| |
| |
|
Pregnancy Information |
|
|
|
Get Back Your Pre-Pregnancy Abs With Side Planks
The foundation of fitness for a mom is her abdominal area. To moms a flat stomach is wonderful; a strong abdominal core is critical. The cool thing is, you can get both at the same time with side planks. Side planks are great for toning, without enlarging, the obliques on the side of your abdomen. Strong oblique muscles also add powerful stability to your back. Asthetically, side planks can sculpt your stomach in ways crunches or sit-ups just can't do. The nice thing about side planks is they can be done in little time and you don't need any equipment. Before we get on to how to do them, I just want to add a little incentive... A Mom with Poor Abdominal Strength is an Accident Waiting To Happen Let's face it, as your child grows the physical demand placed on your body increases. You start out holding a 8 lb. newborn in your arms, but that quickly changes into holding a 25 lb. toddler who twists and turns quickly. You may be required to sweep your toddler up with your right arm while holding another child in the left. You may have to carry a 40 lb. child who is unhappy and doing whatever it takes to squirm from your grasp. If your body is incapable of handling these tough physical demands it will let you know, because back pain and fatigue will start compounding. Is your body prepared to handle the stress being placed on it? A Side Plank A Day Keeps Back Pain Away Planks, build functionally strong, stabilizing abdominal muscles that allow you to bend, twist and reach with less chance of injury. Beginning an abdominal strengthening program now will prepare you for when your infant becomes a toddler and for those times your toddler becomes antsy and unruly. Planks can not only give you back your pre-pregnancy abs, but they will prepare your body to deal with being a mom of a toddler! So let's get to the exercise itself. How to Side Plank: 1) Begin by lying on your left side. Bend your left elbow and place the forearm on the floor directly under your shoulder. Your weight should be supported on the forearm and the left hip. Your right arm should be resting along the right side of your body with the hand resting on the right thigh. 2) Rise up so your body weight is resting on your left forearm and the edge of your left foot. Wear shoes that have a good edge on the sole to avoid slippage once you're in place. If you find this to be too difficult, start by placing your weight between your forearm and knee. After a few weeks, you'll be able to move to the more difficult position in which you are supporting your body between your forearm and your foot rather than your knee. 3) Lift your body up as high as you can and contract your abdominal muscles by bringing navel to spine. Attempt to form a straight line from your armpit along the side of your ribs to your hip, and down to your ankle just above your left foot. Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds to start with. You can increase to 20 seconds over several weeks, but your goal should be to eventually build up to at least 60 seconds for each slow contraction. 4) Slowly lower your body back to the floor, then immediately rise as high as you can and hold it again. Repeat on the right side. Start with two sets of 10 repetitions on each side. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Helpful Hints: - Don't hold your breath. This increases abdominal pressure which feels easier, but prevents you from getting the full benefits of the movement. Take a breath and exhale as you are lifting into the bridge. - Avoid twisting or turning your trunk. This might cause a side strain and slow your progress. - Stop if you feel back pain Everyone has their own rate of progression. If you feel pain in your back, stop. Try again on the next workout and you'll find your back will start getting stronger. If back pain continues, stop and consult a fitness professional. Finish with a stretch After doing your planks, lie on your back, relax, bend your knees with feet on the floor and tilt them from side to side. Do this a few times to lengthen your back and abdominal muscles. Strong, flexible abdominal muscles are a moms best friend. Start developing yours today with side planks! Curt Conrad, CSCS, is Founder and President of StrollerFit Inc. an international product and franchise company that helps parents exercise with their babies. He is author of The StrollerFit ExerBook. His companies have helped thousands of clients enjoy better life through better fitness. http://www.strollerfit.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Pregnancy - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mommy Is Having A Baby! Preparing for a new arrival from the beginning of your pregnancy is the best way to familiarize your children with the lifestyle changes a new baby brings. Involving young children as your body grows and changes will build the anticipation of meeting the newborn. Exercise During Pregnancy One of the best things you can do for yourself and your unborn child during pregnancy is exercise. There are numerous studies that show that women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to have easy labor and deliveries and faster recoveries. When Your Nipples Need Band-Aids - A Breastfeeding Problem In the olden days, mothers were told to toughen their nipples to avoid pain when the baby started breastfeeding. Rubbing with a wash cloth, pumping and even alcohol was once used to toughen the nipples. Successful Weight Loss After Pregnancy How fast you lose weight will depend on a number of factors, including the amount of weight you gained during your pregnancy.Most women will lose anywhere from 10-14 pounds within the first 2 weeks of delivery. How To Prepare For Natural Childbirth SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT BIRTH IS NATURAL, NORMAL AND HEALTHY.? A doula at the delivery has been proven to shorten labor, improve mother's satisfaction and reduce the need for pain medications. Hyperpigmentation - Skin Discoloration - Pregnancy Mask First and foremost I want to start by emphasizing that it can take quite a while to get rid of discoloration! It can take months to years! You will have to be patient and consistent!Ingredients that will help fade spots include Vitamin A, Kinetin, AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids), Azelic Acid, Kojic Acid, Vitamin C, Mulberry Extracts, Saxifrage Extracts, Algae, Licorice Root and so on.. Fighting the Pregnancy Blahs Every pregnant woman has experienced the pregnancy blahs. I can remember feeling so big and unattractive throughout my two pregnancies, and secretly wishing for the pregnancy to be over so that I could have my body back and fit into my normal clothes. Eating Healthfully When A New Baby Arrives A new baby can be overwhelming for the whole family. The last thing on your mind is cooking for yourself or eating a healthy diet. Am I Pregnant? Am I pregnant? This is often one of the most important questions a women can ask. If you suspect you are pregnant, getting good prenatal care early is very important, so finding out as soon as possible is vital. You Might Be Pregnant If Your breasts are now twice their normal size.One of the early trademarks of pregnancy are sensitive, sore breasts. Being Pregnant Is Not a Hurdle to Enjoy A Little Romance Most of the time pregnant women are afraid to have a little romance. Probably they are afraid something could happen to their baby. Pregnancy Week By Week There are three stages of pregnancy. These are the first, second and third trimesters. Blimpy: Pregnancy Weight Gain The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women gain somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. Of course, this poundage depends on the woman's starting weight. How To Avoid Swelling When Pregnant Edema, otherwise known as swelling, will affect almost all women at some point during their pregnancy. Swelling or Edema is most often the result of excessive levels of hormones coursing through your body. Help I am Pregnant and an Addict There are a lot of resources on the internet, in books, and from the medical community on the dangers of drug and alcohol use during pregnancy. However, there is not very much quality information on what you should do if you have a problem with alcohol or drugs and are pregnant. Calcium and Pregnancy Studies show that most women do not get enough daily Calcium. And many pregnant women do not realize that the typical prenatal vitamin only contains 4-20% of the RDA of Calcium. Pregnant Mothers and Starbucks Many mothers are addicted to caffeine and cannot handle going without during the nine months of pregnancy. The damage done to the fetus is a very critical issue in this time of development. The First Warning Signs of Pregnancy Pregnancy can be exciting or daunting, depending on the circumstances. Do you suspect you're pregnant? Below are some of the tell-tale first signs of pregnancy. The Myths of Fitness During Pregnancy - The Straight Facts on the ACOG Guidelines The American College of Obstetics and Gynecology (ACOG) guidelines are often misquoted or quoted with outdated information. In fact, two of the myths listed in this article were just printed in a current (Spring 2005), large national publication catering to expectant mothers. Pregnancy And Celiac Disease If you have celiac disease and are well controlled because you stick rigidly to a gluten-free diet, you are as likely as anyone who has not got celiac disease to have a healthy pregnancy and baby.Those who have celiac disease and who do not have a completely gluten-free diet have an increased risk of problems for themselves and their baby.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
