Welcome to your go-to guide for easing back into running—safely, effectively, and with confidence. Whether you’re a new mom returning to exercise or simply looking to build strength and resilience before your next run, this 25-minute Running Prep Workout delivers everything you need. We’ll incorporate front-to-back, side-to-side, and rotational movements, along with pelvic floor exercises to help you run pain and symptom-free.
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Why a Running Prep Workout?
Returning to running after a hiatus—especially postpartum—demands more than lacing up your shoes. Your body experiences significant changes during pregnancy and childbirth, from shifted pelvic alignment to weakened stabilizing muscles. A targeted prep workout:
Builds foundational strength in key muscle groups (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves)
Reactivates the pelvic floor with gentle impact and rotational drills
Improves balance and single-leg stability, crucial for the alternating load of running
Enhances mobility to counteract stiffness and prevent lower-back discomfort
By investing just 25 minutes before your run (or on recovery days), you set yourself up for pain-free mileage and long-term resilience .
Equipment Checklist
Prepare the following:
Elevated Surface (“Box”)
A sturdy wooden box, stool, or bottom stair step
Medium Weights (Optional)
Dumbbells or kettlebells, light to medium load
Long Resistance Band (Looped)
Attached securely (e.g., to a stair rail or stable anchor)
Open Space
Room to step back and laterally move
Note: If you lack a resistance band, you can still follow the movements—just omit banded variations or swap in body-weight alternatives.
Workout Structure
Box Series (2 Rounds) | ~10 minutes
Bilateral Quad Strength & Power
Single-Leg Stability & Calf Activation
Banded Staggered-Stance Series (2 Rounds) | ~12 minutes
Hinge + Rotation
Reverse Lunges
Hip Adduction & Abduction
Cool-Down Mobility | ~3 minutes
Glute & Hip Flexor Stretches
Back Expansion (Forearm Round-Back)
Each exercise lasts roughly 30 seconds to 1 minute, with smooth transitions to keep your heart rate engaged without overfatiguing.
Part 1: Box Series
Box Squats → Calf-Raise Power
How: Stand hip-width in front of the box. Inhale to lower, lightly touch (not sit), exhale to rise. Repeat squats for 30 seconds.
Progression: On the second half of the 30 sec set, add a calf-raise: ascend onto toes at the top of each squat.
Focus: Engage quads and calves; maintain chest lift and weight through mid-foot.
Single-Leg Step-Up → Calf Raise → Supported Hop
Step-Up: Place one foot on the box, exhale to step up, optionally drive opposite knee up. Continue for 30 seconds on the same side.
Calf Raise: With the same foot on box edge, rise onto toes, then lower. Continue for 30 seconds.
Supported Hop: Perform small to medium hops with one foot on the box, using arms for balance. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Switch Sides: Repeat entire sequence on the opposite leg.
Why: These unilateral drills mimic the alternating impact of running, boosting ankle and hip stability while gently loading the pelvic floor
Part 2: Banded Staggered-Stance Series
With your band anchored, work each side before repeating.
Banded RDL with Rotation
Setup: Band around inner thigh (left leg) or around outer thigh (right leg), stagger stance with banded working leg forward.
Movement: Hinge hips back (hips toward wall), reach toward foot while rotating pelvis “belly toward thigh,” then reverse back to standing. Continue for 45 seconds.
Tip: Keep knee stacked over ankle; resist band’s outward pull.
Banded Reverse Lunge
Setup: Same band position; step back to lunge, maintaining slight hip rotation toward front leg.
Movement: Drive through front heel to return upright, exhaling as you rise. Continue for 45 seconds.
Banded Hip Adduction & Abduction
Adduction: Band around ankle, step feet together and apart, squeezing inner thighs. Continue for 25 seconds.
Abduction: With band still around ankle, turn around to face the back. Kick working leg out to side and back in. Continue for 25 seconds.
Why: These exercises target inner- and outer-thigh musculature, crucial for hip alignment and balancing the forces on your pelvis during each running stride
Part 3: Cool-Down Mobility
Finish with two restorative stretches to ease tension:
Hip-Shift Glute Stretch (Standing)
In a parallel-stance, step the right foot forward, hinge at hips, then shift weight back into the left hip to stretch glute and pelvic floor.
Torso should be rotated towards the back leg, with most of the weight in that leg and big toe.
Back Expansion (Forearm Round-Back)
From tabletop on forearms, round your spine, pushing belly away from floor.
Breathe deeply into your back; exhale to draw belly toward spine.
These movements release compression in the posterior pelvic floor and low-back, easing heaviness, SI-joint discomfort, and urinary urgency.
Putting it All Together
Frequency: 2–3× per week, ideally as a pre-run routine or on active recovery days.
Progression: Increase box height, add weight, or ramp band tension as you grow stronger.
Listen to Your Body: Pause if you feel sharp pain; scale hops and lunges as needed.
Conclusion
If you’re navigating postpartum return to running, consider a structured program that blends foundational strength, impact progression, and timed run/walk intervals—rather than jumping straight into high-mileage runs. For more in-depth guidance, check out the Postpartum Return to Running online program and use code YOUTUBE10 for 10 % off any course offering. Happy running!