Performance-Focused Pre- & Postnatal Training: FAQ

Generally you can begin with breathing exercises and gentle pelvic floor activation as early as a few days after delivery. Around 4 to 8 weeks postpartum we then start targeted strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles through functional exercises. When and how you find the right starting point for yourself is something you should assess entirely individually and discuss with a professional (midwife, trainer, doctor). It depends on how your pregnancy and the birth went, on your postpartum recovery process, and on your baseline fitness and mental health. A pelvic floor check-up is helpful for evaluating in detail how well your pelvic floor muscles function and how they work together with the other components of your deep core. On the basis of those results you can plan and build your training according to the FITT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type). I’m happy to help you with that. You should wait at least 12 weeks postpartum before starting high-impact activity such as running or CrossFit. To prepare for these intense activities it is essential to do targeted strengthening of the muscles that stabilize your pelvis, in addition to the work on your deep core and on pressure management. That is exactly what we work on in my outdoor classes.

Yes, targeted training is the most important measure for restoring function. Diastasis recti still affects around 33% of women a year after birth (Kudsi et al., 2024). Scientific findings show that exercises focusing on the deep abdominal muscles (M. transversus abdominis) and the pelvic floor muscles stabilize the linea alba and improve trunk stability (Zink/Skoura et al., 2024). Targeted training can lower the prevalence of DRA by up to 35% (Benjamin et al., 2014). Exercises that sharply increase intra-abdominal pressure (such as classic sit-ups) should, however, be avoided for as long as functional stability is missing. How to deal with increases in intra-abdominal pressure (for example when coughing, sneezing or jumping) — that is, how to manage pressure properly — is something you will learn in my classes. Up-to-date information on diastasis recti is available at rektusdiastase.info.

Prior experience and a baseline level of fitness are helpful, because we build on existing movement patterns. We do, however, adapt the exercise progression individually to your athletic background — wherever you are right now.

Strength training is safe in an uncomplicated pregnancy and is expressly recommended for maintaining fitness (Sulprizio et al., 2023). More recent studies even show that more intense sessions such as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) have no negative effects on mother or child (Szumilewicz et al., 2021; Sulprizio et al., 2023). What matters, though, is to consistently avoid the Valsalva maneuver (bearing down), in order to prevent pressure spikes on the pelvic floor and the circulatory system (Kramarz, 2016). From week 20 of pregnancy (the second trimester) you should also leave out exercises performed lying on your back, in order to avoid vena cava syndrome (blood backing up because the vena cava is compressed).