The perfect pregnancy workout
by Michelle Biton
As a
personal trainer and coach, I know there’s nothing more frustrating than
taking the energy, effort and time to workout and STILL NOT GETTING
RESULTS!
And then
add all the challenges of pregnancy to that equation and – URGH!
Well,
that’s exactly why I’ve decided to share my best kept secret
with you - the Body Ball! It’s PERFECT for both
pregnancy and post-pregnancy workouts and boy does it get GREAT
RESULTS!
Sound too simple to really WORK?
You’d
think that exercising on a body ball was easy – WRONG!
I
remember challenging a HUGE BODY BUILDER at my old gym to try one of my
easier exercises – he couldn’t do it! As big and strong as he was, he
didn’t have the core strength or the agility to do the BALL PRAYER (a
relatively easy exercise).
If you
want to BUILD your core strength
(excellent for labor and delivery!) and TONE your
troubled areas (butt, hips and thighs!), the body ball
is the way to go!
Here are some other reasons why the ball is my FAVORITE
exercise “machine”:
- It’s
cost effective and easy to use;
- There
are tons of different exercises you can do with it;
- It’s
excellent for all levels – easy, moderate, and advanced;
- You
can use it in the comfort of your own home;
- It’s
transportable so you can maintain your workout wherever
you go;
- It
builds core strength without you even knowing it (merely
sitting on the ball strengthens your core muscles!);
- It
uses a lot of different muscle groups per exercise (because
of its round and mobile surface), making it a very efficient workout;
- It’s a
great stretching tool (helps reduce lower back pain and
is fantastic in the delivery room!); and
- It’s
fun (which means you’re MORE LIKELY to want to use it!)
So how exactly do you USE the BODY BALL?
Assuming
you’ve been given the OK to exercise by your health care provider, here
are 3 great safe and effective BODY
BALL exercises to start with:
1. Ball squats (easy to moderate)
Standing
with your back to a wall, place the ball on the wall behind your lower
back. Step your feet forward and place them shoulder width apart. Slowly
sit down to your knee height - NOT below - and then push back up again.
On the
way up, focus on pressing through your heels – so you USE those bum
muscles! And make sure your knees do NOT project past your toes! Repeat
12-15 times.
Note: Do
a Kegel at the bottom.
2. Inner thigh squeezes (easy)
Sitting
tall on the edge of a chair, place your body ball between your legs and
hold the ball with your hand(s). Squeeze your knees together slowly (you
can also do a Kegel here!).
Hold and
release only part way. Repeat 12-15 times.
3. Bum Raises (easy to moderate)
Lie with
your upper back and neck on the ball, and your feet on the floor. Slowly
drop your bum down towards the ground, pull in your abs, and then lift
up, squeezing your glutes (bum muscles), until you’re parallel with the
floor.
If it’s
comfortable, you can also add an inner thigh squeeze at the top by
pretending to slowly squeeze a beach ball between your knees. Repeat
12-15 times.
But what if you’re just a beginner?
An
easy and quick way to get comfortable
with the body ball is to begin with a knee lift. Sit on the top of the
ball and slowly raise one foot off of the ground. Eventually try to
balance without using your hands and hold one knee up for 30 seconds,
and then alternate. This simple exercise uses your core strength!
Note: If you’re still having a tough time getting your balance,
put the ball on a carpet or mat to provide you with some extra support.
And make sure you’re next to a wall in case you lose your balance.
Written by Michelle Biton who has 15 years of
experience as a Health and Nutrition Coach, a Masters Degree in Holistic
Nutrition, a Personal Training Certificate and a Psychology Degree.
For LOTS MORE tips and secrets on safe
exercise, healthy eating and surefire beauty secrets during your
pregnancy, click on the link below to download Michelle's kit:
Pregnancy
without pounds
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