Why Mom’s Are Athletes…….

……..and why we truly need to train them functionally for their demanding job!  Moms are pushing pulling, squatting, lunging, rotating, reaching, bending over and balancing weights of upwards of 15kg (think newborn at 4kg and car carry seat at 10+kg) for at least 12 hours a day, on very little rest, with sub-par core-strength………..I could go on!  So just remember their ADLs next time you pass them a couple of 1kg dumbbells for a set of shoulder presses :-).  PS Yes, that is a dolly in my pushchair! I do not have a wierd looking child!

Mommy Activity in Daily Life	Functional Exercise Choice Equivalent
Rising from kneeling after changing the baby on the floor	Squatting & Lunging
Reaching out to grab a toddler as she wanders towards a busy road	Lunging & Horizontal Pulling
Putting the baby into its special car seat	Bend-to-extend, Squat, Horizontal Pull and Rotate
Turning to shout at kids in backseat while driving	Seated Rotation
Bending over a cot rail to get the baby out then lifting the baby to place over the shoulder	Bend-to-extend & Rotation & Vertical Press
Walking & pram pushing	Single leg work & Lunge and Horizontal Pushing
Playing games with kids, lifting them high in the air	Multi-directional Lunging and Horizontal & Vertical Press
Checking the clock on the bedside table in the middle of the night after being woken up for the 4th time!!	Supine Lying with Torso Rotation
Wiping small children’s noses	Bend-to-extend
Wiping small children’s noses as they try to run away	Bend-to-extend, lunge, horizontal pull and rotation
Speaking face-to-face with a toddler	Squatting & Bend-to-extend