When was the last time you felt energised and bursting with life?

When you ask Mums how they most want to feel, energised is high on the list. We tend to give so much of our energy to everyone around us that we often have nothing left for ourselves.

When we are low on energy, it is really hard to find the motivation to exercise. I feel that way and I exercise for a living!

I have compiled a few of my favourite energising moves. These simple exercises are guaranteed to energise even the most depleted Mum. And of course, leave you with enough time to get through all the things you need to do each day to make your life run smoothly!

With these easy exercise, you can transform your energy levels in just five minutes – that’s one minute of each exercise – enjoy!

1. Squat + Press

• Start with your feet hip distance apart.
• Rock your weight back into your heels.
• Engage your pelvic floor and gently draw your belly button back towards your spine (you should be able to maintain a regular breath).
• Bend your arms and tuck your elbows into your waist.
• Sit back into a squat position.
• Check that your knees are tracking over your 2nd + 3rd toe. You should be able to still see your toes.
• Press through your heels to stand back up.
• As you stand, press the weights above your head. Your arms should be in line with your ears.
• Keep your tailbone slightly tucked toward the ground and keep drawing your front ribs into your belly.

Early Post-Natal Modification!

Pressing weight over your head can put added pressure on your pelvic floor. Drop the weights and add a clap above your head as you stand up. Keeping the arm movement will help to keep your cardiovascular system pumping.

2. Push Ups + Quad Extensions

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Draw your belly button gently back towards your spine.
• Bend your elbows and lower your upper body down to the floor.
• Push back up to start position.
• Slowly extend right arm and left leg away from your midline.
• Repeat on the left arm and right leg.
• Repeat this cycle of push up and quad extension.

Advanced  Modification!

The above move is great for any mums with pelvic floor issues or stomach separation.  If you want to advance this exercise, try this:

• Complete one push up in a knee plank or plank position (a knee plank is a plank just with your knees dropped to the ground).
• Push back up to a high plank.Draw your right knee to your right elbow and then back to start position.Repeat on the left side. Drop your knees to the ground and repeat one push up + one knee to elbow on each side.
• Draw your right knee to your right elbow and then back to start position.
• Repeat on the left side.

3. Down Dog to Tiger Curl

• Start in downward facing dog or an upside down V shape.
• Bend your knees as much as you need to lengthen your spine.
• Draw your belly button in towards your spine and try to lengthen through your whole spine.
• Inhale and raise your right leg into the air.
• Exhale and hold that position.
• Inhale and roll forward into a high plank and draw your right knee to touch your nose.
• Exhale back to down dog with your right leg raised.
• Alternate each side.

Early Post-Natal Modification!

This move may cause strain on your pelvic floor or stomach. Instead of Down Dog to Tiger Curl try spinal roll downs. Standing tall, tilt your chin to your chest and then roll all the way down to a forward fold one vertebrae at a time.

Return to standing coming the opposite way, so that your head lifts last. Focus on your breath. Open mouth exhale as your roll down and a long slow inhale as you rise to standing.

4. Lunge Pulse to High Knee

• Step forward around half a metre onto your left leg.
• Drop your back knee towards the ground.
• At the bottom of the lunge, your back knee should be directly under your body in a straight line to the top of your head.
• Keep your head looking forward, chest upright and brace through your core.
• Push back up to a standing position and raise your right knee into the air so you are standing on your left leg with your right knee at 90 degrees.
• Alternate each side.

Early Post-Natal Modification!

If you find this move difficult, use the support of a high backed chair or table to help you balance. You may just want to rise up onto the toe of your lifted leg rather than lifting your knee right up to your stomach.

5. Belly Breathing

Sometimes, we just need to take our focus inwards to be able to tap into our natural supply of energy.

• Close your eyes and place your palms together in front of your heart.
• Take a deep breath into the space beneath each of your hands.
• Slowly exhale through your nose.
• As you inhale repeat the word “Energised”.
• As you exhale repeat the word “Vibrant”

What is your post-baby fitness regime? Share with us in the comments.