Calling all new moms—here’s a safe and effective core workout to help you start to rebuild your abdominal strength!
I have so many friends who have gotten pregnant recently. I think it’ll be cool to look back and see the numbers for the COVID baby boom one day, because there definitely was one in my social circle. I’ve also worked with a lot of clients who have become pregnant and given birth over my years as a fitness trainer. So I know it can be challenging to know where to start with you core, since you can’t jump back into working your abs the same way you did before.
Ideally, everyone would have a physical therapist to work with after having a baby, but since that’s not often possible, I’m bringing the PT to you. All of these exercises are ones I did with my own physical therapist this past year and are approved for postpartum strengthening!
Nope—I’ve never been pregnant, but I know what it is to lose your core strength from a traumatic injury.
Which childbirth is, in a sense. It’s a LOT for your body to go through. So first please remember to be super kind to yourself during your recovery period. Healing is slow, but you will get there. You may not notice the changes in your body day to day, but over time you’ll feel more comfortable and strong in your body again.
What happened to me is I had chest surgery, basically sewing my sternum back down after I had a breast augmentation go wrong. Because of this, I couldn’t use my arms at all for months. My entire upper body became weak. I was literally sewn inward, and couldn’t even stand up straight. I lost all my core strength. And had to rebuild one step at a time.
It’s important to love your body through it all. It’s amazing what your body can do!
I mean—you just grew a human. Your body is INCREDIBLE. Love it through every stage—even when you feel your most weak. Our bodies are a sacred vessel that we so easily abuse and take for granted, especially as women who are trained to pick apart our appearance.
Try to focus instead on gratitude for all that your body can do, rather than what it looks like in any particular moment.
This simple 10 minute Post-Pregnancy Abs/Core Workout will help you rebuild your abdominal strength from your innermost core out.
You have to ease back into core workouts really gently, and this video is the perfect way to start exercises once your doctor approves. I offer ways to modify the exercises, but please always listen to your body and consult with your doctor with any questions or concerns. Start slow—a little bit of progress evert day creates big changes. (Remember it took 9 months to grow the baby!)
When you’re pregnant, your core shifts and stretches (your organs actually move around) to make room for your baby. So, the thing to focus on first is a feeling of cinching in your waistline (all the way around your body) in towards your center, towards your spine. Imagine an umbrella folding in, everything pulling to center. This is what is going to work your very innermost core muscles, called your transverse abdominal muscles. Breathe deeply and focus on the pull in sensation as you exhale
We target your transverse abdominal muscles bigtime in the below 10 minute Post-Pregnancy Abs / Core Workout video, along with your obliques, back, and chest, which all connect together to make up your core. This will help improve your posture, strengthen your back for holding you baby, and help prevent injury while keeping you healthy all around!
This workout is also safe and effective for those who have had C-sections; in fact, I made it specifically for a friend who recently had one!
You’ll do:
- Plank
- In this video you’ll begin doing a plank at the wall. You’ll gradually increase the incline by walking away from the wall, then finding a counter or chair, then on your knees on the ground, until finally a full plank—it took me a year to do this, for context. Go slow.
- Walk the dogs
- Lift your right arm and left leg, then switch.
- Try to avoid rocking your hips or chest.
- Foot march lifts, lying on back
- Keep a neutral flat back on the ground the whole time (low back is slightly off the ground).
- Can advance this move by switching feet midair, then trying both feet up and hovering.
- Oblique leg triangle lowers, lying on back
- Lower knees down towards the ground/out to the side, then up.
- Side planks
- Forearm down, lift up out of your shoulder, hips lift.
- Can modify by keeping your hips down.