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A Complete Body Workout for Pregnant Women-II
 This
is the concluding part of complete body workout for pregnant women comprising of
Lower Body workout aiming to workout the pelvic floor, stomach , legs, hips and
thighs.
A warm-up and stretching needs to be an essential part of your workout regime.
Remember, your body is more flexible during pregnancy due to the joints and
ligaments loosening, and this makes you even more susceptible to injury.
Stretches should be done in a slow manner - never overstretch, and no bouncing.
STOMACH
 The
stomach muscles bear most of the pressure of the body's changes during
pregnancy, and yet before pregnancy the muscles are rarely, if ever used.
Watching your stomach expand during the 40 weeks of pregnancy will give you some
idea how stretched your muscles become. It is essential you work the muscles to
muscles become. It is essential you work the muscles to keep them elastic and
strong. Strong well-conditioned muscles not only assist in the delivery of your
baby, but help you regain a flat tummy soon after.
The central abdominal muscles are those most susceptible to strain during
pregnancy. Some women experience muscle separation which may be very slight, or
up to 10 centimeters. It is important to check this separation, and if you have
difficulty in locating the rectus abdominus ask your doctor or prenatal
instructress. A simple way to check yourself is to lie flat on your back with
knees bent. Now raise your head and shoulders slowly about 20 centimeters off
the floor. Keep your chin tucked in. Have someone see how many fingers fit
horizontally between your muscles. It they can fit more than three fingers, your
muscles have separated to a point where you SHOULD NOT do any stomach exercises
that involve rotating the body, twisting the hips or bending the body to one
side, as these will aggravate the problem. You should only attempt corrective
exercises, and leave the more strenuous exercises until the gap has closed.
Some pregnant women, especially those over30 weeks, experience a dizzy or
faint feeling when lying on their back. The increased weight of the uterus and
baby on the major vessels returning blood to the heart causes a fall in blood
pressure. So, if you feel dizzy, only choose exercises that involve alternative
positions during later pregnancy..
With your chin towards your chest, alternately criss-cross bent arms as you
roll your back down to half way (or to the floor) and on the way up. Do not arch
your back. Repeat 10 times. Note: The following exercises are not to be
attempted if your muscles have separated.
Sit with your back straight, knees bent and your hands just below your
knees. Keep your feet about 30 centimeters apart. Gradually lean back,
straightening your arms and putting your chin towards your chest. Tighten your
stomach muscles and hold for 10 seconds. Slowly straighten your back, holding
your head up and tighten your stomach muscles and hold this position for another
10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Roll your back gently towards the floor as you sit with your knees bent and
your feet about 30 centimeters apart. Bend your arms so your elbow reaches
towards your opposite knee. Repeat 10 times.
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STRAIGHT CRUNCHES
Lie on your back with knees bent and hands on thighs. Push the arch of your
back to the floor and slowly raise your head and shoulders, reaching towards
your knees. Make sure you do not curl up too far or you may strain your back or
pinch your stomach. Repeat between 5 and 10 times.
Sit with your legs crossed, back straight and your elbows tucked into your
waist. Swinging your arms up and down gradually lean back as you lift your legs
a few centimeters off the ground. If you are over 30 weeks, leave your legs
crossed on the ground. Lean up and back working up to 10 repetitions.
PELVIC FLOOR
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles attached to the pelvis at the coccyx
(tail bone), public bone (at the front) and at the lower pelvic sides. The
pelvic floor muscles form the floor of the pelvic and support all your pelvic
organs, i.e. your uterus, bladder and bowel. A healthy pelvic floor is supple
and firm and especially important for pregnant women. During pregnancy the
constant pressure of a heavier uterus puts extra strain on the pelvic floor.
Working the pelvic floor provides these benefits:
Practice working your pelvic floor each day with the following exercises.
-
PLIES
Start with your legs apart and feet that on the floor. Drop your arms
gracefully in front of you. Gradually, with a straight back, bend your knees out
over your feet, and then straighten them. Work to a count of 4-4 down and 4 up.
Do not let your bottom stick out. Repeat 10 times.
This exercise can be practiced in a variety of position e.g. sitting on a
chair, or lying down. For this particular example - stand with your knees bent
slightly, head tail and back straight. You are going to imagine you are in an
elevator going from the first to the fourth floor of a building. Contract the
pelvic muscles a little at a time, tightening them at each floor. Take them
right up to the fourth floor, where you are as tight as you possibly can be, and
hold for a count of 5. Then gradually release the muscles back to the ground
floor. Repeat as often as you can every day.
This exercise limbers the pelvic region and strengthens the thighs. Stand
with legs about hip-distance apart and back straight. Gradually bend your knees
and squat down with your feet parallel or turned out. Try to keep your feet flat
on t he floor arms on your knees and relax into the squat and hold for a few
moments. Repeat often. Avoid this exercise if you have knee problem.
Stand with your feet about hip distance apart and knees bent slightly. Keep
your hands on your waist. Without arching your back or moving your upper body,
push your pelvis slowly forward and upward. Repeat 10 times.
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Your feet flat on the floor and about
30 centimeters apart. Press your lower back to the floor. Tighten and contract
your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Hold for count of 5 Repeat 4 times.
This exercise will strengthen the stomach and pelvic floor muscles and
stretch the inner things. Sit with a straight back (not arched) and the soles of
your feet together. Keep your knees wide apart. Rest your hands on your ankles.
Tighten and flatten your abdominal muscles and round your lower back. Tighten
your pelvic floor muscles at the same time. Gently relax all muscles as you use
your back to lift your body. Repeat 6 times.
HIPS AND THIGHS
Overweight
hips, thick thighs and bulging calves are common figure problems, especially for
women. They may be partly due to fluid retention, but more often, they are
caused by lack or muscle use.
During pregnancy, hormonal and circulatory changes
increase the possibility of blood clotting and varicose veins. Exercising the
legs and feet pumps the blood from your legs back to your heart and may help
prevent any problems. By developing strong, toned muscles in your hips and
thighs you will carry your extra weight with greater ease. The following
exercises will stretch the bulges, dispose of unwanted fat and help reshape your
legs and thighs:
Lie on your side, with your bottom leg bent at the knee for support. Point
your top leg as you raise and lower it to just above your bottom leg. Repeat 10
times for each leg.
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ALL TIED UP
This exercise is specially for flabby inner thighs. You may have difficult
doing this one if you are over 30 weeks, as your tummy might be too big - if so,
go on to the next one. Lie on your side and rest the weight on one elbow. Bend
the upper leg and place the foot flat on the floor just in front of the tight of
the straight leg. Hold onto the call for support. Raise and lower the straight
leg. Making sure the foot is turned out. Repeat 10 times for each leg.
Lie on your side and rest the weight on one elbow. Now bend your bottom leg
at the knee for support. Gently straighten your top leg towards the ceiling as
you reach for your foot. Then drop your leg back to your knee. Repeat 10 times
for each leg.
Kneel on fours with your hands shoulder-distance apart. Keep your back flat,
do push your tummy towards the ground. Raise your knee to the side and drop it
back down, Repeat 10 times for each leg.
Knee on all fours with your hands shoulder-distance apart and keep you back
flat. Slowly bring one leg towards your tummy. Then extend a straight leg behind
you. It is important not to raise your leg above shoulder height. You must NOT
arch your back. Repeat up to 15 times for each leg.
Kneel on all fours with your hands shoulder-distance apart and keep your
back flat. Slowly bring your left leg towards your shoulder. Then extend a
straight leg behind you again, as in the last two exercises: do not lift your
leg above shoulder height. Repeat up to 10 times for each leg.
On all fours, with your hands shoulder-distance apart and a flat back, lift
your left knee to the side and straighten the leg. Then bend it and return it to
the starting position. Repeat 10 times with each leg.
BOTTOMS
The buttocks, just like all other parts of the body, need hard work to be
tight and firm. Your buttocks should not grow during pregnancy as your tummy and
breasts grow. Your bottom should remain firm and toned, but it will only remain
in this state if you exercise it regularly. The following exercises will tighten
and lift those cheeks.
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KNEES TOGETHER AND APART
Lie on your back, with bent knees, feet apart and flat on the floor, with
arms at sides. Lift your hips up, while keeping the back straight. Holding that
position, squeeze the knees together and press apart again. Repeat up to 10
times.
Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees apart.
Place your arms beside you. Now lift and lower your button off the floor,
squeezing your muscles as your lift. Repeat up to 15 tines.
BACK
During pregnancy and after the birth of your baby, you are more prone to back
problems. Your muscles have weakened and your ligaments softened. So it is vital
you have good posture and take care of your back to help prevent back pain and
excessive tiredness.
-
CAT
ARCH
Kneel on all fours, with your hands shoulder-distance apart and your back
flat. Slowly exhale and push waist up into a 'cat arch'. Pull buttocks and head
under. Inhale and return 10 starting position. Repeat 8 times and work up to 20
repetitions, if you have been prone to lower back pain during pregnancy.
Otherwise repeat up to 25 times each day.
Lie on your back, legs straight and arms alongside you, relaxed. Bend your
legs and bring them over your chest. Now, gently rock your legs straight down
towards the floor. You must not lift your lower back off the floor.
-
LOWER BACK TWIST
Lie on your back with your knees bent towards your tummy, and arms relaxed
beside you. Twist to the right from your waist and lower your bent legs to the
floor. Make sure you leave both shoulders flat on the floor. Keeping your legs
bent and together, twist them across your body. Repeat up to 12 times.
Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feel flat on the floor about
hip-distance apart, and arms relaxed beside you. Push the arch of your back
towards the floor, then very slowly peel your back off the floor, one vertebra
at a time. Your lower back, waist, middle back and finally shoulders. Make sure
you do not arch your back. Slowly roll your spine back to the floor. Repeat 4
times.
Before getting up, just take a minute or two to slowly stretch and relax.
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