Tag: Pregnancy

Plank Knee Raise

Difficulty: Advanced

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

This exercise is a full body workout, so build your time and pace slowly.

Start in a plank position with your hands below your shoulders, body straight and legs extending behind you.
Bring one knee to your chest and then switch to the opposite knee.
Maintain a quick pace and if your hands are uncomfortable in a flat palm position, make a fist instead so you avoid extending your wrist or grasp hands weights and balance on them.
Modification: To make this easier, place your hands on a sturdy couch, chair, counter, or wall. The higher your hands, the easier the exercise.

Tags Advanced, Aerobics, Pregnancy

Aerobics Exercises

Step Ups

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

You may use a stairway for this exercise or an exercise step.

Start in a standing position just behind the step.
Raise up onto the step with one leg as you pump your arms.
Return to start position.
Switch to the opposite leg and raise up.
You may increase the intensity of this exercise by stepping both legs onto the step and stepping back down.
If you have trouble seeing your feet as your belly grows just march in place instead of using a step. You can increase the intensity of marching in place by using hand weights.

Tags Aerobics, beginner, Pregnancy

Aerobics Exercises

Cross Country Skier

Exercise Classification: Intermediate

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.
Do not do this exercise if you have pain in the front of your pelvic bone.

Instructions:

Start in a standing position with your arms at your side.
Lunge forward on your right leg with your left leg extending behind you and bring your left arm in front of you as you extend your right arm back.
Press back with your right leg and switch sides with your left leg forward in a lunge with right leg behind and left arm in front.
Try to maintain a fluid “sliding” motion as you switch legs from front to back.
Avoid dipping too deep—just slightly bend your knees, and if you have walking poles you can use them to help with balance and add more arm work.

Tags Aerobics, Intermediate, Pregnancy

Aerobics Exercises

Side Steps

Exercise Classification: Beginner

The following exercise helps strengthen muscles and the cardiovascular system. Start with one set for 10 reps(that is, do the exercise 10 times in a row). You can build up slowly to 4 or more sets. You can also combine this exercise with other exercises in the app to create a workout that will challenge the entire body!

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

This exercise works your thighs and also improves balance.

Start with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent.
Lean forward a few inches and clasp your hands in front of you.
Sidestep by pushing off and crab stepping to the side for five to ten steps.
Switch direction for five to ten steps.

Tags Aerobics, beginner, Pregnancy

Aerobics Exercises

Bottom Kicks

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and arms extended in front of your body.
Lift one foot behind you towards your gluts (bottom) and quickly switch to your other foot.
Try to maintain a rapid pace as you switch legs.
You can increase the intensity by pumping your arms as you lift each foot or by using hand weights.

Tags Aerobics, beginner, Pregnancy

Aerobics

Knee to Elbow Reach

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instruction:

Begin in a standing position with your legs slightly apart and hands resting behind your head with elbows out to the side.
Raise your left knee as twist your right elbow to your raised knee.
If the twisting motion becomes difficult later in pregnancy, just raise your knee in front of you as you raise your arms to the side with each knee raise.

Tags Aerobics, beginner, Pregnancy

Exercises

Quad Stretch with Chair

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Equipment: Chair or table

Description:

In a standing position, rest one hand on a stable support for balance.
Reach back and grasp the outside leg above the ankle.
Gently bring the foot up toward the buttocks. Stay tall on your stance leg.
Repeat on opposite side.

Tags beginner, flexibility, Pregnancy

Exercises

Seated Butterfly

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Equipment: None

Description:

Sit with the soles of feet together with knees out toward the side and hands on ankles or shins.
Press your elbows downward gently onto the inner thigh area.

Tags beginner, flexibility, Pregnancy

Exercises

Glute Stretch

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Equipment: None for first trimester, pillows for second and third.

Description:

Lie on your back with the knees bent and the feet flat. If you’re past your first trimester place several pillows under your upper body to raise to a semi-reclined position.
Place the hands behind your thigh and one pull knee toward the chest.
Repeat on opposite side.

Tags beginner, flexibility, Pregnancy

Exercises

Standing Lunge

Difficulty: Beginner

Equipment: Chair

Description:

Stand next to the chair with your closest hand resting on the top of the chair.
Bring one leg forward until the knee is slightly bent, then extend the back leg, keeping the knee slightly bent and resting on the toes.
Bend at the knees and perform a pelvic tilt, contracting the buttocks.
The back heel may remain flat or lifted off the floor.
Repeat on opposite side.

Tags beginner, flexibility, Pregnancy