Exercising and being fit during pregnancy will assist your body staying flexible together with prepare for the important event, the birth of the baby. Generally, abdominal exercises help maintain your muscles flexible, something which is vital while giving birth. In this article, Vkool.com will introduce you 21 safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy. Keep reading this post to learn these abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

21 Safe Abdominal Exercises During Pregnancy That Work

1. Scissor Kicks

These abdominal exercises keep the tummy tight during pregnancy and also give you a head begin to regaining the abs post-pregnancy.
This is one of the safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

How to do it:

1. First of all, lie down comfortably on the back.
2. Place the hands under the hips and ensure they are placed flat.
3. Then, keep the back as flat as you can against the floor.
4. Now gradually raise one leg until the time it is around ten inches up from your ground.
5. After that, begin lowering your leg which you raised even as you begin raising the other leg in the same manner as you did with your other leg earlier.
6. Do three sets of 10 scissor kicks and ensure you rest a little in between each set.

2. Sitting Knee Lift

How to do it:

1.      The first step is to lie down comfortably on the back and ensure the knees are bent. Remember that the feet should be planted stably on the floor.

2.      Take your hands and then put them in such a manner that they’re positioned below and also to the side of the belly button.

3.      Slowly press 2 fingers of each hand into the lower abdomen. Ensure that you perform this step very mildly and don’t hurt yourself in this process.

4.      Now very gradually push down on the lower abdomen. Ensure that you don’t move the pelvis at all, don’t raise the chest upwards and don’t hold your breath.

5.      Once, the muscles of the abdomen begin to feel tight, stop instantly. These muscles should feel tight under the fingers.

6.      Hold this position for about 10 seconds and after that release. Repeat the same 10 times.

Learn more: List Of 15 Physical Therapy Exercises For Treating Knee Pain

3. The Standing Crunch

You also should not miss this exercise when looking for the best abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

How to do it:

1. Firstly, stand straight by putting the feet as wide as the hips. Ensure that the knees are slightly bent. Then raise your hands and put them behind your head.
2. Suck the belly button in and now bring it inwards towards the spine.
3. Tuck your pelvis and then bring the fingertips to the ears.
4. Now gradually crunch forwards plus squeeze the muscles in the abdomen. Perform it in such a manner as you would do.
5. Perform about 15 to 20 repetitions.

4. The Standing Bicycle

You also should not skip this exercise when looking for the safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

How to do it:

1. First of all, you need to place the feet as wide as the hips.
2. Begin crunching forward and raise the right knee towards the chest.
3. Now twist the right such that the left elbow comes towards the right knee.
4. Replace your foot and then get back to the initial standing position.
5. Lift your left knee and now twist it such that the right elbow comes towards the left knee.
6. Repeat these steps a minimum 10 to 20 times.

5. Standing Toe Touches

How to do it:

1. Stand straight and put the feet as wide as the hips.
2. Now gently pull the belly button inwards towards your spine. While performing so, tuck the pelvis under you.
3. As you are doing it, lift both the arms upwards and put them straight above the head.
4. Gradually bend forward from the waist in such a manner that your chest plus your arms come forward.
5. While you’re bending forward, gradually raise the right leg ahead of you and ensure it is straight.
6. After that, bring the leg back to your ground and stretch the arms back up in the air.
7. Repeat these steps with your left leg. Do these steps on each side for around 10 to 12 times each.

6. The Plank

For this especially abdominal workout during pregnancy, you’ll have to start with your knees and hands.

How to do it:

1. Firstly, place the forearms on your floor in such a way that they are put directly below the shoulders.
2. Slowly rise up on the toes in such a manner that the body takes the shape of one flat line.
3. As you do this step, pull the belly button inwards towards the spine.
4. At the same time, squeeze your hips as you are pulling the belly button inside.
5. Hold this position for a minimum 10 to 60 seconds.

There are many abdominal exercises during pregnancy presented in this post, keep reading it!

7. Side Lying Crunch

This is also considered as one of the safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

How to do it:

1. Lie down on the left side and next bend the knees at a thirty-degree angle to the hips.
2. Slowly roll the body towards the right side, thus you only have to raise your knees about 6 inches from the floor.
3. Make sure that the body weight rests on back of the left shoulder along with your shoulder blade.
4. Now take both the hands and put them behind the head. Make sure that the fingertips are touching but the fingers shouldn’t be in one clasping pose. The elbows should be in an open pose.
5. Then, curl the torso upwards in one diagonal position. Meanwhile, bring the breastbone towards the right knee.
6. While you are performing the above steps, the left shoulder will only raise a little from your floor.
7. Take both the arms towards the knees and create them curl a bit higher.
8. Afterwards, place the hands in one backward position behind the head and now lower yourself to the initial position.
9. Repeat all these above steps again.
10. Perform one set of 6 repetitions. Once you’re done, change the side to repeat on your other side. When you get comfortable, you can move on to performing around 12 repetitions instead of just six.

8. Core Breath

How to do it:

1. The first step is to sit down comfortably with the back straight. Next position both the hands on your ribs on your side.
2. Inhale and open the ribs outwards towards the side. Now take a deep breath.
3. Adjust the posture so that you can take in one good amount of air.
4. Next, gradually start exhaling the air. When you breathe out, bring the ribs back to one closing position.
5. Contract the front of the pelvis and the tailbone while relaxing the stomach.
6. Repeat the steps.

9. Seated Ball Stability Hold

This is also one of the safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy. For this, you’ll need to use one stability ball. If you haven’t used one before or aren’t comfortable using one, ask a friend or your partner to help you balance while sitting.

How to do it:

1. First of all, you need to sit down on one stability ball and maintain your posture straight, with the back erect.
2. Then, take both the hands and put them on each side in order to help you maintain the balance.
3. Exhale, with the major concentrate on breathing out from the core. As you’re exhaling, lift a foot off your ground and simultaneously raise the opposite arm up plus over your head.
4. Hold your breath for around two to three seconds.
5. Return to the initial position and then repeat all these steps with your other arm and foot.

10. Side Plank

How to do it:

1. Lie down comfortably on your side.
2. Now put one of the elbows directly under the shoulder.
3. Bend your knees and then stack them one on the top of the other.
4. Make sure that at this time you maintain the spine neutral. Start focusing on your core breathing.
5. Squeeze your hips and after that bring them forward till the hips are above your floor.
6. Hold this position for around 20 to 30 seconds. Ensure you keep breathing normally.
7. Once you’re done, do the steps on your other side.

11. Bird Dog

How to do it:

1. First of all, get down on your floor on your elbows and knees. Before you begin, ensure that your wrists are put directly under the shoulders, and the knees are put directly under your hips.
2. Make sure that the back remains straight. Also, ensure that you keep your muscles around your abdomen tight.
3. Now slowly raise your left leg and then extend it in one straight line behind you. When you do the step, the muscles around the abdomen part should be tight. You must take the leg back in such a manner that it stays in parallel position to the body.
4. While you are doing this step, lift up the right arm and afterwards bring it straight ahead of you.
5. Wait for a while and keep the step, and then gradually begin breathing as you release the pose and come back to your original position.
6. Now do the same steps with the opposite hand and leg.

12. Standing Pelvic Tilt

How to make it:

1. Firstly, stand near one wall and ensure your posture is erect and your spine is straight.
2. Place your hips and your back against the wall and the heels should be around twelve to eighteen inches away from that wall.
3. As you stand like that, you will see one small space between your lower back and the wall. Make sure you keep this distance prior to starting the exercise.
4. Start flexing in the abs, so that you will feel a little pressure, plus your hips begin to tilt backward.
5. As you do that step, the lower back will begin flattening itself against that wall.
6. Hold the pose for around five seconds and release.
7. Repeat the steps 10 times.

13. Hip Hiker

How to do it:

1. Lie down on your side comfortably and ensure that you bend the bottom leg.
2. While you are performing this, the top leg should be straight. If you’re feeling uncomfortable otherwise you can use one pillow to support the head.
3. Now lift your top leg about 2 to 4 inches from the ground. Keep the position.
4. Keep your leg straight. Meanwhile, use your muscles on the side of the abdomen to assist you to pull the hip upwards towards the shoulder.
5. Hold the pose for around 5 seconds.
6. Repeat the steps for 10 times. Once you’re done, do the same steps with your other leg.

14. No Crunch Crunches

How to do it:

1. Lie down on your back comfortably and make sure the knees are bent. At the step, the feet should be firmly planted on the floor.
2. Take your hands and then put them in such a manner that they’re positioned below plus to the side of the belly button.
3. Slowly press 2 fingers of each hand into the lower abdomen. Ensure that you follow this step very gently and don’t hurt yourself in this process.
4. Now very gradually push down on the lower abdomen. Ensure that you don’t move the pelvis at all, don’t raise the chest upwards and don’t hold your breath.
5. Once the muscles of the abdomen begin to feel tight, you have to stop immediately. Your muscles should feel tight below your fingers.
6. Hold the position for around 10 seconds and then release.
7. Repeat the same 10 times.

15. Kegels

General speaking, this is also regarded as one of the best and most effective abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

How to do it:

1. Sit down on the exercise ball comfortably and inhale full and nice. While you’re breathing in, allow your belly to lift as the air fills in.
2. Once you have enough inhaled, slowly exhale to allow all the air to out.
3. Ensure to match the inhalation length to this of the exhalation length.
4. The following time that you exhale, you try to tighten your muscles which are located in the vagina. If you aren’t able to perform so on the initial try, you can imagine one situation where you require using the bathroom badly in order to pee, yet are forced to keep your pee.
5. Contract and tighten your muscles around the vagina as if you’re ending yourself from peeing.
6. Now relax your neck, shoulders and face as well. At this point, only your muscles of the pelvic floor should feel contracted and tight.
7. Hold the pose for around the count of 5 to 8t and then gradually release.
8. Try and perform at least 20 times a day.

Learn more: Additional Advantages Of Kegel Exercises For Guys

16. Squat

How to do it:

1. Stand straight and keep the feet wide apart. Ensure that they’re direct below the hips and are put as wide apart as the hips.
2. Then, bring the arms forward and now cross them right ahead of your chest.
3. Now gradually squat down.
4. Once you try this out some times you will gradually get more comfortable performing this, so don’t give up.
5. While you are squatting, ensure that you press the heels into the floor.
6. Keep squatting as well as coming downwards towards your floor as much as possible.
7. While you’re squatting down, ensure that you keep your back, your abs, and your shoulders controlled in such a manner that you may feel the pressure there.
8. Slowly come back to the original position.
9. Try doing 2 sets with fifteen repetitions each.

17. Cat Cow Pose

How to do it:

1. First of all, get down on your floor on your legs and hands. Make sure that the hands are positioned exactly under the shoulders together with the knees are directly under the hips.
2. Start inhaling and then look upwards towards your ceiling. Ensure to arch the back as you perform so.
3. Then, as exhaling, tuck in your tailbone and your chin. Meanwhile, pull the belly button towards the spine.
4. Keep shifting between exhaling and inhaling and try to match the breathing to the movements as much as possible.
5. Repeat the steps for 2 minutes and after that take a break prior to resuming again. This is also one of the safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

18. Side-Lying Leg Lifts

How to do it:

1. Lie down on your left side comfortably. Place the left elbow on your ground so that it may properly support the upper body.
2. Now slowly lift up the right leg. Try and raise it as high up as possible but ensure that the hips are in one straight line, stacked one on the top of your other.
3. Bring the leg down to around two inches above the left leg.
4. Keep repeating these steps for twenty repetitions with each leg.
5. Keep doing until your legs begin to feel tired.

19. Prone Stretch And Tuck

How to do it:

• Firstly, start on all fours.
• Next, extend the left arm straight out ahead of you and the right leg out behind you.
• Then, engage the abs as drawing the extended elbow plus knee in toward the core.
• Bow release to full extension and then continue.
• Repeat the same number of repetitions on your opposite side.

20. Heel Slides

1. First of all, lie on the back with the upper back, head and neck propped up above the heart with the palms on your ground along the sides for support.
2. Then, bend both your knees to bring the feet in toward the butt.
3. Keeping your heel above yet close to your ground, extend a leg at a time.
4. Then bring it return to starting position.
5. Alternate sides.

21. Single Heel Drop

Not surprisingly, this is also one of the safe abdominal exercises for pregnancy.

How to do it:

1. First of all, lie on the back with the upper back, head and neck propped up above the heart with the palms on your ground along the sides for support.
2. Then, bend both knees at your hips to ninety degrees and raise both heels up off your ground so that your feet are in-line with your knees.
3. With control, engage the abs to lower a heel.
4. Gently touch the ground prior to raising it back up to the initial position.
5. Repeat on your opposite side and continue alternating legs.

Learn more: 14 Best Plank Workouts For Abs – Score Sexy Abs Easily

Please go to our main Fitness & Exercises page to know more problems related to pregnancy. Hope that this article will help you learn more some safe abdominal exercises during pregnancy. If you have any question or comment, please leave them below, I will respond you as soon as possible. Also, you can share the experience if you know any other abdominal exercises during pregnancy.

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