Difficulty: Beginner
Categories
Category: Exercises
Categories
Low Back Stretch with Stroller
Difficulty: Beginner
Categories
Seated Ankle Pumps
Seated Ankle Pumps (Intensity level: Beginner)
Equipment: None
- Start in a sitting position (either in a chair or with your legs out in front of you as seen in the video)
- Start by pointing your toes and ankles away from you as far as you can. You will feel some tension in your calf muscles on the backside of your lower leg
- Then move your toes and ankles towards you as far as you can. You will feel a stretch in your calf muscles on the backside of your lower leg.
- Move back and forth between these positions at a comfortable speed. You can hold each position for a few seconds if that feels good but you do not have to.
- Repeat for 20 repetitions (away from you + towards you= 1 repetition)
- This exercise is very helpful if you have swelling in your feet, ankles, or legs, especially at the end of the day or after long periods of standing.
Categories
Arm Lift with Baby
Difficulty: Beginner
Categories
Seated Deadlift
Seated Kettlebell Deadlift (Exercise Classification: Beginner)
Equipment: Kettlebell
*If you do not have a kettlebell, don’t worry! You can use a standard weight, a milk jug full of water, or anything that weighs ~5-10 pounds that can be safely held in your hands. You can also modify by doing the exercise without any weight.
- Start seated in a chair with your feet a little wider than your hips
- Hold a weight of your choice (kettlebell, dumbbell, gallon of milk, etc) in your hands with your arms straight
- Hinge forward at the hips as you lower the weight as if trying to touch the floor (the weight may actually touch the floor- that is OK).
- Push your heels through the ground and gently squeeze your bottom as you rise back up.
- To decrease stress on your pelvic floor muscles, gently exhale (through nose or mouth) as you rise back up. This is the hardest part of the movement.
Categories
Supine Bent Knee Hip Raise
Difficulty: Beginner
Description:
Lay on the ground with feet hip length apart.
Hold any sized weight, or if you are comfortable hold your baby under their arms; directly over your hips, they can be facing away or facing you, whichever is more convenient.
Push through the floor to raise your hips off the ground, holding for 2-3 seconds at the top, and then lower back to the ground.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Description:
Lay down on your stomach and extend your arms beyond your head, shoulders beside your ears. Engage your glutes, core, and back to activate the entirety of your spine to lift your lower legs, shoulders, head and chest up away from the floor and hold this position for 2-3 seconds.
Aim to squeeze your shoulder blades together on your back by contracting your upper back muscles.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Description:
Lay down on your stomach and extend your arms behind you. Engage your glutes, core, and back to activate the entirety of your spine to lift your lower legs, shoulders, head and chest up away from the floor and hold this position for 2-3 seconds.
Aim to squeeze your shoulder blades together on your back by contracting your upper back muscles.
Categories
Supine Back Extension Arms Bent
Difficulty: Intermediate
Description:
Lay down on your stomach and lift your arms bent at your side. Engage your glutes, core, and back to activate the entirety of your spine to lift your lower legs, shoulders, head and chest up away from the floor and hold this position for 2-3 seconds.
Aim to squeeze your shoulder blades together on your back by contracting your upper back muscles.
Categories
Sumo Squat with Baby
Difficulty: Intermediate
Description:
Stand with feet much wider than shoulder width. Bend your knees and sit your hips back to squat down, and then extend back up to starting position.
Squeeze your glutes at the top. Complete 10 reps and then hold at the bottom in a squat position for 10 seconds on the last rep.
