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Six pieces of equipment to get the most out of at home exercise

Posted on August 6, 2020May 16, 2023 by Monica

Way back in the time of B.C. (before children) I used to belong to a gym. It was nice. I would do cardio on all the fancy equipment, occasionally dabble in an exercise class, and definitely gawk at all my fellow workout buddies. Because when you don’t have two tiny humans that depend on you for all their basic needs you tend to have a lot more time on your hands for driving to and from the gym, as well as the actual workout itself.

But things are different now and fitting in exercise between working full time and caring for my darling children is a challenge. That’s why since having my first born I no longer pay a gym membership fee. All my exercises are done within the comfort of my own home (or the streets around it) and it’s pretty great. So if you’re a busy mom who can’t find time to make it to the gym or you’d just rather workout at home because of the global pandemic, there’s a few essential pieces of equipment you should have. I want to share with you my six favorite pieces of equipment I use for exercise at home.

My go-to equipment for exercising at home:

1. Dumbbells

Dumbbells are a great way to work strengthening into your at home routine. Resistance exercise (or strength training) has numerous benefits including increased bone density, increasing your muscle mass and metabolism and prevention of joint aches and pains. You should definitely do some sort of strengthening as part of a complete fitness program. You can find dumbbells ranging from very light (1#) to very heavy (20#+). I personally have a set of 5#, 8#, and 10#. This is a nice range for me as I use the lighter weights for arm exercises and the heavier weights for leg exercises.

2. Exercise band

An exercise band is another great piece of equipment for exercising at home that can be used for resistance strengthening. The bands are wonderful for tying around your legs if you are trying to add more resistance during hip or pelvic strengthening. Exercise bands typically range in resistance level based on their color. Typically the lighter the color the easier the resistance or the more stretch the band has. They make many different types of resistance bands. I personally just have a Theraband I stole from work (shhh…don’t tell) that I use to strengthen my legs and my arms.

3. Exercise ball

An exercise ball is a very versatile piece of equipment you can use for exercising at home. You can use it for core strengthening or stability training by using it during bridges, sit ups, planks, or push-ups. It’s also great for postural strengthening by laying over the top and performing lower and mid trap exercises (T’s and Y’s). A ball can also be wonderful for pelvic mobility exercises during pregnancy by using it to sit or bounce on. I use my ball fairly regularly at home. And if you have one sitting in a corner at home take it out and google exercises with Swiss ball and you are sure to find thousands of fun exercises you can do at home.

4. Yoga mat

I love my yoga mat. It’s soft and feels nice on my palms and on my back when I’m stretching or doing some yoga flows. I tend to get pain along my spine from pressing into the ground if I don’t use my yoga mat while doing stretches or crunches. Plus my mat has a great non-slip surface and it rolls up nicely so I can tuck it away in the corner of our living room for a quick grab when it’s time to exercise at home.

5. Treadmill

I also really love my treadmill. I probably wouldn’t exercise half as much as I do without it, especially in the months from November to March (I do live in Wisconsin). When the weather is crap, or you can’t leave your napping baby you can just hop on a treadmill and put in a few miles. If you’re not a fan of running an exercise bike will achieve the same thing. There are numerous benefits to cardio exercise and getting your heart pumping is also an important part of regular exercise. You can find great deals on used cardio equipment (treadmills, bikes, elliptical) online from people who originally purchased it with high hopes of regular exercise but then found they were only using it as a laundry rack. I’ve gotten a nice elliptical for $15 at a garage sale and my treadmill is my Grandma’s from lord-only-knows when. But hey, it gets the job done.

6. Step tracker

My final favorite piece of equipment for at home exercise is a step tracker. There are many different brands and types on the market but I am referring to any electronic device that will track your steps or activity for the day. I used to have a Fitbit but I currently own an Apple watch. Being able to see exactly how many steps you have taken for the day is extremely motivating. Most step trackers allow you to set individual step goals which is even more encouraging to stay active throughout the day. The general recommendation is to aim for 10,000 steps a day. That is my personal daily goal and when I am close (or not close enough) I find myself wanting to go for another quick walk or chase my toddler around so I can see those little rings flash when I meet my goal.

What’s next?

These are my six favorite pieces of equipment for exercising at home. Do you need all six of these to workout? Nope. Actually, you don’t need any. There are many different ways to exercise at home without using any equipment at all. But I find I am able to get the most out of my exercise as well as partake in more at home exercise with these items. Check out some of my other posts if you are looking for a quick at home full body routine, some pelvic stabilization, or core strengthening. I’ll have more home exercises coming soon. So be sure to subscribe to Moving Like a Mother to stay up to date on all the latest exercises, tips, and tricks to keep you movin and groovin.

-Monica

Working Out at Home (With Your Kids)

Posted on August 3, 2020May 16, 2023 by Monica

There are so many amazing benefits to exercise. Increased energy, improved mood, increased life expectancy, stronger muscles, improved circulation, and one of my personal favorites…exercise burns calories so you can indulge in some sweet treats or beverages with less guilt. Sweet!

But it can be hard to find time to get outside for a run or to make it to the gym when you have kids. Also, these days many gyms are requiring you to wear a mask while working out (that sounds tough) or have limited capacity.

So when Adidas asked me to write about how I fit in exercise with my kids at home I agreed to share my go-to, at home, full body, no equipment routine. I was not paid for the article nor am I a spokesperson for the company. There are many pros to working out at home and you can achieve all the wonderful aforementioned health benefits without stepping foot out your front door.

Benefits of At-Home Workouts:

Time effective

Working out at home is incredibly time effective. This is the number one reason I workout at home. No time is wasted getting in the car and driving to the gym. I usually don’t even change what I am wearing. That’s the beauty of wearing cute athleisure attire. You just need to slap on a sports bra and get right to it. And as soon as you’re done you can move onto the laundry, or dishes, change a diaper, or do one of the other 10 million things on that day’s to-do list.

Free

Doing exercises within the comfort of your own home is totally and completely free. With the exception of possibly having to pay for a few equipment essentials there is nothing else you need to spend money on.

Clean

Sure, when you work out at home there are likely millions of toys scattered about on the floor. But, you do not have to worry about germs or sweat from a stranger on your equipment.

Are at home workouts effective?

Yes, at home workouts are very effective. There are so many different types of workouts you can do at home including strength, yoga, cardio, and HIIT workouts.

And you can switch up the type of exercise so that you achieve even more of a benefit by burning more calories and working different muscle groups.

Also, when you workout at home you are more likely to squeeze in a few minutes of exercise when you might otherwise skip it. So fitting in a quick little strength or cardio circuit while your kids play around on the floor is better than just not exercising at all.

Why I like working out with my kids

Don’t get me wrong, if I am able to get an hour to myself to exercise I LOVE that time. But on the days I’m not able to get away I enjoy working out with my kids. It’s fun to interact with them and be silly while also getting my heart pumping or my muscles burning.

Plus, I believe that having my children see me exercise is good for instilling healthy behaviors and starting a fun relationship with exercise. My son has learned that jumping around or doing downward dog is really fun. He loves joining in and doing his own little toddler version of squats, upward dog, and burpees. And if you’ve never seen a tiny tot do yoga you’re missing out.

My At-Home, No Equipment, Full-Body Workout Routine:

Try my go-to total body workout below. Aim to complete 3 sets but if you can only fit in a set or two that is great! Just do what you can mama.

Alternating jump squats and jump lunges –Perform 30 reps total
Extended plank toe taps –Perform 10 each leg.
Extended plank hip extensions –Perform 10 each leg.
Skaters –Perform 30 total
Forward step ups with step back lunges on stairs –Perform 10 each leg
Burpees -Perform 10 total
Lateral step ups with kick outs on stairs -Perform 10 each leg
Reverse bridge tricep press up with toe tap -Perform 10 each leg
Modified side plank crunches -Perform 10 each leg

Repeat this circuit 3 times. Feel free to change the laundry, feed your toddler a snack, or let the dog out in-between sets.

More ways to work out at home:

There are many other great ways to fit in exercise at home including:

Going for a walk or run with your kids
Doing a YouTube video
Finding an Instagram routine
Using at home equipment (treadmill, bike, elliptical, etc)
Dancing with your kids
Doing some yoga stretches before bed

For more at home exercise routines you can do with your kids be sure to check out @movinglikeamother on Instagram. Below are some of my favorite athleisure pieces from Adidas that allow you to go from mom life, to workout, and back again with ease, comfort, and style.

–Monica

Exercises to Decrease Pelvic Pain (A Pelvic Reset)

Posted on July 29, 2020May 16, 2023 by Monica

Pelvic pain is unfortunately fairly common in women, especially pregnant or recently pregnant women. But pelvic pain does not discriminate. Men and non-pregnant women can also suffer from pain in the pelvis or sacroiliac (S.I.) joint. There are many possible causes for pelvic pain, but S.I. pain in the non pregnant population is often due to a misalignment of the pelvic joint. This can be caused by muscle imbalances, ligamentous laxity (such as during pregnancy), improper positioning and movement patterns, acute injury or ligamentous sprains. Luckily, there is an easy exercise progression you can do at home to try and “reset” your pelvic alignment. Doing these exercises may help decrease your pelvic pain.

A misalignment of the pelvis is one of the most common musculoskeletal causes of sacroiliac joint (S.I. joint) discomfort. It can be experienced at the front or back of the pelvic joints. Pelvic pain can be very painful and disruptive changing how you walk and move, which can affect more muscles and joints up and down the “chain”. So it is very important to correct a pelvic misalignment to decrease pelvic pain and to prevent further injury.

Exercises to Help Reset Your Pelvis & Decrease Pelvic Pain

These exercises below use your muscles to help pull your pelvis into a proper alignment. Most involve performing an isometric contraction which means squeezing your muscles without your body parts actually moving. Start with the first exercise and move through each one in the following order.

1. Isometric Hip Adduction:

Place your hands on the outside of your knees. Press your knees outwards into your hands. Hold for a count of 6. Repeat 6 times.

2.Isometric Hip Abduction (pillow):

Place a pillow between your knees when sitting or laying down with your knees bent. Squeeze your knees into the pillow. Hold for a count of 6 seconds. Repeat 6 times.

3. Isometric Hip Abduction (fist):

Place a small ball or your fist between your knees. Again perform in a seated or laying down position. Squeeze the ball (or your fist). Hold for a count of 6. Repeat 6 times. You may hear or feel an audible “pop” or click with this exercise. This is a good thing because it means your bones are going back into alignment.

Stretches to Decrease Pelvic Pain

Stretching some of the muscles around your pelvis can also be helpful for reducing pain. Some of the commonly tight muscles are your hip adductors (the muscles on the inside of your thighs). Try these two stretches below for a good adductor stretch:

1. Butterfly stretch:

Seated place your feet together with your knees flaring out. Hold 30 seconds and perform at least twice

2. Laying down butterfly stretch:

Same as above but lay down and perform it. Hold 30 seconds at least twice.

What next for pelvic pain?

The above exercises will aid in realigning your pelvis if you are suffering from misalignment and pelvic pain. There is also a muscle energy technique (MET) that can be used to aid in pulling your pelvis into a proper position but you would need to be appropriately evaluated by a physical therapist to determine the way in which your pelvis is rotated.

But ideally, these exercises will help to decrease your pelvic pain. However, the most important thing you can do to prevent pelvic pain or keep your pelvis from become misaligned again is to strengthen your pelvic stabilizers.

If you are looking for more higher intensity exercise moves to strengthen your inner thigh muscles to aid in pelvic stabilization be sure to try these 8 Moves For Your Inner Thighs.

Activity modification and an S.I. belt can also aid in decreasing pelvic pain if you are suffering from pelvic instability. You can read much more on causes and treatment for pelvic pain on my post What causes pelvic pain.

If you have pelvic pain that doesn’t go away or you are pregnant you should always consult with the appropriate medical professionals. But give these exercises a try if you feel like your pelvis just needs a pause, a breath, and a reset.

–Monica

What causes pelvic pain

Posted on July 27, 2020May 16, 2023 by Monica

Pelvic pain is a common occurrence in women, especially women who are or have been pregnant. But it’s not only pregnant women that suffer from this pelvic discomfort. It can also occur in women who haven’t had children and even men. But what causes pelvic pain? Pain felt in the pelvis region is multi-factoral and there are several reasons you may be experiencing discomfort in this area. Lets chat about the who, what, why and when of pelvic pain.

What does pelvic pain feel like:

We usually categorize pain as pelvic pain when it is felt below the belly button and between the hips. Common areas of pain include near the groin, around the low back/ buttocks region, near the pubic bone, and even felt as pain or pressure in our nether regions. Pelvic pain can be felt as a dull ache, pressure, pulling, or sharp sudden pain.

When does pelvic pain occur:

Pelvic pain in women most often occurs during pregnancy. To think we can lug around a bowling ball for 9 months and it not effect our pelvis is wishful thinking. But women can have pain in their pelvis after pregnancy, even several years later. Pelvic pain occurs when there is extra stress, a misalignment, or some type of muscle imbalance in our pelvic girdle often during or after pregnancy. But it can also occur in non pregnancy related ways from everyday activities that put your pelvis in poor alignment. For example, when men sit on their wallet in their back pocket it can throw their pelvis out of alignment. Surprise, men can have pelvic pain too.

Why does pelvic pain occur

Ah, the million dollar question. Why does pelvic pain occur? There are several causes for pelvic pain related to musculoskeletal imbalances or a misalignment of the pelvis. However, there can also be other medical causes for pain felt around the pelvis and if you have pelvic pain that doesn’t go away you should always consult your doctor. But lets chat about the common muscle and alignment reasons.

Pelvic pain explained:

Lets have a quick anatomy lesson. The pelvis is composed of two main bones, which you can think of as the “hip bones”. You have a one on the left and one on the right that are joined by the sacrum in the back and joined by your pubic symphysis in the front. Our pelvis is often referred to as the SI joint, or sacroiliac joint. A typical, healthy, pain free pelvis has symmetrical alignment where the two bones line up nicely and each rotate the appropriate amount as you bend over, flex your hip, or generally move about in life. However, sometimes the pelvis can become misaligned where one bone is rotated too far forward or backwards, or one is up too high. This is going to cause pain and pulling of the tissues, muscles, and ligaments that surround your pelvis.

Pregnancy and Pelvic Pain

Pregnancy is also a big contributor to pelvic pain. During pregnancy the hormone relaxin allows your ligaments and muscles to become more lax to allow room for the baby to grow. And as the baby grows it places extra stress and pressure on your pelvis and pelvic floor muscles. All of this together places your pelvis at increased risk for becoming misaligned.

Another cause of pelvic discomfort in pregnancy is pubic symphysis pain. Your two pelvic bones meet together in the middle and form a joint known as the pubic symphysis. It is located right in front of your bladder. I could write a whole additional blog post about pubic symphysis pain but just know that it can become very unstable, irritated, and contribute to pelvic pain during pregnancy.

Pelvic pain can also be related to problems with the muscles of your pelvic floor. Frequently after having a baby our pelvic floor muscles are too tight or too weak. If you feel you are having problems with your pelvic floor you should consult with your doctor and consider a referral for women’s health physical therapy for a complete assessment.

Pelvic pain vs. hip pain vs. back pain

An important fact to remember is the body is a chain. When one body part (or link) is not working properly another link up or down the chain will be effected. And our pelvis is part of our core which is the base of our body. Consequently, pelvic pain or misalignment can also cause pain in our hips and in our lower backs.

Treatment to help pelvic pain

Exercise:

Musculoskeletal imbalances, aka when the muscles surrounding a body part are not working in a balanced manner, is a common contributor to pelvic pain. Tightness of the hip adductors, tightness or weakness of the pelvic floor, weakness of the pelvic stabilizers, and core weakness are usually some of our first suspects when someone has pelvic pain. This can be rectified with strengthening and pelvic stabilization. Check out some quick and easy pelvic stabilization exercises here and basic core stabilization exercises here. Sometime a special muscle energy technique can be used to help “reset” our pelvis. Stay tuned for my next post this week that is all about exercises to help pelvic pain.

SI Belt:

As previously mentioned our pelvis is also referred to as our SI joint. And a very helpful product to provide external stability to our pelvis is an SI belt. An SI belt is useful when the muscles surrounding the pelvis are not yet strong enough and you are experiencing pelvic or back pain due to joint instability. They offer SI belts for both pregnant and non-pregnant people. I wore an SI belt for several weeks while I was pregnant with my son and it provided stability to allow a muscle strain in my lower back to heal.

Position or Activity Modification:

Sometimes pelvic pain is a result of an activity or position we are putting ourselves in everyday. For example activities that require you to stand on one leg (putting on pants, shoes, climbing into bed, etc) can increase your pelvic pain during pregnancy. Instead, try sitting down to put your pants on and off to reduce the stress place on your pelvis.

As I previously mentioned, men often sit on their wallets which places their pelvis in a asymmetrical position. This will lead to tightness and pain in either their pelvis or low backs. Take note of where and how you are sitting and ensure that you are sitting with good symmetrical alignment in the car, on the couch, or in your desk chair.

So what’s next?

There are many possible contributors to musculoskeletal related pelvic pain. Pregnancy, muscle imbalances, and improper positioning are leading causes of pain. Later this week I will post some quick easy exercises to help “reset” your pelvis as well as stretches to aid in prevention of asymmetrical pulling. So be sure to come back and check it out.

-Monica