Are express workouts worthwhile during pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood?

With the very full lives we all lead as women and mothers it can be challenging to find the time and motivation to exercise. Express workouts are worthwhile however there are a few important things to consider during pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood to ensure you are moving safely and effectively

Express workouts for any level of fitness

In my BFABMETHOD online I have created a selection of Express Workouts available for all levels of fitness for pregnancy, postpartum and any stage of motherhood.

These workouts are designed to deliver targeted results in the shortest time possible, no matter how busy you are.

Just like Tash here who is pregnant with a toddler…

Express Workouts – Fast. Functional. Focused

To ensure express workouts remain safe and effective consider this :

• FAST  – just because the workout itself is only 5 to 15 minutes in length short – does NOT mean you need to rush through the movements. An optimal workout with less injury is when you slow your pace and connect better to your body, by allowing your muscles to fully activate with more “time under tension” ….this doesn’t mean extra clenching. Just tuning in and allowing a full range of movement….which brings me to my next point

• FUNCTIONAL – Too often we mentally demonize some movements or think “they aren’t doing anything’ “why am I bothering” “this isn’t enough” when in reality we aren’t using the variations that meet our needs OR using proper recruitment patterns…which (back to the point) above happens when we rush !

Functional movement means a better connection to your body and also becoming aware of HOW you do the movement during a workout, and how this move also translates to everyday life. For example – when performing a squat during a workout with beautiful form, combined with breath. Are you also doing this when you pick up the groceries and pram when you load them into the car ? Often functional form is lost in everyday life as again we are rushing, or onto the next point…are not focused

• FOCUS –  Our bodies normally take the path of least resistance to perform the movements we ask of it. This is a double-edged sword. Our mind wants to do what we ask so it recruits the muscles available. Muscles that may be overactive (and exhausted) because of our daily posture and frequent “mama moves” like leaning over prams, change tables and pushing prams. These movements use muscles that aren’t necessarily the best option for the job….especially when the suitable muscles such as the core muscles are not ready to support or activation as they are recovering from birth or carrying the load of your baby in the womb.

However, because those are the only ones your brain can easily recruit, it calls on them. And then you are do the movements your daily life (and workouts) require….

So, we can only ask so much of these muscles and the loads we ask them to carry because we can’t recruit the right muscles is too much for them. And that is why we end up sore or at worse injured.

This injury may happen when you are doing something seemingly innocent and easy such as picking up the washing basket or reaching around in the car to grab something !

So how does all of the above relate to FOCUS and express workouts ?

What it entails is that just repeating a movement does not mean the right muscles are always working.

For example – A client once told me they have been doing 100’s of squats “but my glutes don’t seem to be stronger, I only feel the movement in my quads and my back feels sore !”

Those comments right there are the sign that the RIGHT MUSCLES are NOT being recruited correctly for the job. To overcome this it requires you to actually FOCUS and THINK about the muscles WHILE you workout (and back to point #1 this is not acheived if you are going too fast).

You cannot simply try to “get through” a workout and do “as many reps as possible” or “lift more” or “go faster” there is no point and there will be no benefits if there is no focus or understanding on recruiting the right muscles with focus and function

This can be challenging …especially to our egos when we always think we need to “do more”. It is also why in my ULTIMATE PREGNANT CORE program  (part of THE BFABMETHOD) – we focus on CORE CONSCIOUS. As the mental focus has to be achieved before moving onto a more progressive physical move

Express workouts that will have you saying “Baby I’m Back !”

I have intentionally named the express workouts “Baby I’m Back” in the BFABMETHOD as if you have been feeling de-motivated, exhausted or a little unsure about how to move ? These workouts are sure to get you saying “BABY I’M BACK ” – no matter what stage of your pregnant or postpartum or mama journey you are on.

Think QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

Results come from not working out LONGER OR HARDER but from small quality wins. The best way to create consistency is to just START. Give yourself 5 mins and if you are feeling good keep going !

LEARN MORE HERE

Many of my express workouts are only 5-10 minutes long. Which is the perfect time to connect to your breath, body and boost endorphins. Squeeze them in on those days you have limited time, or add them to the end of a regular workout or some of my students love to stack them together to build their own workout adventure !

Any questions reach out to me in my Facebook Community called #BFABSQUAD – join here