4 Equipment Free Core Exercises For Pregnancy

Safe for your entire pregnancy

Choosing which core exercises are safe during pregnancy can be overwhelming. So here are four core exercises you can do throughout your entire pregnancy. I’ve kept them simple and equipment free making them accessible to everyone. Try these four moves or follow my Core Flavoured Full-Body Prenatal workout which includes detailed instructions of these and many more. I’ve linked the workout at the bottom as well as our Prenatal Movement Program. Enjoy Mummas x

MOVE 1: Modified Sideplank

  • Begin on your side propped onto your elbow with your knees bent and stacked. Position your elbow directly underneath your shoulder. Your elbow, hips and knees are in a line and your feet are behind you. Avoid sinking into your shoulder here. Think of pressing down through your forearm and lifting up your ribs and waist. 
  • Lift your hips up and off the floor to the top of your side plank. Your body should make a diagonal from your shoulders to your hips to your knees. 
  • Inhale: Lower your hips a few inches down towards the mat. 
  • Exhale: Lift your hips back up. 
  • Repeat 6-8x and perform on the second side. 

Alternative leg position: Keep your bottom leg bent and extend your top leg straight. 

MOVE 2: Quadruped with Arm & Leg Reach

  • Begin in four-point kneeling with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. 
  • Inhale: Slide your opposite arm and leg long keeping them in contact with the mat. 
  • Exhale: Float the arm and leg up and off the mat with the sensation of length and opposition.
  • Inhale: Lower the shape of the arm and leg back down to touch the mat. 
  • Repeat lifting and lower the leg 6-8x and then perform on the other side.

MOVE 3: Quadruped with Spinal Movement

  • Begin with the opposite arm and leg extended. 
  • Exhale: Draw your opposite elbow to the knee as you simultaneously scoop and round your spine. Draw your gaze towards your belly and scoop your abdominals in and up. 
  • Inhale: Reach your arm and leg long to refind your neutral spine. 
  • Repeat 6-8x and then perform on the other side.

MOVE 4: Quadruped with Windmill

  • Begin with the opposite arm and leg extended. 
  • Exhale: Open your arm and opposite leg to the side only as far as the spine can stay stable and hips square and level. 
  • Inhale: Return your arm and leg back to center.
  • Repeat open/close 6-8 x and then perform on the second side.

Try all these moves and more with this Pre+Postnatal Core workout. A safe core flow weaving delicious mobility moments to leave your body stronger, more lengthened and balanced. We focus on strengthening core, improving posture, and opening areas that feel tight and stiff. Safe for pregnancy and early prenatal as we concentrate on the transverse abdominals and obliques and avoid loaded ab work.

Enjoy the confidence to move throughout pregnancy with our Prenatal Movement Program. A comprehensive program for all trimesters, that balances the strength of Pilates with the flexibility and mindfulness of Yoga.