Mother’s Day has come and gone but the importance of health and fitness for mothers remains. The months leading up to child birth can be a taxing one on the body for most mothers, and with such a dramatic change in weight difference post natal, the body’s strength changes. If left untrained, the body can become very sedentary and face postural problems, for this reason it is still important to keep fit with modified post natal exercises. In this post, we have put together 5 exercises all mothers should practice after child birth, here they are:
1. THE PLANK
Function:
Isometric holds are the best option for strengthening the core and are even better than any exercises involving a crunching motion of the core, this is because the true function of the core is to keep the body up right, which is why a plank is ideal.
Explanation:
Place both hands and feet on the ground, keeping the body off the ground whilst maintaining a neutral spine and tighten core. Minimize any curving of the upper back and any dipping of the lower back by keeping the entire back as straight as possible and engaging the core.
2. DEEP LUNGE WITH ARM RAISE
Function:
Generally used as a dynamic warm up/stretch, but can also be great way to train the lower body whilst opening up the chest cavity and stretching the abdomen and latissimus dorsi.
Explanation:
Take a slightly large step forward and enter into a deep lunge without dropping the knee too low to where it touches the ground. As you begin to sit into a lunge, raise both arms above your head, tilt you head backwards slightly and arch the back, doing this will really open up the upper body. Repeat on the opposite side.
3. REVERSE MARCH
Function:
A great abdominal exercise working to re-strengthen the lower abdomen post natal, which is generally the least trained part of the abdominal wall among most people.
Explanation:
Keeping the back flat on the ground, hands by your sides and slight pelvic tilt inwards, raise the legs up bending the knees 90 degrees, this is your starting position. Be sure to keep your head and shoulders down and slowly bring one leg down to touch the ground with the toes, then bring back to the starting position. Repeat on both sides.
4. GLUTE BRIDGE
Function:
This exercise can be used to help activate the glutes and help avoid the lower back taking over and is great way to re-strengthen the glutes after they become very overworked during pregnancy due to the additional weight.
Explanation:
Keeping the back flat on the ground, hands by your sides and slight pelvic tilt inwards, place both feet flat on the ground and knees bent at 90 degrees. Now raise the waist and glutes off the ground and as far up into the air keep the shoulders and arms on the ground, squeezing your glutes for a 2 second count and then bringing them back to the start position.
5. WALL SLIDERS
Function:
A great postural exercise especially post natal when the body has undergone immense stress from the weight gain and the lower back has paid for it. This exercise should be practiced for a prolonged period to see a significant difference and should be practiced by anyone no matter their gender, to keep the spine in neutral alignment.
Explanation:
Lean against a wall with all points of the back touching the wall, place elbows at shoulder level touching the wall and rotate shoulders back to get the wrists and back of the hands touching wall. Now gently slide your elbows upwards overhead without breaking any points of contact, maintain neutral breathing throughout.
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Written by Daniyal Siddiqui.