5 of the Best Postpartum Exercises
If you know me, you know I have probably a billion favorite exercises. I kind of nerd out on how exercises play into daily life and how they can be beneficial beyond the gym. Postpartum is one of my favorite times to do this because you’re doing so much in daily life that requires a decent amount of strength.
And you’re doing some of those things almost immediately after birth.
These 5 exercises are 5 of my faves to start new moms out with and also the first ones I work into seasoned moms programs as well because, well, you’ll see. In this blog I’ll teach you why I love these exercises and how to do them so you can start working them into your routine.
Side-Lying Windmill
Classified as more of a stretch/movement than an exercise, the side-lying windmill is an all time favorite of mine because it feels SO GOOD. It’s also great for people caring for babies because you’re often hunching over them, whether that is to feed or rock or change them, and the side-lying windmill stretches out those hunching muscles while waking up the muscles that often don’t get as much love in those positions.
Check out the video below to try it out.
Butterfly Stretch
Again, more of a stretch than an exercise but let me tell you this- taking time to focus on breathing and connecting to your core and pelvic floor is actually a tough exercise. The butterfly stretch is an amazing pelvic floor and adductor (inner thigh muscles) relaxation pose and can assist in helping you feel the pelvic floor both relax and contract. Often, these two groups of muscles can get a little tight and overworked in pregnancy and postpartum, so this exercise is one I use a lot for these two phases.
Check it out below:
While in this position, try taking a big inhale and feeling the pelvic floor gently relax. This may feel like gentle pressure on the ground underneath you or like your hip bones are spreading apart. Then as you exhale, focus on gently drawing the pelvic floor muscles up and in, like you’re sipping milkshake through a straw with your pelvic floor.
Goblet Squat to Bench
Dare I say that the goblet squat is one of THE most functional exercises out there? Well, maybe not but it comes damn close. In the bench tap version, it mimics getting up and down off the couch holding a baby- which you tend to do a lot in that first year postpartum. You can actually use your baby as a weight or use a weight the size of your baby- or larger if you feel so inclined. This exercise is one I’m often assessing clients in right off the bat because we do it so often.
Check it out below:
Kneeling Hinge
The kneeling hinge is also a super functional exercise as well, one which mimics the beginning of getting off the floor without using your hands. It’s also a variation of a hinge, one that you can play with if you’re experiencing back pain or symptoms in hinge patterns and one that also sneaks up on your glutes- which I love.
Check out the kneeling hinge below:
Banded Glute Bridge
Yep, you know a glute exercise was going to be in here right? This variation of a glute bridge is one of my favorites and is in the first week of my Fourth Trimester program for so many reasons:
The glutes and the pelvic floor are besties. Stronger glutes can lead to a more coordinated pelvic floor.
The addition of the band utilizes the smaller glute muscles as well as the big one, the glute max.
The addition of the band also utilizes the outer thigh muscles, which as I mentioned earlier need some love in pregnancy and postpartum.
So check out the banded glute bridge here:
And a Bonus Sixth
this is by far the most important one, so lean in…..
Something you enjoy.
And if returning back to what you enjoy isn’t in reach right now, it should be something aimed towards getting you back to the thing you love. If you don’t love exercise, it should be something mildly enjoyable that doesn’t take too much time or effort.
But it has to be something YOU choose.
These are great exercises you can work into your own training and some you’ll definitely see in my program Fourth Trimester Recover and Rebuild, an 8-week program to help you recover from birth and rebuild core, pelvic floor, and overall strength postpartum. You can go here to learn more and sign up at a discount through Monday!