Weston Wells
We’re all friends here, right? We have a confession: when we imagine what being in our third trimester of pregnancy will be like, our minds go straight to the ice cream, pastries, and cheese we’d eat with abandon. How it will be a time when we take full advantage of grabbing a seat on any flat surface (at any given time), and fully embracing athleisure (minus the ath-).
But all those cannoli and Netflix-filled prenatal dreams quickly faded the moment Anna Kaiser invited us over for a workout a few months ago. She was six months pregnant! Let’s just say, there’s no cure for lagging willpower and waning motivation quite like working out with Anna Kaiser. What she could do with a rapidly growing baby bump was impressive and, most important, healthy! So we had her show us her favorite energy-boosting (because the struggle is real, expectant or otherwise), and safe moves to do if you are hoping to maintain your workout routine those entire nine months.
Note: Do the entire series of moves on one side, then switch sides and run through the moves again.
But all those cannoli and Netflix-filled prenatal dreams quickly faded the moment Anna Kaiser invited us over for a workout a few months ago. She was six months pregnant! Let’s just say, there’s no cure for lagging willpower and waning motivation quite like working out with Anna Kaiser. What she could do with a rapidly growing baby bump was impressive and, most important, healthy! So we had her show us her favorite energy-boosting (because the struggle is real, expectant or otherwise), and safe moves to do if you are hoping to maintain your workout routine those entire nine months.
Note: Do the entire series of moves on one side, then switch sides and run through the moves again.
Move #1
“Start in a standing position with one hand on a bar or back of a chair and with your right leg extended out to the side, pointing your foot on the floor. Raise your leg straight up to the side, as you do a calf raise on the standing leg (like you’re in a stiletto heel), and then lower back down. Do this 16-20 times.”
Move #2
“Repeat the same exercise, this time adding an 8 lb weight in your right hand. As you raise your leg, perform a bicep curl with the right arm. Do this 16-20 times.”
Move #3
“Stand with your feet hip-width apart, facing a bar or chair, with your left hand placed on the bar or chair. Bend your legs into a mini squat, bringing your chest forward to a 45-degree angle. Bend your right elbow to a 90-degree angle, holding a 5 lb - 8 lb weight. Extend your arm straight back behind you to perform a tricep extension, maintaining this body position. Repeat this move 16-20 times. Repeat on the other side.”
Move #4
“Starting on all fours on your mat, extend your right leg straight behind you at hip height. Lift your leg up and over to tap the floor to the side of you, and then back to starting position. Repeat 16-20 times.”
Move #5
“Sit down on the floor with a pilates ball against your low back/tailbone. Start with your knees bent and heels on the floor hip-width apart. Extend your arms straight forward with your hands above your knee cap. Move your torso forward, sliding your arms forward, aiming to sit taller, and then hinge back into the pilates ball to the starting position. Keep your spine as straight as you can. Repeat this 16-20 times.”
Move #6:
“In the same seated position with the pilates ball, press the heels of your palms into your knees, and press your knees back against your palms at the same time, turning on your abdominal wall. Without moving anything else, extend your right leg, bend it back down, then extend the left leg. That’s one rep. Repeat this 16-20 times.”
Move #7:
“Start in a deep squat position with your toes turned out at 45 degrees and your arms in a prayer position. Push all the way up into a jump extending with both legs straight in the air, extending your arms back down behind you. Land back down into a deep squat. Repeat this 16-20 times.”