Written by

Gina Conley, MS

April 1, 2026

Empower Your Run: Leak-Free Training for Postpartum

Fitness, Pelvic Floor, Postnatal

Leaking during workouts is incredibly common after pregnancy and birth, but it is not something you simply have to accept. Whether you leak during running, jumping, strength training, or even while chasing after your kids, it is often a sign that your body needs more support—not that your pelvic floor is “broken.”

Many women assume they need to do endless Kegels to stop leaking, but the reality is much more complex. Your pelvic floor does not work alone. It relies on your rib cage position, breathing mechanics, hips, glutes, lower legs, and even your ankle mobility.

When those surrounding muscles are not doing their jobs well, the pelvic floor often becomes the “victim” of those compensations.

This workout is designed to help you address both sides of the equation:

Releasing uneven tension in the pelvic floor
Strengthening the muscles that support your hips, pelvis, and lower legs

The combination can help you feel more supported during workouts and reduce leaking while running, jumping, or exercising.

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Why Leaking Happens During Exercise

Stress urinary incontinence—or leaking with exercise, coughing, sneezing, running, or jumping—is often related to pressure management and pelvic floor coordination.

After pregnancy and postpartum, many women tend to stand with an extended posture:

Rib cage flared upward
Lower back arched
Pelvis tipped forward

This position places more stretch and pressure on the front half of the pelvic floor. When the tissues around the urethra are too stretched, they may not contract effectively enough to keep urine in during impact activities.

In addition to posture, uneven tension throughout the pelvic floor can also contribute to leaking. Certain areas of the pelvic floor may be tighter, shorter, or more active than others.

For example:

The left posterior pelvic floor often tends to be tighter
The right front portion of the pelvic floor often tends to be more active and shortened

If one side of the pelvic floor cannot lengthen or relax appropriately as you shift from leg to leg, it can affect how your body handles the impact of running and jumping.

That is why mobility work can be such an important first step.

Part 1: Pelvic Floor Mobility and Balance

Before strengthening, it is helpful to improve the alignment and mobility of the rib cage, pelvis, and hips.

Back Expansion Breathing

Start by placing a pillow in front of you and rounding your upper body around it.

This position encourages your rib cage to move out of the extended posture that is common during pregnancy and postpartum. As you breathe into your back and sides, you can begin to restore mobility through the rib cage and reduce pressure on the front portion of the pelvic floor.

Focus on:

Inhaling deeply into the lower back and ribs
Exhaling fully
Gently pulling the belly toward the spine
Allowing the body to round slightly more with each exhale

This breathing pattern can help reposition the rib cage and improve the relationship between the diaphragm and pelvic floor.

Left Hip Shift for the Posterior Pelvic Floor

Using a yoga block under the left knee, shift your weight toward the left side while gently tucking the pelvis under.

You should feel a stretch deep in the back of the left hip, where your back jeans pocket would be.

This exercise helps target the left posterior pelvic floor, which is often tighter and more restricted.

To deepen the stretch:

Shift more weight into the left side
Slightly activate the right glute
Think about bringing the inner right knee into the floor

You can also repeat this same concept in standing by placing the left foot on a yoga block and gently rotating the pelvis toward the elevated leg.

Right Inner Thigh and Groin Mobility

The right front portion of the pelvic floor often becomes short, tight, and overactive.

To release this area, use a lateral hip shift position in all fours by driving the right hip toward the left knee. You may also externally rotate the right leg and lower the right forearm for a deeper stretch.

You should feel the stretch more through:

The right inner thigh
The right groin
The front of the pelvis

You can also repeat this stretch in standing by widening your feet and shifting toward the left hip while bringing the right hip and left knee toward each other.

Dynamic Weight Shifting

Once you have explored the static positions, the next step is learning how to shift from side to side.

Running is a series of single-leg positions. Your body has to transfer weight smoothly from one leg to the other, and your pelvic floor needs to adapt to those shifts.

Practice moving from:

Left hip shift to right hip shift
Side-to-side weight transfer
Lateral lunging positions

As you shift, focus on:

Keeping weight in the big toes
Feeling the stretch deep in the hip pockets
Maintaining pelvic rotation
Moving slowly and deliberately

This helps prepare the pelvic floor for the constant side-to-side demands of running.

Part 2: Strengthening the Muscles That Support the Pelvic Floor

Mobility alone is not enough. The pelvic floor also needs help from the surrounding muscles.

When you run, jump, or move from leg to leg, your body needs:

Hip extension
Hip flexion
Internal and external hip rotation
Abduction and adduction
Strong calves and shins
Good ankle mobility

When those systems are weak, the pelvic floor often has to compensate.

Staggered Stance RDLs

Staggered stance Romanian deadlifts strengthen the glutes and hamstrings while teaching pelvic rotation.

Place most of your weight into the front foot and hold the weight in the opposite hand.

As you lower:

Shift slightly into the standing hip
Allow the pelvis to rotate gently
Feel a stretch in the hamstring and glute

As you stand:

Push through the standing foot
Squeeze the glute
Return to upright

Over time, you can progress to a full single-leg deadlift for more balance and stability.

Staggered Stance Squats

Next, move into a more upright squat pattern.

Place the weight in the same hand as the front leg to encourage more glute activation and external hip rotation.

This movement helps strengthen:

Quads
Glutes
Hip stabilizers

Eventually, you can progress toward single-leg squats or box squats.

Marches for Hip Flexion

Hip flexion is essential for running mechanics.

Practice standing marches by shifting onto one leg and lifting the opposite knee.

Focus on:

Driving the knee up with control
Maintaining balance on the standing leg
Keeping the pelvis stable

If balance feels difficult, use a step or lightly hold onto a wall.

Standing Hip Shift with Open Rotation

This exercise combines multiple hip actions into one movement:

Internal pelvic rotation
External pelvic rotation
Hip abduction
Hip adduction

Start with the knees together, then drive the hip upward and open the top knee away from the body.

As you lower, return to the starting position and repeat.

This exercise is especially helpful for strengthening the glutes while improving coordination through the pelvis and hips.

Tibialis Raises

Your lower legs matter more than you may think.

The muscles in the front of your shin help control the ankle during running and landing. Weakness in this area can increase impact forces through the body.

Lean against a wall and lift the toes toward the shins.

Pause briefly at the top, then lower slowly.

This strengthens the front of the lower leg and can help improve ankle mobility.

Single-Leg Calf Raises

Strong calves are essential for absorbing force during running and jumping.

Practice controlled calf raises on one leg at a time.

As you rise onto the ball of the foot, focus on:

Maintaining balance
Moving with control
Lowering slowly

Improving calf strength can help decrease the amount of force that travels upward into the hips and pelvic floor.

Why Ankle Mobility Matters for Leaking

One of the more surprising contributors to leaking during exercise is poor ankle mobility.

When the ankles are stiff, the body cannot absorb force effectively during running and jumping. That force has to go somewhere, and often it travels upward into the knees, hips, and pelvic floor.

Improving ankle mobility and lower leg strength can reduce impact and help the pelvic floor function more effectively.

Your Pelvic Floor Is Not Always the Problem

One of the most important takeaways is that your pelvic floor is not always the culprit.

Sometimes leaking is happening because:

Your rib cage is stuck in an extended position
Your hips are not moving well
Your glutes are weak
Your ankles are stiff
Your lower legs are not strong enough

When the surrounding systems are not doing their jobs, the pelvic floor has to work overtime.

By improving mobility, strength, and coordination throughout the body, you can often reduce leaking and feel more supported during exercise.

Final Thoughts

Leaking during workouts may be common, but it is not something you have to accept as your “new normal.”

A combination of pelvic floor mobility, hip strength, lower leg strengthening, and better pressure management can make a major difference in how your body feels during running and jumping.

Start by incorporating this mobility flow before your workouts, then gradually build strength through the hips, glutes, and lower legs.

With consistency, you can create a body that feels more supported, more stable, and more capable during exercise—without worrying about leaking every time you move.