At Least I Found Some Prenatal Exercises ...

So the other personal trainer emailed me back and she has no evening availability right now. I originally was seeing her at 7:30 or 8:00 PM, after Brooke went to bed. Currently her evenings are booked but she said her schedule changes and if I give her a couple of weeks she may have an opening.

I told her "sure", since I really dont have another option ... but another couple of weeks isnt exactly ideal. I dont want to amp up my workout routine when I'm 30 weeks pregnant, that's usually when you slow it down :) Either way, its good to keep in contact with her because I need options for post-pregnancy recovery as week.

I did some searching and found some prenatal exercises I can do on my own. Found on Cookie Magazine online, the important thing is that they come with illustrations. I really hate simply reading an exercise description ... its too easy to misinterpret (well, for me at least) and I also just dont like having to read the description and then try to figure it out. I like nice, pretty pictures :)

MINI CRUNCHES

Classic tummy-tighteners, crunches (best for the first trimester) are comfier when you're cushioned by the ball.
1. Sit down on the ball. "Walk" forward and lean back slowly until the small of the lower back is positioned firmly against the ball.
2. Keeping the knees bent and feet flat on the floor, do small, focused crunches. Start with a set of 5 reps and gradually build to 15.

Form & Function
Be sure to keep your eyes cast upward, relax your neck, and exhale as you lift. As pregnancy progresses past the first trimester, crunches of any kind—even the "mini" version proposed here—won't be viable.

GOOD MORNINGS
A surprisingly efficient core toner and are easy to execute, even in the last trimester.
1. Stand with feet shoulder-distance apart. Grasp the ball and raise it slowly over your head.
2. With knees slightly bent, arms by your ears, and your back flat, lean forward from the hips. Stop when your torso hits a 90-degree angle. Hold for five seconds. Repeat, building from 5 to 15 reps.

Form & Function
Stay focused to get the most mileage from this simple exercise. In Step 2, once your torso is bent, stretch forward from the hips, extending your back.

PLANKS
By emphasizing the "up" part of a push-up, planks work the arms and torso simultaneously.
1. With elbows bent and palms positioned on top of the ball (facing straight and perpendicular with the sides of the ball), come into a push-up position. Legs are extended, and the balls of your feet are on the floor.
2. Balance on the balls of the feet, and flatten your back as much as comfortably possible. Hold the position for 5 seconds, gradually building to 15.

Form & Function
Planks are challenging, so feel free to get into position in stages. As you approach the ball, start with one leg bent, knee pressed against the ball, while the other leg is straight. Place palms on the ball with bent elbows, straighten the bent leg, and bring it into alignment with the other. Once you're steady, execute the full move.

SEATED TRICEPS PRESS
1. Sit up straight on the ball with feet planted firmly on the ground. Hold a small dumbbell (two or three pounds) in both hands behind your head.
2. Straighten your elbows, pressing the dumbbell toward the ceiling. Lower by gently bending the elbows. (Note: Keep elbows on either side of the head, pressed in close toward your forehead.) Gradually build to two sets of 10 reps, resting for a few seconds between sets.

WALL SQUATS
1. With feet hip-distance apart, place the ball at the middle of your back, against the wall. Move your feet slightly forward. Press the ball into the small of your back, bending the knees and lowering your body as if you were about to sit in a chair. (Don't bend your knees any lower than a 90-degree angle.)
2. Keeping toes pointed forward, hold for a count of three. Slowly straighten legs and repeat. Start with five reps and build gradually.

And here is a video with a variety of prenatal core exercises.


And another with some stretches