Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Bird Dogs Legs Only

Bird Dogs Legs Only (Exercise Classification: Intermediate)

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

  • Assume a position on all fours so that your knees are directly under your hips and hands are directly under your shoulders.
  • Make sure your spine is in a neutral position. You do not want to have your back sagging or arching
  • Slowly raise and straighten your left hip and raise your knee, attempting to straighten it until it is at, or near parallel, to the floor without any rotation in the hips and pelvis. Both hips should stay parallel to the floor. If you had headlights on your hip bones, they should stay shining at the floor the whole time.
  • Slowly lower leg back to starting position and repeat with the other leg.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Bird Dogs Arms Only

Bird Dogs arms only (Exercise Classification: Beginner)

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

  • Assume a position on all fours so that your knees are directly under your hips and hands are directly under your shoulders.
  • Make sure your spine is in a neutral position. You do not want to have your back sagging or arching.
  • Lift right arm until it parallel to the floor without any tilting at the shoulders- both shoulders should stay parallel to the floor.
  • Gently lower arm back to your starting position and repeat with the other arm.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Side Lying Transverse Abdominis with Clamshell

Side lying transverse abdomens (Exercise Classification: Intermediate)

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform your exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

  • Lay down on your side with knees bent and legs together. Place upper hand on hip and support head with the other hand.
  • Modification: Place 1-2 pillows between your knees if the above starting position is uncomfortable.
  • Take a breath in and as you exhale pull your tummy inward and hold the contraction. If you do this correctly, it will create a little “mouse house” dome between the floor and your waist.
  • Hold the abdominal contraction but breath normally as you raise your top knee as you turn your inner thigh outward keeping your ankles together and hold for five seconds.
  • Return to start position and repeat.
  • Switch to opposite side and repeat.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Power Squats

Power Squat (Exercise Classification: Advanced)

The following exercise helps strengthen muscles and the cardiovascular system. Start with one set of each exercise for 10 reps(that is, do the exercise 10 times in a row). You can build up slowly to 4 or more sets. You can also combine this exercise with other exercises in the app to create a workout that will challenge the entire body!

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

This will be similar to a regular squat except for that you can move a little faster, reduce the depth of the squat, and if you wanted to make it a little bit harder, add a small jump to the end of the movement. You can modify by keeping both feet on the ground at all times.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

4-Way Lunge

Four way Lunge (Exercise Classification: Intermediate)

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

All with the right leg being the one moving (left leg stationary)…

  1. Lunge to the front
  2. Lunge to the side
  3. Lunge to the back
  4. Lunge to the other side

Then switch to the other side and repeat.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Front Kicks

Exercise Classification: Intermediate or Beginner (if kicks are kept low)

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

  • Stand with feet hip width apart and arms bent and held in front of you (think of a boxing position).
  •  Lift right leg up, bending knee slightly, and kick right foot forward. Keep ankle flexed and push through the heel.
  • Put the right foot back to the ground and repeat with the left.
  •  Only kick as high as what feels comfortable with a slight stretch in the hamstring (back of leg).

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Plank Jumping Jack

Exercise Classification: Advanced

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

  • Start in plank position with your hands below your shoulder and body straight and legs extending behind you.
  • Keep your hands in position as you do a jumping jack with your legs extending out the side and then back to start position.
  • You can modify the position for wrist comfort by resting on your elbows instead of wrist.
  • If jumping feels uncomfortable, you can modify by stepping one foot out to the side and then the other followed by stepping one foot back in and then the other.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Plank Knee Raise

Difficulty: Advanced

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

This exercise is a full body workout, so build your time and pace slowly.

  • Start in a plank position with your hands below your shoulders, body straight and legs extending behind you.
  • Bring one knee to your chest and then switch to the opposite knee.
  • Maintain a quick pace and if your hands are uncomfortable in a flat palm position, make a fist instead so you avoid extending your wrist or grasp hands weights and balance on them.
  • Modification: To make this easier, place your hands on a sturdy couch, chair, counter, or wall. The higher your hands, the easier the exercise.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Step Ups

Exercise Classification: Beginner

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

You may use a stairway for this exercise or an exercise step.

  • Start in a standing position just behind the step.
  • Raise up onto the step with one leg as you pump your arms.
  • Return to start position.
  • Switch to the opposite leg and raise up.
  • You may increase the intensity of this exercise by stepping both legs onto the step and stepping back down.
  • If you have trouble seeing your feet as your belly grows just march in place instead of using a step. You can increase the intensity of marching in place by using hand weights.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Cross Country Skier

Exercise Classification: Intermediate

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

  • Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
  • Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
  • Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
  • Don’t push to the point of exhaustion­–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
  • As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.
  • Do not do this exercise if you have pain in the front of your pelvic bone.

Instructions:

  • Start in a standing position with your arms at your side.
  • Lunge forward on your right leg with your left leg extending behind you and bring your left arm in front of you as you extend your right arm back.
  • Press back with your right leg and switch sides with your left leg forward in a lunge with right leg behind and left arm in front.
  • Try to maintain a fluid “sliding” motion as you switch legs from front to back.
  • Avoid dipping too deep—just slightly bend your knees, and if you have walking poles you can use them to help with balance and add more arm work.

© WKU {2022} All rights reserved.