It isn’t about being thin, or ‘snapping back’ – it’s about being strong, healthy and confident in your postpartum body. Here is an exclusive ‘happyfit’ workout perfect for the busy mama.
100 HIGH-KNEE BOXING OBLIQUE TWISTS
The real trick to this exercise is to make sure you keep those hips square to the front.
Run on the spot, lifting your knees up high to your bellybutton with your hands in a guard position, snug under your chin, both elbows pointing to your hips and your forearms facing the front.
Once you have the hang of the high knees, add in upper body twists side to side, so your elbow meets the opposite knee. Remember to keep those knees high, hips forward. And most importantly, pull the belly button into your spine to switch on your core. Now tense.
Repeat 3 times.
CROUCHING NINJA SQUAT TO FRONT KICK
This move burns calories while toning upstairs AND downstairs.
1. Crouch down low so your bum is resting on your heels and your knees angling towards the floor, just inches from the ground. Bum to heels, knees to floor. Simple!
2. Balancing on your heels, tense your abs for core support. Now here’s the trick: move your hands out to the side, flexing your fingers to the sky and pushing through your palms as if pressing against a wall either side of you. This will keep tension in your upper body!
3. Perform three mini squats, bounce up and down twice, just high enough to lift your bum off your heels, then squeeze your butt as you come up.
4. On the third squat, rise to standing position. The challenge? Don’t use your hands! Keep them firm in ninja position.
5. Perform a front kick on the right leg, then the left leg, and repeat the whole sequence.
Bad knees or ankles? No worries. Replace the crouching dragon squats with half squats. Sink down into a squat at 90 degrees then pulse in this half way position without fully straightening your legs at all.
TIP: When kicking, make sure you push through the hip and snap the leg back fast. Just remember: push and snap! Drive through the knee and kick with the ball of your foot to work the calf muscle.
25 WALKOUTS TO PUSH-UPS
This is a great full-body workout, focusing on toning your arms and your stomach.
1. Touch your hands to the floor. Walk them out to a push-up position, pulling your belly button up into your spine and push-up through the palms of your hands.
2. Perform one push-up on your knees or your toes and then slowly walk your hands back towards your toes and stand up. Repeat again.
