ARTICLE – PREGNANT AND ISOLATING DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS? SAFE, EASY EXERCISES FOR HOME

Glowing Expectations

Rachel Livingstone

Sunday, 05 April 2020

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The dilemma: you know it is recommended to stay active, fit and strong throughout pregnancy, but your gym or fitness class has either closed or doesn't fit with the social distancing guidelines of Covid 19.

The answer: exercise in the privacy and safety of your own home with helpful hints from a pregnancy exercise specialist – and no worries about Coronavirus infection.

Cardio Exercise

You can maintain a base level of cardiovascular or aerobic fitness during pregnancy, but it is not a time for high intensity or high impact huff and puff workouts. Shelve the desire to achieve personal bests and keep it simple.

Perform the following 4 simple moves for 2 or more minutes:

March on the spot, knees as high as is comfortable
Step forward and back, ie left forward, right forward, left back, right back
Push away with both arms, to the left, front, right, front
Step side to side ie step left, feet together, step right, feet together

Or simply put on your favourite music and dance like no one is watching.

Strength Exercise

Certain parts of your body are under more pressure during pregnancy and it is important to keep these muscles strong. There are simple, safe exercises you can do with no equipment, other than what you have in your home.

Your legs carry your increased body weight during pregnancy and are the muscles you use for all the bending and lifting of motherhood. They need to be strong and flexible.

Squat

Stand with your feet hip width apart or wider
Pushing your bottom back, slowly bend your knees no lower than 90 degrees
Slowly stand back up to straight, repeat for 2 x 12-20 repetitions

Squat

Want to make the exercise harder? Hold a heavy book or bag of rice as a weight.

Gently activating your core muscles in a safe way provides support for your lower back and pelvic floor during pregnancy, promotes pushing power for birth and speeds up recovery.

Side Lift

Lie on your side, resting on your forearm, knees bent, other hand on the ground
Slowly raise your hips off the ground, extending your arm up
Slowly lower your hips back to ground, repeat for 12-20 repetitions on each side

Side Lift

Want to make the exercise harder? Lift and lower your hips and knees.

Good Posture

Posture is also very important during pregnancy. Your growing bump and breasts pull your body weight forward, increasing the curve in your lower back and causing rounding in your shoulders. Stretching out the spinal muscles can help keep the area mobile and pain free.

Superman

On your hands and knees, hands under shoulders, knees under hips
Slowly raise and straighten your opposite arm and leg
Slowly lower your arm and leg to the start position

Superman

For variety you can perform all the repetitions one way and then change, or alternate.

Need more info?

We've slashed the prices of our online pregnancy and postnatal program to help keep pregnant women everywhere fit and well until the Coronavirus passes and it is safe to return to gyms and classes!