Running Readiness 102: How to Prepare to Run

This is your How-To for the recommended exercises to strengthen and prepare!

Each of these exercises are recommended by experts to prepare to return to running.

We have even incorporated them into our Postpartum Recovery® Fitness class series. You should make sure that you have gone through the Load Impact Assessment found in the Running Readiness 101 blog and asked yourself the questions in the graphic.

If Yes, to any of them please seek out a qualified Pelvic Floor PT in your area. 

If the answer is NO to all… Then, maybe you are ready to start back to running again.

But first, let’s take a look at the exercises on their own.

Single Leg Calf Raise

This exercise is also much harder than it looks!! Try it! You will be shocked at how few you can do… The goal is to work up to 20 on each leg! As you press up in the calf raise be mindful of keeping the foot aligned and not letting the ankle roll out to the side.

In our 4TFM classes, we also use pelvic floor and core stability cueing because it just makes you more stable in movement.

So, as you press up into the calf raise, exhale and engage that pelvic floor. Think of the elevator cue since you are “elevating” (see what I did there?) on to the ball of your foot.

Exhale to Engage (E) the Pelvic Floor and Activate (A) the Deep Core Abdominals. You’ll feel much more stable! E & A are the secret weapons!

Single Leg Bridge

In this exercise, your shoulders and your one foot become a tripod of sorts. But first start with both feet planted on the ground. Exhale to E & A as you press your hips up off of the ground. Think about keeping your hip bones level to one another. THEN, lift one leg off of the ground and extend and hold. Build up to the count of 10 or 20. Repeat on the other side.

Single Leg Sit-to-Stand

Okay- this one is really just wicked, to be honest. It is H-A-R-D and may take some time to master. There is A LOT of stability and balance challenge happening. Take your time and build up each day.

Exhale to E & A as you press in to the grounded foot. Try not to “swing” or “kip” your body up. Keep working on this one until you can do 10 on each side.

Side Lying Abduction

This exercise is excellent for hip stability because the prime stabilizer of the pelvis is the medial glute and this is a medial glute burner!!!

A few elements to keep in mind: you want to keep your hips and shoulders “stacked”, as we say, meaning they are in alignment with both each other and one over the other. Honestly, I goofed up when taking this video and should have asked my beautiful volunteer momma to keep her shoulder down on the ground but we were having such fun visiting that I just… forgot!

Exhale to E & A and keep the foot flexed as you raise the top leg up to about 45 degrees. Inhale and lower with control. Repeat 20 times with control.

We hope that these posts have been helpful to our running mommas! Let us know how your return to running is going.

We have a Facebook group that revolves around moms and fitness. If you would like to be a part of that group, you can request to join 4TFM Connections.

Leave us a comment and let us know what exercises did you find most helpful to you?