POST NATAL WORKOUT

THINGS TO REMEMBER
 Take your time
~ It is extremely important not to rush your recovery.
~ Your body has just been through considerable physical strain and
trauma, and trying to do too much too early may cause more harm than
good.
 Maintain a healthy diet
~ A healthy diet, will speed your recovery from labour and birth.
~ It also give you the energy you need to keep up with the demands of
being a new parent.
 Be realistic
~ It is also important to consider that your body naturally changes with pregnancy.
~ Women often find that their weight distribution or shape is now different than it
was pre-pregnancy.
STAGE 1: WEEKS 1 TO 6
# Goals
~ physical recovery
~ strengthening the pelvic floor and lower abdominals
~ increasing your mobility
~ proper nutrition

# Exercise
oWalking

Modifications

~ Changing your pace

~ Carrying your baby
~ Duration of your walk
~ Change your route
Repetitions

~ 30 minutes of walking 3 times per week

 Kegel’s Exercise
 Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the
contraction for 5secs, and then relax for 5secs.
 Try it four or five times in a row.
 Breathe freely during the exercises.

 Abdominal Contractions
 On Your Back:
~ Lie on your back with your knees bent up.
~ Breathe in and as you breathe out, tighten
your pelvic floor muscles.
~ Once you've tightened your pelvic floor, gently pull your belly button in and
up. You should feel your lower abdominal muscles tighten.
 On a Chair:
~ Sit on a chair or exercise ball with both feet on the floor.
~ Squeeze your pelvic floor and lower tummy muscles and then gently lift one
leg off the floor.
~ Hold this for up to five seconds, slowly lower your foot and relax your muscles.
 Repetitions:
~ 3-4 times / day, 5 minutes with each set.
 Pelvic Tilts
 On Your Back:
~ Lie on your back with your knees
bent up.
~ Pushing your feet down, lift your
back side up, squeezing gluts,
knees parallel.
~ Hold for 3 seconds.
 On a Chair:
~ Sit on a chair with both feet on the floor.
~ Tighten your pelvic floor muscles and
pull in your lower tummy muscles.
~ Slump your back and then arch it by
sticking your chest and bottom out in
opposite directions.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 10 reps
 Neck Stretching
 Neck Turns:
~ Sit and slowly turn your head to the left
and then to the right, keeping your
shoulders stationary.
 Neck Rolls:
~ Tilt your head, move your right ear
down to the right shoulder.
~ Roll your head forward slowly, chin to chest.
~ Roll up on the other side, left ear to left shoulder.
 Neck and Back Stretching
 Exercise 1:
~ Sit up straight with your arms crossed
over your chest.
~ Twist to the left and then to the right.
 Exercise 2:
~ Sit and link your hands behind your neck.
~ Twist your body to the left and then to
the right.
 Exercise 3:
~ Sit and link both hands together in front
of you, stretching arms as far out as possible.
~ Take your arms up in front of you and above your head as far as you
can.
~ Hold for two or three seconds and then slowly lower your arms down
in front of you, hands still linked.
 Repetitions:
~ 10 times on both the sides.
STAGE 2: WEEKS 7-12

# Goals
~ daily walking
~ light-moderate exercise
# Exercises
Kegel Squats
Sit on a chair or bench, feet shoulder width apart.
With arms in front of you, stand up, consciously
contracting pelvic muscles.
Squat again until you are almost sitting
on the chair.
Increase difficulty by doing on one leg.
Repetition:

~ Bilateral: 3 sets of 12 squats.

~ Unilateral: 3 sets of 6 squats per leg
with each of 10 reps.
 Crunch Beats
 Lie face-up on mat with knees bent 90 degrees,
legs lifted, calves parallel to floor.
 Place hands behind head, elbows out, and
crunch up, lifting shoulders off mat.
 Extend legs diagonally up, cross ankles, and
extend arms overhead.
 Holding this position, switch feet over and
under each other as slowly as possible.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 8 repetitions.
 Forearm Plank
 Get into plank position.
 Hold for 30-60 sec.
 Lower knees to floor, resting for 30 sec
before resuming.
 Repetitions:
~ 4 planks of 30-60 seconds each.
 Hamstring Curls
 Lie face-up on the surface with arms
slightly out to sides, knees bent and
hips up, heels on a small towel, feet flexed.
 Squeezing abs and glutes, straighten legs
as far as you can without touching your butt
to the ground
 Slowly pull legs back in, keeping hips up at all times.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
 Pointing Dog
 Kneel on your mat so that your hands & feet
are parallel and your back is flat.
 Straighten and lift your right arm & left leg.
 Squeeze your butt and try not to let arm
and leg go out to the side.
 Return back to kneeling position.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 10 repetitions per side.
 Burpee Progression
 Lower into squat position, hands touching floor just in front of feet.
 Quickly step legs back so that you are in push-up position.
 Without pausing, step feet forward to the starting position and return to standing.
 Modification:
~ Jump feet back and forth and add a
jump when standing.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
 Push-Ups
 Start in a plank position with hands and feet
(or knees) on the floor.
 Hands should be slightly wider than
shoulder-width apart.
 Bend at the elbows and lower chest about
an inch from the ground.
 Straighten arms and push away from the floor, returning to start position.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
 Dynamic Lunges
 Stand with feet together, hands on hips.
 Take a large step forward, bend both the
knees are at 90 degrees.
 Push through the heel of the front leg and
return to standing position.
 Repeat on opposite side.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
STAGE 3: 12 WEEKS AND BEYOND
# Goals
~ moderate-intense exercise
~ increase cardio intensity
# Exercise
Dynamic Plank
Start in a plank position.
Drop down on one elbow, then the other.
Reverse, pressing one arm up and then
the other, back to plank.
Alternate the initiating arm.
Repetitions:

~3 sets of 12 repetitions.
 Russian Twists
 Sit on your bottom and then lift your legs
up so you are balancing in a “V” position.
 Bend your knees to make it easier,
straighten to make it harder.
 Twist back and forth, touching the
floor on either side of your body.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 30 repetitions (15 twists per side).

 Mountain Climbers
 Get into plank position.
 Bring one knee up to your elbow
 on the same side of your body, then back.
 Repeat on the other side.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 30 repetitions.
 Explosive Lunge
 Start in a lunge position, ensuring front knee is at a 90 degree angle, with knee over
ankle.
 Arms are up over your head.
 In one motion, bring the knee of your back leg up to your chest, elbows pull
backwards.
 Lunge backward with the same leg so that you return to the initial position.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
 Airplane Arm Raises

 Stand on one leg with arms out to

either side like airplane wings.
 Lean forward, bringing your back leg up
until your body is parallel to the floor.
 Face palms forward, pointing thumbs
up to the ceiling.
 Pulse arms up toward ceiling, then down,
never going lower than shoulder height.
 Switch feet and repeat on other leg.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 10 repetitions per leg.
 Elevator Lift
 Lie on your back, legs straight up towards
the ceiling, palms down by your butt.
 Push down with hands, lift butt off the ground,
roll your knees towards your chest, legs going
straight up, keeping head on the floor.
 Lower back down to the floor as slowly as possible.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
 Dynamic Frog Squats
 Start standing, legs spread apart slightly
wider than hips, toes pointed out.
 Arms are straight, pointing towards the
floor in front of your body.
 Without bending at the waist, squat down.
 Touch your fingertips to the floor.
 Explode up into a jump, landing with knees slightly bent. Repeat.
 Repetitions:
~ 3 sets of 15 repetitions.