Firefighter Tim’s “When You’re Expecting” Workout

Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you have to stop your exercise routine. Firefighter Tim says of course, you want to make sure you consult your doctor before starting or even continuing your exercise routine during pregnancy.

There can be many benefits to exercise during pregnancy. Here are some of the benefits to regular exercise during pregnancy according to the American Pregnancy Association: 

* Helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling

* May help prevent, or treat, gestational diabetes

* Increases your energy

* Improves your mood

* Improves your posture

* Promotes muscle tone, strength, and endurance

* Helps you sleep better

* Regular activity also helps keep you fit during pregnancy and may improve your ability to cope with labor.

Here’s Tim’s When you’re expecting workout:

You want to start with a nice and easy warmup waking for 4 to 7 minutes.

1: flat back to cat 10 reps

2:Dip reverse plank 7 to 10 reps

3:Baby push-ups 10 to 15 reps

4:chair/bench curls 10 to12 reps

5 : chair/ bench row 10 to 12 reps

6: squat pulses 12 to 15 reps

7: full body squat and reach 10 repsExercise descriptions below:

Flat Back/cat :  Start on all fours with a flat back and weight distributed evenly among hands and knees. Exhale through the back, lifting up through the pelvic floor and thinking about “hugging your baby in closer” using the transverse abdominals. Hold for a count of 5 and inhale returning back to your flat back starting position.

Dip and reverse plank:  dip: Start in a seated position with feet flat on floor, hip-width apart, and place the hands behind the seat with fingertips facing forward. Lift seat to a hover and shift weight into palms feeling the load in the shoulders and triceps. Bend elbows as deep as you can without seat hitting the floor, exhale, press through the palms and extend the arms squeezing through the triceps.

Reverse Plank: With arms straight, extend legs long while keeping the glutes squeezed and lifted. Push out of palms, squeezing back of upper arm, press up and out of the shoulders, squeeze the glutes up, hug the baby in, and reach as long as you can through the toes. Hold this active position for 10-15 seconds

Chair/bench curls:  Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with your back straight, feet on the floor, arms at your sides. Hold a 5- to 8-pound weight in each hand, palms facing your body. Bend your elbows so your arms form a 90-degree angle [shown].

Then, keeping your elbows bent, lift the weights to shoulder height. Lower your arms to your sides, then straighten to return to starting position. Repeat for reps

Chair/bench rows: Using a sturdy chair, place your right knee on the seat, left foot on the floor. Bend for- ward, back parallel to the floor and place your right hand on the seat. Hold a 5- to 8-pound weight in your left hand, arm extended down and in line with your shoulder, palm facing in.

Bend your left elbow up so that your arm forms a 90-degree angle [shown]. Hold, then return to starting position. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.Wide

Wide Squat pulses:     Use the back of a chair or a counter for stability. Set feet out to a wide straddle position-much wider than the shoulders. Turn feet out to 45 degrees. Tuck tailbone straight down and bend knees right over toes, then lower the body slightly as if sliding straight down a wall. Pulse the body up an inch and lower back down with control. Repeat for reps.

Full body squat and reach: lower your body into a squat position hold this position. Now with reach one arm above your head toward the sky place the other at your side now slowly lower the arm in the air while simultaneously raising the other continue to repeat this for reps. You can add 3 to 5 pound dumbbells for resistance.

Twitter: @firemantimcfd