*Postpartum Program Guide*
About Me
ALWAYS ASK DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANY SORT OF EXERCISE PLAN!!
People don’t tell you how hard being a mom is they only tell you the good parts and how amazing it is. Don’t get me wrong it’s amazing but making sure we take care of ourselves and well being is so so important to help us be able to be that strong woman and mom we need to be for not only our baby and husband but being strong for ourselves. Don’t let the postpartum blues keep you down. Find your support system, communicate with your spouse, significant other, mom, and family and let them know you need them so you can still take time for yourself. I think the main reason I am writing this postpartum program is because that first week of bringing my baby home after laboring naturally for 21 hours and only reaching an 8, then trying an epidural that actually made me digress/not change, and then ending up in a C section the thing I wanted to avoid the very most I was devastated. Obviously whatever could get my perfect boy Banks here is all that mattered but having my labor/end result be something I totally didn’t plan on or expect was so hard for me. That first week I cried so much over nothing or thinking I couldn’t do this mom thing. It was so hard for me not to just bounce right back to exercising. So I knew I had to find time for myself and start doing little things to help me heal emotionally and physically while still taking the time to let my body heal from the C section. It seriously saved me to start doing little things here and there. The endorphins and taking that little time for me to exercise my brain and mental state was exactly what I needed. Even though it was short 10-20 min walks, stationary bike or elliptical and my 360/TVA breathing exercises it was exactly what my body needed at the time and what helped me get out of that “postpartum funk”.
Long story short I hope my program can give you something more than just getting that body back. I hope it can give you that encouragement and support that all of us mamas need right after birth. We CAN do this even through all of the tears, sleepless nights, and figuring this whole mom thing out while trying to adjust to our new bodies haha we GOT THIS STRONG MAMAS! We are in this together!
Core Activation
Maintaining a strong core, good core activation, and a well functioning deep core during/after pregnancy has many benefits such as reducing pains/injuries, facilitates easier labor and helps with a better postpartum recovery.
The body’s primary respiratory muscle and breathing is the body’s master regulator. The DF turns on parasympathetic nervous activities of growth, immunity, digestion, and repair as well as reduces stress and improves focus. Also creates a healthier growth environment for the fetus.
The body’ s inner girdle that supports and stabilizes the spine to help resist the anterior pelvic tilt caused by the growing belly. Also the muscles that help push the baby out.
A series of muscles that form a sling at the bottom of the core, known as the “floor of the core “. They support the pelvic organs, stabilize the pelvis, control continence, aid in sexual response and assist in guiding the baby out properly during delivery.
Each of these play an important role in the Core Canister but the “magic ” happens when they work together to help with stability, transferring forces through our bodies, and managing intra abdominal pressure. Very critical in preventing and recovering from Diastasis Recti and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.
360 Breathing
Now that we have learned which muscles create our Core Canister, let’s learn how to activate all of these muscles to create that core canister pump, known as 360 breathing.
Once mastered in the laying and seated positions, we incorporate our breathing into movement and exercise. Main points to focus on (EXHALE on the effort)
EXAMPLES:
Standing squats:
Inhale as you lower down, exhale as you stand back up.
Reverse lunge with bicep curl:
Inhale as you lunge back & extend arms, exhale as you stand up and perform bicep curl.
Bent over rows:
Inhale as you extend the arms, exhale as you pull.
For cardio movements, or static holds:
Cue steady comfortable breathing.
Sample Workout Schedule
Monday
Leg Workout
Tuesday
Back and Shoulders Workout
Wednesday
Bicep and Triceps Workout
Thursday
HIIT/Low Impact Cardio Workout
Friday
Shoulder Workout
Saturday
Leg Workout
Sample Workout: Leg Workout
This is just an example of how a one day workout would be to show you how you can plan your workouts everyday. In my opinion I like choosing two exercises to alternate/superset back and forth from and repeating for a certain amount of sets but you can do it whatever way works for you.
WARM UP
3×5 of 360 breathing (refer to Youtube video)
10-20 min on any cardio equipment to get body warm and moving. Try and keep HR around 150.
SUPERSET 1
10-12 reps each exercise, Repeat 3-4x
Banded Hip Thrusts
Banded Hip Thrusts
SUPERSET 2
10-15 reps each leg/each exercise, Repeat 3-4x
Banded Hip Thrusts
Banded Hip Thrusts
SUPERSET 3
12 reps each leg/each exercise, Repeat 3-4x
Banded Hip Thrusts
Banded Hip Thrusts
6 Week Recovery
Banded Hip Thrusts
Shoulder Exercises
Bicep Exercises
Tricep Exercises
Back Exercises
Chest Exercises
Core Exercises
Banded Hip Thrusts
Cardio/HIIT Exercises
Squat, Jack, Tuck Jump