Best Pregnancy Exercise

The bilateral back extension exercise is one of the BEST Busy Mom exercises for pregnancy and a new mom. Yes it's origin is rehabilitative in nature, but why is it so important for you. From a 4 point kneel you are cued to lift up one of your back legs straight out by contracting your glut muscle- you are not to let your pelvis drop or shift during this leg lift and your abdominals need to be tight for your pelvis to be held steady. This is step one and testing if you are able to hold your 3 point stance working on your pillar and anti-rotation muscles in your core to hold your pelvis steady. Next (or is you are advance you can lift arm and glut simultaneously) lift your opposite arm straight out in front of you, trying to get your arm in line with your ear, but again not letting your pelvis drop or rotate. You are now in a 2 point stance. This is beneficial because your anti-rotator muscles are firing (increasing lumbar stability), your glut medius of the pillar leg is working, your glut max muscle of the suspended leg is firing, your shoulder stability muscles are firing of your support arm and your core and back muscles are firing of the extended arm. This is a lot of bang for your buck- highly efficient exercise, perfect for busy moms. Many athletes use this 1-2 x per week in their dynamic warmup program so everything is firing for performance. For a new mom and for a a pregnancy exercise this should be part of your regular routine as you are overcoming changes in your body. During pregnancy your hips are widening making your glut medius less effective, you lumbar spine is mobilizing in the joints due to relaxin and your belly is expanding putting your pelvis into anterior tilt. The pregnancy waddle or gait associated with late pregnancy is inevitable. Performing the bilateral back extension will help prevent discomfort from joint instability and pregnancy posture. You can learn how to manage your new changing body by firing your muscles to help prevent loss of balance and aid in recovery.

During Pregnancy Fitness Routine the Key Reasons For performing the Bilateral Back Extension are;

1. Manage lumbar instability that can lead to discomfort

2. Fire your abdominals at their new changing lengths for aid in daily activities and recovery after baby is born

3. Shoulder stability

For a NEW MOM regaining lumbar stability is mandatory. You are now carrying around a baby, your body is constantly changing shape and you are under physical stress from sleep deprivation and delivery recovery. The main goals of performing the bilateral back extension for a new mom is to

1. Retrain deep abdominal muscle firing and anti rotational muscles ( the true function of the abdominals)

2. Strengthening your glut muscles for pelvic stability to avoid lifting with your back instead of legs

3. Stabilizing the shoulders by horizontal pressing and vertical lifting

Like mentioned earlier once you go through your pregnancy fitness and recovery new mom fitness this exercise is a great warm up for any routine. It is commonly performed incorrectly as people allow there belly to sag, pelvis to rotate and lift their back leg with their back not by firing their glut. Be aware of these when you perform this exercise.

PREGNACY FITNESS- Keys To Pregnancy Fitness Success with These Moves

Congratulations, now where do you begin? Everything you read, advice from friends and doctors indicates having a fit and healthy pregnancy is the key to making a healthy baby. You want to do the best for you and your baby, but where do you start.

If you are a complete beginner to fitness, meaning you have not exercised regularly for the past 3 months walking within your age predicted heart rate zone is the activity recommended for you in your first trimester. I do personally feel this guideline in Canada is outdated. Start performing kegel pelvic floor exercises NOW on a regular basis. Mobility moves such as CAT/CAMEL and the Bialteral Back Extension(shown above) exercises are also great during pregnancy, beginner or advanced. Once you hit your second trimester it is safe to add in some other forms of exercise.

If you have been exercising regularly you can continue BUT adjust your program using your age predicted heart rate guide. Add more focus on your warm-up (lengthening it to about 10 minutes) and be diligent performing a cool down regime to prevent and blood from pooling in you extremities and to help prevent hemorrhoids. Yes without a gradual decrease in heart rate during pregnancy exercise blood can pool around your pelvic floor area further expose you to the risk of hemorrhoids.

As your belly grows your posture is changing dramatically Pregnancy workouts should focus on postural exercises so you can prevent aches and pains of pregnancy. To get a free pregnancy workout please sign up below.

If you have been regularly active for 3 months or more please start this complimentary program right away. If you are a beginner to exercise please wait until your second trimester to add full range squats and lunges, but bilateral back extensions, hip rotations and shoulder clocks which are all mobility move are great.

OK, so I am editing my post today (Aug 13) as I have just come across an article that supports my view of current pregnancy exercise guidelines being outdated-please enjoy through this link Pregnant Women Should Start An Exercise Program-study GREAT STUFF.

HIP STRENGTH

Yes hip stength is very important during pregnancy. Working on your hip rotators, flexors and extensors can help prevent some low back discomfort. Your pelvis is changing and your muscles are changing in length too, you need to keep them strong so they do not become too tight, too loose or too weak on any one postion.

When preforming hip strength exercises later in pregnancy you can complete them standing. Doing a simple standing hip extension or lateral raise can do the trick. If you experience low back pain during standing hip extension this is a red flag to discontinue this exercise. Your best bet is to perfrom closed kinetic chain leg moves to prevent any pelvic shering that you become more prone to later in pregnancy. By closed kinetic chain I mean both feet fixed on the floor, like in a stationary lateral lunge.