Hey guys, today we’re doing a 10-minute full-body HIIT workout for pregnant women.
This pregnancy workout is suited for anyone at any stage of their prenatal journey.
Just remember, everyone has different experiences and has their own limits so it’s super important to always listen to your body.
Check out our guide to postnatal exercise here.
Pregnancy Workout Contents
Warm-up
Before jumping into the workout it’s important that we warm up first.
Warm-up exercise No.1
Stand up straight and walk out forward on your hands until you’re in a high plank position. Keep your knees on the floor if you need to.
Now, bring your right leg up toward your right hand, then bring your right arm up and open up that chest.
Do the same for the left-hand side!
Now repeat these once more.
Warm-up exercise No.2
Bring yourself back to a standing position with your legs spread apart.
Bend down with your hands touching the space in front of you, then bring your position back and touch the middle section, then touch the back section.
Repeat this 6 times.
Warm-up exercise No.3
Stand upright with your feet slightly apart and complete 5 bodyweight squats.
Staying with your feet slightly apart and in the body squat position, touch the floor with your hands then bring your hands together and bring them up over your head as you come up from the squatted position.
Warm-up exercise No.4
Put your feet together in a standing position and place your right knee on the floor so you’re in a kneeling position.
Hold this position, bring your hands together and twist your body to the left-hand side.
Now bring your left knee down in the kneeling position and twist your body to the right.
Repeat these steps a further 2 times.
Pregnancy Workout Information
The workout routine will consist of the following:
- High knees – 25 seconds
- Rest – 5 seconds
- Exercise – 25 seconds
- Rest – 5 seconds
- Repeat.
If you’re not comfortable doing high knees you can go for a jog on the spot.
Or you can march on the spot.
If you prefer, you could do a bodyweight squat or squat hold. The squat hold can be against the wall if needed.
If you want to change the high knees for any exercise you feel more comfortable with, please do.
Ideally, you should use a weight for this routine, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.
POW8R tip: If you haven’t got a weight available you can even use a big water bottle as an alternative weight.
Meet your Trainer
Disclaimer
While this is a workout that is specifically for those who are pregnant, it’s important to consult with a medical professional before taking part in any exercise while pregnant.
If you need any help understanding how the movements should look and be performed, please watch the video above, where Holly goes through the workout with easy-to-follow steps.
Workout Routine for Pregnant Women
Remember, after each exercise, you’re going into a 5-second rest followed by high knees (or your alternative option), then follow that with another 5-second rest and then we’ll go into the next exercise.
Start off with 25 seconds of high knees, followed by 5 seconds rest and let’s get into your first exercise:
Exercise 1 – Squat (25 seconds)
Put your feet slightly apart and grab your weight if you’re using it, don’t worry if not, you can do a bodyweight squat instead. Bend down into the squat position and repeat.
Try to put the weight into your heels and not on your toes if you can and sit right the way back into the squat.
Keep that chest up nice and straight throughout.
Exercise 2 – Upright Row (25 seconds)
We need the weight for this exercise so stand up straight with your legs apart. Keep the weight between your legs and then bring the weight right up to your chest with your elbows pointing up.
Keep the weight near your chest but don’t let it touch your chest or bump.
Exercise 3 – High plank (25 seconds)
We’re going down into a high plank position.
Hands-on the floor in front of you while supporting your body upright with your toes pushing into the floor and heels facing the wall.
Remember to keep your back straight.
You can do this against the wall or take the knees down and just hold it. If you want to elevate yourself a little bit, you can go onto a couch.
Exercise 4 – Alternate lunges (25 seconds)
Grab your weight, if you feel comfortable, and have it sit on your chest.
Keep your feet together and bend down onto your right knee with your right leg going back so you’re in a lunge position.
Bring your right leg back up and repeat this step using your left leg.
If you can feel yourself wobble a little bit, that’s absolutely fine. Stay by a wall as it can help you if you are a little unsteady but remember to keep the core engaged.
Exercise 5 – Push press (25 seconds)
You will need your weight for this exercise.
Keep your feet slightly apart in an upright standing position with your weight held at chest height.
Bring the weight up above your head and bring the weight back down to your chest. You can do this exercise in a seated position if you wish.
Exercise 6 – Shoulder taps (25 seconds)
Get yourself back down into the high plank position, use your knees if you need to support yourself.
Now staying in position, tap your left shoulder with your right hand
Then tap your right shoulder with your left hand.
Remember to keep your core engaged, you can still achieve this even when you use your knees for support.
Exercise 7 – Sumo Squat (25 seconds)
You can use a weight if you want to for this exercise.
Keep your legs spread apart further than you would for a normal squat and keep the weight between your legs with both hands.
Squat all the way down and turn your toes out a little bit, this keeps the heels in. Squat right the way down and keep that chest up.
Ensure your back is nice and straight.
Exercise 8 – Overhead press (25 seconds)
You will need your weight for this exercise.
Keep your feet slightly apart with one foot slightly in front of the other in an upright standing position.
Hold the weight at chest height and bring the weight up above your head and over the back of your head by rotating your elbows
Keep the weight in the position above your head. Try and keep those elbows in position so they stay right in with you.
You can do this exercise in a seated position if you wish.
Exercise 9 – Glute bridge (25 seconds)
Lay down on your back with your knees bent, head flat and palms of your hands on the floor.
Thrust your hips up and squeeze your bum at the top.
Make sure that the core is engaged.
You can raise your toes off the floor to make it a little bit harder or you can leave your feet flat, whatever you feel comfortable with.
Exercise 10 – Squat Hold (25 seconds)
Keep your feet firmly apart and get down into a squat position and hold it.
If you need to lean up against the wall for support that’s totally fine.
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