What Exercises Can I Do in My Second Trimester?
Good news mumma, the second trimester is usually when your energy comes back. And that makes it the perfect time to move your body. This is a 30 minute low impact full body workout. No equipment needed. No jumping. Just safe, effective movement for you and your baby.
One important rule before you start, you should always be able to hold a conversation while exercising. If you can’t catch your breath enough to talk, slow down.
Warm Up
- Stand with feet wide apart, take deep inhales reaching your arms up
- Gentle neck rolls in both directions
- Reach your arms out and tap your opposite knee or foot to warm up gently
Standing Cardio and Strength
45 seconds of each move, 15 seconds rest in between. Keep your core gently engaged throughout.
- Stars — squat down and reach your arms and one foot out to the side alternately. No jumping
- Curtsy lunges — hands to shoulders, alternate curtsy lunges side to side
- Speed skaters — move side to side, pause and balance on one leg before switching
- Calf raise to side lunge — rise up on your toes then lunge to the side, chest lifted
- Shuffle with hamstring curls — shuffle to one side, do two hamstring curls, shuffle back
- Wide plie pulses — wide stance, heels lifted, pulse low while engaging your core and inner thighs
- Rocking jabs — 90 degree stance, rock back and forth throwing small forward jabs. Repeat other side
- Stationary lunges with chest squeeze — sink into a lunge, as you rise bring your arms together in front to squeeze your chest
- Low impact jumping jacks — hands behind your head, alternate tapping one foot in front
- Squats — sit back as if into a chair, weight spread across your feet. These are one of the best exercises to prepare your body for labour mumma
- Standing oblique crunches — hands up, exhale and lift your knee to the side alternating legs
- Pilates stance pulses — heels together, hands on hips, squeeze your inner thighs and hold for 3 seconds
- Lateral lunges — step side to side sinking deep into your hips
- Box walks — stay low in a squat, step forward twice then back twice
- Wall push ups — back your feet away from a wall and perform push ups against it
- Squat with side leg lift — squat and as you rise lift one leg out to the side, alternate
Mat Work
Come down to your mat slowly and carefully. Keep your back strong and your baby pulled in.
- All fours leg crosses — extend one leg straight back, cross it over your resting leg squeezing your inner thighs, extend back out. 10 reps then pulse at the end
- Fire hydrants — still on all fours, lift your bent leg out to the side keeping your hips steady. Switch sides
- Hip circles — a few gentle circles in both directions to stretch out
- Modified side plank — prop up on your forearm and bottom knee, dip your hip down, lift your top knee then straighten your leg. 10 reps
- Side lying leg circles — lie on your side, support your head with your hand, lift your top leg and do 10 tiny circles forward and 10 backward
- Glute bridges — roll onto your back but don’t stay there long. Flatten your lower back, engage your pelvic floor and roll your hips up into a bridge. Hold for a breath, fully relax on the way down before going back up. Add pulses at the top on your last rep
- Repeat the side plank and leg circles on the other side
Cool Down Stretches
- Seated figure four stretch — cross one ankle over your opposite knee and ease into the stretch for your hips and glutes
- Wide leg side reaches — legs open wide, reach your arm up and over your head alternating sides. This makes beautiful space under your ribs for your baby
- Butterfly stretch — soles of your feet together, knees falling out, sit tall or fold gently forward
You did it mumma. That’s 30 minutes of movement for you and your baby. Be proud of yourself.
Source: Pregnancy and Postpartum TV — watch the full workout here