Starting to Exercise Postpartum

When returning to exercise postpartum, a shift in mindset can be needed.
You may be eager to get back into training like before, although your body isn't fully recovered from the pregnancy yet.
Even when you get the “green light” from the doctor to go back to training, this doesn’t mean you should pick up where you left off before.
What are the benefits of exercise after pregnancy?
Exercising after pregnancy is one of the best things you can do. These are the main benefits for postpartum women:
- Helps to strengthen and tone abdominal muscles
- Promotes better sleep
- Helps with weight management
- Boosts energy and relieves stress
- Raises energy levels so you feel less tired
When can I start exercising after pregnancy?
This is a complicated question and depends on a lot of factors including how fit you were before you had your baby, what happened during your labour and the type of birth you had.
In general, you shouldn’t return to your previous level of exercise until 4 to 6 months after you had your baby. Once your bleeding has stopped and everything has healed, it’s okay to start very gentle swimming.

Most women will get a check-up by the doctor after six weeks, and if everything is good, they will get the green light to start working out again.
Focus on healing
Before starting to exercise postpartum, you should take some time to focus on the healing process. It’s also important to set up routines that include taking time for yourself. This will help you get a little more control over things.
- If you can, see a pelvic floor therapist and follow their advice
- You can start doing breathing and kegel exercises as soon as you get back from the hospital
- Eat nutritious food that helps you feel good and recover faster
- Try to get enough sleep (which I know is difficult with a newborn!)
- Go for walks outside
How to start exercising after pregnancy
It's wise to start a postpartum program that will help you reconnect with your body before hitting the gym or going for a 10k run like you used to do. See it as rehabbing the body after an injury, when you will take your time to build the tissue around the wound stronger to support the load.
An excellent postpartum program can help you:
- Learn how to move better with your body’s changes
- Teach you different breathing patterns that will help to support the pelvic floor while exercising or doing daily tasks
- Troubleshoot any symptoms, tendencies or movements that might cause issues and show you how to deal with them
- Allows you to connect with other moms that have gone through similar experiences
If the above resonates with you, join me during a small group PT session. The first one is on me!
Take things slowly and listen to your body
You have just undergone a complete transformation of your body and for many women it will never go back to the exact way it was. The main priority is for your body to completely heal.
For example, if your pelvic floor is weak then any kind of abdominal pressure will strain the pelvic floor and slow down healing. Take extra care of your joints and don’t force through any tweaks – your body produces a hormone called Relaxin to soften the joints during pregnancy and it stays in the body for a long time.
Like with any exercise, it’s also important to stay hydrated and rest when you need to.
If you want to learn more about how a postpartum exercise class can help you, contact me on cb@innerfight.com.

GYMNASTICS
This Tuesday, we’ll focus on pull-up development. Whether your goal is to continue building strict strength or you’re working to increase kipping capacity, we will cover progressions to help you advance your pull-up performance.
Thursday, we’ll work on handstand walks. Get ready to refine technique, build control, and develop confidence while moving upside down.
HYBRID FITNESS
This week's hybrid session involves combining multiple elements from racing to understand the feel of transitioning between disciplines, followed by a lower-body endurance EMOM.
MOBILITY
Take your front squat mobility to the next level with this progression class focused on dynamic flow, stability, and control. Building on the foundations established in our previous session, we’ll reinforce improved mobility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders while introducing active movement patterns and stability drills that directly translate to enhanced squat performance. Expect to move through controlled flows, tempo holds, and mobility-activation sequences.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Weightlifting this week is cleans. Working on speed under the bar and catch position, in the full squat. Spicy complex of clean pull, hang power clean, squat clean. Followed by some heavy clean pulls. Finishing with doubles on the back squats.

The Monday Ride
Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Wednesday - Indoor Ride
Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com
Thursday - Endurance Strength
A strength class focused on key movements for endurance athletes to help avoid injury, build speed and develop strength.
Time: 06:30am
Location: This is a paid class session at InnerFight HQ. If you're interested to join, email winning@innerfight.com
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds

Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Session: LRC Tempo
This week we will be holding the tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 6 mins with a 1 min recovery. The sequence will be repeated 5x. Evening session only this week!
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Come ready to run fast and have fun.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we will be running 800m intervals off a 2 min rest.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
Today we will bridge repeats with IFE. Hill running is a great way to build some strength and power in your legs.

Monday:
Nothing like kicking off the week with some Back Squats! Before we get the engine fired up for some repeatable efforts! What will your times look like?
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 5/4/3/5/4/3 front squat
Conditioning:
Every 5 minutes x 6 Alt between
A: Park Run + 25 Wall Balls
B: 30/25/20 Cal Ass Bike + 25 Wall Balls
Tuesday:
Strength accessory to get the session started before we build to some heavy deadlifts! Then we hit a fast and furious workout.
Strength:
A) Every 75 sec x 12
1: 12 Incline DB bench press
2: 30-45 sec glute hamstring bridge
3: 20 sec straight arm side plank/arm
B) Deadlift Every 2:00 x 6 - 2/2/1/1/1/1 reps
Conditioning:
FOR TIME
30 Power clean
30 Burpees over the bar
Wednesday:
We're building to a tough single in the push press before we partner up for some working out!
Strength:
EMOMx10 - 1 Push press
Conditioning:
In pairs every 5 mins x 6 on a rolling clock
4 rounds
YGIG
6 STOH (60/40)
6 TTB
AMRAP - Cal Ski
Thursday:
Legs, legs, legs, then into a 12-minute workout where you rest during the run!!!
Strength:
A) Every 90 sec x 8 - 8 DB Box Step Up
B) Every 90 sec x 5 - 6 Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunges
C) EMOM x 8 Alt - 5 Goblet Spanish Squats & 3-5 strict knee to elbow
Conditioning:
12min AMRAP
3 Devils Press
6 DB Hang Cleans
9 DB Front Rack Squats
Car Park Run
Friday:
Long Weekend, so we're going to bring the fire this Friday to kick start the long weekend! See you on the floor!

When returning to exercise postpartum, a shift in mindset can be needed.
You may be eager to get back into training like before, although your body isn't fully recovered from the pregnancy yet.
Even when you get the “green light” from the doctor to go back to training, this doesn’t mean you should pick up where you left off before.
What are the benefits of exercise after pregnancy?
Exercising after pregnancy is one of the best things you can do. These are the main benefits for postpartum women:
- Helps to strengthen and tone abdominal muscles
- Promotes better sleep
- Helps with weight management
- Boosts energy and relieves stress
- Raises energy levels so you feel less tired
When can I start exercising after pregnancy?
This is a complicated question and depends on a lot of factors including how fit you were before you had your baby, what happened during your labour and the type of birth you had.
In general, you shouldn’t return to your previous level of exercise until 4 to 6 months after you had your baby. Once your bleeding has stopped and everything has healed, it’s okay to start very gentle swimming.

Most women will get a check-up by the doctor after six weeks, and if everything is good, they will get the green light to start working out again.
Focus on healing
Before starting to exercise postpartum, you should take some time to focus on the healing process. It’s also important to set up routines that include taking time for yourself. This will help you get a little more control over things.
- If you can, see a pelvic floor therapist and follow their advice
- You can start doing breathing and kegel exercises as soon as you get back from the hospital
- Eat nutritious food that helps you feel good and recover faster
- Try to get enough sleep (which I know is difficult with a newborn!)
- Go for walks outside
How to start exercising after pregnancy
It's wise to start a postpartum program that will help you reconnect with your body before hitting the gym or going for a 10k run like you used to do. See it as rehabbing the body after an injury, when you will take your time to build the tissue around the wound stronger to support the load.
An excellent postpartum program can help you:
- Learn how to move better with your body’s changes
- Teach you different breathing patterns that will help to support the pelvic floor while exercising or doing daily tasks
- Troubleshoot any symptoms, tendencies or movements that might cause issues and show you how to deal with them
- Allows you to connect with other moms that have gone through similar experiences
If the above resonates with you, join me during a small group PT session. The first one is on me!
Take things slowly and listen to your body
You have just undergone a complete transformation of your body and for many women it will never go back to the exact way it was. The main priority is for your body to completely heal.
For example, if your pelvic floor is weak then any kind of abdominal pressure will strain the pelvic floor and slow down healing. Take extra care of your joints and don’t force through any tweaks – your body produces a hormone called Relaxin to soften the joints during pregnancy and it stays in the body for a long time.
Like with any exercise, it’s also important to stay hydrated and rest when you need to.
If you want to learn more about how a postpartum exercise class can help you, contact me on cb@innerfight.com.

The Monday Ride
Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Wednesday - Indoor Ride
Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com
Thursday - Endurance Strength
A strength class focused on key movements for endurance athletes to help avoid injury, build speed and develop strength.
Time: 06:30am
Location: This is a paid class session at InnerFight HQ. If you're interested to join, email winning@innerfight.com
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds

Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Session: LRC Tempo
This week we will be holding the tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 6 mins with a 1 min recovery. The sequence will be repeated 5x. Evening session only this week!
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Come ready to run fast and have fun.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we will be running 800m intervals off a 2 min rest.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
Today we will bridge repeats with IFE. Hill running is a great way to build some strength and power in your legs.

Monday:
Nothing like kicking off the week with some Back Squats! Before we get the engine fired up for some repeatable efforts! What will your times look like?
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 5/4/3/5/4/3 front squat
Conditioning:
Every 5 minutes x 6 Alt between
A: Park Run + 25 Wall Balls
B: 30/25/20 Cal Ass Bike + 25 Wall Balls
Tuesday:
Strength accessory to get the session started before we build to some heavy deadlifts! Then we hit a fast and furious workout.
Strength:
A) Every 75 sec x 12
1: 12 Incline DB bench press
2: 30-45 sec glute hamstring bridge
3: 20 sec straight arm side plank/arm
B) Deadlift Every 2:00 x 6 - 2/2/1/1/1/1 reps
Conditioning:
FOR TIME
30 Power clean
30 Burpees over the bar
Wednesday:
We're building to a tough single in the push press before we partner up for some working out!
Strength:
EMOMx10 - 1 Push press
Conditioning:
In pairs every 5 mins x 6 on a rolling clock
4 rounds
YGIG
6 STOH (60/40)
6 TTB
AMRAP - Cal Ski
Thursday:
Legs, legs, legs, then into a 12-minute workout where you rest during the run!!!
Strength:
A) Every 90 sec x 8 - 8 DB Box Step Up
B) Every 90 sec x 5 - 6 Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunges
C) EMOM x 8 Alt - 5 Goblet Spanish Squats & 3-5 strict knee to elbow
Conditioning:
12min AMRAP
3 Devils Press
6 DB Hang Cleans
9 DB Front Rack Squats
Car Park Run
Friday:
Long Weekend, so we're going to bring the fire this Friday to kick start the long weekend! See you on the floor!

GYMNASTICS
This Tuesday, we’ll focus on pull-up development. Whether your goal is to continue building strict strength or you’re working to increase kipping capacity, we will cover progressions to help you advance your pull-up performance.
Thursday, we’ll work on handstand walks. Get ready to refine technique, build control, and develop confidence while moving upside down.
HYBRID FITNESS
This week's hybrid session involves combining multiple elements from racing to understand the feel of transitioning between disciplines, followed by a lower-body endurance EMOM.
MOBILITY
Take your front squat mobility to the next level with this progression class focused on dynamic flow, stability, and control. Building on the foundations established in our previous session, we’ll reinforce improved mobility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders while introducing active movement patterns and stability drills that directly translate to enhanced squat performance. Expect to move through controlled flows, tempo holds, and mobility-activation sequences.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Weightlifting this week is cleans. Working on speed under the bar and catch position, in the full squat. Spicy complex of clean pull, hang power clean, squat clean. Followed by some heavy clean pulls. Finishing with doubles on the back squats.

When returning to exercise postpartum, a shift in mindset can be needed.
You may be eager to get back into training like before, although your body isn't fully recovered from the pregnancy yet.
Even when you get the “green light” from the doctor to go back to training, this doesn’t mean you should pick up where you left off before.
What are the benefits of exercise after pregnancy?
Exercising after pregnancy is one of the best things you can do. These are the main benefits for postpartum women:
- Helps to strengthen and tone abdominal muscles
- Promotes better sleep
- Helps with weight management
- Boosts energy and relieves stress
- Raises energy levels so you feel less tired
When can I start exercising after pregnancy?
This is a complicated question and depends on a lot of factors including how fit you were before you had your baby, what happened during your labour and the type of birth you had.
In general, you shouldn’t return to your previous level of exercise until 4 to 6 months after you had your baby. Once your bleeding has stopped and everything has healed, it’s okay to start very gentle swimming.

Most women will get a check-up by the doctor after six weeks, and if everything is good, they will get the green light to start working out again.
Focus on healing
Before starting to exercise postpartum, you should take some time to focus on the healing process. It’s also important to set up routines that include taking time for yourself. This will help you get a little more control over things.
- If you can, see a pelvic floor therapist and follow their advice
- You can start doing breathing and kegel exercises as soon as you get back from the hospital
- Eat nutritious food that helps you feel good and recover faster
- Try to get enough sleep (which I know is difficult with a newborn!)
- Go for walks outside
How to start exercising after pregnancy
It's wise to start a postpartum program that will help you reconnect with your body before hitting the gym or going for a 10k run like you used to do. See it as rehabbing the body after an injury, when you will take your time to build the tissue around the wound stronger to support the load.
An excellent postpartum program can help you:
- Learn how to move better with your body’s changes
- Teach you different breathing patterns that will help to support the pelvic floor while exercising or doing daily tasks
- Troubleshoot any symptoms, tendencies or movements that might cause issues and show you how to deal with them
- Allows you to connect with other moms that have gone through similar experiences
If the above resonates with you, join me during a small group PT session. The first one is on me!
Take things slowly and listen to your body
You have just undergone a complete transformation of your body and for many women it will never go back to the exact way it was. The main priority is for your body to completely heal.
For example, if your pelvic floor is weak then any kind of abdominal pressure will strain the pelvic floor and slow down healing. Take extra care of your joints and don’t force through any tweaks – your body produces a hormone called Relaxin to soften the joints during pregnancy and it stays in the body for a long time.
Like with any exercise, it’s also important to stay hydrated and rest when you need to.
If you want to learn more about how a postpartum exercise class can help you, contact me on cb@innerfight.com.

Monday
Time: 5:59pm
Session: LRC Tempo
This week we will be holding the tempo pace (7/10 effort) for 6 mins with a 1 min recovery. The sequence will be repeated 5x. Evening session only this week!
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Come ready to run fast and have fun.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
Today we will be running 800m intervals off a 2 min rest.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
Today we will bridge repeats with IFE. Hill running is a great way to build some strength and power in your legs.

Monday:
Nothing like kicking off the week with some Back Squats! Before we get the engine fired up for some repeatable efforts! What will your times look like?
Strength:
A) Every 2 mins x 6 - 5/4/3/5/4/3 front squat
Conditioning:
Every 5 minutes x 6 Alt between
A: Park Run + 25 Wall Balls
B: 30/25/20 Cal Ass Bike + 25 Wall Balls
Tuesday:
Strength accessory to get the session started before we build to some heavy deadlifts! Then we hit a fast and furious workout.
Strength:
A) Every 75 sec x 12
1: 12 Incline DB bench press
2: 30-45 sec glute hamstring bridge
3: 20 sec straight arm side plank/arm
B) Deadlift Every 2:00 x 6 - 2/2/1/1/1/1 reps
Conditioning:
FOR TIME
30 Power clean
30 Burpees over the bar
Wednesday:
We're building to a tough single in the push press before we partner up for some working out!
Strength:
EMOMx10 - 1 Push press
Conditioning:
In pairs every 5 mins x 6 on a rolling clock
4 rounds
YGIG
6 STOH (60/40)
6 TTB
AMRAP - Cal Ski
Thursday:
Legs, legs, legs, then into a 12-minute workout where you rest during the run!!!
Strength:
A) Every 90 sec x 8 - 8 DB Box Step Up
B) Every 90 sec x 5 - 6 Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunges
C) EMOM x 8 Alt - 5 Goblet Spanish Squats & 3-5 strict knee to elbow
Conditioning:
12min AMRAP
3 Devils Press
6 DB Hang Cleans
9 DB Front Rack Squats
Car Park Run
Friday:
Long Weekend, so we're going to bring the fire this Friday to kick start the long weekend! See you on the floor!

GYMNASTICS
This Tuesday, we’ll focus on pull-up development. Whether your goal is to continue building strict strength or you’re working to increase kipping capacity, we will cover progressions to help you advance your pull-up performance.
Thursday, we’ll work on handstand walks. Get ready to refine technique, build control, and develop confidence while moving upside down.
HYBRID FITNESS
This week's hybrid session involves combining multiple elements from racing to understand the feel of transitioning between disciplines, followed by a lower-body endurance EMOM.
MOBILITY
Take your front squat mobility to the next level with this progression class focused on dynamic flow, stability, and control. Building on the foundations established in our previous session, we’ll reinforce improved mobility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders while introducing active movement patterns and stability drills that directly translate to enhanced squat performance. Expect to move through controlled flows, tempo holds, and mobility-activation sequences.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Weightlifting this week is cleans. Working on speed under the bar and catch position, in the full squat. Spicy complex of clean pull, hang power clean, squat clean. Followed by some heavy clean pulls. Finishing with doubles on the back squats.

The Monday Ride
Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Wednesday - Indoor Ride
Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com
Thursday - Endurance Strength
A strength class focused on key movements for endurance athletes to help avoid injury, build speed and develop strength.
Time: 06:30am
Location: This is a paid class session at InnerFight HQ. If you're interested to join, email winning@innerfight.com
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds

When returning to exercise postpartum, a shift in mindset can be needed.
You may be eager to get back into training like before, although your body isn't fully recovered from the pregnancy yet.
Even when you get the “green light” from the doctor to go back to training, this doesn’t mean you should pick up where you left off before.
What are the benefits of exercise after pregnancy?
Exercising after pregnancy is one of the best things you can do. These are the main benefits for postpartum women:
- Helps to strengthen and tone abdominal muscles
- Promotes better sleep
- Helps with weight management
- Boosts energy and relieves stress
- Raises energy levels so you feel less tired
When can I start exercising after pregnancy?
This is a complicated question and depends on a lot of factors including how fit you were before you had your baby, what happened during your labour and the type of birth you had.
In general, you shouldn’t return to your previous level of exercise until 4 to 6 months after you had your baby. Once your bleeding has stopped and everything has healed, it’s okay to start very gentle swimming.

Most women will get a check-up by the doctor after six weeks, and if everything is good, they will get the green light to start working out again.
Focus on healing
Before starting to exercise postpartum, you should take some time to focus on the healing process. It’s also important to set up routines that include taking time for yourself. This will help you get a little more control over things.
- If you can, see a pelvic floor therapist and follow their advice
- You can start doing breathing and kegel exercises as soon as you get back from the hospital
- Eat nutritious food that helps you feel good and recover faster
- Try to get enough sleep (which I know is difficult with a newborn!)
- Go for walks outside
How to start exercising after pregnancy
It's wise to start a postpartum program that will help you reconnect with your body before hitting the gym or going for a 10k run like you used to do. See it as rehabbing the body after an injury, when you will take your time to build the tissue around the wound stronger to support the load.
An excellent postpartum program can help you:
- Learn how to move better with your body’s changes
- Teach you different breathing patterns that will help to support the pelvic floor while exercising or doing daily tasks
- Troubleshoot any symptoms, tendencies or movements that might cause issues and show you how to deal with them
- Allows you to connect with other moms that have gone through similar experiences
If the above resonates with you, join me during a small group PT session. The first one is on me!
Take things slowly and listen to your body
You have just undergone a complete transformation of your body and for many women it will never go back to the exact way it was. The main priority is for your body to completely heal.
For example, if your pelvic floor is weak then any kind of abdominal pressure will strain the pelvic floor and slow down healing. Take extra care of your joints and don’t force through any tweaks – your body produces a hormone called Relaxin to soften the joints during pregnancy and it stays in the body for a long time.
Like with any exercise, it’s also important to stay hydrated and rest when you need to.
If you want to learn more about how a postpartum exercise class can help you, contact me on cb@innerfight.com.

When returning to exercise postpartum, a shift in mindset can be needed.
You may be eager to get back into training like before, although your body isn't fully recovered from the pregnancy yet.
Even when you get the “green light” from the doctor to go back to training, this doesn’t mean you should pick up where you left off before.
What are the benefits of exercise after pregnancy?
Exercising after pregnancy is one of the best things you can do. These are the main benefits for postpartum women:
- Helps to strengthen and tone abdominal muscles
- Promotes better sleep
- Helps with weight management
- Boosts energy and relieves stress
- Raises energy levels so you feel less tired
When can I start exercising after pregnancy?
This is a complicated question and depends on a lot of factors including how fit you were before you had your baby, what happened during your labour and the type of birth you had.
In general, you shouldn’t return to your previous level of exercise until 4 to 6 months after you had your baby. Once your bleeding has stopped and everything has healed, it’s okay to start very gentle swimming.

Most women will get a check-up by the doctor after six weeks, and if everything is good, they will get the green light to start working out again.
Focus on healing
Before starting to exercise postpartum, you should take some time to focus on the healing process. It’s also important to set up routines that include taking time for yourself. This will help you get a little more control over things.
- If you can, see a pelvic floor therapist and follow their advice
- You can start doing breathing and kegel exercises as soon as you get back from the hospital
- Eat nutritious food that helps you feel good and recover faster
- Try to get enough sleep (which I know is difficult with a newborn!)
- Go for walks outside
How to start exercising after pregnancy
It's wise to start a postpartum program that will help you reconnect with your body before hitting the gym or going for a 10k run like you used to do. See it as rehabbing the body after an injury, when you will take your time to build the tissue around the wound stronger to support the load.
An excellent postpartum program can help you:
- Learn how to move better with your body’s changes
- Teach you different breathing patterns that will help to support the pelvic floor while exercising or doing daily tasks
- Troubleshoot any symptoms, tendencies or movements that might cause issues and show you how to deal with them
- Allows you to connect with other moms that have gone through similar experiences
If the above resonates with you, join me during a small group PT session. The first one is on me!
Take things slowly and listen to your body
You have just undergone a complete transformation of your body and for many women it will never go back to the exact way it was. The main priority is for your body to completely heal.
For example, if your pelvic floor is weak then any kind of abdominal pressure will strain the pelvic floor and slow down healing. Take extra care of your joints and don’t force through any tweaks – your body produces a hormone called Relaxin to soften the joints during pregnancy and it stays in the body for a long time.
Like with any exercise, it’s also important to stay hydrated and rest when you need to.
If you want to learn more about how a postpartum exercise class can help you, contact me on cb@innerfight.com.

One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
