Before any of our suggested workouts or building your own from our library of exercises, do this quick whole-body 5 minute warm-up!
Note: This counts as part of your total exercise minutes for the week!
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Author: Rachel Tinius
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Single Leg RDL (Romanian Deadlift)
Difficulty: Advanced
The acronym RDL is a common term for any form of Romanian Deadlift. A key component to this exercise is the hinge, or bending at the hips, while the knees stay relatively straight. Keep the back flat, head looking forward.
Single leg RDL
Start with one foot slightly in front of the other, with the back foot elevated and toes in the ground.
As you hinge at the hips, keep the back leg extended behind you. Your back leg should raise in the air as your chest leans forward.
The front foot, or working leg, should feel this in the hamstrings (back of legs) and glutes (booty)!
- hold a weight with arms straight, or hold one dumbell (or soup can!) in each hand
- using a resistance band, stand on the center of the band, anchoring it with your midfoot. Reach down to grasp each end of the band firmly, so that the band increases tension throughout the movement.
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Tricep Dips
(Difficulty: Beginner)
Description:
The tricep is located on the back of your upper arm, and plays a big roll in any “pushing” motion of every day activities, such as pushing a stroller or closing a door.
Sit on the edge of a chair, hands gripping the seat’s front edge. Slide your hips forward off the chair, knees bent at 90 degrees. Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping the elbow tight to your sides.
Push down to straighten the elbows and return to the starting position.
to increase difficulty: straighten the legs out in front.
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Tall Plank Scapular Pushup
(Difficulty: Intermediate)
Description:
Also referred to as a “Scap” Pushup, this movement is a great exercise to activate and mobilize the upper back and trap muscles.
Start in a tall plank position, with the back flat and hands underneath shoulders. Keeping the elbows locked, try to pinch your shoulder blades together, as if you are trying to “puff out” your chest. Then, pull your shoulders back towards the ground. Think about trying to rip the back of your shirt as you round your upper back.
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Split Squat Variations
A staple leg exercise in the BumptUp Pregnancy Program, this page serves as a comprehensive guide to explain the Split Squat, and its many variations. The split squat can be used in many ways throughout your training, and are a great way to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, quads and core!
Difficulty: Beginner to Advanced
To perform a split squat,
- Stand with one foot forward and the other foot back.
- Lower your body by bending both knees.
- Keep your front foot flat on the ground and your back heel lifted, keeping your toes in the ground.
- Lower until your front thigh is parallel to the ground, and back knee is almost touching the ground.
- Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
- Complete required reps without moving your feet, and then switch legs to complete the reps on the opposite side.
Other variations that may show up in the BumptUp Pregnancy program:
Isometric Hold
Difficulty: Beginner
Stop at the position at the bottom of the exercise! Bend both knees, and hold here with the back knee just a few inches above the ground. This simple exercise will get tough! It is a great way to work the muscles without adding more impact.
For this one, hold it for 30 seconds (if you can) vs doing a set number of reps.
Oscilating (BOUNCING)
Difficulty: Advanced
From the same starting position, drop the back knee down, and quickly come almost all the way up, then immediately back into the next rep. You never stand all the way up with this exercise, which adds a little “bounce”. You may want to do 30 seconds vs. a set number of reps for this one!
FRONT FOOT ELEVATED
Difficulty: Intermediate
Find a low step or box and place the front foot on it. Drop the back knee down. This will put less stress on your knees and will focus on the quads of the front leg.
REAR FOOT ELEVATED
Difficulty: Advanced
This variation puts much more load on the working leg, making the exercise more difficult. Assume the same starting position, however find a small stair or box to elevate the back foot. The higher the foot, the harder the exercise.
Any of the above variations can be made more difficult by adding weights (or soup cans!).
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Bear Crawl
A Bear Crawl is a super versatile, super effective exercise. Similar to a plank, it can show up in your workout as a simple activation exercise, or used to target your core muscles. The BumptUp 36-week Program features several variations of the bear crawl hold, each listed and explained below.
Start by getting down on all fours on a mat or a flat surface. Position your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Your back should be flat, and your core tight.
Lift your knees a few inches off the ground, so your weight is supported by your hands and the balls of your feet
(Difficulty: Intermediate)
Isometric Hold
Week 4-8, Day 1
An isometric exercise is one that requires holding a position with minimal movement, similar to a plank.
Assume a Bear Crawl position, with a flat back and hands directly under the shoulders. Press the toes through the floor so that the knees are slightly elevated.
Hold this position for the specified time, engaging stabilizing muscles in the shoulders, hips, quads, and abs. In the Pregnancy Exercise Program, the time will increase each week!
The bear crawl, and its many variations, is a great exercise for building core strength, stability, and coordination. It engages multiple muscle groups, including the shoulders, arms, core, and legs.
Introduction
As you get ready for the big event of life (childbirth), BumptUp has designed workouts to help you stay fit during your pregnancy. These workouts include strength training and exercises to improve your heart health.
We will begin with a short warm-up. It involves doing some dynamic stretches to activate and loosen up the muscles we’ll be focusing on. Just like preheating an oven, warming up before exercise helps raise your body temperature, increase blood flow, and get your body ready to perform its best!
Each workout will consist of a total of ~8 exercises.
Some key terms…
- Rep: short for “repetition”, doing one complete, full movement of the exercise
- Set: a specific number of reps to be completed in a row without stopping
For each exercise, we have provided a brief explanation along with a video demonstration to help you understand how to do it correctly. If you click on the link for each exercise, you’ll find a more detailed description that will hopefully answer any questions you may have. We understand that when you’re training on your own, there are going to be things that sound confusing, and we hope this link will provide clarity.
On this page, you will also find variations of each exercise. We have suggested modifications to make the movement easier, while progressions increase the difficulty. These alternative exercises target the same muscle groups but can be adjusted based on your current fitness level, available space, equipment, and other factors.
In accordance with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), ALL healthy individuals should aim to complete 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week. This could equate to 30 minutes of moderate exercise, 5 days per week.
Bumptup has programmed 3 days of moderate resistance training workouts to maintain and build strength throughout your pregnancy. These workouts are designed to be low impact so that, if necessary, they could be completed on consecutive days.
The first week of the exercise program begins with Week 4 of pregnancy. Each Day has been linked below:
On Days without a structured workout, we suggest getting some kind of movement or exercise for at least 25 minutes. This could be a simple walk or jog, or create your own 25-minute workout in the BumptUp App!
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Week 4, Day 1 (INTRO)
Beginner Programed Workouts
As you get ready for the big event of life (childbirth), BumptUp has designed workouts to help you stay fit during your pregnancy. These workouts include strength training and exercises to improve your heart health.
We will begin with a short warm-up. It involves doing some dynamic stretches to activate and loosen up the muscles we’ll be focusing on. Just like preheating an oven, warming up before exercise helps raise your body temperature, increase blood flow, and get your body ready to perform its best!
Today’s workout consists of 8 exercises.
For each exercise listed, complete 10 reps before moving to the next exercise. If the exercise is a type of hold, such as a plank, hold for 20-30 seconds. If the exercise involves only one limb at a time, such as a lunge, complete 10 on each side. Try to limit rest time between exercises, with a longer break at the end of each round if needed.
Complete as many rounds as possible of these 8 exercises in the 25 minute time limit.
For each exercise, we have provided a brief explanation along with a video demonstration to help you understand how to do it correctly. If you click on the link for each exercise, you’ll find a more detailed description that will hopefully answer any questions you may have. We understand that when you’re training on your own, there are going to be things sound confusing, and we hope this link will provide clarity.
The workout for Week 4, Day 1 is structured as followed:
- 5 minute warmup
- 25 minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)
- 8 exercises, 10 reps each (each side where appropriate, or 20-30 second hold)
- Brief cool down of your choice (light cardio, walking, or yoga)
Here is a link to a 5 minute dynamic stretching warmup! The warm up is critical to make the most of your workout. Prepare your body to move at its best with a series of activation exercises before we move into our working sets.
Exercises
Set a timer for 25 minutes.
Work through the required reps for each exercise before moving to the next one. Complete as many rounds as possible within the 25 minute time limit.
| 1 | Wall Sit | 20-30 seconds |
| 2 | Glute Bridge | 10 reps |
| 3 | Scissor Hops | 10 each |
| 4 | Beginner Pushup | 5-10 reps |
| 5 | Primal Pushup Hold | 20-30 seconds |
| 6 | Calf Raises | 10 reps |
| 7 | Supine Toe Touches | 10 reps |
| 8 | Hip Flexor Standing March | 10 each side |
20-30 seconds
- Like sitting in a chair that isn’t there! Find a sturdy, flat wall to serve as the back of your (non-existant) chair.
- Bend the knees to lower your hips to the ground, until knees are bent at approx. 90 degrees, thighs parallel to the floor.
- Keep the chest up tall, and avoid putting your hands on you legs for support.
Muscle Groups: quads, hamstrings, hip stabilizers
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- to increase difficulty: raise the heels off the ground and hold the same squat position, pressing into the ground with only the ball of the foot.
10 reps
- Start lying flat on your back, with knees bent and feet planted in the floor near your hips. Push through your heels, raising your hips in the air.
- Think about squeezing your glutes and hamstrings at the top, holding for 1-2 seconds
- to increase difficulty: elevate your feet on a chair or couch, keep the core tight as your raise your hips higher into the air
Muscle Groups: glutes, hamstrings, hip stabilizers
10 reps each
- Start in a split stance, with one foot slightly in front of the other.
- With each small jump, switch your feet.
- Knees should stay almost straight, and hops should be about as small as if you were jump roping.
5-10 reps
- Use a chair, couch, bench, box or even a wall to elevate the hands. Kneeling on the ground facing the box (or other surface), place the hands about shoulder width apart.
- Bend the elbows until the chest lowers to the edge of the box, controlling the tempo throughout the movement.
- Elbows should stay tight to the sides of the body
to increase difficulty: change from a kneeling start position to a tall-plank start position, with the elbows and knees straight.
- raising the elevation of the hands will decrease the difficulty of the movement
- Focus on the form! Ensure you are maximizing the effectivness of the exercise by keeping the core tight, neutral spine, and elbows in tight!
20-30 seconds
- Begin on all fours, with knees bent and back flat. Arms should be straight, with hands directly under the shoulders.
- Keep the core tight, and press though the toes to lift your knees off the ground. This should feel slightly easier than a traditional plank, with some of the pressure being directed through the quads.
- Isometrically hold this position. This is targeting your core and quad muscle groups!
Focus on the Form! Keep the back flat with the knees as close the the ground as possible.
6. Calf Raises
10 reps
- Pushup through your toes to raise your heels off the ground.
- Use a wall for balance if needed, or try standing on a stair step with the heels hanging off the edge. The increased range of motion will increase difficulty!
Focus on the form! Isolate the top of the movement, holding for at least 1 second to ensure your are reaching the maximum range of motion!
10 reps
- Lie flat on your back with feet in the air and legs straight.
- Use the core muscles to reach up and touch your toes, lifting the shoulders and upper back off the ground.
Focus on the form! Keep the legs straight and perpendicular to the floor.
10 reps each side
- Find a wall or couch to support your hands, while your feet are positioned about 3 feet out from the wall.
- Lift one knee in the air, bent at 90 degrees. Lower it back to the ground, and then repeat on the opposite side as if you are marching.
- Hold at the top for 1-2 seconds for each rep.
Focus on the form! Avoid rotating the shoulders or hips to compensate. The exercise will help build important stabilizing muscles.
Looking for more? Here are some quick add ons to wrap up the workout. Great work!
Cool Down
- Cool Down Stretch and Mobility Routine
- 5 minute yoga and meditation
- 15-30 Minute walk
Congrats on finishing day 1!! We are proud of you for prioritizing your fitness for the betterment of your health throughout this pregnancy journey.
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Supine Straight Leg Toe Touches
(Difficulty: Beginner)
Lie flat on your back with feet in the air and legs straight up towards the sky/ceiling. Curl up to touch your toes by lifting the shoulders and upper back off the ground.
Focus on the form! Keep the legs straight and perpendicular to the floor.
A staple in any PE class, a pushup is a basic upper body movement that can be done almost anywhere, with no equipment needed.
Doing a pushup the correct way SHOULD be challenging, and we have developed a series of progressions to develop the same muscle groups in a safe and effective manner.
(Difficulty: Beginner)
Beginner Pushup
Use a chair, couch, bench, box or even a wall to elevate the hands. Kneeling on the ground facing the box (or other surface), place the hands about shoulder width apart. Bend the elbows until the chest lowers to the edge of the box, controlling the tempo throughout the movement.
Elbows should stay tight to the sides of the body. Make sure the back stays flat, so that the hips and shoulders move at the same speed.
