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| Home > Exercises and Comfort > Safe effective exercises > Conditioning the Abdominal Muscles
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| | Conditioning the Abdominal Muscles during Pregnancy
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The abdominal muscles are most severely stretched during pregnancy. If you keep the muscles in good condition, you will be able to maintain a good posture, avoid backache, push the baby out more easily and hasten the full recovery of your figure after the birth. Exercises that condition these muscles without straining you excessively, are described below. To avoid back and abdominal muscle strain in late pregnancy, do not do double-leg lifts or straight sit-ups.
Abdominal Tightening
Aim: To strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles.
Starting position: Sit up with your hands on your abdomen.
Exercise: Let your abdomen to bulge by slowly breathing in. While you breathe out, gradually pull in your abdomen by tightening your abdominal muscles. This you continue till your lungs are empty Breathe in, relaxing the muscles. Take Rest.
Repetition: Repeat two or three times. Stop if you feel dizzy or light-headed.
Pelvic Tilt
Aim: To strengthen the abdominal mus-cles, improve posture, and relieve back-ache.
Starting position: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor
Exercise: Compress the small of your back onto the floor by contracting your abdom-inal muscles. Hold the abdominal muscle contraction for a count of five while you exhale.
Relax: To check that you are doing the exercise correctly, place your hand under the small of your back as you tilt your pelvis. You will press your back onto your hand.
Repetition: Repeat this exercise and each variation five times daily.
Variation A
Starting position: Get on your hands and knees. Your knees should be comfortably apart with your back straight - not hollowed, swayed, or arched.
Variation B
Starting position: Stand with your but-tocks and shoulders supported against a wall, your feet apart and twelve to fifteen inches away from the wall and your knees slightly bent
Exercise: Push your lower back against the wall while you contract the abdominal muscles. Hold the position for a count of five. Put your hand between the wall and the small of your back. As you tilt your pelvis, you should feel your back press against your hand. Relax. If you are comfortable with it, move your feet closer to the wall. This will make the exercise more effective.
Variation C
Aim: To maintain a good posture and help reduce or prevent backache.
Starting position: After mastering variation B, try without support of the wall. Stand upright with your feet apart.
Exercise: Lift your pubic bone up in front, as if tilting a basin. Put your hands on your hips and feel your hip bones move as your pubic bone tips up toward your chest.
Exercise: Tighten your abdominal mus-cles to arch your low back. (Imagine a frightened dog who tucks her tail be-tween her legs.) Hold for a count of five. Relax and return your back to the start-ing position. Do not sag.
Leg Sliding
Aim: To strengthen the lower abdominal muscles.
Starting position: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. If possible, wear socks or stockings to enable your feet to slide better. Put your hand be-neath the small of your back.
Exercise: Maintain a pelvic tilt with your low back flat against your hand while slowly sliding your feet forward, straightening both legs until you feel your low back come off your hand.
Diagonal Lift
Aim: To strengthen the diagonal abdominal muscles.
Starting position: Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor, and your palms together.
Exercise: keep your back flat on the floor while you breathe in and tilt your pelvis. Next, as you breathe out, tuck in your chin and slowly lift your head and shoul-ders. Stretch your arms up. Stop sliding your legs and bring both knees up again, one at a time. Repeat the exercise, but straighten your legs only to the point where your back comes off your hand. Work in this range until your abdominal muscles are strong enough to keep your back flat until your legs are outstretched. Return your legs to the starting position, one at a time.
Repetition: Repeat five to ten times daily toward the outside of your left knee. Lift until your right shoulder is raised more than the left, but your waist is still on the floor. Do not jerk or strain. Hold for a count of five. Relax and lean back gently. Repeat, reaching towards the right side. Repeat five to ten times daily on each side.
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