Lab Rat 1.1 - Do NOT Try This at Home

Ok. So, my short version of advice: Do not plan on using either of these unmodified for strength/resistance training post-partum. The core workout from The Complete Book of Core Training (c) 2006 is an excellent core workout, but not strength. If you follow another strength program, I could recommend it for the core portion (if not provided). It starts extremely easy.  This is probably another reason why I don't like it. :) TRX - Military Fitness Guide (c) 2007 is a decent attempt at getting your full body moving. The moves are too complicated or require too much starting balance for new mothers, especially those who haven't worked out much in the past. For the complexity, they don't address enough of the major muscle groups effectively. So, we will call this my experiment week.  No need for you to repeat. I will add in an extra week at the end, so the nine week program will be 10 weeks of posting.

The up-side is that if you try to combine these, you will feel a lot of solid core work. They do provide balance and stability training (almost to excess); what I really wanted to ensure made it into the end workout. I like the TRX very, very much. It will continue to be the focus of the workouts because of one simple thing: body mass. The workouts themselves are getting scrapped completely, and I am writing new ones. I am trying to give you a strength workout from home. This allows anyone with a door or outside on a tree...I live on a boat...no excuses...to manipulate their body weight into dead weight (i.e. your resistance). (Picture of my setup at the end.)

Since I am changing the workout so drastically, I am going to post it at the end, vice beginning, of the week. I will let you know how the lab rat fares, and you can follow along a week behind (at your own risk, provided for informational purposes only, I am not liable for your actions...you get the picture). Please comment all you want. I will approve them all as long as you would let your child read them. :)

Lab Rat's Top 10:
1. Lots of core = sore abdominals = happy rat.
2. Difficult moves for a short door.
3. Not enough leg muscle recruitment.
4. Good arm strength requirements.
5. More strength was maintained than I expected through the past two months.
6. More stamina is gone than I had hoped.
7. My body is craving cardio (not normal for me).
8. Body feels tighter (that annoying just had a child squishy feeling is gone). (MY FAVORITE!)
9. Was excited that the 2-month old liked watching and the 2-year old tried to work out.
10. Have to watch not pushing too hard too fast. This is the big one if you were active as late as possible in pregnancy. My body now has a taste of working out and wants to "go, go, go!" in the words of my 2-year old. For me, completing a workout that I want any of you to be able to use (assuming you are in reasonable health) will keep me grounded. Find something that will do the same for you. Otherwise, I can see injury trying to crop up just when we take off.

To New Moms!
-Crystal