empowered
motherhood
through
movement

program plan

weekly foundations

(AIM FOR 2+ TIMES PER WEEK)

Exercise

sets

reps

video

COACHING CUE

Supine cross-connect breathing

1-2

6-8b/es

Lie on your back with a foam roller positioned where the wall meets the floor. Place one foot against the wall, keeping a soft knee and pressing the heel down toward the foam roller to engage your hamstring. Bring the other leg into hip flexion and reach the opposite elbow toward the knee. Exhale fully through your mouth, feeling your oblique, hamstring and glute connect. Maintain the position as you inhale through your nose, then continue breathing slowly and diaphragmatically.

90/90 internal rotation lift-off

1-2

6-8/es

Sit comfortably in a 90-90 position with your hands supported on the floor as needed. Keeping your upper body as still as possible, lift the foot of the back leg away from the floor as far as your hip mobility comfortably allows. Slowly lower the foot back down with control. Sit on a block or pillow if more comfortable.

Standing open book t-spine rot

1-2

6-8/es

Set up in a staggered stance with the leg furthest from the wall in front and reach both arms forward. Inhale as you rotate the arm on the same side as the standing leg up and around, following your hand with your eyes as you open through your upper back. Exhale as you slowly reverse the movement back to the starting position.

Adductor thread the needle

1-2

6-8/es

Set up with one leg extended to the side, maintaining heel contact with the floor. Exhale as you thread one arm underneath your body, rotating through your upper back. Inhale as you open and reach toward the ceiling, following your hand with your eyes and allowing your ribcage to expand into the rotation. Keep the movement slow and controlled.

Lying ankle pumps

1-2

10-12

Lie comfortably on your back with your legs extended and heels maintaining contact with the floor throughout. Point your toes forward as far as your ankle mobility comfortably allows, then pull your toes back toward you. Continue moving slowly and intentionally between both positions while keeping your heels grounded.

Day 1

WARM-UP

Exercise

Sets

reps / time

video

COACHING CUE

90/90 knee rolls with foam roller

1-2

6-8/es

Lie on your back with your feet supported on the wall in a 90/90 position and place a foam roller between your knees. Inhale as you gently rotate through one hip, allowing the knee to reach slightly toward the ceiling. Exhale as you return with control, then alternate sides. Keep the knee reach small and focus on sensing the rotational movement through the hips.

Adductor rock to scorpion

1-2

6-8/es

Set up in a lateral kneeling position with one knee bent and supported on the floor, the opposite leg extended out to the side, and your hands supported on the floor in front of you. Inhale as you push your hips back toward the kneeling leg. From there, bring the extended leg around and behind the bent knee, allowing the movement to come through the hip. Exhale as you reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Work within a comfortable range throughout.

Three-way hip shift tap

1-2

6-8/es

Keep most of your weight over the standing leg, with a soft knee, as you sit back into the hip. Reach the opposite foot to tap the floor in front, to the side and slightly behind you. Maintain full foot contact on the standing leg and breathe naturally throughout.

Standing windmill

1-2

6-8/es

Stand slightly wider than hip-width with your toes slightly turned out. Inhale as you bend one knee, push your hips back and reach the same-side hand toward the floor, following the opposite hand with your eyes as you rotate. Exhale as you return to standing. Only reach as far as your mobility comfortably allows.

FULL BODY STRENGTH

Order

Exercise

sets

reps

tempo

rpe

rest

video

COACHING CUE

A1

1-DB tempo box goblet squat

2

4-5

3111

5-6

2min

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width and maintain full foot contact. Inhale as you slowly lower, allowing your knees to travel forward as your hips descend, bending through the knees and hips together. Lightly tap the box/bench while keeping tension through your legs, then exhale as you stand back up.

B1

3-point DB single-arm row

2

6-8/es

2111

5-6

1min 30s

Support one hand on the bench and maintain ribs atop hips. Allow your knees to bend and your heels to slightly elevate off the floor as needed. Maintain a strong grip. Inhale as you row, leading your elbow toward your trunk. Exhale as you lower the dumbbell with control, reaching long at the bottom.

C1

Curtsy lunge

2

6-8/es

2111

5

Start in a comfortable standing position and step one leg diagonally behind the other. Keep most of your weight over the front leg with a stable tripod foot. Inhale as you lower into the lunge, sitting back into your hips and limiting forward knee travel. Exhale as you press firmly through the front foot and return to standing. Hold on to a support if you feel more comfortable or stable with additional support.

C2

Around the world shoulder raise

2

6-8

Controlled

5

1min 30s

Stand tall with ribs atop hips and maintain a strong grip on the dumbbells. Inhale as you raise the dumbbells out and around in a controlled arc until they meet overhead. Exhale as you reverse the movement and slowly return.

D1

1/2 kneeling cable Pallof press

2

6-8/es

2111

5

Set up in half-kneeling with the leg furthest from the cable in front and maintain ribs atop hips. Inhale as you press the cable straight forward, resisting rotation through your trunk. Exhale as you slowly bring your hands back toward your body.

D2

DB Preacher curl

2

6-8/es

3111

5

1min 30s

Set the bench at a comfortable incline and stand behind it. Support the back of your upper arm and elbow on the bench, holding on to the bench with your opposite hand for support. Inhale as you bend your elbow and curl the dumbbell toward you. Exhale as you slowly extend your arm and lower the dumbbell with control. Keep your upper arm supported on the bench throughout.

day 2

WARM-UP

Exercise

sets

reps / time

video

COACHING CUE

All-fours wall supported knee roll

1-2

4-6/es

Set up on all fours with your feet supported against the wall and a ball between your knees. Lift both knees slightly off the floor, maintaining gentle pressure into the ball. Inhale as you reach one knee forward toward the floor, allowing the movement to come from the hips. Exhale as you return to the elevated position, then alternate sides with control. If this position feels too challenging, perform the exercise in a side-lying position instead.

Supported deep squat knee drop

1-2

4-6/es

Lower into a comfortable squat depth, using a higher support if needed. Shift your weight from side to side, allowing one knee to gently drop inward toward the floor within your available range. Inhale as the knee drops, then exhale as you return.

Lateral 1/2 kneeling hinge with ball

1-2

6-8/es

Set up in a lateral half-kneeling position. Inhale as you push your hips back and gently lean forward, maintaining a long spine. Gently press the ball and exhale as you return to the starting position.

Seated t-spine rotation

1-2

6-8/es

Sit on a bench/box and reach same side hand toward the same side ankle. Inhale as you rotate your ribcage and reach the opposite arm toward the ceiling, following your hand with your eyes. Exhale as you slowly return.

FULL BODY STRENGTH

ORDER

Exercise

sets

reps

tempo

rpe

rest

video

COACHING CUE

A1

2-DB conventional deadlift from elevation

2

6-8

2121

5-6

2min

Set up with feet hip-width apart, with the dumbbells elevated on a box, approximately 6–10 cm high. Reach down with long arms, allowing your knees to soften, and take a strong grip. Keep the dumbbells close and lats engaged. Inhale as you press through your feet and use leg drive to stand. Exhale as you lower with control, pushing your hips back. The elevated dumbbell setup is recommended for beginners. If you are more experienced with deadlifts, you can remove the elevation or perform the exercise with a barbell instead.

B1

Lat pulldown narrow grip

2

6-8

2111

6

Grip the bar with a narrow grip and sit tall with ribs atop hips. Inhale as you pull toward your upper chest, maintaining a slight forward intention through your elbows to engage your lats. Exhale as you slowly extend your arms overhead.

B2

Supported DB step-up

2

6-8/es

2121

5-6

1min 30s

Maintain a stable tripod foot and centre your weight over the working leg. Inhale as you press through the foot and step up, extending your hip while keeping the knee soft. Exhale as you slowly lower, keeping the working leg loaded and controlling the return.

C1

Hook-lying neutral grip alternating DB press

2

6-8/es

2111

5

1min 30s

Lie on a bench in a hook-lying position with gentle core engagement. Start with both dumbbells reaching toward the ceiling and keep your elbows approximately 35–45° from your torso. Inhale as you lower one dumbbell through a comfortable range of motion. Exhale as you press the dumbbell back toward the ceiling, then alternate sides with control. Keep the opposite arm extended throughout.

D1

Single-leg stand iso with alternating DB swing

2

6-8/es

Controlled

4

Maintain a stable standing foot and trunk as you hold the opposite leg elevated and swing the dumbbell from side to side. Breathe continuously throughout, resisting rotation and keeping your body as stable as possible.

D2

Seated abduction machine

2

8-10

2111

5-6

1min 30s

Sit tall with a stacked position and maintain a strong grip on the handles. Inhale as you press your knees outward with control. Exhale as you slowly return to the starting position, resisting the weight throughout.

day 3

WARM-UP

Exercise

sets

reps / time

video

COACHING CUE

Standing cross-connect with ball

1-2

6-8/es

Centre your weight over the standing leg and maintain a stable tripod foot with a soft knee. Exhale as you bring the opposite knee up and reach the ball toward it, creating the cross-connect. Inhale as you return with control.

90/90 halo

1-2

6-8/es

Sit tall in a 90/90 position and keep your head still with eyes facing forward. Circle the weight closely around your head, allowing your shoulders and ribcage to move while maintaining a stacked trunk. Breathe continuously throughout.

Wall-supported hip airplane

1-2

6-8/es

Lean slightly forward with both hands supported on the wall and centre your weight over the standing leg. Maintain a stable tripod foot and soft knee throughout. Lead the movement from the hip, keeping the standing knee stable. Inhale as you rotate your pelvis inward over the femur. Exhale as you press firmly through the standing foot and rotate the hip open, allowing your upper body to follow the movement.

Wide stance hinge with t-spine rotation

1-2

6-8/es

Set up in a comfortable wide stance and push your hips back, reaching both hands toward one ankle. Hold a light dumbbell in the outside hand, or perform without weight. Inhale as you rotate through your upper back, reaching the outside arm toward the ceiling as far as your mobility comfortably allows. Exhale as you return with control.

FULL BODY STRENGTH

order

Exercise

sets

reps

tempo

rpe

rest

video

COACHING CUE

A1

1-DB Sumo RDL

2

6-8

3111

5-6

2min

Set up in a wide stance with soft knees. Inhale through your nose as you push your hips back, keeping your arms long and feeling length through your hamstrings. Exhale as you press firmly through your feet and drive back to standing.

B1

Gironda row

2

8-10

2111

5-6

2min

Stand with a slight forward lean. Pull the bar toward your upper chest, then rotate your grip and drive the bar down toward your knees. Inhale through the pull and press-down. Exhale as you extend your arms and control the cable back to the starting position.

C1

Goblet front foot elevated split squat with rotation

2

4-6/es

2111

5

Centre your weight over the elevated front leg and maintain full foot contact. Inhale as you lower, sitting into the front hip while limiting excessive forward knee travel and allowing the back leg to rotate inward. Exhale as you press through the front leg and return to the starting position.

C2

Standing lateral shoulder raise

2

8-10

2111

5

1min 30s

Stand tall with ribs atop hips, keeping your knees and hips relaxed and elbows slightly soft. Hold the dumbbells with a slight thumbs-down angle. Inhale as you raise your arms to approximately shoulder height. Exhale as you slowly lower with control.

D1

1/2 kneeling plate press with overhead reach

2

6-8/es

2111

4-5

Set up in a half-kneeling position with ribs atop hips. Inhale as you press the plate forward and reach overhead, maintaining your stacked position. Exhale as you lower the plate with control and bring it back toward your body.

D2

Single-arm triceps cable extension

2

6-8/es

3111

5

1min

Stand with soft knees and hips, using the opposite hand for support in front of you. Keep your working elbow relatively still throughout. Inhale as you extend your elbow and press the cable down, focusing on your triceps. Exhale as you slowly return with control.