(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.
(Difficulty: Beginner)
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.
(Difficulty: Beginner)
Start lying flat on your back, with knees bent and feet planted on 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
*If you get dizzy laying flat on your back, place 2-3 pillows behind your head, neck and upper back so that you are lying on an incline. You can also sit on the ground and lean against your couch or any piece of furniture that won’t move.
(Difficulty: Beginner)
Like sitting in a chair that isn’t there! Find a sturdy, flat wall to serve as the back of your (non-existent) 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 your legs for support.
The Institute of Medicine has established some general guidelines for total weight gain in twin pregnancies based on pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). To determine your pre-pregnancy BMI, enter your weight and height PRIOR TO PREGNANCY at this link (https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html).
Once you have a value, use the table below to determine how much total weight you should gain.
Of note, it is not entirely clear how much a woman carrying twins with a BMI <18.5 should gain during pregnancy. For all women carrying twins, it is important to engage in frequent conversations about weight gain with your health care provider to ensure your babies are growing properly, and that you are staying healthy as well!
Citation:
Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. 2009. Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12584.
Difficulty: Beginner
Description:
Standing Calf Raises with Upper Body Balance Support (Intensity level: beginner)
Equipment: Stroller, or something to hold onto for support
Standing Marching with Unilateral Weight Overhead (Intensity: Beginner/ Intermediate)
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.
Difficulty: Intermediate
