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Postpartum Workout – Med Ball – 20 Min

18 Dec

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Maintaining a workout routine during pregnancy did allow me to stay physically fit and it enabled me to recover from pregnancy quicker.  Pregnancy changed my body in so many ways.  First, it changed my center of gravity, so my muscles and movements altered to accomodate my pregnancy center of balance.  Because of this, I find myself getting off balance during my current workouts.  It will take some time to get use to my new center of gravity and find my balance again.  Additionally, my legs and glutes became stronger during pregnancy due to carrying the extra weight and working out with that extra weight.  I am finding it hard to maintain that leg strength now after pregnancy as I am not carrying that weight around with me at all times! Also, my already ‘hour glass’ shape became even more, well, accentuated!  My core muscles can no longer been seen nor found.  Because of this, I have to be careful when doing movements that require core strength.  As my core gets stronger, I will be able to increase the weights/resistance I use and ease into doing my core-dominated exercises that I was doing pre-pregnancy.

As I mentioned in a prior post, I have decreased my workout intensity postpartum in order to slowly, safely, and carefully become physically fit again.  You will notice as time goes by that the intensity of my workouts will increase. In the meantime, here is a lower intensity medicine ball workout routine.  Please pardon the appearance of my workout space.  It is a total mess due to the work we are currently doing on our home.

It is important to follow your doctor’s orders about when and how you can begin your fitness routine postpartum.  Your body requires time to heal and beginning a workout routine too early can hinder that and cause larger problems.

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Med Ball – 25 minutes

11 Oct

A new workout venue for me…my unfinished basement!  I have been so excited to clear it out so I can use it for my indoor workout space.   It has got everything I need to push, pull, and swing without concern for breaking anything.  In addition I have windows to let in the fresh air and sunlight.

When you do not have a partner to pass a medicine ball around with, the next best thing is a concrete wall.  Please be advised, however that medicine ball catching is not for the novice medicine ball user.  The ball tends to go directions unintended and can cause injury to the ‘catcher’.  I would recommend beginning a medicine ball ‘throwing’ routine with an experienced med ball user or fitness professional.  You throw the ball to them and they roll it back to you.  The squat you include when picking up the ball from the floor is a great addition to your workout.  Once you have that down, you can begin by practicing your catching on a lighter ball.  Increase the medicine ball weight gradually and make sure that the weight allows you to maintain good form.

Please note: The exercises seen here are specific to my fitness level, my doctor recommendations, and my pregnancy health. Please be advised that there are general guidelines for pregnant women to follow when considering a pregnancy fitness program (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy-and-exercise/PR00096). It is not recommended to pursue a pregnancy fitness routine without approval from your physician.  

Finally some video clips for you!

7 Oct

So finally, here it is.  I apologize for the length of this video…fast forward through it and you’ll get the idea:)  I attempted to compile various workouts into one video and after I completed it I realized it was a bit lengthy.  Take from it what you may and I look forward to reconnecting with you!

Please note: The exercises seen here are specific to my fitness level, my doctor recommendations, and my pregnancy health.  It is not recommended to pursue a pregnancy fitness routine without approval from your physician.  Please be advised that there are general guidelines for all pregnant women to follow when considering a pregnancy fitness program (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy-and-exercise/PR00096).

Following guidelines and following what your doctor tells you are the first steps in determining your pregnancy fitness routine.  From there you have to listen to your body, watch your heart rate, and go for it!

When you are pregnant, your fitness goal is different than before.  Your goal is to maintain your health and wellness during pregnancy in order to minimize discomforts related to pregnancy, to prepare your body for labor, and most importantly to have a healthy baby.

A few things I have learned along the way:

you can not predict how you will feel during your planned workout, so go with the flow and alter it as needed

your heart rate will be more elevated, so you will have to decrease intensity of your workouts and increase rest periods

It is important to decrease resistance (weight) and decrease duration of workouts to accommodate the energy that is already being expended by all that is already happening in your body

you must must hydrate before, during and after

you must change your stance and body movements to accommodate for your changing body

you will be off balance, therefore a wider stance is necessary

never push it.  your body is already working overtime to create life

If your too tired, just rest and drop the workout

A brisk 20 minute walk as a workout does great things

6 lb Medicine Ball- 35 min

25 Dec

There is so much fun to be had with a med ball!  One can have a full upper body, lower body, core, and cardio workout with nothing but a medicine ball.  Of course med balls are much more fun to throw against the ground or walls (a GREAT workout) but finding such space in NYC is not always easy.  Also more fun is having a partner to throw around the ball with.  But we must make do with what we have!  I hope to show you some med ball partner work and outdoor med ball work in future videos.

*Please be advised that some med ball exercises displayed here are more advanced and should not be attempted unless alongside a certified trainer or if you have advanced experience with the med ball.  The following are a list of the advanced exercises and how you can modify them to be safe:

Instead of doing push ups off the med ball, do push ups off the floor or an elevated surface if needed. 

Instead of doing planks off the medicine ball, do them with your hands on the floor instead.

Instead of medicine ball jumps (jumping over the ball), just jump in place. 

In exercises where I have one foot on the med ball doing squats, be sure to have a surface to hold onto to ensure balance or just have both feet on the floor.

MOST IMPORTANT–DO NOT attempt the med ball stands or squats (standing on the med ball or squatting on it).  Just skip that entirely and do regular squats where your feet are on the floor.  It took me a lot of training to even attempt that and it is still super challenging.  It is not a necessary exercise for most. 

Happy Holidays!

Step and 6 lb Med Ball

20 Nov

The winter is coming…I can feel it already.  There is a chill in the air and the sky turns dark before I have time to go out there and play! By the time I get home from work it is dark and chilly. I was able to maintain my outdoor routines over the past few chilly winters, and I hope to do the same this winter.  But this week, I stayed warm and cozy inside.  Here is a 40 minute step and med ball routine.