Four pregnancy safe exercises you can do at home!
By Kristina Grinovich, PTA, E-RYT 200
Staying active during pregnancy has been shown to help with improving muscle tone, reducing your risk for gestational diabetes, as well as reducing backaches, swelling, and constipation. Need more convincing? Prenatal exercise can also greatly improve your mood and help you feel more empowered! Here are four of our favorite pregnancy safe moves that don’t require any fancy equipment.
Forearm side plank
Start by placing one forearm and hip on the ground in a side-lying position. Stack your knees on top of one another. Leave your knees on the ground, take a breath in, and on the exhale, push into your knees and forearm to lift your hips off the ground. Reach your top hand to the ceiling and hold for a count of 5-10 seconds (we recommend counting out loud so that you know you aren’t holding your breath!) Repeat for 5 reps on each side.
Want to take it up a notch? Extend your legs long and leave your feet on the ground as you lift knees and hips off the ground!
What side plank does: strengthens your shoulders and deep core stabilizer muscles, obliques, and spinal muscles without putting stress on your back and without putting unnecessary pressure on your abs. (too much internal abdominal pressure over time can lead to Diastasis Recti!)
2. Bird Dog
Start on your hands and knees in a table top position. Engage your deep core muscles by bracing your abs and slightly tucking your tailbone. Lift up your right arm and reach it straight forward while you lift your left leg and kick it straight back. Hold for 5 seconds, then switch to the other side.
Want to take it up a notch? Add in glute pulses by bending your lifted knee, facing the sole of your foot to the ceiling, and performing mini kicks up to the ceiling. Remember to breathe and engage your abs as you add in 10-12 mini kicks on each leg.
What bird dog does: strengthens your postural muscles, glutes, and shoulders so you can stand taller and move more efficiently throughout your day with more support from your spinal muscles. This is especially important as your belly gets bigger and you need more spinal stability to prevent low back pain and overstrain.
3. Clamshells
Start by laying on your side with your head supported in your hand. Bend both knees and stack your feet on top of one another. Keep your feet glued together as you open your top knee to the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds before gently returning your knee back down to its starting position. Repeat for 10-15 reps on each side.
Want to take it up a notch? Add a small pillow between your ankles and squeeze your ankles around the pillow while you perform your knee lifts. Want another progression? Try clamshells while holding a forearm side plank!
What clamshells do: strengthens your outer hip and glute muscles which support you in standing postures. This becomes especially important in later trimesters when your body is producing more Relaxin, a hormone that causes all the joints in your body to relax, which is helpful for birth but creates instability in your hip, knee and ankle joints during weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and squatting.
4. 90/90 Hip Stretch
Sit on the floor with your hands supported behind your body and your feet flat in front of you with your knees bent. Create a 90 degree angle in your knees and hips. Move both knees to the right until they touch down on the floor, hold for 10 seconds, then take both knees in the other direction. Do 10 reps on each side.
Want to take it up a notch? Bring both hands together in front of your chest (or hold a hand weight or a gallon of water in both hands for more challenge!) and use your abs and obliques to keep your chest upright as you transition your legs from side to side.
What the 90/90 hip stretch does: stretches both internal and external hip rotators, both of which need to be open and strong for childbirth!
Interested in learning more about pregnancy safe exercise?! Click here for our 90 minute virtual Pelvic Floor 101 & Prenatal Fitness course!
Or for more one-on-one care, click here to schedule a free 20 minute phone consultation for pelvic floor physical therapy with Kris!
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!
