Getting pregnant is an incredible experience, but there are a thousand questions–about what you can and can do when pregnant almost always. No answer is ever black and white, since all women and all pregnancies are so different. Fortunately, it can be wonderful to work out: from relieving back pain to energizing and a faster return to your baby silhouette after delivery.
Before starting any fitness routine during your pregnancy, please also consult your doctor. The strength you should exercise depends on the level of fitness before pregnancy.
There are some exercises during and after a pregnancy that will keep you fit, healthy and comfortable.
Bird Dog: Start with all fours and lengthen slowly one arm, straight and solid opposite leg, in line with your body. Stay at your start position for 3 to 5 seconds and repeat on the other side of the screen. Repeat x20. Repeat x20.
Side Cents: Begin with your elbows and knees, with your elbows just below your hips and under your shoulders. Stretch the right leg directly behind you and raise it to the ceiling. Click your right foot as far to the right as you can, slowly and straightly holding your knee.
Restore your right leg to the ceiling and move as far as you can to the left. x30 of each hip, alternating sides.
Side Lying Leg Lifts: Lie down on your side at a 45 ° angle, stack your legs and bend your knees. Keep your head held on and put your other hand above your body for support.
Lift up your top leg a few centimeters above your hip and back down almost the whole way. Replay x25 individuals and x25 2-3 pulses.
Straight Arm Triceps Kickbacks: Start your hands and knees and take your weight-2-5 lbs. (beginners can even use a bottle of water). Hold the left arm straight, palm facing in, and the weight on the mat is resting.
Extend your opposite leg straight and lift it up to suit your body. Hold your right arm up slightly above your chest and almost all the way down throughout the workout. x20 x10 pulses of each arm replicate x10 singles.
Inside Thigh: Lying on your side, stretch your lower leg directly to your chest, and raise your top leg at 90 degree hip height in front of you. Rest your top knee on a ground or it can be more comfortable on a yoga or foam roller as your belly grows.
Lift your lower leg as much as you can while maintaining the right shape. Come back to the floor almost completely. Repeat x25, 2 to 3 times a leg, x25 and x25.
Knee shock-ups: Kneel slightly wider than your elbows on the floor and hold your bodies from head to knees in a straight line.
Position your feet on the ground or in the air. Turn your elbows slowly on your side, dropping your body to the ground. Exhale your start place x15 and push it back.
Peter Beaumont is a senior reporter on the Guardian’s Global Development desk. He has reported extensively from conflict zones including Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East and is the author of The Secret Life of War: Journeys Through Modern Conflict. Email: peter@thehearus.com
