How to Tone Your Arms and Upper Chest During Pregnancy
Staying strong during pregnancy has many benefits. Not only will your toned arms and chest balance out your growing belly nicely, you might also avoid some lower back pain when you have a strong upper body.
With your physician’s permission, keep your arms and upper chest toned and shapely. It’s not necessary to go crazy with weights or repetition to see noticeable results from your workout efforts.
Things You’ll Need
- Resistant band
- Stability ball (optional)
4 Steps to Tone Your Arms and Upper Chest During Pregnancy
1. Stand with your feet about hip width apart or sit on the floor with your back straight.
Stretch your arms straight out from your sides, holding them at shoulder height. Rotate your straight arms, slowly moving them forward in small circles. As you move your arms, increase the size of the circles gradually until they are as large as feels comfortable.
Complete 10 to 15 circles and then reverse the direction of the circles to complete 10 to 15 more to stretch and tone your arms.
2. Remain seated and bring your hands together with your arms at shoulder height.
Press your hands firmly together and count slowly to four. Release your hands slowly and then press them together for another count of four.
Repeat this exercise 5 to 10 times every day to tone pectoral muscles, advises the Center of Excellence for Medical Multimedia, with the United States Air Force Academy.
3. Sit on a chair or on a stability ball with your arms straight out in front of you, holding a resistance band in each fist, palms facing down and hands about 5 inches apart.
Hold one arm steady and move the other arm straight out to the side pulling against the resistance band. Return the arm to the starting position. Repeat the movement 5 to 15 times with the first arm and then perform the same movement with the other arm to strengthen both arms.
4. Stand with your feet about hip width apart again and grasp the end of a resistance band in each hand with the band crossing your upper back.
Keep your arms straight out at shoulder height and slightly bent at the elbow. With your arms tight, slowly bring your hands together to meet in front of your chest. Open your arms back out again to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times to tone chest muscles.
Tips & Warnings
- As your pregnancy progresses, your balance will change with your expanding uterus. Perform exercises slowly and carefully to avoid injury or falls.
- Check with your caregiver prior to performing any exercises to ensure that it’s safe for you to proceed, advises the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- If you feel dizzy or short of breath, or experience any muscle weakness, contractions, chest pain, headaches or vaginal bleeding, stop exercising immediately and call your physician.
