At-Home Prenatal Core Workout | Fitness Friday

It’s important to work your abdominal muscles even during pregnancy, but you don’t want to just do any ‘ole ab exercises! This prenatal workout from Rachel Sevier of Shape Fitness is made up of some great exercises that will strengthen your core and hip complex during pregnancy and help you prepare for labor. You know, #vitalthings.

Want to check out some of the other prenatal / at-home workouts I’ve shared? Check them out below:

• At-Home Tricep & Shoulder Workout
• Prenatal Lower Body Workout
• Easy At-Home Prenatal Step Cardio Workout
• 5 Tips for Exercising While Pregnant
• Prenatal Superset Upper Body Workout
• 15 Min Low-Impact Prenatal Workout

Squats

Begin with your feet just wider than hip width apart and turn your toes out slightly. Keeping your chest up, sit your butt back and down, with all of your weight in your heels. Drop your booty as low as you can, feeling your hips open up. Then press through the heels, squeezing the butt until you return to a full standing positon. Repeat 12- 15 reps.

Side Plank Hip Raises

Lay on your side on the floor with your bottom knee bent and top leg straight so that your foot is resting on the floor. Your elbow of the bottom arm will be placed directly under your shoulder. Top arm goes wherever is comfortable for you. Pressing through your entire forearm and engaging your obliques, lift your hips off the floor as high as you can. Hold for 10 seconds before lowering back to the floor. Complete 8-10 reps per side.

Cat Glute Raise with Pelvic Tilt

Begin on the floor on your hands and knees. Engage the core to keep your lower back from drooping due to your belly. Straighten one leg out behind you. Draw the knee toward your chest, tucking your pelvis under. Now straighten the leg back out and lift it behind you, squeezing the butt. For an added a challenge, lift the opposite arm out simultaneously with the leg. Complete 12-15 reps per side.

Seated Leg Lifts

Begin sitting on the edge of a chair with your heels directly below your knees and place your hands under your butt. Tuck the tailbone under as you lift one knee up toward your chest. Place your foot back on the floor and repeat with your other leg. Complete 12-15 reps per leg. 

Seated Dead Lifts

This exercise is best with a resistance band or some light dumbbells but can also be done with no weight at all. Sit on the edge of chair, ankles directly under your knees. Place the band under your feet and lean forward, keeping your back straight. Take the ends of the band taut in your hands. Engage the entire core and pull on the band as you sit straight up in the chair. Feel your lower back engaged and working. Lean forward back to the start position and repeat 12-15 total reps.

What do you think? Will you give this workout a try? Any other core exercises you’d add?