10-Minute Postpartum Power Workout

Basic Squat

• Stand tall with your feet hip distance apart. Your hips, knees, and toes should all be facing forward.
• Bend your knees and extend your buttocks backward as if you are going to sit back into a chair. Make sure that you keep your knees behind your toes and your weight in your heels. Rise back up and repeat.
• For this workout, try and move quickly down and up in order to raise the heart rate. Perform for 30 seconds.

Knee Thrusters Right & Left

• Start standing with feet wider than shoulder distance apart and turn both feet toward the left allowing the hips to follow like you’re in a shallow lunge. The front knee (left/right knee)  is a 90-degree angle and the back heel lifted. Arms are in guard position in front of the chest.
• Drive the back knee (right/left knee) up to hip height towards the hands and hands in towards the thigh. Return the foot to floor and repeat. Move quickly in and out keeping abs tight throughout. Perform for 30 seconds.

Kick Through Lunges Right & Left

• Stand tall with your feet hip distance apart. Take a large step backward with the right foot and lower your body toward the floor. Both legs should be bent at a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the lunge.

• Straighten your left leg and kick your right foot forward to hip height or higher if possible. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Punching

• Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and bend knees slightly. Tighten the core to keep your center still.
• Punch out one arm at a time at a steady but fast pace. Punch for 30 seconds.

High Knees

• Start standing with feet hip distance apart.
• Lift up right knee as high as it will go and raise the opposite arm, then switch quickly to left knee. This will feel like a fast, high march. Continue pulling knees up quickly for 30 seconds.

Lateral Shuffle

• Start standing with feet hip distance apart and sink into a deep knee bend. Bring both hands in front of the chest in guard position.
• Start with right foot moving right and left foot following.  Shuffle right for four right-left steps, then move left for four left-right steps.  Continue shuffling right left for 30 seconds

Side Lunges

• Start standing with legs slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and toes pointed forward.
• Shift your body weight to one leg bending the knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle and the other leg is straight. Glutes are pressing back behind you.  Return to center and switch sides. Move back and forth for 30 seconds.

Now take a short 30 second break, grab water, and start back at the time for one more time through.

(By Kim Pieper)