Joint gymnastics between mother and child is not only the health of the baby, but also another reason for communication between the closest people in the world. This is not a labor-intensive workout, but simple exercises, which do not cause fatigue in the mother, and give the baby only positive emotions. In children under one year of age physical development keeps pace with the psychological and mental, so a little time spent in early age- This is a huge investment in the future of the baby. But the most amazing thing is that there are exercises in which both the child and the mother train at the same time.
Exercises up to six months
A child several months old is very flexible, it is easy and interesting to work with him, but he is also fragile, so you need to work with him carefully. In the usual case, ten repetitions of each movement are enough, but the number of exercises in one approach can be increased over time to 20 times. It is advisable to exercise for up to 20 minutes; there is no point in doing this anymore, since the child still has a feeding and sleeping schedule. Also observe hourly intervals between quiet time, meals and exercise. The exercises are intended for mothers who understand that maternity leave is not a burden, but a time of new opportunities. Simple exercises:
Up to one year of age
The following exercises are for a child who can sit, he will soon learn to stand. Accordingly, mom can make more complex movements:
Gymnastics for young mothers who want to exercise with their child should be safe and enjoyable. You can do a specific set of exercises, or you can come up with your own movements that can be performed to music. The main thing is that in order not to injure the child, there is no need to make sudden movements, jumps, or shake the baby. But you can rock the baby smoothly; such static, leisurely movements will have a beneficial effect on the child’s well-being and on the mother’s muscles.
Fitness with baby
The stereotype that a woman who has infant, it is permissible to let yourself go a little in the daily care of the baby. The modern rhythm of life dictates its own conditions, and now many new mothers strive to get back in shape and to their previous activity as quickly as possible. Of course, the child still remains in first place, but this does not mean at all that he will interfere with exercise - on the contrary, the baby will become the best company for daily fitness training, and in some cases will make a worthy and charming competitor to the soulless sports equipment.
At home
There is a whole complex of simple but effective exercises, which you can do together with your baby from the sixth week after birth (unless, of course, the doctor recommends extending the recovery stage). The optimal period for such exercises is the age of the child from 3 to 12 months, when he already holds his head well, but does not yet walk confidently, and therefore enjoys sitting in his arms.
Dancing together
You can dance whenever you hold the baby in your arms or carry him in a kangaroo backpack or sling. The main thing is that the baby is pressed against you and his head is well supported. Play upbeat music and dance with your baby to your heart's content, or try a mix of fast and slow dancing to keep your baby's heart rate up.
Precautions: Dance in a fairly open space so that a bad turn won't cause your baby to hit you. Breathe deeply or sing. If you can talk or sing without difficulty, it means that your heart rate does not exceed acceptable values.
Crunches
These movements, which strengthen the abs and reduce stress on the lower back, can be done simply by playing with your child on a mat laid out on the floor.
1. Lie on your back, bend your knees, feet flat on the floor. Place your baby close to your hips (if he can't sit yet, rest his back on your hips) and grab his sides. Tighten your abdominal muscles and on the count of “one-two” lift your head, shoulders and shoulder blades off the floor, and on the count of “three” lower yourself into starting position. Do 15-20 repetitions, rest for a minute and do another set.
2. Lie on your back and raise your knees to your chest so that your shins are parallel to the floor. Place it on the baby's shins. Contract your abs to gently lift your butt off the floor and lift your head, shoulders, and shoulder blades. Lower yourself to the starting position. Do 15-20 repetitions, rest for a minute and do another set.
Presses with a baby
Presses will make your arm muscles strong and flexible, and will also strengthen your upper and mid back, triceps and biceps. In addition to the tangible benefits for your figure, these simple exercises will make it easier for you to carry your baby in your arms, even when he grows up.
1. Sit cross-legged on the floor, holding your baby close to your chest. Raise your baby above your head until your arms are almost straight. Stay in this position for a couple of seconds and lower the baby to the starting position. Do three sets of 10 repetitions, resting for a minute between sets.
2. Lie on your back, bend your knees, place your feet on the floor, tighten your abs and bring your shoulder blades together. Hold the baby tightly under the arms, pressing it to the chest. Gently straighten your arms, but do not straighten your elbows completely. Stay in this position, say “Let’s fly!” and lower the baby, returning to the starting position. Do three sets of 10 repetitions, resting for a minute between sets.
Precautions: when performing crunches and presses, the baby needs to support his head on his own, so you must be sure that he can really do this and is comfortable (usually the baby begins to support his head at about 1.5-2 months).
In the fitness center
If you are afraid of doing something wrong, prefer to exercise under the guidance of a trainer, or simply need company for stable training, you can sign up for an appropriate program at the nearest fitness center - today, when young mothers strive to be active even with a baby, many gyms offer similar services.
In the pool
Another pleasant and useful activity swimming together with the baby: many pools offer programs according to the “Mother and Child” scheme, combining exercises for a woman and a child.
On a walk
For lovers of “land” activities on fresh air There is also a win-win option: exercises with a stroller during regular walks with the baby. Here the range of effective exercises is truly limitless: quick step, alternating fast and slow walking, walking with a heel-to-toe roll, walking with tense buttock or abdominal muscles. And also those familiar with school lessons physical education “lunges” (alternate squats on one or the other with legs widely spaced) and “swallow”.
Precautions: When performing exercises with a stroller, you should not lean on the handle, as in this case the stroller can easily tip over. Just hold on to it so you can push the stroller.
Hello, girlfriend! Today we’ll talk about fitness, which will help not only your figure get back to normal, but also your adorable baby will absolutely love it!
Spring is in full swing, which means it's time to start preparing your figure for the summer season! Almost your entire wardrobe is, but what about your figure? How are you going to fit into a new ultra-stylish swimsuit when the imperfections of the shape are so obvious!
Do you remember, just recently we told you about morning jog for weight loss? We hope that you are already used to getting up earlier than usual, and you are not embarrassed by 30-minute runs through the parks.
But you must admit that this type of fitness, although very useful, is still not suitable for everyone! For example, what to do if there is no park or stadium near your home? What if you get up for work at such a time of day that there is no time left for a run?
In this case, they will come to your aid! Some of them will help get rid of excess weight faster, others will have to spend a little more time. But even here you won’t be satisfied with diets alone, forgive the pun. Any diet is good if you have:
- the willpower to endure it all and finally lose weight;
- availability of physical activity.
The two requirements listed above are mandatory in order for your figure to return to its former luxurious shape, and extra pounds They ran away in fear in all directions.
Today I will tell you about 5 wonderful exercises that you can do right at home! All these exercises will not require the makings of an athlete from you and will not take much time, and your figure will again become ideal.
A nice addition: all the proposed exercises can be performed with the baby, which is very important when the child is still very small and the mother’s fitness classes are a weak excuse for her absence.
Feet shoulder-width apart, arms with the child bent at the elbows. We bend our arms until the baby touches the chest. This exercise will get rid of sagging muscles in the chest, arms and stomach.
Everyone knows how to do push-ups since school. We make this exercise enjoyable for the baby by kissing him every time we go down. Exercise for the abs and buttocks.
We take the position as in the picture, place the child on his shins perpendicular to the floor. Holding the baby by the shoulders, we straighten the legs at the knees. Exercise for the abs, buttocks and thighs.
Exercise #4
Feet shoulder-width apart, arms with the child extended horizontally to the floor (the straighter the arms are, the cooler the effect will be). We rotate the body to the side, trying not to lower or bend our arms at the elbows. Exercise for oblique abdominal muscles and abs.
Exercise #5
Do you remember, back in school, during physical education lessons, they explained to us how to lunge forward? Everything is the same, only with a child in your arms. Exercise for the buttocks, hips and back.
The period of pregnancy and childbirth is already behind us, so now is the time to think about yourself. The opinion that a woman with a baby was allowed not to monitor her figure and not to rush to restore it has long been a thing of the past. physical fitness. Modern life dictates its own laws, and mothers who become plump after childbirth are no longer in fashion.
To return slim figure and part with excess folds on the body, you should return to physical activity two months after the birth of the baby. Exercises with a child in her arms will help mom cope with this difficult task.
Fitness with a child in your arms: general rules
In the absence of special recommendations from a doctor, exercise with a baby in your arms is allowed only six weeks after birth. The optimal age for a baby is from three months to one year, when he still walks unsteadily, but already holds his head well. When doing fitness with your child, follow these rules:
- Start training after consulting with your doctor;
- Do not exercise with your baby in your arms if he weighs more than ten kilograms (heavy weight increases the risk of injuries to joints, muscles and spine);
- During training, monitor your body’s reaction and the baby’s well-being (if you or your child feel discomfort, exercise should be suspended);
- Avoid sudden movements;
- To get maximum effect, perform exercises at a slow pace;
- Plan your schedule so that fitness classes begin at fifteen o'clock (at this time the metabolism is most intense);
- Introduce your child to activities no earlier than forty minutes after he has eaten;
- Perform the exercise as many times as is convenient for you and your baby;
- Every time you go down to your little one, make a face at him, kiss him, blow on his face;
- At first, perform no more than ten times in each approach;
- To make the workout fun and for your baby to develop a sense of rhythm, do fitness while listening to music.
Use for fitness free time when the child is in good mood and is ready to play with you. If your baby doesn’t like some exercises, replace them with others.
Set of exercises
Downloading the press
This exercise for mothers after childbirth strengthens the abs and reduces the load on lumbar region spine. It is performed on a mat, while playing with your little one. The press technique is as follows:
- Sit on your back and bend your legs knee joints. Place your baby on your stomach close to your hips. Hold the baby by the back or arms. Raise your upper body one at a time (the baby is in a horizontal position). On two, return to the starting position. The exercise should be repeated ten times;
- To strengthen lower press Lie on your back, raise your knees to your chest and place your baby on your shins. Hold your baby firmly and lift your buttocks off the floor while lifting your shoulder blades and head. Do two hikes ten times each.
Push-ups
To strengthen the muscles in your arms and chest, place your baby on the floor, place your arms on either side of him, and do push-ups. To make it more enjoyable for your little one, you can play with him during the “landing”.
Bench press with baby
Presses are used to strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower back, as well as the muscles of the arms. In addition to the health benefits for the mother, these exercises will make it easier to carry the little one in your arms when he gains weight. To perform bench presses with your baby, use these instructions:
- Sit on the mat and cross your legs, holding your baby to your chest. Raise the child above you with almost straight arms and remain in this position for two seconds. Perform three sets of ten times with short breaks;
- In a lying position, bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Holding your baby under your arms, straighten your arms. Pause in the upper position and lower down, holding the baby to your chest. Perform three sets of ten times.
Do not forget that to perform any exercises, the baby must hold his head well.
Strengthening the leg muscles
The following set of exercises is aimed at losing weight after childbirth:
- Place your baby in a baby carrier or sit on your neck if he already knows how to sit. Holding the baby by the arms, perform squats, gradually increasing the squatting time to five minutes;
- Sit on a chair, cross your legs and sit your child on your leg. Take your little one on a makeshift swing. Then switch legs;
- Lie down on the mat, place the baby on your stomach, and place your feet on a low chair or sofa. Lift your buttocks and thighs off the mat, tensing your muscles and straightening your body. Hold this position for three seconds, then relax.
Lunges with a baby
To perform this exercise, which strengthens the buttocks and thigh muscles, use the following instructions:
- Take the baby in your hands, turn his back to you and press him;
- Take a wide step forward with your right foot;
- Lunge with your knees bent (left knee pointing toward the floor and shin right leg perpendicular to the floor);
Hugging squats
Couples fitness is very useful for both mothers and children. The next exercise, like the previous one, is aimed at strengthening the buttocks and thigh muscles. We present the technique for its implementation:
- Take the baby in your arms, hug and hold him close;
- Turn your back to the chair seat;
- Tighten your abdominal muscles, keeping your back straight;
- Sit on a chair, pushing your buttocks back;
- After touching the seat, take the starting position and repeat all over again.
Children's elevator
With this exercise for mothers you can achieve fantastic results, strengthened in a few weeks regular classes shoulder muscles, biceps and top part backs. The technique for performing the “children’s lift” is very simple:
- Take the baby in your arms and sit on a chair;
- Turn the baby to face you and hold him at chest level;
- Tighten your abs and lift the baby by straightening your arms;
- Take the starting position and repeat all over again.
Home swing
This exercise for moms perfectly strengthens the abdominal muscles. The technique for doing it is as follows:
- Sit on the floor and bend your knees;
- Place the baby with its stomach on your shins, holding it on the sides;
- Roll onto your back, lifting your feet off the floor and lifting the baby above you;
- Take the starting position and repeat all over again.
Crunches with a child
To strengthen the abdominal muscles, fitness instructors have developed the following exercise:
- Take your baby and lie on your back;
- Bend your knees, place your feet on the floor;
- Place the baby on your stomach so that its back rests against your thighs, and hold it on the sides;
- Raise your body, reach out to the baby, smile and kiss him.
Slide
To find relief press And toned buttocks, follow these steps:
- Lie on the floor with your knees bent;
- Place the baby on your stomach and slowly lift your hips up, resting on your shoulders and feet;
- Press your head to the floor and stay in this position for two seconds;
- Slowly lower yourself down.
Dancing with a baby
You can dance every time you hold your baby in your arms.
The most important thing is that the baby is pressed to you, and his head adheres well. Turn on lively music and dance with your child to your heart's content. You can alternate between fast and slow dance. During such activities, precautions must be taken. Fitness instructors advise choosing an open space for joint dancing so as not to accidentally injure the baby.
Looking even slimmer and fitter after childbirth than before is the dream of every pregnant woman. From the category of science fiction, you say? Not at all. And we have living proof of this. Meet Marina Fedotova - our reader who managed to achieve excellent result, despite all the “buts”. She shared with us some secrets that helped her not only regain, but also improve her physical shape after childbirth. Interesting? Then find out about it first hand.
Prologue
For those who have been involved in sports their entire adult life, temporarily giving up their favorite activity can turn into real stress. Back in high school, I went to fitness, then there was sports dancing, then - running, swimming, and finally, during pregnancy -. It was pregnancy, and then motherhood, so unfamiliar to me, that immersed me almost two years ago - why hide it? - into dark thoughts.
First of all, like most girls, I was, of course, afraid of gaining weight. I had no idea how many kilograms this could be - on “mother’s” forums the numbers fluctuated in the range of 2-42 (!) kg. Secondly, I had no idea how you could do anything with a baby, not to mention sports (this is now clear - you can do at least three things at the same time!). Fortunately, during pregnancy, I was lucky enough to find an intelligent yoga instructor specifically for expectant mothers - we met with her twice a week for the entire second and third trimester, that is, six months. Well, a subscription to a sports club with a swimming pool came in handy - again, twice a week I swam at least a kilometer. I'll be honest, on recent months swimming was difficult for me - for some reason after the pool I really wanted to sleep, I worked in an office, and I really didn’t want to look like a sleepwalker... But I forced myself to swim and not sleep =) Plus in the evenings I walked with the dog. At least an hour and a couple of kilometers. In general, I think that in those 6 months that I could play sports, I was not fanatical, but I kept my body in good shape.
And childbirth loomed ahead... And, as I imagined, endless immersion in the child with the obligatory attributes in the form of an unwashed head, a stretched robe and - oh horror! - excess weight coupled with the inability to get rid of it. After all, I was not supposed to have a nanny, my husband left for work at 8 am and returned exactly 12 hours later, and my parents were far away. That is, it was not possible to leave the baby in someone else’s care to go to the gym...
This is my story, it contains 99% of unique factors - heredity, everyday characteristics, surrounding opportunities. But maybe it will inspire you, and between the lines you will be able to see a way out in your situation.
Part 1
I think I'm lucky. The worst dream of all pregnant women - to recover after childbirth - remains a nightmare. I left the maternity hospital weighing less than before pregnancy. But! The body condition was far from ideal. The stomach is flabby, the buttocks are “extinct”, the arms and legs are thin and lifeless...
When the first shock of the screaming baby in my arms passed, I thought: what to do?! The doctor strictly forbade any physical activity in the next two months, but kamon! Women's ingenuity will find a way out of any stalemate!
As soon as I could go for a walk with the baby, I put on sneakers and tights and drove the stroller into the park, to the usual running distance. To diversify the monotonous walking, I turned on an audiobook. Here are three useful things for you at the same time! As a result, for the first few weeks such walks became my only, but extremely useful ones. sports load. Firstly, the stroller with the child weighed about 20 kg, i.e. walking with additional weight. Secondly, there were at least two such walks of one and a half to two hours a day, which means that I walked about 20 km! Now that I remember, I’ll shudder =) The result is that my thighs have noticeably tightened, my butt has regained its elasticity, and my “breath” has regained its former stamina.
At the same time, at home, I managed to pump up my arms using a Shake weight vibrating dumbbell. It was given to my husband, but he considered that THIS was not a dumbbell, and put it out of sight, until suddenly the sports device came in handy. Vibration provides base load over the entire torso, in particular the abdominal muscles, chest, deltoids shoulders The description also says that the principle of operation of the dumbbell is based on inertial resistance, which must be overcome by the muscles to complete the full cycle of the exercise. This effect is achieved due to the vibration of the dynamic parts of the dumbbell, which makes the muscles work much more intensely. In any case, for the first few days I had a sore throat, and in two months, when it was impossible to play sports, my dumbbell did its job - I put the muscles of my arms and shoulders in order. Yes, yes, don’t flatter yourself. Although the dumbbell looks simple, it’s not so easy to “vibrate” for a minute on each hand, as in the training video =)
And another secret exercise that allowed you to train your abdominal muscles and tighten your stomach - Uddiyana Bandha from yoga practice. At first I did it lying down, then standing, several times a day.
And, girls, don't forget about Kegel exercises!!! Google it =)
Part 2
The morning my son turned two months old, the first thing I did was pump up my abs. Surprisingly, there was no soreness, and... away we go! To my walking half-marathon “races” I added exercises for “cubes” (after several tries it turned out for me effective complex Ab ripper P90X - it perfectly forms the relief), hula hoop, several exercises for the hips (unloved, but effective lunges, deadlifts and squats) and buttocks (classic “bridge”). A rainy November is looming outside, followed by a chilly winter. It became more and more difficult to make laps with the stroller due to the weather conditions, as well as the change in the baby’s routine - he began to sleep less and stay awake more, it was no longer possible to feed him outside, and we began to spend more time at home. But even here there was a way out.
When the weather allowed, I put my son in an ergo-backpack and, with a “weight” of 6 kg, went out for the same race walking, to which lunges and squats were added in the fresh air. Important note: shoes should be non-slip and pants should have good stretch =)
Another surprise literally crept up from behind. During the first months of motherhood, my lower back, and in principle all my muscles, became “tired” and urgently required stretching. Then I remembered my “pregnant” yoga and began to practice asanas with my awake son as an admiring spectator. At three or four months, babies are already aware of what is happening around them, capable of “dialogue” with others, some even begin to roll over. I put the baby on the floor and made him laugh just by bending over, standing up, reaching for him, turning away and turning - probably this is exactly what yoga looks like from his point of view =)
Result: I finally got into Shirshasana (headstand).
Part 3
Spring has come. My son turned six months old. Now he slept much less, and the rest of the time he demanded attention and participation. This meant that I had even less time for sports and other personal life. But, girls, we remember that the impossible is possible, right? In my case, the solution to the problem called “don’t let yourself relax” was . Several years ago, my husband brought them from the USA, deciding to train like the Marines - with a minimum number of equipment and with the heaviness of his own weight. But the simulator gathered dust on the mezzanine for a long time, until one early morning, during another walk, I appreciated the full potential of the trees growing in the park and the flat clearing underneath them. The loops clung perfectly to both poles and tree branches. In workouts with TRX on YouTube you can find a lot of different exercises different levels complexity. So I carved out another 30 minutes for physical activity- during this time, three times a week it was possible to work out all muscle groups. Two or three more times I continued to study race walking with a weighted stroller or finally ran while her husband was “working as a dad.” Since it was rarely possible to stretch out a run for an hour, in order to get objective benefits from the exercise, I practiced interval running - alternating brisk walking, jogging and speed running.
Sometimes it was possible to do abdominal exercises right in the park - on a bench or mat right on the lawn. More often, I did them at home: either early in the morning, while everyone was sleeping, or late in the evening, when everyone was ALREADY asleep, or in the company of a baby crawling next to me =) In the first two cases, strength training the minimum required set of asanas was added. In the morning - Surya Namaskar (or Sun Salutation), in the evening - breathing practices and. I twirled the hula hoop during the day to the delight of my son, who enthusiastically watched me from his playpen. It took me a maximum of an hour to do everything in total, but in fact these 60 minutes were divided into two or three parts.
Part 4
Summer is approaching. And this is another challenge. The baby and I are moving to the dacha. Sun, air and water, in a word. There I plan to continue using TRX and finally try Tabata workouts and Insanity from Sean, or something like that from the Body Rock channel on YouTube. Fortunately, the “English lawn” allows you to jump without a twinge of conscience and without limiting the span of your arms and legs =) At home, on the sixth floor, the potential dissatisfaction of the neighbors below was holding me back...
Secondly, I pulled out my ergo-backpack again - we will walk with the little one to the river and back while he sleeps. His sleep now is short and light. So, I hope the proximity of my body - the familiar smell and the beat of my mother's heart - will set my son in the right calm mood.
Well, I’ve already replaced it with hour and a half walks holding my son by the hand. Three hours of such promenades expend as much energy, if not more, than a 30-minute interval jog.
Epilogue
As I already said, each of us has unique circumstances. Apparently, I am one of the types of women who do not gain weight while breastfeeding, but on the contrary, even lose weight. And thanks to almost daily five-minute sports, my body is now even better than before pregnancy. What have I learned over the past nine months?
Anything is possible, just don't be lazy, and think about HOW to implement your plan. Excuses like “I have infant", as you can see, they don’t roll =)
Be flexible. The routine and acquired skills of children change every one and a half to two months, and weather conditions are the same. The main thing is not to fall into despair because the life schedule that has just been established suddenly again requires revision, but to approach this issue with imagination.
Don't be shy. Yes, at first I was embarrassed for my activity, which was atypical for most mothers with strollers. But after some time, when I got involved in motherhood and its accompanying attributes, I didn’t care at all what I looked like. In Alaska and moonboots in ten-degree frost, I continued to squat, do lunges and do push-ups. WTF?! This is my life, my body and my health.
Use the moment: the child is in a good mood - put away the mop / dishes / iron - . You can remove / wash / iron later. I often do exercises at home when my son is crawling somewhere nearby. And when he sleeps, I sleep with him. This is an acquired skill, but from another story - about how to start practicing healthy image life after childbirth.
P.S. Unfortunately, I don’t have photos from the “training” - to be honest, I didn’t think about documenting everything I talked about. Therefore, I am sharing what I have - during pregnancy, with my four-month-old son, and what is relevant.
