I haven’t been feeling so hot today, and reluctantly decided to skip my daily workout. So instead of actually exercising, I decided I would write about exercising while consuming massive amounts of leftover Halloween candy.
I have always been a bit of a fitness freak. When I found out I was pregnant, I assumed I would have to drastically change my normal – sometimes intense – workout routines which had up to then included long distance running, kickboxing and body combat classes, bikram and power yoga, etc. Knowing I would never be that annoying pregnant lady who gains zero body fat and has only the teensiest of bumps (you know who I’m talking about), I still was not going to resign myself to ballooning to unhealthy proportions. Thus I turned to Amazon to scout out the best pregnancy workout DVDs.
I may have gone a tad overboard. Unable to decide between the plethora of pregnancy exercise DVDs, I just bought them all. Well not all, but five. Considering I didn’t have to stop running and could still weight lift and do pilates and some milder yoga, in retrospect five DVDs was a bit excessive. So for any of you preggos out there who might be interested in what – if any – DVDs might be worth investing in for your nine months, here are my reviews. Or perhaps you’d just like to know my opinion anyway. But please note I am not a doctor or fitness professional, so take my advice at face value.
Lindsay Brin’s Second Trimester DVD.
Lindsay, Sweetie, I’m pregnant, not dead! I couldn’t even finish this workout I was so bored. This workout included single sets of light weight lifting and cheesy aerobics that I felt silly doing even in the privacy of my own home. Perhaps if you’ve never worked out before and are just trying to stay active while pregnant, this might work for you. But if you are at all an experienced exerciser, skip it.
Pilates During Pregnancy, Volume 1
If you enjoy pilates but can’t find a studio or instructor that teaches pregnancy pilates, this is a suitable alternative. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. The DVD is divided into two workouts: a core section and a leg section, so if you’re pressed on time you can choose to do just one if need be. Although if you’re like me, 15 minutes of pregnancy core work does not a workout make. You’re obviously going to be limited in what kind of core activity you can partake in, and I found that section kind of boring. But the lower-body workout did get my glutes burning, which is quite an accomplishment. (Buns of steel? Not so much. But for some reason, it is really hard for me to target my butt.) So points for that. Still, I trained with a pilates instructor throughout my pregnancy and found this useful only on my travels.
I would recommend this over the pilates DVD, if you were going to choose. It is dynamic movement in pilates/yoga poses, and successfully gets your heart rate up and gives you the good kind of burn. I felt like I had actually worked out after doing this DVD. This is also divided into three segments, so you can choose between standing work, mat work or stretching if you don’t want to do the entire 50-minute routine.
Another winner, if you’re into yoga. Like the pilates DVD, I rarely used this but when I traveled because I take a weekly prenatal yoga class (always preferable to a DVD!). But if that is not an option, this DVD is a good second. The instructor offers many modifications based on how far along you are in your pregnancy, and it’s a generally relaxed yet challenging series of poses and stretches. Admittedly, I never made it through the end of this DVD either, but not because I was bored. Because there is a lot of “relaxation” time at the end, and if you’re a regular reader, you know that’s not my thing. But up till that point, it’s all good.
Summer Sanders’ Prenatal Workout
LOVE Summer Sanders! She is so stinkin’ cute! She is also the one instructor I didn’t get sick of watching over and over and over again (incidentally, this is the DVD that got the most use.) This includes workouts for all three trimesters, but I only ever did the second trimester segment. Whoops. But it is a great second trimester workout! You use resistance bands, which means you can control the level of intensity based on the band you use. And the bicep section kicked my ass. Resistance bands are hard folks. And if you want to feel like a real person doing a real workout, not a pregnant lady being pampered because of her delicate condition, I’d go for this one. I will note the reason I did not do the third trimester segment is because I turned it on and the instructor was seated in a chair, which I considered not hardcore enough. But for some women, it’s probably perfectly fine.
If you take any of my advice, let it be this: Do not buy five pregnancy DVDs. That’s just silly. I just revisited my Amazon account and realized how much money I spent on these items I rarely used, and it made me sad. I should have saved that for new shoes I will inevitably need now that my feet have expanded. But really, if you belong to a gym or have pregnancy classes nearby or are willing to just walk around your neighborhood, you will never use all five DVDs enough to justify their cost. Pick one or two you’re likely to do based on your workout preferences, and stick with those. Hope this helps.
Now my question to you – any good recommendations for post-baby DVD workouts? I figure I’ll be confined to the house for a while, so investing in ONE or TWO DVDs might not be a bad idea. Suggestions welcome!
I love workouts that begin with me just sitting in a chair. My friend Rieka loves Tracy Anderson DVDs…they are too expensive for me, but you might want to check them out!