It's easy enough to find workouts online, and it is also easy to find workouts for a specific need you have, like arms, butt, legs, or prenatal. I would like to share some of the things that have helped me the most, as well as a short review.
Moms into Fitness, Pregnancy 3-Pack with Lindsay Brin
This DVD set includes one DVD per trimester, and each trimester has the same format. There are moderate and advanced options, both which have toning, cardio, and core. There is also yoga stretching and yoga toning. In the advanced section, there are "stackers" to incorporate variety into your strength routine. You can also download a calendar to follow if you wish.
I did the advanced options in each trimester. I thought the strength routines were much better than the cardio (and it wasn't bad, just not what I like to do). I can tell that I even toned my legs more during the second trimester when I was very diligent with it. I feel stronger and that makes me happy. The stackers were also excellent. If you know much about yoga, then the yoga sections will be a joke for you. I didn't follow the calendar, but did try to stick to a routine. I would recommend this to pregnant moms because I feel that it has been a good program for me.
BlondePonytail Prenatal Workouts
This blogger provides some great workouts in general and some awesome prenatal ones. I really like that she believes in high intensity interval training to get your workout in because really don't have a lot of time!
Knocked Up Fitness Workouts with Erica Ziel
I would like to purchase her DVD sets, maybe for Christmas. That being said, she has several awesome and free pilates workouts, exercise demos, and great blog posts. I used the workouts to strengthen my hips.
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I have used all of these throughout my pregnancy, sometimes doing more with one than the others. As you know, I also walk and swim regularly. Staying active has been fun. I feel like I am looking good and huge. Supposedly, exercising throughout your pregnancy can help your body bounce back quicker and smoothly. I shall have to see if that is true!
I hope this is helpful to expectant moms!
Showing posts with label blogger workouts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogger workouts. Show all posts
Monday, August 11, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Back to Life
After a fun and exhausting weekend of wedding festivities, I am back to normal life. I didn't workout like I should have, and today I dove into a strength workout. I can tell that I've neglected my hips the last three weeks, so I'll be sure to get a pilates workout in tomorrow.
My father-in-law and I worked on flip turns at the pool. Mine need more work. I found a YouTube e tutorial that gives you five exercises to practice to help with your flip turns.
I'll probably focus more on that once I don't have a giant belly in my way.
El is getting so good at climbing. At the park today, she climbed all over a lot of the playground, and it is a pretty tricky playground. She'll be rock climbing with my brother in no time.
Tomorrow I have a swim and pilates planned. Today was strength and a walk. Yesterday was running post-vacation errands, though I wish I had been really running.
My father-in-law and I worked on flip turns at the pool. Mine need more work. I found a YouTube e tutorial that gives you five exercises to practice to help with your flip turns.
El is getting so good at climbing. At the park today, she climbed all over a lot of the playground, and it is a pretty tricky playground. She'll be rock climbing with my brother in no time.
Tomorrow I have a swim and pilates planned. Today was strength and a walk. Yesterday was running post-vacation errands, though I wish I had been really running.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Happy Pregnant Hips: Exercise Guide to Strengthening Your Hips
I complained a few weeks ago abut how much pain I had in my hips. From what I read, this was because of the chemical relaxin, which is produced to help loosen your pelvic joints so a baby can come out, and this can cause misalignment and a lack of support. Some women experience paint connected with their sciatic nerve in their hip. Others may have really tight hip muscles. And, frankly, pregnancy is just not very comfortable. I'm not sure what my issue was, but I'm guess weak hip and pelvic muscles were not supporting the weight of my uterus well and I was misaligned.
And everything I read online gave few solutions: go to the chiropractor, take Tylenol, and (least commonly) incorporate hip strengthening and opening exercises into your routine.
Here are some articles and workouts that I found to be really helpful in strengthening my hips. I try to do at least one workout targeting my hips and backside per week, add on some barre-type moves after one pilates workout, and focus on opening my hips in one weekly yoga practice. In my usual strength workouts, I really have focused on proper alignment and form during the exercises. I also try not to arch my back when standing or walking, instead tucking my pelvis has helped ease the discomfort in my hips and low back that I was experiencing.
Free Bump and Beyond Booty Sculpting Workout from Erica Ziel at Knocked-Up Fitness
Follow the link, sign up for her newsletter, and Ziel send this workout video to your email. I love it and how it works my backside and hips. I do this once a week and will probably keep it up after baby boy arrives. The workout begins with squats and lunges, moves to some quadruped movements, splits between bridge work and (for moms-to-be) repeated quadruped moves, and then a side leg series. It is a good and short pilates workout for your rear end.
Pregnancy Exercises to Tone and Tighten Your Legs from Erica Ziel at Knocked-Up Fitness
These barre-inspired moves will make your hips tired! I love that Ziel talks about doing the moves at the park while your kids play because sometimes you have to squeeze your workout in when you can! You could do it at the park using a bar or the back of a bench, or at home using a chair or counter. I do this once a week.
Yoga sequence for lower back pain from FitSugar at PopSugar
Pretty self explanatory, sometimes it is nice to know some poses to target a certain ailment!
Hip and Back Openers for Expectant Moms from FitSugar at PopSugar
Another collection of yoga poses to open those hips and relieve that tension!
Proper Posture during Pregnancy from Pregnancy Beat
Proper Posture during Pregnancy from Pregnancy Beat
Here is a diagram that accompanies the linked article. Basically, the way that we are inclined to stand as pregnant women is not good for us and can cause pain and alignment problems. Don't hunch over, don't arch your back and let your belly hang. It takes concentration, but taking the time to make this a habit will have long-range benefits.
To learn more about hips as an essential part of a runner's core, see this article from Runners Connect.
For more about the link between hips and other running injuries, see this article, from Runner's World
And everything I read online gave few solutions: go to the chiropractor, take Tylenol, and (least commonly) incorporate hip strengthening and opening exercises into your routine.
Here are some articles and workouts that I found to be really helpful in strengthening my hips. I try to do at least one workout targeting my hips and backside per week, add on some barre-type moves after one pilates workout, and focus on opening my hips in one weekly yoga practice. In my usual strength workouts, I really have focused on proper alignment and form during the exercises. I also try not to arch my back when standing or walking, instead tucking my pelvis has helped ease the discomfort in my hips and low back that I was experiencing.
Free Bump and Beyond Booty Sculpting Workout from Erica Ziel at Knocked-Up Fitness
Follow the link, sign up for her newsletter, and Ziel send this workout video to your email. I love it and how it works my backside and hips. I do this once a week and will probably keep it up after baby boy arrives. The workout begins with squats and lunges, moves to some quadruped movements, splits between bridge work and (for moms-to-be) repeated quadruped moves, and then a side leg series. It is a good and short pilates workout for your rear end.
Pregnancy Exercises to Tone and Tighten Your Legs from Erica Ziel at Knocked-Up Fitness
These barre-inspired moves will make your hips tired! I love that Ziel talks about doing the moves at the park while your kids play because sometimes you have to squeeze your workout in when you can! You could do it at the park using a bar or the back of a bench, or at home using a chair or counter. I do this once a week.
Yoga sequence for lower back pain from FitSugar at PopSugar
Pretty self explanatory, sometimes it is nice to know some poses to target a certain ailment!
Hip and Back Openers for Expectant Moms from FitSugar at PopSugar
Another collection of yoga poses to open those hips and relieve that tension!
Proper Posture during Pregnancy from Pregnancy Beat
Proper Posture during Pregnancy from Pregnancy Beat
Here is a diagram that accompanies the linked article. Basically, the way that we are inclined to stand as pregnant women is not good for us and can cause pain and alignment problems. Don't hunch over, don't arch your back and let your belly hang. It takes concentration, but taking the time to make this a habit will have long-range benefits.
I hope this has been helpful for those experiencing hip pain. I have felt so much better and feel like going out and enjoying the outdoors since incorporating these principles. As future mothers and as runners, it is important to have a strong and steady base. Exercising and releasing our hips will make us stronger athletes.
To learn more about hips as an essential part of a runner's core, see this article from Runners Connect.
For more about the link between hips and other running injuries, see this article, from Runner's World
Monday, March 31, 2014
Great Monday Workout!
El has been driving me absolutely insane the past few days. After she woke up an hour early, refused to eat or drink very much of anything, and was incredibly whiney, I put her down for an early nap at 8:30. I decided to go out into the garage and street in front of the house to do one of the few running workouts I do, besides just going. And after this great workout, I feel ready to deal with my cute little whiner baby for the day.
It is Daily Cup of Kate's "Run 'n Row" workout. If you have access to a rowing machine, it is a great half-hour workout. I am lucky enough to have a rowing machine in the garage (Drew probably thinks I never use it, but I do, not regularly though). I got it for free when a church member was moving and didn't have room in the moving truck. Basically, you run for 5 minutes, then row for 5 minutes, and then a descending ladder for 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes. I started with rowing, but same thing, right?
This workout always gets my heart rate up, so I took a 1 minute break to stretch and bring my heart rate back down in between each unit. It ended up taking longer than 30 minutes, but I feel good now and I didn't push myself too hard, which is important to do during pregnancy. It isn't bad to work hard, but it is bad to wipe yourself out.
I ended up rowing .28 miles in about 15 total minutes and running 1.6 miles in a little over 15 minutes (I always stopped my gps at my house so it would keep a good measure). Then added in another short run to get to an even 2 miles. I was happy to hear my fastest half-mile split was at 10:19, and it was my last one. My average ended up being 10:50, so I'm not complaining. I feel like I have been able to keep up my speed gains fairly well during these first 20 weeks. We will have to see how the next 20 weeks and postpartum recovery goes! I'm really pleased with my achievements in this workout and feel good now. Here's to a beautiful and healthy sunny day!
If you have kids, does a good workout help you be a better mom?
Do you row?
What's your favorite running workout?
It is Daily Cup of Kate's "Run 'n Row" workout. If you have access to a rowing machine, it is a great half-hour workout. I am lucky enough to have a rowing machine in the garage (Drew probably thinks I never use it, but I do, not regularly though). I got it for free when a church member was moving and didn't have room in the moving truck. Basically, you run for 5 minutes, then row for 5 minutes, and then a descending ladder for 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes. I started with rowing, but same thing, right?
This workout always gets my heart rate up, so I took a 1 minute break to stretch and bring my heart rate back down in between each unit. It ended up taking longer than 30 minutes, but I feel good now and I didn't push myself too hard, which is important to do during pregnancy. It isn't bad to work hard, but it is bad to wipe yourself out.
I ended up rowing .28 miles in about 15 total minutes and running 1.6 miles in a little over 15 minutes (I always stopped my gps at my house so it would keep a good measure). Then added in another short run to get to an even 2 miles. I was happy to hear my fastest half-mile split was at 10:19, and it was my last one. My average ended up being 10:50, so I'm not complaining. I feel like I have been able to keep up my speed gains fairly well during these first 20 weeks. We will have to see how the next 20 weeks and postpartum recovery goes! I'm really pleased with my achievements in this workout and feel good now. Here's to a beautiful and healthy sunny day!
If you have kids, does a good workout help you be a better mom?
Do you row?
What's your favorite running workout?
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