Exercise: 3 Mommy-To-Be Workout Moves

by Sara Haley on May 9th, 2012 | No Comments »

These three unique exercises are by Sara Haley, Reebok Global Master Trainer and star of the prenatal fitness DVD “Expecting More,” designed for interval training at appropriate levels for mommies-to-be.

3 Exercises for Mommies-to-Be

1. Car Seat Pulls

Sculpts & strengthens the back & core

Keep your back strong as you prepare to repeatedly move your baby’s car seat from the stroller to the back seat. Face your chair with your feet at least shoulder width apart (your stance will become wider as your baby grows), and hinge forward at the hips with a flat back. Place one hand on the seat of the chair. (If you have wrist pain or the surface of your chair does not feel supportive enough, feel free to hold a free weight in the supporting hand as well.) Use the other arm, with at least a five pound free weight in hand, to row back as if you are pulling the car seat out from its holder. Lengthen the arm back down and repeat for 30 seconds. Sara encourages keeping the core activated by thinking of hugging your baby close to your spine. If you are comfortable, feel free to walk your feet out into a plank and perform the exercise here as well. Take a 15 second break before repeating for 30 seconds on the other side.

2. So Big!

Sculpts & strengthens the legs, glutes, & shoulders

Prepare your body for playing “So Big!” with Baby. Sara reminds mommies-to-be that if you don’t learn how to do it properly, lifting your baby up over and over again can lead to back pain, so let’s practice correctly before Baby arrives! Begin seated in your chair with your legs at least shoulder width apart. Hold one weight (at least five pounds as your baby will soon be bigger than that) in each hand at your shoulders. As you stand up, push your heels into the floor and press your weights up and together above your head, just as if you were raising your baby up. Finish by sitting back onto the chair. Repeat the entire sequence for 30 seconds. Remember, you are trying to initiate this movement from your legs, not your back, so try to stand up as straight as possible as you do.

3. Get Up

Sculpts & strengthens the triceps

Are you afraid of becoming the pregnant woman who struggles to Get Up out of her chair? Start practicing early with Sara by strengthening your triceps! Take a seat in your chair. Place your hands behind your glutes and slowly walk forward until you are no longer sitting on the chair. Press your shoulders away from your ears and lower yourself down in an attempt to form a ninety degree angle from your shoulders to your elbows. Then slowly push yourself back up. The farther you walk your feet away (NOT your glutes) the harder the exercise will become. Repeat for 30 seconds. As your baby grows, your number of reps may decrease or you may need to take a seat on the chair in between reps.