Abs / Core Work

T

tamaralnorton

Cathlete
Well, now that I'm re-vamping the workouts, I've spent the past 2 days sifting through all the posts in this forum and haven't come across any real recommendations on ab/core work during pregnancy. Can you all recommend a good program for this? I've never been BIG into working my core (and my belly shows, ha!) but I would really like to give my abs and obliques a fighting chance. Thanks so much!
 
tamaralnorton said:
Well, now that I'm re-vamping the workouts, I've spent the past 2 days sifting through all the posts in this forum and haven't come across any real recommendations on ab/core work during pregnancy. Can you all recommend a good program for this? I've never been BIG into working my core (and my belly shows, ha!) but I would really like to give my abs and obliques a fighting chance. Thanks so much!
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I liked Tracey Staehle's core blast. There are standing exercises - quite a bit - that you can do. Other stuff is very easy to modify and some stuff you won't be able to do but can look forward to post-preg.

HTH!
 
i did/do like it.
however.....my abs started to split!:( i found conflicting research on whether or not to continue ab work. so i quit.:( i was right around 20 wks i think...
i was so disappointed but cathe has posted that she had a split too, so that made me feel (a little) better!
this was my 3rd pregnancy and i carried her very low. seriously, i was preg from my belly button down! i gained 26 pounds and lost it in a normal amt of time.
 
I've been curious about ab work, too (sigh--I was so proud of my abs before pregnancy). Anyway, at 22 weeks, I no longer do crunches lying on my back. I did try a Kathy Smith pregnancy video this weekend, and she had the pregnant ladies on all fours or on their sides sucking in their bellies and thus using the abs. She had them doing kegel exercises at the same time.

I guess this is how I'll work my abs from this point forward. I'll save the crunches for after the baby is born.

take care,
Dawn
 
:)

:) Funny. Six-pack abs? Where did they go? I'm nowhere near as obessive about exercise as I once was; I'm lucky if I can get 2-3 30-minute workouts in per week these days. But I have read that having strong abs prior to pregnancy and doing some appropriate ab exercises during pregnancy will help in labor and in recovery. Now, I'm a first-time mom so what do I know (and I did stop for a doughnut on my way to work this morning--oops), but I'm hoping that if I keep myself ever so slightly in shape with very light weights, I can bounce back eventually. Do you ever feel like you have been pregnant forever????

Have a great day everyone! And as always, thanks for sharing your stories and support. And especially any and all humor. :)
 
Dawncharlie said:
Do you ever feel like you have been pregnant forever????
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That's an understatement!!

Actually, this second time seems to be moving faster than last time. But 16.5 weeks seems like a long time off!

Everything I've read says doing "core work" is key to an easier delivery. Not just abs, but the whole core area, including the pelvic floor. I'm like, "Hey, that's a great theory!"
 
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