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Progressive Parent Series
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Pregnancy
Exercise: Abdominal Exercises |
Exercise to keep your abdominal muscles strong is very
important during pregnancy. Exercise helps prevent diastasis
recti (separation of the abdominal muscles- common during
pregnancy), reduces back pain by improving alignment of
the spine, helps make labor and and delivery easier and
improves the way you look and feel during pregnancy.
Your doctor may have told you that you shouldn't exercise
lying flat on your back after your first trimester of pregnancy,
but finding safe alternative ways to exercise your abs can
be difficult. Here, Karyne shares some of her favorite exercises
from the abdominal section of The
Perfect Pregnancy Workout. Each exercise focuses
on a different area of the abdominals; if you do all of
the exercises together, you will work every part of your
abs.
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Side Crunch- basic |
muscles worked: abdominal
obliques (sides) |
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Lie on your right side, keeping your right
leg slightly bent and extending your right arm slightly
in front of you for stability. Put your left hand behind
your head.
- Bend your left knee and bring your left elbow and head
in to meet it.
- Do 25 repetitions and repeat on other side.
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Side Crunch-advanced |
muscles worked: abdominal obliques
(sides) |
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Lie on your right side, keeping your right
leg slightly bent and either extend your right arm slightly
in front of you for stability or rest your right hand
on your belly. Put your left hand behind your head.
- Raise your feet, left elbow and head as high as you can.
- Hold for one second and release.
- Do 25 repetitions and repeat on other side.
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Reverse Crunch |
muscles worked: rectus abdominus (lower
abs) |
- Stack a few pillows so that you can keep your head elevated
above your heart when leaning back on them.
- Lean back with your knees toward the ceiling, feet flat
on the floor, with your palms touching the floor.
- Using your arms to help you, contract your lower abdominals
and try to tilt your pelvis forward slightly.
- Hold for one second and release.
- Do 25 repetitions and repeat on other side.
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Crunch |
muscles worked: rectus abdominus (upper
abs) |
- Stack a few pillows so that you can keep your head elevated
above your heart when leaning back on them.
- Lean back with your knees toward the ceiling, feet flat
on the floor,hands together behind your head, elbows out
to the side.
- Contract your abs, lifting your head and shoulders up
as high as you can.
- Hold for one second and release. Do 25 repetitions.
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All DVDs Produced by Far
Star Productions, Inc.
©2008 Far Star Productions, Inc.
All rights reserved.
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