Tag: lowerbody

Categories
Exercises

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!).

Categories
Exercises

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!

Bear Crawl | How To Do Guide, Modifications, Pro Tips And Videos | FitStop24

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.

Categories
Programed Workouts Week 4-8

Workout Program Introduction

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!

Categories
Aerobics Exercises

Scissor Hops

(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.

Categories
Aerobics

Glute Bridge

(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.

  • to increase difficulty: elevate your feet on a chair or couch, keep the core tight as your raise your hips higher into the air
Categories
Exercises

Wall Sit

(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.

  • 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.
  • to decrease difficulty: straighten the knees slightly so that the shoulders are higher against the wall.
Categories
Exercises

Stroller Squats

Difficulty: Beginner

Description:

  • Stand with the feet in a straddle position. 
  • Place hands on the handlebar of the stroller.
  • Slowly squat toward the floor by dropping your bottom down and back as if trying to sit in a chair. Knees should remain in line with the toes. 
  • Squat as far as you comfortable can without allowing your heels to lift off the floor.
  • Hold for a count of five.
Categories
Exercises

Stroller Calf Raises

Standing Calf Raises with Upper Body Balance Support (Intensity level: beginner) 

Equipment: Stroller, or something to hold onto for support

  • Start standing next to something you can rest your hands on will not move (wall, tree, back of a couch)
  • Keeping your trunk stacked (no extra arch in your low back), raise up onto both toes as you lift your heels off the ground as high as you can.
  • Without holding, lower back down.
  • Repeat for 20 repetitions. You may need to break this down into 2 sets of 10 repetitions. 
  • Consider performing a calf stretch (see other video) after performing this exercise. 

Categories
Exercises

Raised Back Leg Raises

Difficulty: Intermediate

Categories
Exercises

Lunge with Baby

Difficulty: Intermediate

Description: Hold your baby however is comfortable for you, or a weight.

Stand in a relaxed position then take one step forward and dip your entire body down with your back leg bending until your shin is parallel to the ground and your front leg is at a 90 degree angle to the ground.

Carefully, press back into a standing position by pressing up and back with your front leg. Repeat for the opposite leg.