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Parenthood. You’re holding the baby for long periods of time. You’re lifting the baby in and out of the crib. You’re holding all the baby’s belongings (how can such a small human have so many things!). You’re sitting with the baby and you stand up with the baby. Not to mention…that baby ain’t getting any lighter! Whew, you need to be strong for parenthood! Here are the top 4 areas I would focus on to prepare your body for parenthood (moms and dads!).
First, your back or postural muscles. Posture and alignment are things you always hear us talk about. The ‘A’ in ABC Fit Collective stands for Alignment. It is one of the first things we want you to focus on postpartum when physically preparing for parenthood. When you move with proper alignment, there is less chance of injury and a greater chance of the correct muscles working the way they are supposed to. To improve posture, I want to strengthen my back muscles. Two of my favorite back exercises are farmer’s or suitcase carries and bent over rows. These exercises will directly relate to the everyday activities of parenthood. When you are carrying your baby and all their belongings, you’ll need your back muscles working to keep you upright.
Second, your butt or glute muscles. You’ll go from sitting to standing with the baby; standing up from a chair, a couch, or the ground. You’ll be picking up toys, a bassinet, a carseat and so on. You want to use your glutes for these movements. If your glutes aren’t working, chances are your low back is overworking which can cause pain. Two exercises to focus on to strengthen your glutes are squats and deadlifts. Two of the most functional exercises, squats and deadlifts will also be a constant in your everyday parenting life.
Third, your shoulders. As we’ve said, there will be a lot of lifting, holding and carrying, especially into and out of awkward spaces like the crib or car seat. Your arms will be reaching into these spaces to pick up your baby…that once again, ain’t getting any lighter! Your shoulders will be working. Two exercises to strengthen your shoulders are overhead presses and front raises. These exercises will help with the everyday demands of parenthood.
Fourth, your core muscles. In order to accomplish all of the above, your core has to be working! Your core has to work in order for your back, butt, and shoulders to function properly. When I do bent over rows, farmer’s carries, squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, front raises, etc, my core is working in every single exercise to keep my alignment and brace my spine. So while I believe every exercise is a core exercise, two additional core exercises to focus on for parenthood are planks and side planks. I know that sounds pretty boring but sometimes the best exercises aren’t so glamorous. These two exercises will build 360 degree strength through your core and will definitely translate to your parenting responsibilities.
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