Post-Baby Workout Ideas – Under 1 Hour Each

Ambassador Spotlight Pregnancy Tips

by For Two Fitness

Read these great tips from fit mom, Emma, with great post-baby workout ideas — under 1 hour each!

Gyms have gotten us so accustomed to one-hour workouts. At my gym, every Les Mills format class is exactly 60 minutes. As moms, who has 60 minutes a day for a sweat sesh unless you are up at 4AM (and your baby isn’t?!).

Here’s my certainly cute, but not the best workout buddy!

Many moms I know don’t workout because they feel anything less than an hour is not a workout. If you are one of those moms, let me kindly change your opinion with these workouts!

Workout 1- Tabata

Tabata was actually founded by a Japanese scientist looking to compare moderate versus intense interval training programs. His findings… do this workout!

Any exercise can be incorporated into the Tabata training. However the basic outline of the Tabata training method are as follows:

* 2 exercises that you will be alternating between for 4 minutes total
* Complete the first exercise for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second break
* Complete the second exercise for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second break
* Repeat the same sequence until you have completed 4 rounds of each exercise, or 4 minutes of work

There are many iPhone apps or online Tabata Timers out there for free so you don’t have to be a slave to the watch. I prefer partnering a strength exercise with a cardio one for each round.

Sample Tabata

1st exercise- jumping jacks 2nd exercise- push-ups

Get creative with exercises or just google some strength and cardio moves. It won’t take a unique new move to do the trick, TRUST ME!

The 4 x 4 Workout

This workout makes you think, but it also keeps things interesting. Here’s the breakdown:

* Complete 4 reps of exercise 1 followed immediately by 4 reps of exercise 2
* Alternate back and forth for 1 minute
* After 1 minute, complete 1 minute of cardio
* Repeat step one for another minute, followed by another minute of cardio
* Try as many partner exercises as you have time to do!

I try to choose exercise with similar starting/ending positions so the transition can be fast!

Sample 4 x 4 Workout

Exercise 1- mountain climbers
Exercise 2 – frog jumps Cardio – alternating lunge jumps
5 Minute Rounds

Everybody has 5 minutes, right!? As you can tell, I love alternating exercises. That way you can give it a quick blast, quick rest and then back at it. Here are the basics of this workout:

* Exercise 1 for 30 seconds
* Exercise 2 for 30 seconds
* Keep alternating until you’ve reached 4 minutes total
* 1 minute of suicide sprints

Make sure you do this one outside or in a long hallway!

Sample 5 Minute Workout

Exercise 1- Supine flutters

Exercise 2 – Prone flutters

I hope you are able to try these quickies at some point so you can see THEY ARE EFFECTIVE and THEY ARE NOT EASY! Kids napping for 20 more minutes? Get in a 5 minute warm-up, crank one of these out and you can even shower after!

For Two Fitness

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