How To Build Strength Before Returning To Running Postpartum

Postpartum

Even a short jog is a lot of impact and endurance for your pelvic floor. Each step involves repetitive ground reaction forces – meaning your pelvic floor and entire system must absorb, coordinate, and rebound effectively, over and over again.

Pregnancy and delivery bring immense changes to the body – structurally, hormonally, and functionally. While the desire to get back to movement is strong, jumping straight into high-impact exercise too soon or without building a solid foundation can lead to injury, pelvic floor symptoms, or plateaus in performance.

That’s why leading experts, including the 2019 Return to Running Postnatal Guidelines (Goom, Donnelly, Brockwell), recommend waiting until at least 12 weeks postpartum before you lace up.

Here is why that 12 week window matters:

  1. Your body is still healing:
  • Tissue healing from pregnancy and birth (even with an uncomplicated vaginal delivery) takes time – beyond the traditional 6-week clearance.
  • The uterus shrinks, connective tissue remodels, and the abdominal wall begins to recover from the lengthening and separation (diastasis recti).
  • The pelvic floor has undergone significant load and stretching (up to 250% of its resting length during vaginal birth), and potentially trauma (tears, episiotomy, or nerve impact).

Even after a C-section, your body is healing from major abdominal surgery. That deep tissue healing continues well past the visible scar.

2. Running is high-impact

Running places approximately 2.5x your bodyweight in force through your pelvic floor with every step. If your system isn’t ready to absorb and manage that load, you may experience:

  • Leaking (urinary incontinence)
  • Heaviness or dragging sensations (potential signs of prolapse)
  • Hip, back, or pelvic pain
  • Core doming or coning

3. Strength and stability come before speed and impact

In the early weeks and months postpartum, your focus should be on:

  • Core and pelvic floor coordination through breathwork and rehab-based movement
  • Glute, hamstring, adductor, and deep core strength to support force transfer and stability
  • Rebuilding posture, alignment, and pressure management to handle dynamic movement safely

    Returning to running without this foundation is like trying to sprint on a shaky bridge.

The research-backed recommendations:

The 2019 postnatal running guidelines suggest:

  • Begin rehab and strength work from week 0–6 postpartum, progressing as tolerated.
  • Return to running between weeks 12–16 postpartum (although its important to note these are general guidelines and some may be ready beforehand) if the following are met:
  • No leaking, pain, or pressure symptoms with daily activities
  • Demonstrated adequate pelvic floor and core control
  • Ability to walk 30 minutes, single leg balance, single leg squat, jog in place, and hop without symptoms

To build resilience and readiness for this kind of impact, we need foundational strength. Walking, mobility, core retraining, and strength work are not a delay – they’re your launchpad. You’re not falling behind by starting slow. You’re laying the groundwork for better performance, fewer injuries, and a more confident return to running when your body is ready.

Let’s break down five key areas to address before returning to impact.

👣 Foot Strength: Your True Base of Support

Your feet are the first point of contact with the ground. If they’re weak or unstable, force is absorbed inefficiently, leading to compensation through the knees, hips, or pelvis.

Key Benefits:

  • Improves shock absorption
  • Supports balance and posture
  • Prevents overuse injuries

Exercises:

  • Floating Heel Split Squat – Builds forefoot and arch control while challenging balance
  • Calf Raise with Single Leg Eccentric – Strengthens ankle and foot musculature for deceleration
  • Pogos – Reintroduces light impact and foot reactivity

Adductor Strength: Pelvic and Gait Control

The adductors stabilize the pelvis, support single-leg control, and work synergistically with the core and pelvic floor. Many postpartum people experience adductor underuse or tightness.

Key Benefits:

  • Prevents pelvic instability and hip drop
  • Supports core integration
  • Improves stride symmetry

Exercises:

  • Adductor Side Plank – Targets inner thigh strength and lateral trunk control
  • Lateral Lunge with Band Adduction – Loads the adductors while resisting frontal plane movement

Hip & Glute Med Strength: Your Stability

The glute med and lateral hip muscles stabilize the pelvis during every step. Weakness here can contribute to knee valgus, hip drop, and pelvic floor strain.

Key Benefits:

  • Enhances single-leg stability
  • Protects SI joints and pelvis
  • Reduces running-related hip pain

Exercises:

  • Wall Supported Banded Clamshell – Isolates glute med with postural reinforcement
  • Skater Squat – Builds full-chain control on a single leg

Eccentric Quad Strength: Deceleration and Control

Every step in running involves absorbing force—this is where eccentric strength is critical. Postpartum bodies often lack this after reduced loading during pregnancy.

Key Benefits:

  • Improves landing control
  • Reduces stress on joints
  • Enhances strength for hills and speed

Exercises:

  • Eccentric Dumbbell Hack Squat – Targets quads through a deep, controlled lowering phase
  • Reverse Nordic – Strengthens the quadriceps muscles, particularly the rectus femoris, through a controlled eccentric (lowering) movement

Plyometric Prep: Training for Impact

Running is a plyometric activity. Preparing the body to absorb and generate quick forces is key for a safe return.

Key Benefits:

  • Rebuilds tendon and fascial elasticity
  • Improves stride efficiency and spring
  • Safely reintroduces impact to the pelvic floor and joints

Exercises:

  • Rebounding Floating Heel Split Squat – Introduces controlled bouncing to develop tendon load tolerance
  • Pogos – Basic plyometric drill to retrain fast, reactive footwork

Putting It All Together

These exercises are more than just “rehab.” They form the foundation for confident, resilient running postpartum. Building strength from the ground up – starting with the feet and progressing through the hips and pelvis – sets the stage for long-term success and symptom-free movement.

Each movement can be modified based on your stage of recovery and gradually progressed. When layered together in a strategic program, they help you rebuild not just strength, but trust in your body again.

Want to follow a postpartum-friendly strength program that includes a clear path to building strength prior to your first run? Check out my app, Lift with Emily – designed to support you at every stage of motherhood.

I’m deeply passionate about helping women feel strong, informed, and confident through every stage of motherhood. You deserve more than just a list of do’s and don’ts or generic modifications. With years of hands-on coaching across all kinds of athletes and clients, I blend real-world experience with specialized pre and postnatal knowledge to create strength programs that go far beyond basic adjustments. This is high-level, accessible training - built for your body, your season, and your goals

EXPLORE MORE POSTS

«

»

GET TO KNOW EMILY

PREGNANCY PROGRAM

EARLY POSTPARTUM

POSTPARTUM PROGRAM

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LIFT WITH EMILY APP

for pregnancy, postpartum & beyond

My mission is to empower every mama with expert, accessible strength coaching through pregnancy, postpartum and beyond. Whether you're preparing for birth, recovering after baby or rebuilding your strength as a busy mom, there's a program here to guide you every step of the way.

JOIN TODAY