Safe Exercises to Perform During Pregnancy
* Remember to always consult a physician regularly throughout gestation.
* The following list of exercises are simply ment as a GUIDE for the expecting mother. There are other variations of the exercises and other exercises that can be done during pregnancy.
Body Weight Stretches
Upper Body
Lower Body
Strength Training Exercises
Upper Body
Lower Body
Upper Body
Shoulder Stretch
- Hold your raised elbow above your chest.
- Pull your arm across your body with your opposite arm.
- Keep shoulders square ahead.
- Apply enough pressure to feel a stretch in your shoulder.
- Hold for ten to twenty seconds, repeat with both arms.
Triceps Stretch
- Bend your arm and pull it behind your head.
- Reach as far down your back with the bent arm.
- Apply pressure downward on your elbow with the opposite arm.
- You should feel a stretch in the triceps, shoulder, and the middle of your back.
- Hold for ten to twenty seconds, repeat with both arms.
Seaterd Shoulder Stretch
- In a seated position,
- Place arms straight behind you and reach as far as you can.
- Lean back slightly until a stretch is felt in the front of your shoulder.
- Hold for ten to twenty seconds.
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Lower Body
Feet Together (seated)
- Sitting on the ground, extend your legs out, keeping your feet together, and reach your hands toward your toes, grab your calves if you are unable to reach your toes.
- Relax your lower back to achieve an adequate stretch.
- Do not bounce and hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
Butterfly Stretch
- Sit on the ground.
- With your back up tall, pull your heels as close to your body as possible.
- Remain sitting up tall and push out on your knees with your elbows.
- Do not bounce and hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
Modified Hurdler
- Sitting on the ground, bring a heel to the opposite leg.
- Keep leg straight and flat on the ground.
- Reach with both hands towards your toes. If you can not reach your toes, reach as far as you can and grab under your leg.
- Do not bounce and hold for 10 to 30 seconds, repeat with other leg.
Extend the leg
- Lying on the ground, keep one leg extended on the ground, grab high on the calf of the opposite leg.
- Extend this leg by pushing your heel to the sky.
- Hold for 10-30 seconds, repeat with other leg.
- Should only be performed during the first trimester, the supine position should be avoided in later stages of pregnancy.
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Strength Training Exercises
Upper Body
Dumbbell Row
(Scroll over picture to see motion)
- Place the opposite hand on the bench for support.
- Place one foot slightly behind your hips on the ground with your knee slightly bent;
- Place the other knee on the bench below your hips. Your back should remain flat and your head should stay focused straight ahead.
- Grasp the dumbbell in one hand.
- Begin the exercise with the weight arm-length away.
- Slowly pull the weight to the chest while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Think of the hand as a hook and pull the weight using your upper back muscles.
- Pause the weight at the chest and slowly lower the weight to the starting position.
- Do not swing your arm to achieve the movement.
- Remain under control throughout the full range of motion.
- Perform desired repetitions on one arm then perform the same number on the opposite arm
Pulldown
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing your body). Make sure your hands are evenly spaced and approximately shoulder width apart.
- Begin the exercise with ams straight. Pull the bar to your chest, attempting to pull the elbows down and backward.
- Remain sitting up tall, with your eyes focused straight ahead.
- Pause the bar at your chest before extending the arms back to the starting position.
- Do not swing your body back and forth, remain under control throughout the full range of motion.
Incline Dumbbell Press
- Sit on a bench (with the back pad at a 45 degree angle), with your feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Start with the weight at chest level. With palms facing eachother, slowly press the dumbbells straight up.
- Pause with arms fully extended and then slowly lower the weights to starting position.
- When performing this exercise have a spotter standing directly behind you.
Machine Chest Press
- Depending on where you are working out will depend on what type of machine is available.
- Adjust the seat so the handles hit you in the middle of your chest.
- Press the machine lever arms straight out.
- Pause with arms straight, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
- A machine is a good alternative when there is no one available to spot dumbbell exercises.
Side Raises (Scroll over picture to see motion)
- Begin with arms hanging by the side of the body, thumbs pointed straight ahead.
- Keeping your arms straight, but not locked at the elbow.
- Raise the arms out to your sides until the hands are parallel with your shoulders.
- Pause at the top and lower the weight.
- Do not swing the weight at the top.
- Remain under control throughout the full range of motion.
- Stand up tall throughout the exercise, never arching your back.
Front Raises (Scroll over picture to see motion)
- Stand with knees slightly bent,
- Hold the dumbbells in front of your upper legs with arms fully extended (palms facing legs).
- Keep your arms straight, but not locked,
- Lift the dumbbells up until your arms are parallel to the ground.
- Pause at the top and then lower the dumbbells under control.
- Do not swing the weight at the top.
- Remain under control throughout the full range of motion.
Bicep Curls (Scroll over picture to see motion)
- Stand tall (or sit on a bench).
- Hold the dumbbells with your arms fully extended.
- Slowly curl your arms at the elbows bringing the weights up to your chin.
- Lower the weights under control to the starting position.
- Do not swing or arch your back during the movement.
Tricep Extensions (Scroll over picture to see motion)
- Sit at the edge of a bench/chair
- Hold a dumbbell with one hand and bend the arm over your head
- Use your opposite hand to stabilize your elbow.
- Push the dumbbell over your head.
- Lower the weight uder control to the starting position.
- Do not swing or arch your back during the movement.
Tricep Pressdown
- Stand facing the machine with hands on the bar, shoulder width apart, spaced evenly.
- Pull the bar down to the front of your body. Pause then return the bar slowly to the starting position.
- Keep the elbows fixed at your sides the entire time.
Lower Body
Ball Squat
- Your feet should be shoulder width apart, and a ball (swiss ball, stability ball, or even a basketball can be used) should be placed between your lower back and the wall.
- You can hold dumbbells or plates in each hand at the sides of your body, or the exercise can be performed with just your body weight.
- Place your feet on the ground at a distance so when you squat your knees will not go over your toes.
- Slowly lower your body to where your upper leg is parallel to the ground (or as low as you can go, not exceeding parallel to the ground). Pause, and then slowly raise your body back to starting position.
- Keep your chest tall throughout the motion. The ball will roll during the exercise and will end at the middle of your back (when in the squat position).
- Do not allow your knees to turn in, but keep them in line with your toes.
Leg Extension
- Start with both knees and both hands on the ground.
- With your back flat and your head looking straight ahead.
- Raise one leg up to the point where it forms a straight line from your head to your toes.
- Perform slowly, hold for a three count and then return to the start position, perform desered number of repetitions and then switch legs.
Back Bridge
- Lie on your back on the ground. Place your feet flat on the ground.
- Raise your hips up, squeezing your buttocks.
- Hold for a designated amount of time and then relax.
- This may not be able to be performed in the later stages of pregnancy.
Pelvic Tilt
- This can be performed on the ground or standing against a wall.
- When lying on the ground with your feet flat you will feel a small curve in the low of your back (the same is felt when standing against a wall).
- Push your belly button towards the ground or wall, controlling your pelvis.
- Hold for a count of three and then relax, repeat for the desired number of repetitions.