Building Back Strength Safely: Essential Movements for Postpartum Fitness

Bringing a baby into the world is a remarkable journey, but it's essential to prioritize your postpartum recovery and fitness journey. Returning to the gym after giving birth is a common desire, but ensuring a safe and effective comeback requires understanding the foundational movements your body needs.

Here are three crucial movements to focus on before diving back into more complex exercises:

1: Proper Hip Hinge: The hip hinge is a fundamental movement pattern that engages the muscles around your hips and lower back while keeping your spine stable. Mastering this movement not only helps prevent injuries but also lays the groundwork for more advanced exercises like deadlifts and squats. To perform a hip hinge correctly, focus on pushing your hips back while maintaining a slight bend in your knees and keeping your spine neutral.

2: 360-Degree Core Breathing: Postpartum, rebuilding core strength is vital for overall stability and function. Traditional core exercises often focus solely on the front abdominal muscles, but true core strength involves all muscles surrounding the torso, including the diaphragm and pelvic floor. Practice breathing deeply into your entire core, allowing it to expand in all directions. This 360-degree breathing technique enhances core activation and supports proper alignment during exercises and daily activities.

3: Glute Max Engagement in Hip Extension: Strong glute muscles are essential for various functional movements, from walking and climbing stairs to more intense exercises like lunges and squats. However, many individuals, especially postpartum, experience weakness or inhibition in their glute muscles. Focus on activating your gluteus maximus during hip extension exercises by consciously squeezing your glutes at the top of movements like bridges or standing hip extensions. Strengthening your glutes not only improves your overall strength but also helps alleviate stress on other muscles and joints.

While these three movements provide a solid foundation for postpartum fitness, it's crucial to listen to your body and progress at a pace that feels comfortable and safe. Remember that every individual's postpartum journey is unique, and it's okay to seek guidance from a qualified fitness professional, physical therapist or chiropractor.

You should be proud!

Returning to the gym after having a baby is a significant milestone, but prioritizing proper movement patterns and safety ensures a smoother transition and long-term success in reaching your fitness goals. By focusing on mastering these essential movements, you'll not only rebuild strength but also lay the groundwork for a strong, resilient body capable of tackling any challenge that comes your way. So, embrace the journey, celebrate your progress, and prioritize your well-being every step of the way.

“Being a mom is the best reason you’ll ever have to take care of YOU!”

We would love to help you.

At Identity Chiropractic, it is an emphasis to help women get the resources they need postpartum. We have extra training in postpartum evaluation, treatment and rehab as well as a fantastic referral network consisting of women’s mental health, pelvic floor PT, lactation consulting and more.

Let Identity be a part of your team today!