When athletes work out, their goal is not to get rid of their love handles, or to try to get more definition in their arms. When they work out, their goal is to improve their strength, endurance, and overall performance in their sport. The side effects of this kind of functional, sports-specific training? Amazing looking bodies.
So, new mamas, I know you all want to lose the rest of the baby weight, get rid of the flab left behind on your bellies, and try to recognize your old bodies again, but I have a different idea for your workouts. Instead of focusing on all the things you want to change or get rid of on your body, why not train for motherhood? I promise, the side effects will be exactly what you’re already hoping for.
NEW MAMA WORKOUT
Squat – whether you’re squatting down to baby’s eye level; picking baby up; or picking up toys, the more you practice squatting the more likely you will be to use the movement in every day life, thereby protecting your back from strain.
Deadlift – when you’re reaching into your baby’s crib; leaning in to adjust the car seat; or picking up baby, the deadlift will strengthen your back and again ensure your body adapts to a safe way of lifting a heavy weight.Holding a weight to your chest (just like holding your baby!), with feet about shoulder-width apart, and shoulders back, push your butt back as you squat towards the ground. Think of reaching back with your hips to find an imaginary chair behind you. You can also do the squat with feet wide apart – just angle your feet out slightly if you do this sumo-style squat.
Holding weight in front of you (barbell or dumb-bells), bent from the waist, your head is up, chest and butt sticking out, shoulder blades squeezed tight. Keeping your legs straight, very quickly stand up straight. Lower slowly back to the bent-over position to start again.
Overhead press and Bench press – for fun airplane games with baby; pushing the stroller; or passing baby to someone else to hold! These movements will be used constantly in a mother’s day. Use these exercises to ensure your arms don’t tire out.
For the overhead press, you can do this standing or sitting. Make sure your arms go in a full range of motion. Start with the dumb-bells on your shoulders, and press your arms up overhead, elbows out, until they are totally straight. For the bench press, you can try with elbows in close (a narrow grip press), or out to the sides (wide grip press). Again, think about a full range of motion, let your elbows come down past the bench before pressing all the way over your chest. Tip: push ups are the same movement as a bench press, and you can do them anywhere!
Chop/twist – This is a movement made for your new role as a mama. This will train you for transferring baby to highchair, play-gym, or hip to hip. Also great for picking up baby and putting in the car-seat. And of course grabbing a toy and reaching it up to baby when she throws it down for the 100th fun time of the favorite ‘Watch Mama Fetch!’ game.
Squat to pick up a weight (or a cable) on the ground to one side of you. Straighten as you pick it up, and swivel your hips as you lift the weight up over your opposite shoulder. Squat as you swivel back to starting position.
Row – You may think you don’t need to train this pulling movement, but when you’re carrying the car seat, stroller, grocery bags, diaper bag (not all at once, of course), you are constantly using the muscles necessary for the rowing movement.
You can do this either narrow grip, with elbows in close to your body, or wide grip, with elbows winged out at shoulder level. If you’re in the gym you can use cables or the row bench; or if you’re working out at home or have access to dumb-bells, you can do a bent-over row. Either get into a deadlift position or use a bench to lean on as you pull the weight up.
Endurance cardio – for when you need your energy to keep going, and going, and going, and going…for as long as your baby keeps going!
The hands-down easiest way for a new mother to get cardio in is by walking. Baby in a carriage, or in a carrier or sling, you can just head out and start walking. Start with a 30 minute walk, and build up over time. Sometimes you just need to grab a 20 minute nap while your baby is sleeping during the day, but if you can manage it, baby’s sleep time is a great time to get out and take a long walk while he continues his nap in the stroller. It sounds counter-productive, but getting cardiovascular exercise in will actually increase your energy levels.
This kind of functional training routine strengthens the muscles you’re using every day, and ensures your body starts using safe patterns of movement, like squatting to pick up, instead of using your back to bend. Also, as you increase the amount of weight you can lift, the easier you will find the tasks you do daily. If you can deadlift 60lbs easily for 10 repetitions, imagine how easy it will feel to deadlift your 17lb baby! The “side effects” of the new mama workout will include body fat reduction; more defined arms, legs, butt, and abs; more energy; and feeling more positive about your body.
