FitnessFitness Tips

I Tried Nearly Every Postpartum Workout Program I Could Find Online, and These Are the Ones I’d Recommend to New Moms

There's a ton of postpartum workouts you can do at home. We tried most of them, and here are the ones we'd recommend.

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Photo: Getty Images/Westend61
Published Oct 9, 2022

Written by 

Jennifer Heimlich

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I’ve never spent more time on the couch than I did during my last two weeks of pregnancy. Anytime I tried to take a step, my SI joint felt like it was ripping apart, so even walking out to the sidewalk became nearly impossible. By the time my daughter arrived, I was craving any kind of movement I could get.

Of course, I wasn’t about to just jump back in to my old workouts. Even more than during pregnancy, I clearly needed some structured guidance from a pro to stay safe; my body felt probably 95 percent fine, but I knew things were still healing down below. I wanted classes that were specifically designed for the postpartum period—with exercises that would strengthen the muscles that had grown weak, without overtaxing anything that might not be ready to work out yet—and found there’s actually quite a few options online. Overwhelmed by all the choices, I decided that I might as well try as many as I could.

And I quickly learned that there’s a massively wide range of what a “postpartum workout” consists of. Some are barely more than breathing intentionally, while others are high-intensity cardio meant to burn major calories and “get your pre-baby body back.” Sometimes, it’s hard to even tell which extreme you’ll get until you’re already in the middle of a class.

But I also found several high-quality platforms that helped me connect to my body again. After testing out 18 different postpartum workout programs, these are the eight I’d most recommend to other new moms.

1. The Bromley Method

Pros: It’s safe to start just two weeks after an uncomplicated vaginal birth.Cons: The classes can feel very slow—you won’t exactly get that endorphin high you might crave from exercise.Cost: $147 one-time payment for on-demand classes, or $97 per month for additional access to live group classes. Sign up at thebromleymethod.com.

This 12-week series, led by postpartum Pilates specialist Emma Bromley, is focused on building back your core using Pilates-inspired movements. Each day offers two or three 10–20 minute workouts (which lets you easily slip them in when you can throughout the day) and always includes one that’s focused on the pelvic floor. Bromley shares a lot of detailed form tips, which slows down the workouts, but I found her explanations finally helped me “find” my pelvic floor for the first time in a way that made sense.

2. P.volve

Pros: These workouts are super-targeted for the postpartum period, and since they were created with input from a PT, you can trust that they’re both safe and functional.Cons: You need a good deal of equipment specific to P.volve in order to do most of the classes.Cost: $95.58 annually or $19.99 monthly. Sign up at pvolve.com.

This three-week series offers 12 classes that are filled with unique movements I’d never done before in other fitness classes—which kept me engaged even on days I was dragging. Designed in concert with physical therapists, these exercises focus on mobility, balance, and strength lost during pregnancy, plus what feels good for exhausted new moms who spend hours holding and feeding their babies. I found they activated postural muscles that left me feeling taller and better aligned even hours after I’d finished working out.

3. Bodylove Mamas

Pros: This platform has a massive library of Pilates, yoga, stretch, and barre-based classes.
Cons: It’s not always the sleekest production quality, and workouts have no music.Cost: $181.25 annually or $19.48 monthly. Sign up at bodylove-pilates.com.

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This program was the only one that really worked my tight, achy upper back in the way I was craving after hours of breastfeeding. I loved the huge amount of classes—I never felt like I had to do the same one twice (as useful as that can be), and I could always find a video to match my energy level. Instructor Ali Handley even offers a “Birth to Bodylove” program that you can start from day one home from the hospital. There are also some core and stretch classes designed to be done with your baby, though I was never brave enough to try one myself.

4. obé

Pros: An algorithm gives you class recommendations based on your interests and preferences.
Cons: There’s no structured postnatal “program” to follow, just several classes to choose your own adventure with.Cost: $169.99 annually, or $24.99 monthly. Sign up at obefitness.com.

The high-energy obé instructors offer a couple dozen workouts—including strength training, barre, boxing, and stretching—that are designed specifically for postpartum safety. I particularly appreciated how the trainers give advice about working out postnatally as they demonstrate the movements, so you get info and insight while you’re moving and working up a sweat. As any new mom can tell you, multitasking is essential to life with a little one.

5. The Bloom Method

Pros: In addition to workouts, you get access to educational videos that really explain things like doming, diaphragmatic breathing, and the pelvic floor anatomy.Cons: Some of the trainers can sometimes feel a bit like motivational speakers, which can be great or grating, depending on your taste.Cost: $240 annually, $74 quarterly, or $29 monthly. Sign up at thebloommethod.com.

This program includes dozens of postnatal-specific workouts, including some for pelvic pain and pelvic organ prolapse. There’s boxing and cycling, along with traditional strength, barre and yoga, and even on-the-go audio workouts. Most had me dripping in sweat. My favorite class was a 34-minute grounded flow that seemed to know exactly what my body needed: stretching the side body and upper back, strengthening the hips, and challenging my balance (something that had been sorely neglected ever since my center of gravity had shifted forward, and then back again).

6. Glo

Pros: The site regularly releases new postnatal-specific classes, including some designed for breastfeeding, midnight meditations, and feeling overwhelmed.Cons: Although Glo offers other workouts like Pilates fusion and strength training, its best stuff is really its yoga content.Cost: $245 annually or $24 monthly. Sign up at glo.com.

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I’d forgotten how hard chataranga was after skipping it for so many months with a pregnant belly. But these 20–60 minute classes, including some that involve your baby, offer a nice amount of challenge—you feel bursts of burn (with variations offered), yet they’re balanced with more restorative poses. The yoga instructors are top-notch, and offer vinyasa, hatha, and restorative flows.

7. Fluidform Pilates

Pros: You start off with a personalized 21-day program designed by one of Fluidform’s instructors—this includes some workouts that repeat, so you can see your progress over time.Cons: The classes are all Pilates-based, so if you’re looking for variety, this one isn’t for you.Cost: $13 per month for an annual subscription or $22.74 monthly for a quarterly membership. Sign up at fluidformpilates.com.

Pilates trainer Kirsten King’s five- to 25-minute classes focus on smaller, concentrated movements done with correct form—she cues you throughout to remind you of which muscles to engage and how. The exercises are slow but specific, with high reps, and mainly focused on engaging your core and realigning your body. Several times, they left me truly sore the next day in places I’d never felt before. Membership comes with an equipment pack of resistance bands, a small ball, and discs—the only thing missing is the ballet barre.

8. The Sculpt Society

Pros: Set to pop music, these workouts really get your body moving for a heart-pumping, endorphin-boosting release.Cons: With her perky personality and Hollywood body, celeb trainer Meagan Roup is a bit of an idealized “Workout Barbie,” which could be more intimidating than inspiring during those postpartum days.Cost: $179.99 annually or $19.99 monthly. Sign up at thesculptsociety.com.

Following a six-week pelvic floor-and-core rehabilitation program, the six-week postpartum program offers a weekly calendar of five- to 30-minute sculpting workouts, stretch sessions and meditations. I loved how these classes often included dance-y movement that let my body go of all the stiffness created by so much sitting and nursing and stressing.

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FitnessFitness Tips

“I’m an Exercise Physiologist—Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Cortisol Spikes When You Do HIIT Workouts.” 

There’s a difference between chronic stress and making your body work during workouts.

woman sweating in the gym
Stocksy: Julia and Rob campbell
Published Feb 20, 2025

Written by 

Jennifer Heimlich

Most of us are pretty stressed out these days. We stress over money, work, the news, and we stress over…stress. As if that wasn’t enough, lately we’re hearing more about how our workouts might exacerbate our stress. All over TikTok and Instagram, you’ll find fitfluencers warning that high-intensity cardio workouts spike our cortisol, aka “the stress hormone.” With posts racking up hundreds of thousands of likes and saves, the thought of making our stress worse—by doing something healthy—has clearly struck a nerve. 

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But is there any truth to these claims? Well, the reality is that it depends. Like most things on social media, there’s a good deal of nuance that gets lost. Here’s what experts want you to know before you swear off HIIT class for good. 

What is cortisol and what does it do? 

Cortisol is most commonly known as the stress hormone. Our adrenal glands release it whenever our brain perceives a threat—whether that’s physical or mental. This causes a cascade of changes designed to help us handle that extra stress. “It increases blood sugar, enhances the brain's use of glucose, and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues,” says exercise physiologist Rachelle Reed, Phd, ACSM-EP. 

But cortisol actually does a lot more than simply turn on this fight-or-flight response. It plays a role in helping us fight infections, maintaining our blood pressure, regulating blood sugar levels, suppressing inflammation, and more. “Cortisol is a critical hormone,” says Susan Sotir, PhD, a triathlon coach and certified strength and conditioning specialist. “We need to have it to function as humans.” 

Does exercise increase cortisol? 

A tough workout is one of many stressors that will trigger a release of cortisol. Whenever you hit a certain intensity or duration that challenges your current fitness, the levels of this hormone will rise. “Your body needs to meet the demand of the stressor, so it's going to secrete more cortisol,” says Reed. 

But here’s what many TikTok videos leave out: Since exercise only stresses us for a short period, your cortisol levels return to baseline fairly quickly after you cool down. 

More importantly, a meta-analysis from 2022 found that regular physical activity can improve our cortisol regulation, actually decreasing levels overall. (That could partially be because exercise can improve our sleep, which has a major impact on our cortisol, says Reed.)

So sure, you’re going to see a cortisol spike when you look at a single workout on its own. But when you consider the overall picture painted by all those workouts put together, you see a hormone that’s better regulated in your day-to-day life. 

Can too much cortisol be a problem? 

The danger with cortisol comes when we’re under chronic stress, and instead of simply spiking then coming back down, it stays high. “That’s when things become dysregulated,” says Reed. 

You’ll typically notice fatigue, weakness, and either increased hunger or a lack of it. “You feel ‘beat up’ for lack of a better phrase,” says Sotir. 

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If you linger in this state long-term, chronically high cortisol can lead to health problems like heart disease, impaired immune function, type II diabetes, mood disorders (like depression and anxiety), digestive issues, and more. 

Before you start stressing, the good news is doctors can effectively test our cortisol levels to determine whether they’re actually behind any symptoms we’re experiencing. You’ll just want to keep timing in mind when you test: A healthy cortisol response is naturally highest in the morning, and during the follicular phase of our menstrual cycle.  

How to adjust your workouts if your cortisol is chronically high

Our bodies are designed to experience an ebb and flow of cortisol levels. But if they never go down—either because of extreme stress, a cortisol disorder like Cushing’s syndrome, or certain medications that elevate it—that’s when you might reconsider your approach to fitness. 

“If you're under duress all the time, perhaps engaging in a really stressful form of exercise is not your best option,” says Sotir. 

The key there is not to stop exercising altogether. Because remember, with the right approach, staying active can reduce your stress levels. 

Well-designed low-cortisol workouts are both low impact and low intensity. “They’re less likely to release a large amount of cortisol because they're not as stressful to your system,” says Reed. This can include yoga, walking, a low-key Pilates session, tai chi, slow strength training, or gentle swimming. Really, almost any workout with controlled movements where you can keep your breathing smooth and steady can qualify. “Focus on activities that are enjoyable and relaxing.”

Remember: Changing your fitness routine alone won’t solve the problem. If you are diagnosed with high cortisol, Reed says most physicians will also prescribe medication and other lifestyle changes (like improving your sleeping habits).  

For most, a mix of high- and low-cortisol workouts is best

Even though the cortisol spike we get from hard workouts isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s not something we want every single day. 

“When we're exercising, we are stressing all of our systems,” says Reed. “Not only your endocrine system—which is helping with cortisol regulation—but also your cardiorespiratory system and musculoskeletal system.” Training hard enough to spike that cortisol means you’re also putting major stress on your heart and lungs, and muscles and joints, which is only healthy as long as you keep it in moderation. 

The key is finding a balance. The general exercise science rule is to do about 20 percent of our workouts at a high intensity (where our rate of perceived exertion hits about seven or higher on a scale of zero to 10). The remaining 80 percent should be done at a moderate effort (more like a four to six out of 10). 

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In reality, the vast majority of us don’t get enough exercise. And if you don’t have an actual cortisol problem, doing even less activity could unintentionally backfire and leave you with higher levels in the long run.

“Very few people are doing so much exercise that they need to scale back and do only low-impact, low-intensity work,” says Reed. “Unless you’re diagnosed with an actual disorder, it's good to be aware of, but probably not something you should be hyper-focused on.”

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FitnessFitness Tips

The 5 Best Pilates Exercises to Improve Flexibility

Stretch your limits with these gentle movements.

Unrecognizable woman stretches arms to legs while stretching on yoga mat on wooden floor of an outdoor terrace.
Photo Credit: Stocksy / Alexander Grabchilev
Published Feb 10, 2025

Written by 

Annita Katee

Maybe you used to be bendier than Gumby–or maybe you dreaded the sit-and-reach test every year in school. Whatever your current flexibility (or lack thereof), it’s all too easy to believe your body's stretch potential can’t be fixed.

Experts in This Article

Emma Stallworthy

Pilates instructor and founder of Your Reformer

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As someone who always struggled to touch her toes, I certainly felt that way. Fast-forward to when I discovered Pilates. Within a few months, I saw a noticeable improvement in my flexibility. It taught me an important lesson: Flexibility isn’t an all-or-nothing trait. 

While things like genetics can influence flexibility, you can find meaningful progress from consistent stretching and mindful movement. In this article, we’ll dive into the impact flexibility has on our bodies, how Pilates can help boost it, plus a few go-to moves to add to your arsenal.

Why Does Flexibility Matter? 

Flexibility refers to the ability of our joints to move with ease. “Good flexibility allows us to perform everyday movements like bending, squatting, or walking without discomfort,” says Emma Stallworthy, Pilates instructor and founder of Your Reformer. “It also helps maintain proper alignment in our spine, hips, shoulders, and neck, resulting in reduced strain and discomfort from prolonged sitting or standing.” 

Beyond simply feeling amazing, increasing your flexibility can reduce your injury risk. “When our muscles can stretch and contract properly (aka are flexible), they absorb shock and impact better, meaning a reduced risk of overstretching, tearing, sprains, strains, and other injuries,” says Stallworthy. 

Then there’s the boost in circulation we also receive, she adds. “This helps improve overall muscle function and decreases feelings of fatigue as the body can deliver nutrients more efficiently.” 

Flexibility Myths and Facts 

1. Poor flexibility means you are unfit.

FALSE

Being flexible and being fit are two completely different things. “Fitness is a multifaceted concept that encompasses various physical attributes including strength, endurance, cardiovascular health, and flexibility,” explains Stallworthy. “While flexibility is an important component of overall fitness, it is just one aspect of it.” With that said, when our flexibility is lacking, it can increase our chances of injury–which can land you on the sideline (leading to decreased fitness). 

2. Your entire body is either flexible–or not. 

FALSE

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Our body is a complicated, interconnected system. “It’s entirely possible to be flexible in some areas of the body and not in others,” says Stallworthy. A lot of this comes down to our daily habits and movements. “For example, people who sit a lot during the day may develop tight hip flexors, hamstrings, and lower back muscles,” she says. “On the contrary, sports that involve repetitive movements like swimming might have excellent flexibility in the shoulders but less in the legs.” 

3. Genetics play a part in flexibility. 

TRUE

While they aren’t the sole determinant for your limberness (or lack thereof), they do play a role. “Our genetic makeup can influence factors like joint structure, tendon length, and muscle fiber type,” says Stallworthy. “However, it’s lifestyle factors that can significantly change and improve our flexibility over time. So while there may be some natural limitations, consistent deliberate stretching will improve flexibility beyond genetic predisposition.”

How Does Pilates Help Boost Flexibility? 

The practice of Pilates is a match made in flexibility heaven. “Pilates is an excellent method for improving flexibility as it focuses on controlled, dynamic movements that stretch muscles while promoting strength, alignment, and coordination,” explains Stallworthy. 

For example, movements that articulate the spine–such as rolling down and rolling up–help improve spinal mobility as they gently stretch the muscles that support the back and surrounding areas, Stallworthy says.

“Flexibility requires the development of stretch, particularly in stabilizing muscles,” says Stallworthy. “The power of Pilates is that it’s able to promote both strength and flexibility during each session.” 

How Long Does it Take to Improve Flexibility? 

If you can’t touch your toes on Monday, don’t expect you to be able to by Friday. “Improving flexibility takes consistent effort and is a gradual process,” says Stallworthy. “On average, you can start seeing noticeable improvements in flexibility within three to six weeks of consistent practice (ideally every day). However, significant changes might take three to six months, and maintaining flexibility requires long-term commitment.” 

5 Pilates Moves to Increase Flexibility

These flex-friendly moves from Stallworthy are made to fit your specific needs: Complete the series as a cohesive routine to boost your total-body range of motion; or, pick and choose the moves you need the most and add them to your regular workout. These can also be a great way to cool down after a workout, or a wonderful way to start your day with some gentle movement.

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Hip Flexor Stretch

Targets: hip flexors and quads  

  1. 1.
    Start in a half-kneeling position with your left foot out in front.
  2. 2.
    Place your hands on your hips. 
  3. 3.
    Lean back slightly so you feel a stretch in your right quadriceps and hip flexors.
  4. 4.
    Hold for five seconds, return to start; complete five reps, then switch sides and repeat. 

Mermaid

Targets: side of the body, ribs, hips, and middle back

  1. 1.
    Sit on the floor in a “z-sit” position–right leg bent in front of you, left bent behind you. 
  2. 2.
    Keeping your torso lifted, place your left hand on the floor beside your hip; inhale, and reach your right arm overhead. 
  3. 3.
    Exhale as you bend gently to your left, feeling a stretch along the right side of your body. 
  4. 4.
    Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat five times, then switch sides and repeat. 

Swan

Targets: back, chest, and spine

  1. 1.
    Lie facedown with your legs extended straight behind you hip-width apart; bring your elbows out to the side in line with your shoulders, placing your palms and forearms flat on the floor so your hands are next to your head. 
  2. 2.
    Brace your core to support your lower back. 
  3. 3.
    Press into your palms to lift your chest, straightening your arms without locking your elbows. 
  4. 4.
    Pause for one deep breath, then lower back down slowly, one vertebra at a time.
  5. 5.
    Repeat five to eight times.

Roll down 

Targets: back and spine

  1. 1.
    Stand with your feet hip-width apart, arms relaxed by your sides. 
  2. 2.
    Gently tuck your chin toward your chest, then round your upper back and slowly roll your upper body down in front of your legs. 
  3. 3.
    Pause at the bottom, letting your arms dangle and your head relax; inhale deeply. 
  4. 4.
    Exhale, then slowly roll back up to the starting position. 
  5. 5.
    Repeat three to five times, focusing on smooth, deliberate movement. 
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Foot in Strap 

Targets: hamstrings, inner thighs, ITB

  1. 1.
    You’ll need a resistance band, yoga strap, or towel for this exercise.
  2. 2.
    Lie faceup with your left leg straight; loop the band around your right instep, holding both ends of the band in your right hand. 
  3. 3.
    Keeping your tailbone firmly on the ground, straighten your right leg to extend your right heel over your right hip. 
  4. 4.
    With your hips even on the floor, slowly extend your right leg as far as you can out to the side of your body, stretching your inner thigh. Hold for two to five breaths. 
  5. 5.
    Use the band to gently raise your leg back to the starting position, before moving it across your body to stretch the outer hip and thigh. Hold for 2-5 breaths. 
  6. 6.
    Repeat two more times in each position, then switch legs.

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