Today, in part 3 of core exercises throughout your pregnancy we are focusing on core exercises in your third trimester. It’s important to remember that generally the exercises outlined below are safe for the third trimester in most women but ensure that you are listening to your body and adjusting where you need to. What works for your friend may not be appropriate for you and if you need more specific modifications or adaptations please feel free to reach out to me and discuss your individual situation.
Last week we talked about the second trimester and some modifications you may need to start making in the second trimester (you can check out that post here). You may have found that you didn’t need to make some of those modifications in the second trimester, but you might find you need to start making them here so be sure that you revisit that post to read up on those exercises as well.
Today we are going to look at 5 more exercises that are generally considered safe for your third trimester. You can check out detailed descriptions of these exercises below.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: This breathing exercise is something that can be done throughout the entire duration of pregnancy and can be a great warm up activity even before you work into your third trimester. As you enter your third trimester you will want to place importance on this breathing pattern. Diaphragmatic breathing requires you to take a full breath in while expanding through the chest and abdomen. Placing your hands on your chest and/or abdomen can allow you to have tactile feedback to ensure that you are expanding through the chest and abdomen. You will also want to ensure that as you inhale your pelvic floor is lengthening. It’s important to strengthen your pelvic floor as well as learn how to relax it and this breathing pattern can be very helpful while learning to relax your pelvic floor. As you exhale your chest and abdomen should sink back in and your pelvic floor should lift (it doesn’t need to contract fully). I’ve demonstrated this breathing pattern here on your back, however you can choose whatever position is comfortable for you. Try it standing or seated if that’s more comfortable.
Pallof Press: The Pallof Press is returning, and that’s because it’s such a fantastic core exercise throughout pregnancy (I can’t limit it to only one trimester). Ensure you are anchoring the band at about chest height and begin with your hands at your chest. Press straight out away from you exhaling as you do so and contracting through the abdomen and through the pelvic floor. When working through core exercises in your third trimester focus on incorporating the breathing pattern we talked about above working to maintain your core and connect to it as your belly grows. This will help you as you work through the remainder of your pregnancy and into the postpartum period as well.
Pallof Press + Rotation: Using the cues above we are going to perform a Pallof Press with an added rotation. As pregnancy progresses rotational exercises are still of importance to maintain connection through the obliques (side abs). Anchor the band securely at chest level and begin with hands close to the body at the chest. Press out and then rotate through the torso and hips to complete the rotational movement.
Bird Dog Toe Slide: As you progress through pregnancy you may find that the quadruped positions are more comfortable for you than the plank positions or the incline plank positions. With this movement it’s important to focus on activating through the core and pelvic floor as you slide your toe backwards along the floor. Then return to the start position. The traditional bird dog also includes an arm lift which you can incorporate if you feel comfortable doing so.
Pelvic Tilts: The pelvic tilt can be a good way to activate and relax the core muscles without a huge amount of movement. In the third trimester it will likely be most comfortable done from the standing position, however it can be done lying on your back as well. It could also be done from seated or seated on a stability ball as well. Begin by tipping your hips forward and then tipping them back. Placing your hands on your hips can be a helpful cue when it comes to tipping your hips.
Here are 5 more exercises that you can use in the third trimester to help keep your core as strong as possible throughout pregnancy. If you have questions please reach out.
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