Week 3 Workout 1

Start the timer when you begin, and don’t forget to log your exercise once you’re finished.

This is the first day of your third week of programmed workouts in the BumptUp Post Pregnancy Workouts.

Warm Up

Sit in a neutral position.
Breathe in slowly letting the lower ribcage expand outward in all directions (360 degrees) as you inhale (your shoulders or upper body should not move). Imagine a belt looped around your lower ribs and you are trying to push through the belt with your breathing.
Exhale slowly allowing your lower ribcage to relax as you breathe out totally relaxing the body.

Start standing with feet together
Bend forward at the hips as you lift one leg behind you and bring your arms straight out to the sides as if making a “T”. Your hip bones should be facing the floor.
Exercise 1: If this is hard, try to hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. To make it easier, stand with a wall or chair to one side of you for light finger tip touch support.
Exercise 2: If you can balance in this position, bring one arm down and in front of you with your fingertips facing the floor and elbow straight. Return that arm to the starting position. Now try the other arm. If alternating is too challenging, try a few repetitions on one side, rest, then try the other side.
Remember to breathe throughout the exercise.
Have some fun! Try this with your belly relaxed and with your belly muscles tightened at a 50% effort.

Start by positioning yourself on your hands and knees. Lower yourself to the ground pushing your posterior back and extending your arms forward flush with the ground in front of you.
From there lift one arm and twist your upper body towards to sky towards the lifted arm. Repeat on the other side.

Equipment: Band; if you do not have a band, try this with a jump rope, scarf, or even a tied-up blanket.
Begin by standing shoulder width apart with a slight bend in the knees. Grab ahold of the band with two hands. Separate them slightly on the band so they are not right next to each other.
Straighten your arms and hold them out in front of you about shoulder height.
Pull down on the band and bring it towards your hips keeping straightened arms.
When at the bottom slowly and with control bring your arms back to the top position.

Equipment: Band; if you do not have a band, try this with a jump rope, scarf, or even a tied up blanket.
Stand with legs shoulder width apart and grab the exercise band with two hands clasped together.
Hold the band your chest with bent arms
Slowly extend your arms straight in front of you while keeping hands together and around the band
Bend your arms back to your chest slowly and with control

Stand directly in front of the corner of a chair or couch. Widen your feet just outside your shoulders.
Sit your hips back and bend your knees to squat to the chair or surface. Your butt should lightly touch the seat (not actually sitting down!) in a controlled motion, and then stand back up.
Think about sitting on a balloon!
Stand all the way up to finish the rep. Squeeze your glutes at the top.
If you cannot squat all the way to the chair, try squatting halfway down, and then stand up.
Reps should be slow and controlled.
Rest 60 seconds between rounds.

Start standing with your feet outside your shoulders. If your belly is in the way when you start the movement, you can step your feet wider.
Hold a weight of your choice (kettlebell, dumbbell, gallon of milk, etc) in your hands with your arms straight.
Keeping a soft bend in your knees, hinge forward from your hips as you lower the weight as if trying to touch the ground. Keep the weight as close to you as possible.
Push your heels through the ground as you stand back up.
To decrease stress on your pelvic floor muscles, gently exhale (through nose or mouth) as you stand back up. This is the hardest part of the movement.
Stand with one foot in front of the other, with a slight bend in the front knee and the back leg straight.

Hold a weight (milk jug, kettle bell) in the hand on the opposite side of the leg that is in front. (Ex: left leg in front, right arm holding kettle bell)
Have a slight lean forward, so that your chest is towards the front leg. Bend your elbow to pull the weight up to your hip. You should feel this exercise in the upper arm and shoulder.
Hold for 1-2 seconds at the top, and then return to the start by fully straightening the arm.

3 rounds:
Monster Walks (5 in each direction – forward, backward, and to each side)
https://info.bumptup.org/2022/03/29/monster-walks/

Stand shoulder width apart and bend knees until in a crouch position holding your arms at your sides.
Begin to step to one side with the leading leg and have the other follow a step behind for two steps each.
Once completed step towards the other side so the following leg is now the leading leg.
Exercise will be performed to each side, forward, and backwards.

Lie down for 2 minutes in the prone position (on the belly).