WNiF Magazine - Summer 2017 Edition | Page 20

• She should squeeze between her shoulder blades (rhomboids) • Keep her chin slightly tucked and traps relaxed throughout • Hold for 3 and slowly return to the starting point Repeat for 10-12 reps to-do glute-activation exercise that she can also include her baby in when she feels ready. For a mum with sciatic pain this exercise may not be ideal as it may create more pressure on her sciatic nerve at the top of the movement. How to correctly teach hip raises: • Ask your client to start lying on her back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip width apart • Her hands are relaxed by her sides • Ask her to push through heels and squeeze bum to raise her hips off the floor until there is a nice line between shoulders and knees • She shouldn’t feel a pinch in her lower back—if this is the case, lower slightly keeping her bum squeezed • Hold for 3 and slowly return to the ground Repeat for 10-12 reps. 3. Hip raise Many mums report tight hip flexors and a lazy bum—a hip raise is a fantastic easy- I believe each of these exercises help to create a strong foundation in any new mum. They are a great place to start, especially if your mum-clients are new to training or you are new to training post- natal clients. Once we have learned foundation exercises such as these, move on to teaching basic movement patterns performed well, i.e. squat, lunge, push and pull including light twisting and turning. The intensity is completely dependent upon any postnatal contraindications like abdominal separation, pelvic floor weakness, prolapse etc. Mums have to move in many awkward positions and as fitness professionals, I believe we need to teach them to move well. We will be releasing dates soon for our 2018 Safe Return to Exercise course, so stay in touch and check out the website for more details and those dates www.jendugard.com/body-beyond- baby/workshops/ THE MOST AFFORDABLE INSURANCE IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY. MORE INFO INSURANCE 20 WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - SUMMER 2017