Australian Long Jumper Returns to Training Four Weeks After Giving Birth

Australian long jumper Brooke Buschkuehl returned to training four weeks after giving birth to her son Bobby via vaginal delivery. She began with light elliptical work and advanced to gym sessions by eight weeks and track drills shortly afterward. The 32-year-old athlete will compete at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, her third appearance at the event.

She plans to glance into the stands during competition to see her 12-month-old son wearing a personalized shirt.

Buschkuehl said she lost conditioning in the weeks after delivery but resumed activity once she could walk comfortably. She credited a team of physiotherapists, sport psychologists and biomechanists at the Victorian Institute of Sport for monitoring her pelvic floor strength and guiding her return.

Physical preparation coach Corey Innes adjusted the program to emphasize horizontal exercises early on and delayed heavier loading until pelvic floor function recovered. Lead biomechanic Aaron Balloch analyzed runway speed, take-off and landing forces once she returned to the track.

Nine months after giving birth, Buschkuehl won the long jump at the Australian Athletics Championships with a 6.70-metre mark. She previously earned silver medals at the Gold Coast and Birmingham Commonwealth Games. She described the experience of motherhood as positive and said the return to competition feels fulfilling after the physical challenges of pregnancy and delivery.