If you've been exercising regularly before pregnancy, you may find that your workout routine offers an opportunity to relax your mind, feel connected to your "pre-baby" life and unwind. If you weren't a fan of working out before you got pregnant, however, exercising may feel more unappealing than ever! While no one looks forward to squeezing into workout pants and tanks in light of that ever expanding belly (and other parts!), starting an exercise program during pregnancy can help you deliver easier, recover faster, and feel better, mentally and physically, once baby is born.
Incorporating walks and prenatal yoga is an effective, and gentle, way to get started with a pregnancy exercise routine, and it doesn't even require logging hours in a hot, sweaty gym. Try this prenatal walking and yoga workout to burn calories, relax your mind, feel more energetic, and eliminate some of those pregnancy aches and pains.
Start Small
Aim to walk four hours a week. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women between the ages of 18 and 30 who walked at least four hours a week were 44 percent more inclined to lose weight during the 15 years they were tracked than those who didn't walk -- regardless of what other exercise they did. If four hours a week sounds like a lot, remember, you can always break the walk up. Take longer walks on the weekend, and squeeze in shorter 20 or 30 minutes in at lunch during the week. To unwind after dinner, use the time you usually catch up with your spouse and friends as an opportunity to accomplish your goal, and walk while you talk. Try to pick up the pace to about 4 mph (it might help to hop on a treadmill at least once to get a feel for what that pace is). You should be able to carry on a conversation at this pace, but also feel like you're doing some work.
After the walk, practice this gentle prenatal yoga flow to build lower and upper body strength, and focus on breathing.
Prenatal sun salutation A: Inhale lifting the arms overhead, and exhale to prayer. Inhale back to the sky, rolling the shoulderblades together to release upper back and shoulder strain. As you exhale, swan dive forward halfway and hold to release the legs. Try the keep the arms behind you and your gaze towards the floor, outward of your mat. Lower the hands to the mat, take the knees to the mat, and find a modified push up position. Squeeze the elbows to your ribs and slowly press down and up. Tuck toes under and press back to downward facing dog. Repeat five times.
Warrior 2: Aim to hold your Warrior 2 poses for up to 45 seconds. Gently straighten the leg to recover, and repeat up to 5 times. Work in a prenatal sun salutation before switching sides, and add up to five mini chaturangas (tricep push ups with knees on mat, or in full plank), to work the arms. Repeat on opposite side.
Reverse Warriors: Starting in Warrior 2 for a shorter round of breath, float the arm the sky and gently float back. Flow through Warrior 2 and Reverse Warrior for 5 times. Slow your breath, focusing on deep inhales and exhales. Work in a prenatal sun salutation before switching sides, and add up to five mini chaturangas (tricep push ups with knees on mat, or in full plank), to work the arms. Repeat on opposite side.
Triangle: Starting in Warrior 2, straighten the front leg, keeping the back toes flat. Reach the front arm forward to extend, and float the arm to the thigh or calf for a hamstring and side oblique stretch. Hold for several breaths to open the muscles. Slowly roatate the torso forward, chest lifted and step the knee back. Work in up to five mini chaturangas (tricep push ups with knees on mat, or in full plank). Push back to down facing dog and hold. Step the left forward to move into the Warrior 2 to triangle flow on the opposite side.
Finish with gentle floor stretches and side lying savasana.
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Side Lying Savasana
Incorporating walks and prenatal yoga is an effective, and gentle, way to get started with a pregnancy exercise routine, and it doesn't even require logging hours in a hot, sweaty gym. Try this prenatal walking and yoga workout to burn calories, relax your mind, feel more energetic, and eliminate some of those pregnancy aches and pains.
Start Small
Aim to walk four hours a week. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women between the ages of 18 and 30 who walked at least four hours a week were 44 percent more inclined to lose weight during the 15 years they were tracked than those who didn't walk -- regardless of what other exercise they did. If four hours a week sounds like a lot, remember, you can always break the walk up. Take longer walks on the weekend, and squeeze in shorter 20 or 30 minutes in at lunch during the week. To unwind after dinner, use the time you usually catch up with your spouse and friends as an opportunity to accomplish your goal, and walk while you talk. Try to pick up the pace to about 4 mph (it might help to hop on a treadmill at least once to get a feel for what that pace is). You should be able to carry on a conversation at this pace, but also feel like you're doing some work.
After the walk, practice this gentle prenatal yoga flow to build lower and upper body strength, and focus on breathing.
Prenatal sun salutation A: Inhale lifting the arms overhead, and exhale to prayer. Inhale back to the sky, rolling the shoulderblades together to release upper back and shoulder strain. As you exhale, swan dive forward halfway and hold to release the legs. Try the keep the arms behind you and your gaze towards the floor, outward of your mat. Lower the hands to the mat, take the knees to the mat, and find a modified push up position. Squeeze the elbows to your ribs and slowly press down and up. Tuck toes under and press back to downward facing dog. Repeat five times.
Warrior 2: Aim to hold your Warrior 2 poses for up to 45 seconds. Gently straighten the leg to recover, and repeat up to 5 times. Work in a prenatal sun salutation before switching sides, and add up to five mini chaturangas (tricep push ups with knees on mat, or in full plank), to work the arms. Repeat on opposite side.
Reverse Warriors: Starting in Warrior 2 for a shorter round of breath, float the arm the sky and gently float back. Flow through Warrior 2 and Reverse Warrior for 5 times. Slow your breath, focusing on deep inhales and exhales. Work in a prenatal sun salutation before switching sides, and add up to five mini chaturangas (tricep push ups with knees on mat, or in full plank), to work the arms. Repeat on opposite side.
Triangle: Starting in Warrior 2, straighten the front leg, keeping the back toes flat. Reach the front arm forward to extend, and float the arm to the thigh or calf for a hamstring and side oblique stretch. Hold for several breaths to open the muscles. Slowly roatate the torso forward, chest lifted and step the knee back. Work in up to five mini chaturangas (tricep push ups with knees on mat, or in full plank). Push back to down facing dog and hold. Step the left forward to move into the Warrior 2 to triangle flow on the opposite side.
Finish with gentle floor stretches and side lying savasana.
RELATED ARTICLES
Critical Calories for Pregnant Women
Exercise for a Placental Boost In Your 2nd Trimester
Side Lying Savasana
