Can I do squats postpartum?

The short answer is YES!

While a squat can be intimidating after baby, it’s something we often do to use the restroom and get up and down off a coach or floor with a baby. Talk about functional movement!

As we introduce the squat movement we can tune in to and manage symptoms, utilize props, and check in with our body’s go-to strategies and tendencies (e.g. glute gripping). Learning how to squat postpartum isn’t about lifting a lot of weight. It’s about learning to move better during your activities of daily living.

How can we (re) learn the squat movement postpartum?

A squat can be tricky postpartum, especially if we have any movement limitations at the pelvis or cannot find the eccentric length through the glutes on the back side. Lengthen to strengthen. If we want to grow and strengthen the glutes and lower body we also need to learn how to let go.

Here are a few of my favorite drills during a postpartum strength workout to reinforce the squat position as we move more upright.

1. 90/90 Breathing: a great position to help find the deep abdominals, hamstrings, and use the ground to help orient ourselves in space. I love to help find a more “neutral” stacked position (ribs over pelvis) while on the ground. Essentially we are in a squat position, but laying on our back.

2. Rockback: Now we can reinforce the position you found on the ground.

• Inhale to rockback towards the wall behind you. Keep the sit bones lifted without overly extending or tucking under with the booty. This will allow you to fully lengthen the glutes behind you and sense the posterior pelvic floor let go. Also tune into your rib cage and watch for overly flexing through your spine (like an angry cat) or flaring through your rib cage.

• Exhale to return to starting position, adding a pelvic floor lift. Option to place a yoga block between the legs here to help drive connection to the adductors (inner thighs).

3.Foam Roller Wall Squat: Now we can get more upright with a little bit of support. Allow the pelvis to come underneath you as you descend down.

Tip: You own the foam roller, it doesn’t own you. It’s easy to let roll “over” it and back into an extended position. The heel elevation is optional.

4. TRX Supported Squat: Now the wall is gone, but we can still add a bit of support.

Heels Elevated Squat with TRX + adduction (yoga block)

**For the video below come straight up and down in your squat.

5. Goblet Squat to Box: I love a goblet squat / front rack position once we are ready to add a little bit of load. I recommend adding a bench or chair behind you to practice “sitting” to a depth you can control (more mid-range). The front rack position requires more abdominal control and helps keep us a bit more upright.

In a squat we need to learn to shift our weight down and back to “sit into” the position. The counter-balance here helps you do this while maintaining an upright-torso.

Why add a heel wedge to squats?

Wedges are a great tool to improve mobility by influencing our center-of-gravity, or where our body is in space. If our center of gravity is too far forward (common with new mamas) with our weight in our toes, there may be a decrease in overall range of motion. Elevating the heels is going to help push my center-of-gravity forward, so my body has to lean back so I don’t fall over :)

You may also find wedges help you address ankle mobility. Squats require bending at the hips, knees and ankles, but sometimes you may feel this “sticky” feeling in the front of your ankles. By propping the heels up we take away a bit of that limitation and change the range of motion required. You can check out more here!

Squat Tips

The drills above are some of my favorite to progress a postpartum mom to an upright squat position. BUT, I know you’re squatting everyday. Below are a few tips to perform a bodyweight squat in a more supportive way for your pelvic floor.

• Shift your bodyweight so it’s evenly distributed across your feet. Watch for any clenching of the glutes or abdominals.

• Tune in to your position. Try to find a more neutral starting position, OR what feels more comfortable for you right now.

• Inhale and feel the expansion into your rib cage and belly. Gently exhale from the pelvic floor on up and THEN begin to squat down.

• Exhaling through the full range of motion to generate the most support for your pelvic floor. When you return to standing, inhale and reset.

• You do not need to squat low. Squat to a depth you can control without the pelvis tipping under you (butt wink) or the pelvic rocking forward / arching through the back. It’s OK to hold onto something for support.

Want to learn more about strength training postpartum? I’d love to support you! I offer 1:1 Postpartum Personal Training in San Diego + virtually, DIY programs, Free Guides, and online coaching. Let’s chat! <3

Feel good mama,

Erica