Wouldn't you jump to get started if we told you that a certain exercise could improve your mood, decrease your stress levels, strengthen your bones, and boost your metabolism? Studies show that strength training can provide all those benefits and more. Strength training is a broad term that refers to any exercise that uses some form of resistance or load to strengthen and build muscle.
3 Metabolism-Booting Moves for Moms
FIT4MOM x Jessica Maurer x Sarah Prock
Sarah Prock started her journey at FIT4MOM as a newly-postpartum Stroller Strides client and then transitioned to Body Well and Body Ignite. She fell in love with the empowerment through the movement FIT4MOM provided for all women, so she became an instructor with FIT4MOM West Seattle. ”I love strength training because it makes me feel alive, powerful, and capable of taking on the strains of day-to-day life as a coach, wife, and mother,” Sarah says.
“By strength training, we learn we have the strength to push past this set, this class, and the hard things life throws at us,” explains Sarah. “Since starting strength training, I can see muscular definition throughout my body, which boosts my self-esteem and improves my confidence. I can also see the changes in how my mama clients present themselves.”
Strength for Mom Life
Strength is necessary for lifting, pulling, pushing, reaching, and bending. You could say that every physical movement requires some muscular strength. Think about the strength, endurance, and power necessary in everyday activities of your mom life:
Going up and downstairs
Holding a baby
Loading and unloading a washing machine
Lifting a laundry basket with seven to eight pounds of wet clothes
Loading and unloading children from a car
Shoveling snow
Gardening or other yard work
Carrying groceries
Strength training offers various health and fitness benefits, including increased muscle strength, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular endurance. Regardless of age, gender, or ability level, any mom can increase her strength and resting metabolism, decrease her risk of injury, and improve her self-esteem by starting (and sticking to) a strength training program.
Are you wondering how and where to get started? We have the answer for that, too! Grab your dumbbells and try these 3 metabolism-boosting exercises during your next workout. We included one of our live Facebook workouts so you can move with us (just scroll down)!
The Workout
1. Moving Squat & Curl to Press
Start with your feet under your hips and dumbbells by your side. Roll your shoulders back and down as you contract your core and pelvic floor. Step out with your right foot, bending your knees and sitting back and down into a squat. As you press through your heels to stand up, curl the weights to your shoulders. Now return to the starting position to press the weights up where the ceiling and the wall connect. Lower the weights to shoulder height and as you step out on the left foot, return the weights down by your side.
2. Reverse Lunge & Front Raise to Lateral Raise
With your feet together, hold the weights in front of your legs with palms facing you. Now, step back with your right foot and bend both of your knees, making sure to keep your shoulders and ribs stacked over your hips. Contract your core as you lift the weights to shoulder height. Lower the weights as you step your feet back to the starting position. Now, lift the weights out towards the front corners of your room, stopping at shoulder height again. As you lower the weights, switch legs to step back with your left foot.
3. Kickstand Deadlift & Bent Over Row to Upright Row
Find your strong posture—feet under hips, ribcage stacked on top of hips, core engaged, shoulder back and down, and a proud chest and chin. Extend your right leg behind you, putting 10% of your weight into the toe dug into the ground. Hinge forward so your back is long and your nose is over toes, allowing your arms to follow your tilt. Pull the weights towards your rib cage, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Return the weights down. Push through your front heel to return to standing. With your palms facing your thighs, pull your elbows up to chest height, keeping the ends of the weights close to each other. Slowly lower the weights and switch your legs.
MEET BODY IGNITE
Body Ignite is a one-stop body shock. Targeting every muscle with specially designed sequences and a weighted bar or dumbbell will leave you stronger and more energized. Plus, each class is full of fellow moms full of friendship, support, and camaraderie.
Sarah shared with us why she loves teaching Body Ignite. “My favorite part of teaching Body Ignite is seeing my clients' progression of form and increased weight. I get to be on this journey with women of all ages and stages of motherhood. I witness these amazing mamas challenge themselves and realize they are much stronger than they think,” says Sarah.
KEEP MOVING WITH US
