mommymedia : exercise

Prenatal Yoga with Shiva Rea

Satya — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:15:00 GMT

This is a great prenatal yoga practice. It is equally challenging for both beginners and advanced yoga practitioners. The DVD is visually beautiful and engaging, the music is calming and Shiva Rea’s soothing voice helps the pregnant yogi sink deeper into a relaxed state.

There are three women practicing for the viewer to follow: Poppy is the furthest along, Britta is in her second trimester and Shiva is performing yoga as if she is in her first trimester. Even though Shiva is not pregnant, she has been a yoga teacher for a long time and is a mother herself, so understands pregnancy and childbirth. Every pose is modified for each trimester of pregnancy. There are three sections of poses: the warm up, standing poses and floor work. Each section is a workout in itself, or you can practice all three in a row. They work seamlessly with each other and lead you gently into a deeper state of relaxation. The practice is followed by a guided meditation in a resting pose that is guaranteed to leave you completely relaxed.

Some women who bought this DVD and practiced it found it annoying to have to fast-forward through the rather long introduction. Other than that, though, this is a perfect prenatal practice for any stage of pregnancy. Shiva Rea goes slowly and explains the benefits of each pose. She reminds you to breathe constantly, which contributes to your deepening state of relaxation. What more could you want? Well, some versions of the DVD offer an extra video, instructing partners in prenatal massage. You’ll drool watching it and if you can get your partner to do it, what a lucky girl you would be. So make sure you get one with the extra video! An essential DVD for any pregnant woman’s collection, to be passed on to pregnant friends and relatives as the need arises. Pick up a copy here.

Baby and Toddler Yoga DVD

Madelyn8278 — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:51:00 GMT

Baby yoga is such a great idea but it’s not just for improving your baby’s flexibility. The exercises and gentle movements included in this DVD can help with digestion, promote sleep and encourage muscle development (theoretically helping your baby gain the strength to lift his or her head and sit up earlier). In addition, you and your baby will learn to communicate subtly with each other through practice. However, the beginning of this DVD seems to offer the mother very little in the way of exercise, which seemed odd. In addition, there were no accommodations for women who have had c-sections. Only a few of the movements for the infants seemed beneficial and enjoyable for the baby, but the few that were made the baby’s eyes light up with delight and their bodies seemed relieved afterwards. It was interesting to see how certain exercises visibly energized each part of the baby’s body.

The first part of this DVD had an ad-lib nature of teaching, making it seem unorganized and hard to follow. The toddler yoga on this DVD, however, is a completely different story. Some of the teachers were absolutely wonderful, the toddlers were so happy to take part in yoga and the parents got good exercise too. Even if you don’t like yoga, this section of the DVD will provide you with creative ways to interact with your toddler and the children’s antics while they do yoga will bring a smile to your face. That yoga “high” that you feel through practice is obviously a benefit children can feel too.

While this DVD is satisfactory and easily accessible even if you haven’t done yoga before, there are undoubtedly better ones on the market.

Pick up a copy here.

Fat Daddy/Fit Daddy: A Man’s Guide to Balancing Fitness and Family

Satya — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:35:00 GMT

This book is laugh-out-loud funny and easy to read. Lawrence Schwartz writes as a normal guy – full of football analogies, playful insults and sexual innuendos. The bulk of the book is focused on fitness and nutrition for dads, with a decent portion devoted to fitness involving the whole family and lots of tips for keeping the marriage together. It’s ironic coming from a divorced father, but perhaps that’s why the advice is so good. You can blow through this book and then keep it for reference as the information is fairly straight forward.

The best parts of this book are the creative ways to incorporate fitness in the family, his marriage tips, and of course, the jokes. The fitness information is valuable and pretty much right on, although since its release in 2003, new health and nutritional data have been discovered making it a bit dated. It’s astonishing to learn in this book that the average person gains at least one pound a year, or that over 90 percent of married couples that exercise together stay together. If you’re looking for how to keep the pounds off, then Schwartz has the advice you need. He provides an exhaustive list of nutrients and their importance, and plenty of ways to burn calories and build muscle, as well as sound fitness advice. He does not make it easy for dad though. In fact, he pretty much tells you to not make excuses and exercise for one hour everyday.

This book is very funny and a pleasure to read. Moms looking to buy their “fat daddy” a book would do well with this one; in the midst of all the fitness talk, he gives fathering and relationship advice that would go a long way in any family. Pick up a copy here.

Maternal Fitness: Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy, an Easier Labor, and a Quick Recovery

Satya — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:03:00 GMT

If you’re pregnant, you’re probably watching your diet, getting plenty of rest and preparing for the arrival of your new baby. You’re probably also thinking about what labor will be like. Will it be a four-hour breeze or 72 hours of hell? A lot of it depends on your muscles. Even if you’re getting regular exercise, there are specific fitness programs that can help strengthen and prepare your body for labor. “Maternal Fitness” was written by a professional trainer who is also a registered nurse and childbirth educator, so you can trust that the exercises are safe for you and your baby. The book features clearly illustrated exercises that focus specifically on the muscle groups you’ll use during labor, especially the transverse abdominals – the stomach muscles that play a critical role during delivery. Strong transverse abdominal muscles can speed labor and delivery and make for a quick recovery. By learning how to strengthen and relax these muscles at the right time, you’ll be able to push more effectively come delivery time. Here is one reader’s reaction after reading “Maternal Fitness”: “I did these exercises throughout my second pregnancy and, after nine easy hours of labor, was able to push the baby out in minutes.” Her first child took 56 hours of labor and nearly three hours of pushing, so she credits the Maternal Fitness program for an easier second labor. “[After the epidural] I had total control of my abdominal muscles,” she says, “but no pain.” While the “Maternal Fitness” exercises are specifically designed to help you get through delivery, they also have other benefits, such as minimizing back pain and fatigue to help you get back into shape after childbirth. While the author suggests doing the exercises regularly and often, they are easy to do and can be incorporated into any workout. Pick up a copy here.