Written by

Gina Conley, MS

October 14, 2026

30 Min Running Prep Workout: Pressure Management Strategies for the Pelvic Floor

Fitness, Pelvic Floor, Postpartum

Running is one of the most dynamic forms of movement we can ask our bodies to perform. With every stride, our feet, pelvis, rib cage, and upper body are constantly shifting positions and responding to impact.

For runners who experience pelvic floor symptoms such as leaking, heaviness, pressure, or discomfort, it can be tempting to think that the solution is simply to “strengthen the pelvic floor” or consciously contract it throughout the entire run.

But the pelvic floor is not meant to remain clenched throughout a workout.

Instead, the pelvic floor needs to be responsive. It needs to be able to contract, lengthen, absorb load, and recoil as the body moves through different positions. Supporting this ability requires more than isolated pelvic floor contractions. It involves looking at how the feet, hips, pelvis, rib cage, and upper body work together.

This running prep workout focuses on developing that dynamic response through strength exercises, weight shifting, pelvic rotation, upper-body integration, and movements that mimic some of the demands of running.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more weekly workouts and educational videos! We publish one new workout video and 2-3 educational videos a week on our channel.

Why Pressure Management Matters During Running

Running creates repeated impact and changes in pressure throughout the body. Every time the foot contacts the ground, force is transferred upward through the leg and pelvis.

The pelvic floor has to respond to these changing forces.

That doesn’t mean you need to consciously contract your pelvic floor with every foot strike. In fact, trying to coordinate a specific inhale, exhale, or pelvic floor contraction with every single stride isn’t realistic during a normal run.

Instead, the goal is to create the conditions that allow the pelvic floor to respond naturally.

A responsive pelvic floor can adapt to the position of the pelvis, the amount of weight being placed through each leg, and the movement of the rib cage and trunk.

This is why pelvic floor support for running should include more than traditional pelvic floor strengthening.

The goal is responsiveness, not constant contraction

During running, the pelvic floor needs to be able to:

Contract when necessary
Lengthen and eccentrically load
Recoil
Respond to changes in pelvic position
Tolerate repeated impact
Adapt to weight shifting from one leg to the other
Work with the movement of the rib cage
Manage changing pressure without requiring constant conscious control

If you’re experiencing symptoms later in a run, such as heaviness or discomfort, fatigue may be part of the picture. The pelvic floor may be working harder than necessary because the surrounding system isn’t providing an optimal foundation for movement.

Understanding the Pelvis During the Running Gait Cycle

To understand why pelvic mobility matters, it helps to look at what happens to the pelvis during each stride.

When one leg becomes the stance leg, it becomes the stabilizing leg. As the body moves through stance, that side of the pelvis moves into a position that helps stabilize the hip. The pelvic half moves toward more posterior positioning, internal rotation, and adduction.

As you progress through stance, the pelvis then moves toward extension as you prepare to push off.

The leg transitions into the swing phase, where it recoils forward and the pelvis moves into a different position, including more anterior tilt, external rotation, and abduction.

This means that every running stride requires the pelvis to continuously transition between different positions.

The pelvic floor is attached to the pelvis, so changes in pelvic position influence the tension and activity of the pelvic floor.

Rather than thinking about the pelvic floor as one muscle that simply needs to be “tight,” it’s more useful to recognize that different portions of the pelvic floor may contribute differently depending on where the body is in the gait cycle.

When weight is placed into one leg, different areas of the pelvic floor contribute to the stabilization required for that position. As the body transitions into swing, the pelvic floor has to adapt again.

This requires mobility, strength, eccentric control, and recoil.

Pelvic Asymmetry and Running

Our bodies naturally have some degree of asymmetry.

Many people have habitual postural patterns, including a tendency to spend more time standing or placing more weight through one leg. Over time, these tendencies can influence how the pelvis is positioned and how different areas of the pelvic floor are loaded.

This doesn’t mean that asymmetry is automatically a problem. Instead, it gives us another reason to train the body through a variety of positions and movements.

The goal of this workout is to explore how each side of the body moves and responds so that the pelvis and pelvic floor have more options during dynamic activities such as running.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gina, MS, & Roxanne, CNM (@mamastefit)

Running Prep Workout

This approximately 30-minute workout combines lower-body strengthening with movement integration.

You’ll work through the exercises in groups, completing approximately one to two rounds before progressing to the next movement.

Equipment

A box or sturdy step
Mini resistance band
One medium-to-heavy weight
Long resistance band
Band attachment point, if available
Optional wedge for additional ankle support
Optional wall for balance

The long-band attachment is optional. Variations can be performed without an attachment point.

1. Calf Raises With Rib Cage Integration

Begin with the ball of one foot positioned on the box while the opposite foot remains on the floor.

The goal isn’t simply to perform a calf raise. You’re also using the position of the upper body to explore how the rib cage and pelvis work together.

Reach the opposite arm forward, creating the sensation of gently pushing your chest away from your hand.

From here:

Take an inhale and allow the breath to expand into the back of the rib cage.
Exhale as you rise onto the toes.
Slowly lower back down.
Continue breathing naturally.

You can coordinate the exhale with the calf raise, but you don’t have to. Another option is simply to breathe naturally while moving.

The important concept is that you’re not trying to create a rigid breathing pattern.

What to focus on

Think about creating space through the back of the rib cage during the inhale. As you exhale, allow the rib cage to come down while maintaining the forward reach.

This begins to integrate lower-body movement with upper-body positioning.

Switch sides and repeat.

Complete two rounds.

Why this matters for running

Running doesn’t give you the opportunity to consciously coordinate every breath with every foot strike. Your breathing and pelvic floor need to be adaptable.

This exercise helps introduce the idea of allowing the rib cage, pelvis, and pelvic floor to move together rather than trying to consciously control every pelvic floor contraction.

2. Single-Leg Squat With Pelvic Rotation

Next, place a mini band around the thighs.

This exercise looks relatively simple, but the focus is more specific than simply lifting one leg out to the side.

You’ll work through a single-leg squat while exploring how the pelvis rotates on top of the stance leg.

Right stance leg

Place your weight into your right foot.

Lower into a comfortable single-leg squat depth.

As you rise, lift the opposite leg to the side while thinking about pushing through the right big toe and arch.

Instead of simply lifting the left leg, focus on allowing the pelvis to rotate on top of the right femur.

The goal is to find an open hip position as you finish the stance phase.

Think:

Lower → stabilize → push through the foot → rotate the pelvis → transition toward swing.

Left stance leg

Switch sides.

This time, keep the torso more square as the opposite leg moves out to the side.

The emphasis is slightly different between the two sides.

On one side, you’re exploring the ability of the pelvis to rotate out of stance. On the other, you’re focusing more on maintaining the stance position while the opposite hip moves.

This difference is intentional.

Rather than forcing both sides to perform exactly the same movement, you’re exploring what each side needs to better support dynamic movement.

Complete two rounds.

3. B-Stance Squat and Staggered-Stance RDL

The next section introduces more traditional strength work while still focusing on the positions that contribute to pelvic balance.

You’ll need your medium-to-heavy weight and, optionally, the long resistance band.

B-Stance Squat

Set up with the target leg doing most of the work.

Place the band around the outside of the target knee if you’re using it. Hold the weight in the same-side hand.

Lower into the squat and then stand.

For this side, emphasize:

A forward shin angle
Quad and glute engagement
Pressure through the foot
External rotation
Abduction
Finishing the stance position

As you stand, think about pushing through the big toe and arch.

You can also think about allowing the pelvis to rotate toward a more open hip position as you finish the movement.

The resistance band adds an abduction demand, requiring the outer hip musculature to resist the knee being pulled inward.

Holding the weight on the same side also changes the rotational demand of the exercise.

Foot pressure matters

Pay attention to where your weight is moving within your foot.

As you lower, you may feel more weight toward the heel.

As you rise, transition toward the big toe and arch.

This heel-to-toe weight shift is important because running requires constant changes in pressure through the foot.

Staggered-Stance RDL

For the opposite side, move the resistance band to the inside of the thigh.

Now shift into more of a hip-hinge pattern.

Think about sending the hips backward while keeping the knee relatively stacked over the ankle.

Your torso will move forward as the hips move back.

This exercise emphasizes the hamstrings and inner thigh musculature while creating a different rotational demand through the hip and pelvis.

Think:

Hips back → maintain foot pressure → control the hinge → return to standing.

The band provides an additional adduction demand, while holding the weight in the opposite hand changes the rotational challenge.

Complete the prescribed work on both sides.

Why use different exercises on different sides?

When thinking specifically about pelvic balance, the workout uses slightly different strategies on the two sides.

One side may benefit from more:

Quad and glute strengthening
Open hip positions
External rotation
Abduction
Extension

The other side may benefit from more:

Hamstring strengthening
Adductor strengthening
Internal rotation
Stance-position work
Hip hinging

These patterns can be trained bilaterally as well, but using different variations allows you to explore how each side responds to different demands.

4. Archer Row With Weight Shifting

Now we’ll transition from strengthening into integration.

Attach the long resistance band around eye level, or use a version where you simply hold the band without an attachment point.

Begin in a staggered stance.

Start by rotating the upper body while performing an archer row.

Initially, keep the lower body relatively still so you can focus on the upper-body rotation.

Then begin incorporating the hips and feet.

As you rotate, shift approximately 80 percent of your weight toward the heel of the working side.

Then shift forward toward the big toe as you return.

This creates a coordinated movement between:

The rib cage
The spine
The pelvis
The hip
The foot

You may notice a stretch or lengthening sensation around the glute as you shift your weight.

The goal

You’re learning to coordinate upper-body rotation with lower-body movement while simultaneously shifting weight through the foot.

This is much closer to what happens during running than a stationary pelvic floor contraction.

5. Archer Press With Foot and Pelvic Rotation

Turn around and transition into the pressing variation.

Begin with the weight toward the heel.

As you press forward, shift your weight toward the big toe and arch.

At the same time, allow the pelvis and rib cage to rotate.

Think about moving from:

Heel → big toe

and

Closed hip → open hip

while coordinating the upper-body rotation.

As you press, you can also think about allowing the chest to sink slightly and creating expansion through the side of the rib cage.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Why this is useful for runners

During running, the foot isn’t static.

Weight continuously transfers through different parts of the foot as the body moves through stance and push-off.

The pelvis and rib cage also rotate in relationship to one another.

This exercise brings all of those components together.

6. Hip Shift to Step

The final exercise is the most complex movement in the workout because it combines several elements you’ve practiced separately.

You’ll need your box or step.

Start in a hip-shifted, mid-stance position.

From here, push through the stance leg to drive the opposite foot onto the box.

For example, when working through the right side:

Shift into the right hip.
Allow more weight to move toward the right heel.
Shift forward toward the right big toe.
Push through the right leg.
Drive the left foot onto the box.
Allow the right arm to swing forward as the left knee drives.
Step back and repeat.

Think about moving through the sequence:

Heel → big toe → push-off → opposite knee drive.

The arm swing can accompany the movement.

The right arm moves backward as the right leg loads and then drives forward as the opposite knee comes up.

This creates a coordinated relationship between the:

Foot
Hip
Pelvis
Rib cage
Arm
Opposite leg

Repeat on the other side.

Initially, this may feel awkward. That’s okay. This is a more complex movement because you’re asking several parts of the body to coordinate at the same time.

Bringing It All Together: What Happens With Every Running Stride?

The purpose of this workout isn’t simply to make your pelvic floor stronger.

It’s to help your entire movement system become better at managing the demands of running.

With each stride, your body has to manage impact and load.

Your foot changes pressure.

Your pelvis rotates.

Your hip changes position.

Your rib cage rotates.

Your arms swing.

Your weight shifts from one side to the other.

And your pelvic floor responds to all of these changes.

When you place weight into one leg, different portions of the pelvic floor contribute to the demands of that stance position. As you transition to the other leg, the loading pattern changes again.

That means the pelvic floor needs to be able to change tension.

It needs to be strong enough to tolerate load, but it also needs enough mobility and adaptability to respond to movement.

The Pelvic Floor Is Part of a Larger System

It’s easy to isolate the pelvic floor when we’re talking about pelvic floor health.

But running reminds us that the pelvic floor doesn’t work in isolation.

The pelvis moves.

The rib cage moves.

The hips move.

The feet move.

The arms move.

All of these components contribute to how pressure is managed throughout the body.

If the pelvis is moving well and the rib cage can move with it, the pelvic floor has more opportunity to respond appropriately to the demands placed on it.

This is why a running-focused pelvic floor program can include exercises that don’t look like traditional pelvic floor exercises at all.

A calf raise, single-leg squat, RDL, row, press, or step-up can all become pelvic floor exercises when the focus is on how the entire body coordinates movement and pressure.

How to Use This Workout Before or Alongside Running

This workout can be incorporated into a broader running and strength-training routine as a way to practice the movement patterns needed for running.

It can be particularly useful for runners who want to work on:

Dynamic pelvic floor support
Pelvic mobility
Single-leg strength
Foot pressure and weight shifting
Hip rotation
Upper- and lower-body coordination
Pressure management
Running-specific movement patterns

The workout takes approximately 30 minutes and progresses from more isolated strengthening exercises into increasingly integrated movements.

That progression is intentional.

You first develop strength and control. Then you begin integrating that strength into movement. Finally, you combine foot pressure, pelvic rotation, rib cage movement, arm swing, and leg drive in a pattern that more closely resembles running.

Final Thoughts

Running is dynamic, so pelvic floor preparation should also include dynamic movement.

Rather than constantly asking, “Am I contracting my pelvic floor?” consider asking:

Can my pelvic floor respond to what my body is doing?

Can it tolerate impact?

Can it change tension?

Can it lengthen and recoil?

Can the pelvis move?

Can the rib cage move?

Can I shift my weight from heel to toe?

Can I transition smoothly from one leg to the other?

These are important pieces of the larger picture.

The goal isn’t to consciously control every stride. Instead, the goal is to develop a body that has the strength, mobility, coordination, and adaptability to respond automatically to the demands of running.

A strong pelvic floor is valuable, but a strong and responsive pelvic floor is even more useful for dynamic movement.

When the feet, hips, pelvis, rib cage, and pelvic floor can work together, the body has a better foundation for managing the repeated forces that come with running.

And ultimately, that’s what this running prep workout is designed to help you practice: moving through each stride with strength, mobility, coordination, and adaptable pressure management.

If you want additional support in your running journey, be sure to check out our Postpartum Return to Running Program and our Marathon Training Program!