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Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan: Your Guide to Safe Recovery

Bringing a new life into the world is an incredible journey, but it significantly changes a woman’s body. As you navigate the postpartum period, you’re likely eager to regain your pre-pregnancy fitness. This comprehensive guide to the Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan helps you safely and effectively rebuild your fitness after giving birth, acknowledging this special time’s unique challenges.

Table Of Contents:

Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan

Understanding Your Postpartum Body

Postpartum recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. Tuning into your body’s signals is essential when beginning your ultimate postnatal fitness plan. Factors like birth experience (vaginal or caesarean), birth complications, and pre-pregnancy fitness influence your journey.

Pregnancy significantly changes your body. Stretched abdominal muscles, increased joint laxity, a less toned core, and diastasis recti are common.

These impact your recovery timeline, but rebuilding can start now. Focusing on core stability and regaining pelvic floor and core muscle strength is a great way to begin postpartum workouts.

Creating Your Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan

A successful Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan prioritizes healing and progressively rebuilding strength, incorporating pelvic floor exercises for pelvic floor muscles, gentle core work, and low-impact cardio initially.

Always consult a healthcare provider or women’s health physiotherapist before starting any new fitness routine postnatally. Stay active with simple bodyweight exercises.

Initial Weeks Postpartum

Focus on restorative movement:

  • Gentle walking: Start with short walks, gradually increasing duration and intensity as you feel more comfortable. Fresh air and movement benefit your mental health too. Consider adding light-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercises into your postpartum exercise plan.
  • Gentle stretching (10–15 minutes): Target areas of tension in your hips, legs, back, and upper body. If cleared by your healthcare team, try yoga or modified Pilates to reconnect mind to muscle and improve posture from day one. Ease into exercise gradually to regain your strength and avoid any postpartum abdominal pain or discomfort.
  • Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels): Practice contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles multiple times each day. This strengthens this supportive area in the weeks and months following childbirth.

Building Core Strength: Protecting Against Diastasis Recti

Addressing diastasis recti is often paramount for mothers. It impacts your entire core and is best tackled with targeted diastasis recti-safe exercises. Use your yoga mat when completing these exercises on the floor.

Initially, focus on gentle transverse abdominis activation. Safe moves for your core and glutes after pregnancy include seated marches and pelvic tilts on a stability ball.

As you progress, incorporate exercises that activate your core and oblique muscles using tools like resistance bands. Find an exercise time that works for you, whether it’s short bursts or longer sessions.

Adding Low-Impact Cardio and Strength Training

Once ready, incorporate cardio like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling to build endurance and lose baby weight. Start working on your postpartum fitness journey by following this simple fitness plan. These low-impact options help manage postnatal issues. Find an exercise program designed specifically for new mums to cater to your specific needs. Try some leg lifts or gentle yoga stretches. Aim to include leg raises as you feel ready to help target lower abdominal muscles.

Strength training should start with light resistance bands and progress to more challenging equipment. Prioritize correct form to rebuild a strong foundation without strain.

Increase intensity and explore different workouts at your own pace. Consider postpartum exercise classes to modify workouts while staying motivated safely. Aim for a 15-20 minute walk each day.

The Role of Nutrition and Rest in Postpartum Recovery

A successful Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan includes nutritional adjustments. Prioritizing nutritious calories impacts breastfeeding and wound healing. If regaining fitness is your goal, nutritional counseling can be helpful.

Combine healthy eating with quality rest, which may be tricky with a newborn. Rest aids recovery and prepares you for exercise.

Listen to your body’s need for rest, especially between feedings. Simple sleep habits can regulate mood and boost energy over time. Manage your weight safely with healthy eating and light exercise, focusing on sustainable lifestyle changes for weight management. Starting an exercise plan with appropriate rest will contribute positively to postpartum care.

Your Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan

Here’s a sample Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan (after consulting your healthcare provider):

Week Focus Example Workout
1-4 Pelvic Floor & Gentle Core Kegels (daily), Diaphragmatic breathing, Gentle walks (20-30 minutes, 3-4 times/week), Pelvic tilts (10 reps x 2–3 sets).
5-8 Core Strengthening & Low-Impact Cardio Bird-dog exercises, Glute bridges, Brisk walking (30 minutes, 4-5 times/week). Maintain a starting position with feet flat and knees bent when doing these. Ensure toes are touching and feet are apart, when sitting and standing, respectively.
9-12 Adding Strength Training Bodyweight squats, Modified push-ups, Light resistance band rows (start with 10–12 repetitions then repeat with two to three sets twice or three times each week), Previous cardio, and yoga or modified Pilates (30-40 minutes a few times per week).
12+ Increasing Intensity & Exploring Different Workouts Increase sets and repetitions, Explore HIIT training after a postpartum fitness test, Join postnatal classes. Relieve stress through physical activity as your core muscles get stronger. Try a cat-cow stretch on a yoga mat. Incorporate these into your postnatal exercise plan to effectively address abdominal pain or any bleeding abdominal issues like vaginal bleeding, allowing you to gradually regain your strength and endurance.

The key to postpartum fitness is to start gently and gradually challenge your body as it’s ready. The goal is sustainable change for your mind and body. Gradually build your upper body strength too.

FAQs about Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan

What is the best workout for postpartum?

The best postpartum workout is tailored to your individual needs and recovery progress. It should include upper body exercises, lower body workouts like leg raises, and core stability movements like the bird-dog.

Start with gentle pelvic floor exercises like Kegels and walking. Consult your healthcare provider and listen to your body.

How soon should you exercise after giving birth?

Typically, exercise can resume around six weeks postpartum with clearance from your healthcare provider. This depends on your birth experience and recovery.

If recovering from diastasis recti or pelvic organ prolapse, consult your doctor before resuming activities.

How can I reshape my body after pregnancy?

Reshaping your body after pregnancy combines a good fitness plan, targeted nutrition, and other modalities. Working with a nutrition coach for individualized plans can help. Incorporating postnatal exercise programs and building healthy habits are also beneficial. This postpartum period is a good time to establish good nutrition and fitness plans.

Can exercise get rid of postpartum belly?

Exercise strengthens core muscles, but reducing postpartum belly often involves additional approaches like targeted nutrition and specific exercises for abdominal muscles.

Consult a doctor for any health-related guidance. It is always better to be guided by health professionals, including a women’s health physiotherapist, for safe and effective recovery.

Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan

Conclusion

The Ultimate Post Natal Workout Plan isn’t just about losing “baby weight”. It’s about prioritizing your mental and physical well-being, rebuilding strength, and rediscovering self-confidence.

Start with pelvic tilts, Kegels, and a postnatal yoga program. Adapt your fitness routine as you progress, and consider more intense workouts as you reach milestones. Listen to your body and adjust as needed, accepting that change takes time.

Celebrate every step, as each progression empowers you. Join supportive communities, especially if facing additional postpartum challenges like breast cancer, for additional strength and encouragement.

Elements4Life Gym in Canberra is an opportunity to enhance your fitness and lifestyle. Engage in our SmartTeam training system or work directly with a FocusPT coach to optimise your results.

Get started at Elements4Life and #Train4Life.

Learn more and sign up today at www.elements4life.com.au.

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