Two things I know are true: 1) moms are busy, which means we have a hard time finding time to work out (in a later post, we can talk more about how to find time for things like this!) AND 2) having babies does strange things to our bodies, especially our stomachs! You all might think I’m crazy, but even on my busiest days I try to do little workouts throughout the day. In fact, I do them so often that it’s getting to the point where my kids know how to do some of them. 🙂 My three-year-old is a rock star at push ups! So, I thought I would share with other Kansas City moms my three favorite abdominal exercises to sneak in during the day. These usually happen while playing ninja turtles, watching a show with my boys, or racing cars around the track in our play room. I know all moms are busy, so hopefully these quick and easy exercises will inspire you to find creative ways to sneak in a few things that are good for YOUR health!
1) Basic Plank – Start in a push up position, and lower yourself down to your elbows. Keep your body in a straight line. Don’t let that booty drop or lift it up too high! TIGHTEN your abs and try to hold the position for sixty seconds! Start with ten, fifteen, or thirty if sixty seems crazy and work your way up! BOOM. Strong ABS in sixty seconds while you play trains or Barbies with your kids.
2) Side Plank – Start by lying on your right side with your legs straight. Lift yourself up onto your right forearm. Your body will form a diagonal line. You can rest your left hand on your hip or lift it up to the sky. Think about pulling your right hip up to the sky and LIFT! Again, shoot for sixty seconds but if you need to, then start at ten seconds, rest five, then ten more seconds, rest for 5 … you get the idea! (The picture below is an option of how you can set your knee on the ground if you are not quite ready to lift your legs all the way off the ground.)
3) Leg Drops – These are great for those lower abs (which really get wrecked with pregnancy!). Lift both your legs to the ceiling. I like to rest my hands under my bum, but you can choose to put them there on on the floor right next to you. Exhale, then lower your legs until they are about four inches above the floor. Then, raise your legs back to the starting position. You can raise your head off of the ground like I am in the picture for more of a challenge, or, set it softly on the ground while you raise your legs for more of a beginner option. (If you are straining your neck, make sure to set your head on the ground – that’s an easy way to get an injury or a bad headache!) Repeat ten times and BOOM – strong abs, all while you watched Super Why with your kids!
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