The Prenatal Pelvic Floor Foundation – Prep For Your Workout

Posture is key during pregnancy. Workouts that may have been routine before, may need a little reassessment based on how your body is changing. We chatted with physical therapist and core specialist Solange Ross, founder of NYC-based Complete Core on the best way to engage our pelvic core to prep for our workouts.

“Your body is going through a lot of changes during pregnancy. These changes include increased blood volume, increase in pregnancy hormones, weight gain, changes in the curves of the spine, change in center of mass, and pregnancy related aches and pains,” says Ross. “We feel these changes in the muscles supporting our pelvis and rib cage. Doing this routine will prime your postural system. It gives the smaller muscles that stabilize the spine, pelvis and rib cage an opportunity to work in targeted exercises, so they become more active in total body, dynamic movements. The foundation will give you the sense of your inner postural system working from front to back, providing stability.”

Estimated time: 10 minutes

1. All Fours Scapula Retraction and Protraction

   Start on all fours with the hands positioned underneath the shoulders, and knees underneath the hips. Cat/Cow to find the midpoint of the lower back. Inhale to prepare, breathe into the belly and draw the shoulder blades together. Exhale, draw the belly in and press the shoulder blades apart. Focus on mobility in the upper back in between the shoulder blades. Repeat 10X.

   

2. Alternate Arm Lift

   Come back to the midpoint between Cat/Cow. Inhale breathe into the rib cage and belly to prepare. Exhale draw the belly in to stabilize the back and pelvis, extend 1 arm in front of you. Focus on keeping your hips and back even and working through the mid back as you lift the arm. Repeat 10X alternating sides.

   

3. Alternate Leg Lift

   Start in midpoint between Cat/Cow. Inhale breathe into the rib cage and belly, exhale draw the belly in to stabilize, extend one leg behind you off the mat. Focus on keeping your hips even and not shifting the supporting hip out to the side. Repeat 10X alternating sides.

   (With practice you can combine 2 & 3 together into one exercise)

   

4. All Fours Hip Abduction

   Start in midpoint between Cat/Cow. Inhale breathe into the rib cage and belly, exhale draw the belly in to stabilize, lift one leg bent out to the side. Avoid rotating the chest and the lower back when you lift the leg. Repeat 10X each side.

   

5. Knee Press

   Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Inhale breathe into the rib cage and belly to prepare. Exhale press your hands into your thighs, draw the front hip bones together, and focus on wrapping the abdominals around the waist. Hold 5 seconds or the length of your exhale. Repeat 10X.

   Modification for Second/Third Trimester

   Sitting Knee Press. Sit up tall in good sitting posture. Inhale breathe into the rib cage and belly to prepare. Exhale press your hands into your thighs, draw the front hip bones together, and focus on wrapping the abdominals around the waist. Hold 5 seconds or the length of your exhale. Repeat 10X.

   

6. Bridge

   Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Position your feet hip distance apart, about one foot away from your seat. Inhale to prepare breathing into the rib cage and belly. Exhale, draw front hip points together and lift the hips off the mat. Lower down hovering the lower back off the mat. Repeat 10X.

   Modification for Second/Third Trimester: Use an incline for the upper body.

   

7. Bridge Stabilization

   Lift up into a bridge to start. Engage through the back of the thighs, glutes, and lower belly. Inhale to prepare, exhale slowly lift one leg up and extend the leg forward, keeping the pelvis level. Be mindful that the pelvis may want to drop on the side of the leg you are lifting. Repeat 10X, alternating sides.

   

8. Side Leg Raise

   Lie on your side with the bottom leg bent, top leg straight, aligned with your torso. Keep your toes pointed forward and make sure that you are not collapsing into your waist. Inhale to prepare, exhale lift the leg straight up. Repeat 10X each side.