How to Get a Great Prenatal Workout At Home in 20 Minutes or Less
Are you looking for a pregnancy workout that you can do at home with no equipment needed? Ditch the hassle of spending over an hour at the gym with this quick workout that will have you sweating.
Workouts during pregnancy don’t need to be complicated or long, they just need to bring us some good endorphins and keep us in shape. Enjoy getting in a quick workout, and then kick up your feet and get back to that baby registry.
If you’re a first-time mom, you may wonder what kind of workouts you can do during your second trimester, if there are any limitations, and what to avoid.
When I got pregnant that was a huge concern for me, so I found the answers to the most common exercise questions during the 2nd trimester.
What Exercise Can I Do in the 2nd Trimester?
In any trimester of pregnancy, most exercises are safe for pregnancy as long as you don’t see signs of intolerance. Signs of intolerance are any coning or doming of your abdomen when performing an exercise.
During the second trimester is when most women start to see growth in their bellies, and their abdomen starts to separate, leading to coning.
Can I Start Exercising in My Second Trimester?
Absolutely! Any kind of exercise you do during your pregnancy is great for you and your baby. If you are just starting, I recommend beginning with exercises like walking, yoga, or low-impact moves like squats, step-ups, or shoulder presses.
This is not the time to start running, jumping, and trying high-intensity exercises.
What Exercise Can a Pregnant Woman Do at Home?
There is no “bad” exercise for women during pregnancy, it is all dependent upon each person’s experience. Any exercise can be done at home as long as there are no signs of coning or tenting of the stomach when performing the exercise.
Some great exercises at home include squats, wall or floor pushups, lunges, and bicep curls.
Is It Safe to Do Sit-Ups in the 2nd Trimester of Pregnancy?
Yes, as long as the person is comfortable performing them. If there is any discomfort or doming of the stomach during the movement, they should stop immediately.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) does not rule out any specific exercise unless it is a contact sport, hot yoga or pilates, or an exercise that may result in a fall.
Can I Do Core Exercises While Pregnant?
Yes, core exercise is encouraged during pregnancy! It helps support your pelvic floor to support the weight of your growing baby and is beneficial for a vaginal birth.
Some great exercises to strengthen your core safely include diaphragmatic breathing, dead bugs, bird dogs, and adduction squeezes.
Free Second Trimester at Home Workout
This workout is a quick 20 minutes HIIT style workout that can be used during the second trimester of pregnancy. Truthfully, you can do this workout at any stage of your pregnancy or if you are not pregnant.
If you want to modify this workout to be easier or harder, adjust the weight you’re using or the speed at which you perform these exercises.
Also, if you have no equipment at all, don’t worry! I didn’t have any dumbbells, so I used a jug of water. Other weight ideas could be canned goods, a paint can, a suitcase or box filled with books, or just the extra weight from your growing tiny human!
Weight or no weight will still get your heart rate going.
Set a timer for 20 minutes, perform 10 reps of each exercise (lunges and step-ups are 10 each leg), and do as many rounds as possible.
Lunge twist w/ weight:
- Bring one foot forward and create a 90-degree angle with both of your legs and then twist your torso to the leg closest to you.
- If you have a weight, feel free to use it here or just twist it with your arms out.
Kettlebell swing:
- Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold your weight with both hands.
- Keeping soft knees without squatting, hinge at the hips until you feel a pull in your hamstrings.
- It is important to keep your back straight throughout this movement. Once you feel your hamstrings, thrust your hips forward and bring your arms about shoulder height.
- Remember, this is more of a hip hinge than a squatting movement.
Step-ups:
- Depending on your fitness level and what you have at home, find a surface to step onto that is doable for you.
- Start with bringing one foot onto your step and then, using that front leg, lift yourself onto the step.
- Take the leg you brought up last and bring it back down to the ground, followed by your other leg.
- Alternate which leg you start with each time.
Squat to upright row:
- Start with your legs shoulder-width, or if you have a bigger belly, as wide as you need to feel comfortable.
- Keeping your arms straight with your weight, squat down, keeping your back straight.
- On the way back up, bring the weight up to collarbone height while extending your elbows outward, keeping the weight close to your body.
Exercising at Home in the Second Trimester
Exercising at home during pregnancy doesn’t have to be hard and can help your body feel good up until birth. Working out during pregnancy doesn’t have to be restrictive and can help you stay in shape while helping your little one grow healthy and strong.
Did you try this sample workout? Let me know in the comments below!