Mom & Dad Fitness: Top 10 Exercises
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Congratulations on getting a new bundle of joy, or maybe it is your second or your little one is now a toddler. Chances are fitness doesn’t top the list of priorities when you have a young one at home. Well, we are here to prove that you can maintain a healthy and fit life even with a newborn at home.
Here is our list of top 10 exercises moms and dads that don’t involve taking you away from your little one.
1. Pacing Workouts
What is that one thing every parent often does when trying to calm a newborn? It’s pacing around up and down, and guess what you can do a workout out of it.
Obviously, you don’t want to disturb your little one if they are peacefully sleeping, but if they are awake pace around the house holding them. You could also walk around performing lunges or arm raises., as your little one sleeps peacefully in their cot.
Some of the other ideal pacing workouts include walking lunges, hop squats, and walking kicks.
2. Doorknob Squats
How many times do you go to check on your baby while they sleep? Turn it into a workout by getting some doorknob squats done.
Every time you check up on your young one, do about five to ten doorknob squats. Work on increasing the number of doorknob squats you do each day, and you will soon be getting a great workout out of it.
3. Baby Bridges
Toddlers need a bit of entertaining, and you could kill two birds with one stone by doing ‘baby bridges.’
Baby bridges are essentially bridge workouts, only that you hold your child and lift them up every time you lift up into a bridge. Obviously, safety is paramount, and this exercise can be performed only by the mom and dad who have already been exercising for a while and built their core strength.
4. Mat Workouts
Myriads of mat exercises are easy to do with your young one by your side.
The mat exercises you can do include leg raises and leg extensions, crunches, sit-ups, and push-ups. Once again safety is vital, and you can have your baby on a baby mat nearby or place them in their cot while you workout. In fact, the best time to get in some mat exercises would be when your newborn is asleep.
However, in the case of toddlers include them in your workouts for some quality time spent together.
5. Jogging
When you want some fresh air and to get out of the house, take your child along for a jog. A tactical baby carrier for dad or a jogging stroller makes it easy and convenient to go for a run with the little one.
First things first, there is no shame as a father in taking your little one out in a carrier. With the right one, you can jog as fast as you can, and your little one will remain well protected. Jogging is a great cardio workout that both mom and dad can do together, and take the baby along as well.
With a toddler, go for jogging at the beach and kick-start their process of learning how to walk. Uneven, yet cushioned, surfaces like the sand at the beach provide good surfaces for babies who are learning how to walk to build the muscles on their feet.
6. ‘Milk-Run’ Exercises
When preparing some milk or formula for your little one, you will realize that you have a substantial amount of time to get some exercises done.
While waiting for the bottle to get to the right temperature, you can do some ‘kitchen workouts.’
Some of the ideal kitchen mini workouts include a wall sit, step-ups using your step stool, counter-top push ups, standing crunches, calf raises and arm circles using bottles.
7. Bathroom Workouts
Time is often the barrier when it comes to getting in a good workout as a parent. Play around with those few minutes you get throughout the day, and you’ll be working out more than you envisioned at the end of the day.
The bathroom offers vast opportunities to get in some workouts and let’s face it; the bathroom is one room in the house where you spend a substantial amount of time in without even noticing. Whether you are going in there for a number one, two or shower; you can squeeze in some exercises.
Some of the ideal bathroom workouts include toilet squats, sink push-ups, and you can even go big by transforming your bathroom into your personal yoga studio!
8. Baby Weights
For the dad who loves lifting weights, you will be happy to know that your child can double up as a ‘human dumbbell’ for those strength workouts.
Hold on tight to your young one, and you can go as creative as you can using your child for weight training.
9. Baby and Chair Exercises
If you are still quite new to working out, all your need to get started is your little one resting on your lap while you are sitting on a chair.
Lift your baby up and down and extend your arms out while holding your child to get a good workout out of it. You can also perform leg raises and leg extensions with your baby on your lap. Once you build on your strength, strap your young one using a baby carrier and do a wall sit as well.
10. Parents and Baby Workout Sessions
Once your little one is big enough, why not make working out a family affair. You will be surprised at how quickly kids pick up on workouts because after all, they learn from your example.
Whether it is yoga, swimming, mat workouts or even some hardcore outdoor exercises; you can do it as a family. It is never early enough to get them started out on a fit and healthy lifestyle. Make it fun to keep your little one interested, but make it as challenging as possible to get the best workout out of it.
There you go; with these top 10 exercises, mom and dad can get a good workout session right at home. When you get stronger, and your baby grows bigger, change things up by incorporating workout sessions that include the little one. Include outdoor workouts and fun activities such as swimming, cycling, and jogging for a change.