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Kayla Itsines shares a simple pregnancy-safe workout you can do at home

This pregnancy-safe workout from Sweat trainer Kayla Itsines is all about staying active throughout pregnancy, but it’s also perfect for beginners.

The fitness queen met up with Yahoo Lifestyle to share a full-body pregnancy workout, that incorporates four bodyweight exercises to help maintain strength and fitness. This workout does not require any gym equipment and is designed to be completed at home, in the park, or at the gym.

The aim of the workout is NOT to go as fast as you can but to complete every exercise with quality repetitions.

Complete each of the four exercises before taking a 30 second rest and restarting from the top. Try to repeat two to three laps of this circuit depending on your fitness level.

Equipment Required

  • Chair / bench

  • Any low stable surface

Exercise 1: Incline Push-Up (Chair)

  • Step 1:
    Place a chair in front of you

  • Step 2:
    Place both hands on the chair slightly further than shoulder-width apart, feet together on the floor behind you while resting on your knees. This is your starting position

  • Step 3:
    Inhale. While maintaining a neutral spine, bend your elbows and lower your torso towards the chair until your arms form two 90-degree angles

  • Step 4:
    Exhale. Push through your chest and extend your elbows to lift your body back into the starting position

  • Repeat for the specified number of repetitions

Push ups. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle
Push ups. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle

Exercise 2: Squat

  • Step 1:
    Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position

  • Step 2:
    Inhale. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your back remains within a 45- to 90- degree angle to your hips

  • Step 3:
    Exhale. Push through your heels and extend your legs to return to the starting position

  • Step 4:

  • Repeat for the specified number of repetitions

Squats. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle
Squats. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle

Alternative: Seated-Squat

  • Step 1:
    Place a bench horizontally behind you. Plant both feet on the floor hip-width apart.

  • Step 2:
    Inhale. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until you are able to sit on the bench behind you, ensuring that your back remains within a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips. Lean back slightly to sit up tall

  • Step 3:
    Exhale. Push through your heels and extend your legs to return to the starting position

  • Repeat for the specified number of repetitions

Exercise 3: Tricep Dip (Chair)

  • Step 1:
    Begin seated on a chair. Place your hands on the edge of the chair under your glutes and directly below your shoulders. Ensure that your fingers are facing forwards. Shift your glutes forwards off the chair. This is your starting position

  • Step 2:
    Inhale. Bend your elbows to lower your glutes towards the mat, ensuring that your shoulders, elbows and wrists remain in line with one another

  • Step 3:
    Exhale. Once you have created two 90-degree angles with your arms, push through the heels of your hands and extend your arms to return to the starting position. Avoid using your legs to assist you and always try to maintain an upright position

  • Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Tricep dips. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle
Tricep dips. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle

Exercise 4: Donkey Kicks

  • Step 1:
    Starting on all fours on a yoga mat, ensure that your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Set your spine in a neutral position and draw your shoulder blades down and back

  • Step 2:
    Inhale. Exhale. Keeping your knee bent, release and elevate your right leg until your thigh is in line with your spine, ensuring that your foot remains flexed

  • Step 3:
    Inhale. Lower your right leg to return to the starting position, but without resting your knee on the mat

  • Complete half of the specified repetitions on the same side, before repeating the remaining
    repetitions on the other side.

Donkey kicks. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle
Donkey kicks. Photo: Yahoo Lifestyle

Try to repeat two to three laps of this circuit depending on your fitness level.

Exercise 1: Incline Push-Up (Chair) 10 Reps
Exercise 2: Squat/Seated Squats 10 Reps
Exercise 3: Tricep Dip (Chair) 10 Reps
Exercise 4: Donkey Kicks 10 reps

Enjoy!

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