15 Progressive Strength Training Workouts for Moms

Strength training during pregnancy and after baby can boost your energy, support a changing body and make postpartum recovery a lot smoother. The trick is to progress at your own pace, listen to your body and skip anything that feels uncomfortable. These 15 workouts start gently and build step by step, with a focus on core stability, posture and full-body strength. Always check with your doctor before starting, especially if you’re new to exercise or recently had a baby.

The workouts are split into three levels: beginner (weeks 1 to 5), intermediate (weeks 6 to 10) and advanced (weeks 11 to 15). Each one includes notes for a pregnancy bump or a healing postpartum body. Aim for 2 to 3 sessions a week, with rest days in between.

If you’d like the whole thing laid out for you, with core rehab built in, that’s what Strong Postpartum is for.

Before You Start: 7 Rules for Safe Strength Training as a Mom

I’ve coached a lot of moms back to strength, and the ones who get there fastest are the ones who follow a few simple rules first. Read these before workout 1.

1. Get cleared first

If you’re postpartum, wait for your OB or midwife to clear you, usually at your 6-week checkup (often 8 to 10 weeks after a C-section). Ask specifically about exercise and whether you have diastasis recti or pelvic floor issues. That one conversation can save you months of frustration. Until then, stick to walking, breathing and gentle pelvic floor work. Here’s more on gentle postpartum workouts for the early weeks.

2. Reconnect your pelvic floor and deep core

Your pelvic floor and transverse abdominis (the deep core) are the foundation for every lift. Practice belly breathing: breathe into your belly and ribs, not just your chest. Then do gentle pelvic floor contractions, a few times a day, even while nursing.

3. Use the connection breath on every rep

Exhale on the hard part (lifting, pushing or pulling) and gently lift your pelvic floor and draw in your deep core as you do. This manages pressure in your belly and protects your organs, spine and pelvic floor.

4. Skip crunches and sit-ups early on

Traditional ab work can make diastasis recti worse and strain a healing pelvic floor. Choose dead bugs, heel slides, pelvic tilts and bird-dogs instead. They rebuild your core from the inside out.

5. Don’t forget glutes and pulling moves

Glutes often switch off during pregnancy, which can feed back, knee and posture pain. And moms push all day (strollers, car seats) but rarely pull. Bridges, rows and band pull-aparts fix both. Single-side moves like single-arm rows and lunges help with the imbalances that come from always carrying baby on one hip.

6. Think months, not weeks

• Weeks 0 to 6 postpartum: walking, breath work and gentle pelvic floor activation
• Weeks 6 to 12: bodyweight strength and light resistance (the beginner level below)
• 3 to 6 months and beyond: gradually add load and intensity (intermediate, then advanced)

It’s normal for it to take 9 to 18 months to feel like yourself again. Celebrate the non-scale wins: climbing stairs without pain, carrying the car seat with ease, having energy left to play.

7. Know the red flags

Stop and regress the exercise if you notice any of these:

• Heaviness or bulging in your pelvic floor
• Leaking urine, even a drop
• Coning or doming along the middle of your belly
• Ongoing low back or pelvic pain

If they keep showing up, see a pelvic floor physical therapist. Here’s how to know when you need postpartum physical therapy.

Beginner Level: Building a Strong Foundation (Workouts 1 to 5)

These starters use your bodyweight to wake your muscles up without overwhelming you. Perfect for first-trimester fatigue or early postpartum.

1. Wall Squats with Arm Raises

Stand with your back against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down into a squat until your thighs are close to parallel, then raise your arms overhead. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. This builds leg strength and improves posture, which helps a lot with a growing belly.

2. Pelvic Tilts on All Fours

Get on hands and knees, then gently tilt your pelvis forward and back. Do 15 reps. It’s a subtle way to engage your core and ease back pain. If you’re dealing with diastasis recti, this is a safe start. (See how to correct diastasis recti after baby for more tips.)

3. Seated Dumbbell Rows

Sit on a chair with light weights (or water bottles). Pull your elbows back like you’re rowing a boat and squeeze your shoulder blades. 12 reps per side. This strengthens your upper back to fight the mom slouch from carrying and feeding baby.

4. Bird-Dog Extensions

From all fours, reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back. Hold for 5 seconds and alternate sides for 10 reps total. It builds balance and core stability without straining your abs.

5. Glute Bridges

Lie on your back (use a pillow under your upper back if needed in pregnancy), feet flat, and lift your hips. Exhale and gently engage your pelvic floor as you rise, squeeze your glutes at the top, lower slowly. 15 reps. Progress to holding for 5 seconds, then to single-leg bridges. Great for the posterior chain that supports your spine.

Bonus beginner moves

• Wall push-ups: hands on the wall at chest height, bend your elbows to lean in, push back. 3 sets of 8 to 12.
• Seated march: sit tall, lift one knee, hold briefly, switch. 3 sets of 10 per side. Safe even early postpartum.
• Side-lying leg lifts: bottom knee bent, lift the top leg. 3 sets of 12 per side for hip stability.
• Heel slides and dead bugs: slow, controlled, low back staying soft on the floor.

Intermediate Level: Adding Resistance and Complexity (Workouts 6 to 10)

Now we ramp up with light resistance. Use bands or dumbbells (3 to 5 lbs to start) and focus on controlled movement to protect your joints. Keep using the connection breath on every rep.

6. Resistance Band Pull-Aparts

Hold a band at chest height and pull it apart with straight arms. 15 reps. This targets your shoulders and upper back and helps with nursing posture.

7. Step-Ups with Knee Lifts

Step onto a sturdy stool or low bench, then lift the opposite knee. Alternate for 10 reps per leg. It builds leg power and endurance. Skip the knee lift if your balance feels wobbly.

8. Plank Holds with Shoulder Taps

Start with a modified plank on your knees and forearms for 10 to 20 seconds. When that feels solid, hold a forearm plank for 20 seconds, then tap one shoulder with the opposite hand for 10 taps. Skip it if you see doming or have pelvic floor symptoms. For more on pelvic health, see signs your pelvic floor still needs attention.

9. Lunge Walks

Step forward into a lunge, then bring the back foot up to meet the front. Walk 10 steps forward, then back. This works legs and glutes and helps correct side-to-side imbalances.

10. Overhead Presses

Sit or stand with dumbbells at shoulder height and press them overhead. Keep your ribs down so your back doesn’t arch. 12 reps. This builds shoulder strength for lifting baby into the crib.

Advanced Level: Pushing Your Limits Safely (Workouts 11 to 15)

By now you’re stronger. Add reps, weight or tempo. These use compound moves for efficiency, but form always comes before intensity. For most postpartum moms this level fits from about 3 to 6 months on, once the red flags above are quiet.

11. Deadlifts with Dumbbells

Hinge at your hips, let the weights travel down your legs, then stand tall. 10 reps. This trains the hamstrings and back and protects you every time you lift a car seat off the floor.

12. Push-Up Variations

Progress from wall to incline (hands on a counter or couch) to knees to full push-ups. Aim for 8 to 10 good reps. Great for upper body strength.

13. Squat Jumps (Modified)

Squat down, then jump up softly, or just rise onto your toes for a low-impact version. 12 reps. Skip the jumps in late pregnancy or if you have any leaking or heaviness.

14. Rotational Core Work

Sit with knees bent, lean back slightly and rotate side to side holding a ball, 15 per side. If you have diastasis recti or doming, swap in a standing band rotation (Pallof press) instead. Either way you work your obliques without crunching.

15. Full-Body Circuit

Combine squats, rows and presses in a circuit: 10 reps each, no rest, 3 rounds. This ties it all together in one quick, effective session. Short on time? My 20-minute strength workout for moms is a twice-a-week version of this.

How to Make This Plan Stick

• Consistency beats intensity. Ten minutes of focused work most days does more than one big session a week.
• Short sessions count. 10 to 15 minute workouts add up. Do them during nap time.
• Walk daily. Start with 10 to 15 minutes with the stroller. It helps your mood and recovery.
• Eat and drink enough. If you’re breastfeeding you need roughly 300 to 500 extra calories, plenty of protein and lots of water. See the top foods to eat after birth.
• Track your progress. Write down weights and reps. When a set feels easy, go up a little.
• Rest. Keep at least one rest day between strength sessions.

Need gentler options on recovery days? Try these yoga poses for postnatal core healing.

Progressive strength training isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about building a stronger body for the years of motherhood ahead. Heal first, get strong second. If you want a guided plan to do it, Strong Postpartum walks you through it step by step.

FAQ

When can I start strength training after giving birth?

Wait for clearance from your provider, usually around 6 weeks postpartum or 8 to 10 weeks after a C-section. Before then, stick to walking, breathing and gentle pelvic floor work.

How often should moms strength train?

Two to three sessions a week with a rest day in between is plenty. Consistency over months matters more than how many days you train.

What exercises should I avoid postpartum?

Avoid crunches, sit-ups and high-impact jumping early on. Choose dead bugs, heel slides, bridges and bird-dogs, and stop any move that causes leaking, heaviness or doming.

Can I do these workouts while pregnant?

Many of the beginner and intermediate moves work well in pregnancy with the notes above. Skip jumps in late pregnancy and check with your doctor before you start.

What if I feel pain during a workout?

Stop, regress the move and check with your doctor or a pelvic floor PT if it continues.