By Jenny Woudenberg, Contributing Blogger
Gain core strength and happy core memories! No babysitter and expensive equipment are required. All you need is a wiggly toddler and your favorite RBX outfit!
Warm Up, You Hot Momma!
If you aren’t already sweating from chasing your lightening-fast toddler across the house to see what’s in her mouth or carrying your boy and a monstrous diaper bag up the stairs to your apartment, here are a few fun ways to warm up:
- Get groovin'! Turn on your little one’s favorite song—the Paw Patrol theme song is always a winner in my home—and get dancing and giggling!
- Toddler Takeover! Mimic whatever your toddler does—who knows what new cardio exercises you will learn!
- Walk the plank, ye pirate! This is a quick and effective way to warm up, especially in small spaces. Begin face down with your forearms (or hands flat) and toes on the floor. Your elbows should be directly under your shoulders, and your core should be engaged, so it doesn’t droop down. Making the Aaarrrr sound is essential, and beware of little pirates walking on or around you! Try to do this for 10 seconds, rest, and then try for 15 seconds—do what works for you!
2 Workouts To Lift You Up!
Mom to mom, I totally get how hectic life can get—but working out can help you handle whatever life chucks your way! Today, take 9 minutes to enjoy all the benefits that sweat life will bring to you and your little bubba—endorphins, confidence, mind-body connection, giggles, mental clarity, and happiness!
With both hands, pick up your weight (toddler!) around their ribs and below their armpits. Start holding them out at a 90-degree angle. With control, lower down and then lift up so that you are face-to-face—smile and give them a big kiss! Then try to lift your angel to the sky! Repeat. And repeat again if you can!
Snuggle your little one to your chest and get in a strong momma stance—feet just outside your hips, toes facing slightly out. Bend your knees and squat. Shift your body weight to your heels and lean back a bit (like you are sitting in a chair) to ensure your knee doesn’t go over your toes. Repeat on repeat!
Ready to level up? Hold your baby in the same way you did for Bicep Curl Smiles and lift her up! Remember to always strive to shatter figurative glass ceilings—just not your home’s ceiling.
Get creative with this one—try squatting with your toes forward and then shift them outward and apart to feel the burn in different parts of your core, quads, hips, and thighs. Move your tot left and right to supercharge your core, arm, and shoulder muscles. Play around, get to know your body, and have fun!
To follow your progress and motivate yourself, write down the highlights of your workouts in the notes section of your phone. You did 3 squats last week, and this week, you did 5—that’s awesome! Imagine what you will be able to do in 2 months! Always remember, it isn’t about looking like Instagram mom-fluencers or Netflix stars, it is about YOU helping yourself be Stronger Than Yesterday.
The best workouts are about you loving your body, sweating out your stress, lifting yourself and your toddler up (literally and figuratively), and feeling the amazing endorphins it provides. Let’s gooooo!
