Videos

Prenatal & Postpartum Exercise Videos

Finding Neutral Spine Against a Wall, in Standing, or Tall Kneel.
-Begin with your back flat
-Arch your spine so that you stick your stomach out and your pelvis moves down and backward
-Round round your spine so that you are squeezing your stomach in and your pelvis moves up and forward
-Repeat arching and rounding your back a few times until you feel pain free and balanced.

*This is a great exercise for your pelvis and your core.

Finding Neutral Spine In Quadruped
-Begin on your hands and knees with a straight spine
-Arch your lower back and move your stomach toward the floor
-Round your back as much as you can
-Repeat arching (full extension) and rounding (full flexion) your back a few times until you get comfortable, and begin narrowing in on a position between the two extremes that makes you feel the most pain free and balanced. That is your neutral spine.

*This is a great exercise for your pelvis and your core.

How to Test for Diastasis Recti
-Lay down on your back on a flat surface with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
-While relaxed, with your palm facing you, place your fingers just above the belly button
-Lift your head and neck off the floor, slightly so that your shoulder blades are still touching the floor, and press your fingers down into your abdomen
*The gap that you feel is the diastasis recti, see how many fingers it takes to fill that gap.
*If it is 3 or more fingers wide, then you should see a specialist (Physical Therapist or Women's Health Provider.)
-Repeat this test 2 more times; once just above the bellybutton, and once a few inches below the belly button
*You should feel your muscles squeeze around your fingers if you try to contract the abdominals
*If you do not feel the muscles tense up, then you need to work on reconnecting the abdominals and strengthening your core.

Exercises in Quadruped:
Quadruped Extension:
-Begin on your hands and knees; Hands should be shoulder width apart, wrists aligned under shoulders, and your knees aligned under your hips.
*Make sure you find your neutral spine before beginning (see the video on how to find neutral spine if you need help)
- Slowly extend your leg behind you and hold it for 5 breaths
*Make sure your leg is in line with the hip, not too far up and not out sideways
*Make sure you maintain your neutral spine as you do this, you don’t want too much of a hip shift so that you don’t cause back pain
-Repeat with the opposite leg. Do 10-15 repetitions with each leg.

-This exercise targets your core, your pelvis, your buttocks, and your thighs
-You can make this exercise more difficult by pumping your ankle back and forth as your leg is extended

Quadruped Extension (with alternating arms):
-Begin on your hands and knees; Hands should be shoulder width apart, wrists aligned under shoulders, and your knees aligned under your hips.
*Find your neutral spine before beginning (see the video on how to find neutral spine if you need help)
- Slowly extend your right leg behind you, your left arm in front of you, and hold it for 5 breaths
*Make sure your leg is in line with the hip, not too far up and not out sideways
*Make sure you maintain your neutral spine as you do this, you don’t want too much of a hip shift so that you don’t cause back pain
*Make sure your arm is nice and straight, aligned with your shoulder
-Repeat with the opposite leg and arm (left leg, right arm). Do 10-15 repetitions with each side.

-This exercise targets your core, your pelvis, your buttocks, and your thighs. It also works on your balance and stability.

Quadruped Crossover:
-Begin on your hands and knees; Hands should be shoulder width apart, wrists aligned under shoulders, and your knees aligned under your hips.
*Make sure you find your neutral spine before beginning (see the video on how to find neutral spine if you need help)
- Slowly extend your leg out to the side and hold for 5 seconds, then bring the leg across to the other side and hold for 5 seconds
*Make sure you maintain your neutral spine as you do this, you don’t want too much of a hip shift so that you don’t cause back pain
*You can place your toes on the floor for more stability, and as you become more balanced and stronger, you can try to keep your toes above the floor as you extend your leg to the side and across.
-Repeat with the opposite leg. Do 10-15 repetitions with each side.

-This exercise targets your core (abdomen, obliques), your pelvis, your buttocks, and your thighs. It also works on your balance and stability.

Exercises in Modified Supine:
Heel slides:
-Begin in a supine position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
*Supine: laying on your back or with a wedge/arms behind your back so that your heart is above your navel if beyond 1st trimester
-Slide your foot forward along the floor and hold it there for 5 seconds, then slide your foot back up to start position. 10-15 reps on each side
*Make sure you are engaging your abdomen: bring your bellybutton in toward your spine and up toward your nose instead of pushing your bellybutton out
*Remember to breathe in and breathe out when you are straining
*To make this exercise harder point your toes up toward your nose to activate your upper leg muscles
*To make this exercise harder try not to touch the floor while sliding your foot out and in, keep it above the floor an inch

-This exercise engages your core, your pelvis, your quads and your calves

Stationary Leg Lift:
-Begin in a supine position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
*Supine: laying on your back or with a wedge/arms behind your back so that your heart is above your navel if beyond 1st trimester
-Lift up one leg (no higher than the knee of your other leg) so that your leg is straight, knee isn’t bent, toes facing up toward your nose, and make sure you feel your quads activate. Hold the lift for 10-15 seconds and then switch legs (10 reps each leg)
*Make sure you are engaging your abdomen: bring your bellybutton in toward your spine and up toward your nose instead of pushing your bellybutton out
*Remember to breathe in, and breathe out when you are straining
*You can vary the position of the leg that you are lifting to activate different parts of your thigh muscles; you can have it very close to the ground, midway from the ground, or higher up where your knee meets the bent knee of your other leg. You should feel parts of your thighs are working as you vary the position.

-This exercise engages your core, your pelvis, and your quads

Dynamic Leg Lift:
-Begin in a supine position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
*Supine: laying on your back or with a wedge/arms behind your back so that your heart is above your navel if beyond 1st trimester
-Lift up one leg (no higher than the knee of your other leg) so that your leg is straight, knee isn’t bent, toes facing up toward your nose, and make sure you feel your quads activate (2 sec) and bring the leg down slowly to almost touch the floor (2 sec) bring the leg back up and repeat (15 reps each leg)
*Make sure you are engaging your abdomen: bring your bellybutton in toward your spine and up toward your nose instead of pushing your bellybutton out
*Remember to breathe in, and breathe out when you are straining
*You can vary the position of the leg that you are lifting to activate different parts of your thigh muscles; you can have it very close to the ground, midway from the ground, or higher up where your knee meets the bent knee of your other leg. You should feel parts of your thighs are working as you vary the position.

-This exercise engages your core, your pelvis, and your quads

Bicycle in Supine:
-Begin in a supine position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
*Supine: laying on your back or with a wedge/arms behind your back so that your heart is above your navel if beyond 1st trimester
*Make sure you are engaging your abdominal muscles by bringing your bellybutton in toward your spine and up toward your nose to help stabilize your spine
-Lift feet off the ground with your thighs vertical to the ground, and knees are bent at a 90 degree angle
*Remember to breathe in, and breathe out when you begin the movement and are straining
-Bring your right knee in toward your chest while straightening the left knee
*Hold the position for 3 seconds and then switch to bending the left knee and straightening the right knee; like riding a bicycle. (10 – 15 reps each leg)
*Perform movements slowly and controlled, make sure the core muscles are always engaged to avoid increasing pressure inside the abdomen
*Make sure you are taking deep breaths each repetition

-This exercise engages your core, your pelvis, and your thighs

Dumbbell and Physioball Exercises:
Bicep Curl:
-Sitting on a therapy ball with feet shoulder width apart, find your neutral spine
(for added balance, stability, core, and pelvic strength)
-Hold a dumbbell in each hand with thumbs curled around the grips and hands facing forward, arms down at your sides
            *Make sure your back is straight and shoulders are rolled back and down
-Bend elbows and slowly bring dumbbells to chest
            *Breathe out as your bring your arms up
            *Make sure to keep elbows out at sides, wrists in line with elbows
-Lower dumbbells slowly back to the starting position with arms at sides
            *Breathe in as you lower your arms
            *Make sure you keep your back straight and your shoulders back throughout

Hammer Curl:
-Sitting on a therapy ball with feet shoulder width apart, find your neutral spine
(for added balance, stability, core, and pelvic strength)
-Hold a dumbbell in each hand with thumbs curled around the grips and hands facing inward toward your sides, arms down at your sides
            *Make sure your back is straight and shoulders are rolled back and down
-Bend elbows and slowly bring dumbbells to chest (hands always facing in toward each other)
            *Breathe out as your bring your arms up
            *Make sure to keep elbows out at sides, wrists in line with elbows
-Lower dumbbells slowly back to the starting position with arms at sides
            *Breathe in as you lower your arms
            *Make sure you keep your back straight and your shoulders back throughout

Side Lateral Raise:
Sitting on a therapy ball with feet shoulder width apart, find your neutral spine
(for added balance, stability, core, and pelvic strength)
-Hold a dumbbell in each hand with thumbs curled around the grips and hands facing toward you, arms down at your sides
            *Make sure your back is straight and shoulders are rolled back and down
-Raise dumbbell to shoulder height so that your arms are parallel with the floor, and make sure that the palms of your hands are facing downward
            *Exhale as you raise your arms up
            *Hold this position for 2 seconds
-Bring your arm back down to your side with palms of your hands facing you
            *Inhale as you slowly bring your arms back down

Dumbbell Shoulder Press:
Sitting on a therapy ball with feet shoulder width apart, find your neutral spine
(for added balance, stability, core, and pelvic strength)
-Hold a dumbbell in each hand with thumbs curled around the grips and hands facing forward, arms down at your sides
*Make sure your back is straight and shoulders are rolled back and down
-Raise Dumbbells to shoulder height and make sure that the palms of your hands are facing outward (Starting Position)
-Push dumbbells upward and toward each other so that they touch
*Breathe out as you are pushing the dumbbells up
*Make sure your hands stay facing outward
-Hold the position at the top for 3 seconds and then slowly bring your arms down to the starting position
*Breathe in as you bring your arms down

Sciatica Stretches:
Seated Piriformis Stretch:
-Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground
*Keep a neutral spine
-Put the ankle of the affected side on to the opposite knee
-Lean forward while keeping your back straight until you feel a stretch through the buttocks
*Hold for 30 seconds.
*Repeat this throughout the day as long as pain does not get worse

Table Stretch:
-Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, neutral spine, and hands on a table or back of chair
-Lean forward while keeping your arms straight out and your back flat
-Pull your buttocks back until you begin to feel a stretch in your back, buttocks, and back of your legs
*Hold for 30 seconds or until you feel an adequate stretch
*repeat throughout the day as long as pain does not get worse

Hip Flexor Stretch:
-Start in a kneeling position on your hands and knees
-Bring your leg forward and step on one foot so your hip and knee form a 90 degree angle
- Bring your weight forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your back hip/leg
*Hold for 30 seconds
*Repeat on opposite side

Pigeon Pose (with roll modification):
-Start in a kneeling position on your hands and knees
-Bring your knee forward so that its between your hands
*You can place a towel behind your buttock/ hip if you are particularly tight
-Bring the left leg back with foot on the floor
-Lean forward over your knee and slowly lower yourself toward the ground
*Prop yourself on your hands, you can lean as far forward as you feel comfortable
*Hold for 30 seconds or as long as you feel comfortable, and then switch sides

Foam Roller for Gluteal Muscles and Hamstring Muscles:
-Sit on a foam roller with your hands behind you for support
-Cross your foot over your opposite knee
-Move yourself slowly back and forth on the foam roller until you find a tender spot
*Stay at this spot for 30-60 seconds, making small rolling motions
-Continue moving the foam roller until you find another tender spot

Gluteus (Booty) Exercises:
Glute Extension in Quadruped:
-Start in the quadruped position with a neutral spine
-Bring your leg up and back with knee flexed at a 90 degree angle
*Try to keep the leg perpendicular with the floor
*Hold the position for a few seconds and squeeze the muscle once your leg is perpendicular to the floor
* You can do this with your knee straight
*Adding ankle weights will help make this exercise more difficult

Modified Glute Extension:
-Start with your hands or elbows resting on a chair (depending how high the chair is) with your feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, and a neutral spine
*Bending your knees adds a balance, stability, and strengthening component to the stationary leg
-Bring your leg up and back with knee flexed at a 90 degree angle
*Try to keep the leg perpendicular with the floor
*Hold the position for a few seconds and squeeze the muscle once your leg is perpendicular to the floor
* You can do this with your knee straight
*Adding ankle weights will help make this exercise more difficult

Abduction in Quadruped (Fire Hydrant):
-Begin on hands and knees with a neutral spine
-Bring your leg out to the side
*Keep your knee bent; (this is where the fire hydrant part comes in, use your imagination)
*Make sure you are activating your buttocks and outer part of your thigh, as opposed to using your back

Modified Abduction (Fire Hydrant):
-Start with your hands or elbows resting on a chair (depending how high the chair is) with your feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, and a neutral spine
*Bending your knees adds more of a balance, stability, and strengthening component to the stationary leg
-Bring your leg out to the side
*Keep your knee bent; (this is where the fire hydrant part comes in, use your imagination)
*Make sure you are activating your buttocks and outer part of your thigh as opposed to using your back

Modified Supine Glute Bridge:
*This exercise is a more advanced version of a Glute Bridge that you could do while laying flat on the floor. Begin with the easier version before progressing to this one.
*The physioball adds an extra dimension of balance, core stability, and requires more activation of the thighs, glutes, abdominals, and back
*Laying on your back past the first trimester might put pressure on the vena cava and should be done with care. Watch out for dizziness/lightheadedness/trouble breathing. Discontinue if you feel any negative symptoms

-Begin with your back resting against the physioball, feet flat on the floor.
*Find your neutral spine
-Bring your buttocks up by activating your glutes
*Try to keep a 90 degree angle at the knees
*Activate your core as you squeeze your glutes by bringing your abdominal muscles in and up
-Hold the position with glutes activated for 10 sec and slowly release

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