, more intentional pace. 

“Motherhood forces you to focus on what really matters,” she says. A younger version of her dreamt of an empire; the woman she is now wants clarity, balance and work that feels aligned. 

“Right now I just want whatever is flowing through me and a platform to share it, with work–life balance as the priority.”

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Her current focus is helping women her age navigate peri-menopause and menopause – seasons often overlooked, yet deeply physical. 

Ashley says she’s passionate about strength that lasts, movement that prioritises longevity, and strategies that are achievable. 

“We can’t change everything, but we have so much control over our health,” she says. “You don’t need a gym membership, and you don’t have to do much – just 24 minutes, four times a week can make a huge difference.”

 “I’m working on an app to host my programs, and I’m looking forward to getting back into hosting retreats and events in 2025," she says. 

“It feels like a 2.0 version of me is emerging. More balanced, more intentional."

Grounded, yet endlessly driven, Ashley Freeman-Rudd is carving out her own path in wellness, with her family by her side. 

Her philosophy is refreshingly simple: to help people feel better in their bodies, in their minds and in their lives.