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5 useful tips for running after pregnancy
If you want to run after giving birth you must have some important precautions. First of all we must take into account thecourse of childbirth. If painful, with complications or with consequences such as the abdominal diastasis. Especially in the latter case it is necessary to rehabilitate well: by diastasis we mean the irreversible separation of the two rectus abdominals which is caused by several factors such as a hereditary predisposition, the fact that the parturient is over 35 years of age, a fetus with a high weight. Sometimes even giving birth to twins or having had other demanding pregnancies become factors that predispose to the distancing of the rectums.
Very important: if you have had a caesarean or episiotomy delivery you must allow at least six weeks to run before resuming training to allow the wound to heal completely.
Let’s see together how to start running again after a pregnancy.
Attention to the back
Try to be realistic and understand that the load that the back has borne it should not be underestimated. Especially at the junction between the lumbar and the last dorsal muscles, it must be managed well in case there have been pains throughout pregnancy or in the last stage. The load at the joints such as the knees is added to that between the spinal disc and spinal disc. Recall that these structures are made of water so it becomes very important to stay hydrated. You have to make movements for the back even in quadrupedal that lead to arching and flexing naturally.
Prepare the legs
How are your quadriceps? How are the calves? How much do you feel these “soft” or “flabby” areas and how ready are you to work on them? We advise you to combine it with running training as well specific exercises to strengthen the legs. Squats, planks, lifts, strengthening and stretching the iliopsoas are all good exercises to prepare your legs for running and protect them from injury.
Listen to the heart
There heart rate explains much of the other functions related to the body and monitoring it allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of the work done. A great tip to start feeling the heart is inget used to rhythms that are not too intense and fast. Always train walking along with running, preferring the former to get him used to levels of work that gradually lead him to high peaks. In other words, long and constant practices at a slow pace they allow the heart to behave like a true hero.
Abdominal area and reinforcement
You have to feel that the power in running comes a lot from the abdominal area as from the square of the loins, with all the sealing of the iliopsoas, the paravertebral muscles and the pelvic floor. Do not mistakenly think that the legs are “responsible” for everything. There strength lies in the center and the periphery moves accordingly. For this reason, even freeing the shoulders and arms, warming them well, allows you to feel the whole body in the running performance. Calisthenics remains an excellent training program for strengthening the whole body.
Alternating walking with running
Dedicate the right amount of time to walking, always doing it breathing exercises. Even when you see that the weather is promising, try to work hard and find a space to take the stroller and push it at a brisk pace. In brisk walking try to note the support of the foot, the way you unload the weight and the alignment of the whole structure. Also evaluate, over time, of get specific running shoes, other than those for walking and make sure that the choice is based on the tendency to pronate or supinate.
3 mistakes not to make
Let’s see together 3 actions to avoid in case you start running again after a pregnancy.
Stop breathing
When resuming a practice such as running you risk going apnea often, seen and considered that the brain may have fears or resistances. Instead, try to always have one long, relaxed breathing. Try to study the technical gesture of running and the support of the foot. When you reach the end of the run, enjoy the feeling of tiredness and the subsequent shower.
Get discouraged
Shooting could result in general body fatigue and a feeling of not making it. But giving up is not the solution. The effects of the stop should not be experienced with a sense of guilt and to do this one must work on the mental. There meditation helps improvements in performance, increases motivation and nourishes that sense of self-efficacy that is needed to feel the muscles of the body well. Breathing, entering inside, one finds the way to know oneself in all phases of life, even the one after having given birth to a son or a daughter.
Don’t stretch
The mistake of avoiding muscle stretching immediately reflects on the body and does not make you progress. Adapting a stretching program to your run allows you to achieve results first, avoid muscle problems (strains, tears, etc) and allows you to recover quickly. Also, the elongation increases blood circulation and this is good for the lower limbs, the abdominal and thoracic area, as well as the back muscles.
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