Core By Trimester: Third Trimester Core Routine
Core By Trimester: Third Trimester Core Routine
Dr. Ariel Edwards, PT, DPT, CSCS
Navigating a fitness routine while pregnant can be overwhelming! As your body experiences big changes, you may feel uncertain on what movements to implement into your workouts with the looming fear of “doing something wrong”. Here at FIXXED, we want to take fear out of the equation, and allow you to only focus on keeping yourself strong and, most importantly, healthy throughout your pregnancy!
Welcome to our Core By Trimester blog series! This is only one of the many resources we have to keep you feeling your best both prenatal and postnatal! Our core is an instrumental muscle group in day to day activities whether you are pregnant or not! We want to focus on keeping this area strong while also adapting our exercise routine to fit the needs of each trimester of pregnancy! Check out the third and final blog of our series as we focus on the third trimester core!
Third Trimester Core Routine
Your experience within the third trimester can be unpredictable and inconsistent. As you get to the end of your prenatal journey, you want to focus on putting your personal needs first while prioritizing feeling good! That is why we want to focus on implementing core exercises that help manage the new weight distribution along with staying prepared for postpartum recovery!
Add some of these third trimester core exercises into your routine:
Modified Side Plank with Leg Lifts:
Start by getting into a modified side plank - a side plank with your knees used as the base rather than your feet. Try to focus on tucking your hips under you to keep a neutral pelvis and spine! Once in a stable position, bring your top leg out straight and lift it up and down. Try gently tapping your foot on the ground while staying stable!
Bird Dogs:
While performing this exercise, focus on matching your breath with your movement to target your pelvic floor and help with core engagement. Start in a quadruped position with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees. Bring your opposite hand and knee together to create a tucked position. Then extend the arm and leg out to perform the reach phase. Inhale on the reach, exhale on the tuck!
Modified Side Plank with Rotations:
Get back into your mortified side plank, but this time place a yoga block between the knees for adductor engagement. While performing this exercise, focus on squeezing the block while maintaining core engagement! Once in a stable position, rotate to bring your free arm under your body and then back up. This gentle rotation is a great way to keep the upper back moving!
Adding these exercises into your weekly routine is a great way to safely activate your core during the final stages of your pregnancy! If you have questions about what you should be working on throughout your pregnancy, FIXXED is here to support you! Our specialized pelvic floor physical therapy is a great asset to your prenatal and postnatal journey, and is crafted specifically to you and your needs! If you have any questions, or are interested in what FIXXED pelvic floor physical therapy has to offer, feel free to contact us HERE, or email Kristina@fixxedstudios.com!
FIXXED is a first of its kind recovery studio offering bodywork techniques to help you move and feel your best. We offer quick and effective hands-on services in a one on one setting performed by a licensed physical therapist or athletic trainer. Click HERE to book a free consultation with FIXXED!
