Exercise Video Recommendation

Two weeks after I delivered our little Serenity, I decided I needed to get back into shape, pronto. I started doing some light yoga and quickly found myself in so much pain. This was an ultra-flare-up of an old upper back problem. I started to wonder if maybe I needed one of those made-for-the-post-partum body videos. Ya know, a mom video.

I certainly didn't want one of those "Use your baby as a weight" videos. No exercising with Serenity would be going on here.

I did find a video with very good and safe techniques and minimal baby references.

"Bounce Back Fast!" by Helene Byrne

This set of exercises, presented in the video and also in an accompanying book, has really helped me to decrease my pain and start regaining some stomach and back muscle. Actually, it is even retraining me to recognize muscles I didn't even now existed!

The ladies doing the exercises are actually 3 or 4 months out, so I didn't feel too bad when I had to put this video away while I got my back straightened out. I have recently started doing the exercises again and I know I am now ready for them (it's amazing how long it takes, really!)

Now, the host is a bit of an odd lady, but I just try to ignore her. Maybe I am too picky!

There are a few references like "You'll need these muscle to pick your baby out of the crib", but they are minimal. I just think "No, not for this baby, but I need these muscles back in shape to try for the next one."

The book also does a good job of explaining the post partum body (like kyphosis). The video includes an exercise band.