Prenatal Home Workout

Try this WOD (workout of the day)!  Before starting any exercises, remember to warm up, stretch, and drink plenty of water.

Instructions

Complete 2-3 rounds of 15 reps.  

Circuit One

• Alternating bird dog - Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Draw your shoulder blades together. Raise your right arm and left leg, keeping your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor. Lengthen the back of your neck and tuck your chin into your chest to gaze down at the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds, then lower back down to the starting position.
   
• Double pulse squat - Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and feet well pressed on the ground. Drop into a squat position, ensuring that your back is straight and stretch your hands out in front. Pulse twice in the squat position before straightening our body back to starting position.  
   
• Side plank lifts - Lie on your left side propped up on your left elbow and forearm, shoulders stacked over your elbow, legs stacked on top of each other, and hold a dumbbell in place on top of your right hip. Raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Switch sides.

Circuit Two

• Alternating lateral lunge - Start in a standing position, take your feet out sideways so that they are wider than shoulder-width and toes turned out slightly. Then bend your left knee and push your hips backward, to lower yourself down over your left foot. Your right leg should remain as straight as possible. Switch sides.
   
• Lunge pulse - Stand with feet together. Take a large step backward to get into a lunge position. Lower your back knee so it's just barely touching the ground. Lift up to flex your butt muscles then lower down again. Pulse up and down for a given number of reps then switch sides. 
   
• Tricep dips - Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair. Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you. Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints. Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. 

Circuit Three

• Leg lifts - From all fours, lift one leg up in a smooth and controlled motion, and then lower it back down to the ground. Try pulsing your leg happen at the top of the lifting motion. Switch sides.
   
• Pushups - Get down on all fours, placing your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Straighten your arms and legs. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause, then push yourself back up. 
   
• Speed skaters - Start with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart and arms at the sides. Bring one leg behind at a slight angle into a reverse lunge. The front knee will come to a 90-degree angle. Swing the arms in front of that bent knee and leap the back leg forward to switch sides in a skating motion. Arms alternate as you switch sides like a speed skater.