Women's Health April 27, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Hidden Power Moves: 57 Strength Exercises Every Mom-to-Be Needs to Crush Pregnancy and Postpartum Pain-Free!

Decorating the nursery? Check. Washing tiny newborn clothes? Check. Catching those last few precious hours of sleep? Ha! Good luck with that, my friend. And let’s not forget assembling that over-engineered stroller — because apparently, building a damn spaceship would be easier. But amidst this chaos, have you ever thought about adding strength training to that ever-growing pregnancy to-do list? Sure, cardio like walking and swimming gets all the glory, but lifting weights — yeah, the heavy stuff — might just be the ultimate game-changer for your body during pregnancy and postpartum. Imagine battling those aches in your hips, back, and pelvis with a solid routine that not only improves your posture as your center of gravity shifts but also boosts your core and pelvic floor, sharpens your mental game, and gives you confidence to tackle labor, birth, and recovery like a champ. Sounds like a plan, right? Let’s dive into why strength training is not just a “nice-to-have” but a must-have for every mama-to-be who’s serious about feeling strong and ready for whatever comes next. LEARN MORE

5 min read

Decorating the nursery, washing and folding tiny newborn clothes, sleeping (while you still can, as all the just wait-ers will tell you), and figuring out how to assemble the over-engineered stroller are all on your pregnancy to-do list. We want you to add one more thing: strength training.

Yes, walking and swimming and other cardio exercises are also great when you’re growing a new human. But picking up weighty things and putting them back down is one of the best things you can do for your pregnant (and soon-to-be postpartum) body.

“Lifting weights in a safe way can reduce pain and discomfort in the hips, back and pelvis,” says Charlie Barker, CPT, a prenatal fitness specialist and founder of Bumps and Burpees. “It can significantly improve posture as the center of gravity changes, better core and pelvic floor function, mental health, and confidence—and all of these combined can contribute to being more prepared for labor, birth, and recovery,” Barker adds.

Best Pregnancy Strength Training Exercises and Workouts

During this huge body (and life!) transition, functional exercises reign supreme. Not only will this keep you moving and feeling good throughout pregnancy, but it’ll also pay dividends once your baby arrives. “Part of your goal when strength training during your pregnancy should be to physically prepare for the demands of motherhood,” says Kristie Alicea, a certified personal trainer, prenatal fitness specialist, and co-founder of ABC Fit Collective.

If the moves in this exercise library look familiar or unsurprising, that’s by design.

You’ll see squats, hinges, rows, presses, and carries—the same foundational, lifelong strength movements that benefit almost every body, pregnant or not. This isn’t about reinventing the wheel or prescribing a long list of overly specialized movements for fragile pregnant people. In fact, most pregnant people don’t need an entirely different playbook—they need smart programming, appropriate load management, and a willingness to adjust as their body changes.

That said, pregnancy does sometimes bring unique considerations. Some movements in this library are tailored with thoughtful tweaks to better support your core and pelvic floor, accommodate a shifting center of gravity, and help you move comfortably and confidently as your body evolves. Think of this as your usual strength training toolkit—just adapted.

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Another way this guide might differ from others you’ve seen: Experts are not going to tell you to panic about coning. Coning (or doming) is when your abdomen bulges slightly along the midline, often during movements that increase intra-abdominal pressure—like planks, heavy squats, or overhead presses.

For years, the advice was to avoid this at all costs, with the belief that it could worsen diastasis recti, or abdominal separation. But more recent, evidence-based guidance suggests it’s not something to stress over. “We have no evidence to suggest that coning is dangerous or makes abdominal separation worse,” says Sheridan Skye, a registered nurse and pre- and postnatal fitness coach and founder of The Female Fitness Formula.

As your belly grows, the linea alba—the connective tissue that runs down the center of your abdomen and holds the two sides of your rectus abdominis together—is designed to stretch and adapt. In fact, “100 percent of women will have some degree of abdominal separation in pregnancy,” Skye says. Compared to the natural expansion caused by your growing uterus, a bit of coning during a workout is relatively minor.

Keeping these muscles strong during pregnancy can even support a quicker core recovery postpartum. As Christina Prevett, PT, PhD, a pelvic floor and orthopedic physiotherapist and postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, explains, “a very cool thing that a lot of people don’t understand is that when we crunch the linea alba, and the rectus abdominis contracts, “it comes together,” rather than separating. It’s a natural movement, even though it’s often “demonized so often,” Prevett says.

Instead of fearing coning, think of it as feedback. It can signal that your core is having a harder time managing pressure during a particular movement. If it’s not accompanied by pain or pelvic floor strain—and you can still maintain good form and posture—you don’t necessarily need to stop. That said, you might choose to modify the exercise or swap it for one that feels more comfortable and allows you to stay connected to your core, so you can keep strengthening it effectively.

How often and how intensely you exercise is entirely up to you. There’s no “perfect” number of workout days or ideal routine to follow here—it’s about meeting yourself where you are. And remember, that place can shift from day to day, week to week, or even trimester to trimester.

How to Program Your Own Workout

Use exercises from the library to create fast, effective workouts.

For a full-body workout:

Pick 1 or 2 lower-body moves, 1 or 2 upper-body moves, and 1 or 2 core or carry exercises. Aim to include a squat or lunge, a hinge (deadlift variation), a push, a pull, and a carry or core move.

Perform 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per exercise (or 30 to 60 seconds for carries and holds). Rest for 1 to 3 minutes between each set.

Weight: Choose weights that feel challenging by the last few reps, while still allowing you to maintain good form and steady breathing—think effort around a 6 to 8 out of 10.

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For an upper-body focus:

Choose 3 to 5 upper-body exercises, including at least 1 push (like a press or pushup) and 1 pull (row, pulldown). You can add 1 lower-body or core exercise for balance, if desired.

Perform 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per move. Rest for 1 to 3 minutes between each set.

Weight: Select weights that challenge your muscles without causing you to lose control or compensate by letting form falter—by the final reps, you should feel fatigued but still stable.

Progress bar indicating completion status

For a lower-body focus:

Pick 3 to 5 lower-body exercises, mixing squats, hinges, and single-leg work (like lunges or step-ups).

Perform 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per exercise. Rest for 1 to 3 minutes between each set.

Weight: Use weights that feel challenging but controlled, especially for single-leg movements where balance is a factor. You should feel your glutes and legs working, but still be able to move with good alignment and without holding your breath or bearing down. Think about pulling the baby up and in and maintaining connection to your pelvic floor with each breath.

For extra core and pelvic floor work:

Choose 2 to 4 core-focused movements and pair them with 2 or 3 strength exercises (upper- and/or lower-body). Prioritize quality over quantity—move slowly, focus on breathing, and stop before fatigue causes you to lose control.

Perform 2 or 3 sets of 6 to 10 controlled reps (or 20 to 45 seconds for holds and carries). Rest for 1 to 3 minutes between each set.

Weight: Training your core during pregnancy is more about building muscular endurance than strength, so you can use lighter weights or bodyweight for these movements if that’s more comfortable.

Pregnant woman lifting a dumbbell in a gym setting.

Amy is a freelance writer and editor who covers health, fitness, and lifestyle topics—with a focus on practical advice that fits into real life. She previously worked as deputy fitness editor at SELF, and is both an ACE-certified personal trainer and a ProNatal pre and postnatal fitness specialist. Her work has been published in Women’s Health, Men’s Health, SELF, Wondermind, HGTV, Outside, REAL SIMPLE, The New York Times for Kids, and more. Amy lives in central New York where she spends her off-hours chasing after her two kids, digging into backyard gardening projects with her husband, and creatively squeezing at-home workouts into her schedule as often as she can.