First Trimester Full Body Home Workout

This week marks the last week of the first trimester as I am now 12 weeks along. To celebrate the end, I have put together a full body first trimester workout for you ladies at home. It is pretty easy and all you need is a set of dumbbells for a couple of the moves.

If you are unable to do a few of the moves, don’t sweat it. I rather you not do them than to do them incorrectly amd possibly hurt yourself! As always, please consult with your doctor before performing any new exercise.

CORE

Elbow Plank:

Get face down on the floor resting on your forearms and knees.
Push off the floor, raising up off your knees onto your toes and resting mainly on your elbows.
Contract your abdominals to keep yourself up and prevent your booty from sticking up.
Keep your back flat — don’t let it droop or you’ll be defeating the purpose. Picture your body as a long straight board, or plank.
Hold as long as you can. Aim for 20 to 30 seconds in the beginning and work your way up to one minute, as you get stronger.
Repeat three times.

Side Plank:

Lie on your left side with your knees straight.
Prop your upper body up on your left elbow and forearm.
Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Turn around so that you’re lying on your right side and repeat.

Russian Twists:

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
Lean back so your torso is at a 45-degree angle to floor, making sure to keep the spine straight and not rounded.
Lace your arms straight out in front of your chest with one hand on top of the other.
Raise your core and slowly rotate round to the right as far as you can, pause then reverse this movement all the way round to the left as far as you can.
That is 1 rep.

Downward Dog w/Knee Tuck:

From standing position, bend over, placing your hands to the floor. Walk your hands out until both your hands and your feet are completely touching the mat. You should resemble a downward “v.” Take your legs out to shoulder width apart and spread your fingers apart. Make sure your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips.
Press through your palms and shoulders, keeping your stomach tucked in and your hips lifted. Try to walk your legs out further back. Focus on trying to touch your heels to the mat. Keep the neck relaxed.
Lift your right leg off the mat, bending at the knee. Bring your right knee in, tucking it as far under your chest as you can. Try to reach towards your nose. Return right leg back and repeat with left leg.Continue alternating legs in downward dog for 60 seconds.

Side Plank w/Toe Touch:

Get in a side elbow plank position with right elbow bent under shoulder, left hand behind head, legs and hips stacked, feet flexed.
Extend left leg in front of hip (keep knee as straight as possible, bending to modify if needed) and touch toes with left hand. Return to starting position. Switch sides to complete set.

Plank w/Arm & Leg Lift:

Begin in a push up position on both hands.
Slowly raise your left leg and right arm simultaneously.
Try to hold for 15 seconds.
Return back to starting position. Switch sides.

Leg Scissors:

Lying on your back on a mat, straighten out both legs.
In an alternating motion, raise your left leg up towards the ceiling while the other leg stays down.
In the next motion, lower your left leg as your raise your right leg into the air.
Repeat.

Flutter Kicks:

Start by lying flat on your back on a mat with your arms by your sides and your palms down.
Extend your legs fully out with a slight bend in your knees.
Lift your heels about 6 inches off the floor.
Make small, rapid up and down scissor-like motions with your legs.

LOWER BODY

Donkey Kicks:

Get on all fours so that your hands are shoulder width apart and your knees are straight below your hips.
Bracing your abdominals and keeping your knee bent lift one leg up behind you until it is in line with your body and your foot is parallel to the ceiling.
Lower back down to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Glute Bridges:

Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Raise your hips so your body forms as straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Pause in the up position, then lower your body back to the starting position.

One Legged Glute Bridge:

Lie faceup with knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart.
Extend arms by sides, palms facing down.
Lift one foot up and press hips up into a bridge position, then lower hips to the floor.
Repeat then switch to the other side.

Sumo Squats:

Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out, your hands clasped in front of your chest.
Squat down as low as you can, keeping your heels on the ground and your back straight.
Press back up to standing. That’s one rep.

Reverse Lunges:

To begin, stand tall with you hands at your hips or overhead, which is the more challenging of the two positions. Take a large and controlled step backward with your left foot.
Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your right knee positioned directly over your ankle. Your left knee should be bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor with your left heel lifted.
Returning to standing by pressing your right heel into the floor and brining your left leg forward to complete one rep.
Alternate legs, and step back with right leg.

Side Lying Leg Lift:

Lie down on one side. Your legs should be extended and stacked on top of one another. Your arm may rest on your head.
Slowly raise your top leg as high as you can. Pause, then return to the starting position.

Inner Thigh Leg Lift:

Lying on your side, lengthen your bottom leg, and cross your top leg over, resting either your top knee or the top of your foot on the floor. Prop your head up with your hand, or rest your head on your arm.
As you exhale, lift your bottom leg, and inhale as you lower it back down without letting it touch the floor. Your torso should stay still while you do this. This counts as one rep.

UPPER BODY

Push Ups:

Lie prone on floor with hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Raise body up off floor by extending arms with body straight.
Keeping body straight, lower body to floor by bending arms. Push body up until arms are extended. Repeat.

Plank and Rotate:

Begin in a plank position holding a five-pound dumbbell in each hand, keeping your wrists stiff to protect the joints. Open your feet a little wider than hip distance.
Lift your left hand to the ceiling, twisting through your entire torso. Your pelvis will rotate, but keep it level.
Bring your left hand back to the floor, and repeat this action on the other side to complete one rep.

Chest Press w/Glute Raise:

Lay down on the mat with dumbbells resting on your shoulder. Position dumbbells to sides of chest with bent arm under each dumbbell.
Press dumbbells up with elbows to sides until arms are extended while lifting your glutes off the floor. Lower weight to sides of chest while lowering buttocks to the ground. Repeat.

Sitting Overhead Press:

Sitting on the mat with both legs crossed, hold a pair of dumbbells to the side of your body.
Press both dumbbells up until the weights are overhead and your arms are straight. Pause, then lower the dumbbells under control back to the starting position.

Shoulder Taps:

Begin in a full plank position with feet hip-width apart.
Lightly tap left shoulder with right hand.
Return to start and then immediately lift left hand and tap right shoulder. That’s one rep.