Get Fit Like Fido! A Pup Inspired Workout

Last week, I was contacted by Priscilla, the Community Coordinator from Dog Vaycay about trying their pup inspired workout.  It's exciting to be contacted about trying new things and putting my thoughts out there on them!  I jumped at the opportunity!

Currently, I'm 30 weeks pregnant, so I wasn't 100% I'd be able to complete the workout they'd sent.  It had mountain climbers, jump squats and running...things I haven't really been doing much of lately.  However, after gaining a little more weight between week 29 and 30 than what I needed to keep on the right track due to slowing down my fitness because of sciatica pain, I was ready for a change in my routine!

This workout was the perfect pick-me-up!  I really enjoyed feeling my heart rate go up again!  Julia Chan created a great workout in my opinion!

I really enjoyed the feeling of the "Fire Hydrants" as they helped lift my butt and even give my sciatica a good stretch!  I'm not going to lie, I took a mini break between the mountain climbers and jump squats when I was stopped at the gym by one of the employees who asked how my pregnancy was going.  If I had more time, I think the Fire Hydrants through Jump Squats should be completed 3 times through before moving into Ladders, the cardio portion.

So you are probably wondering, should a pregnant woman be doing some of this, and a running interval especially!?!  Wouldn't that get your heart rate up too much?  Yes, for me, it would.  My doctor wants me to keep my heart rate much lower for the baby than the intensity I used to workout at, but that didn't mean I had to stop working out!  So here's how you can modify these moves if you want and are pregnant, or may not be up to doing the full on routine.

• Fire Hydrants & Squats - keep these as is! I totally recommend trying these if your doctor permits you to working out.  While doing squats, practice your kegals as well!
• Mountain Climbers - Option 1, simply slow your pace.  Option 2 - Do Bird Dog Planks instead, click here to see why you may want to consider this during pregnancy as well as a picture of the pose.
• Jump Squats - there's some women that can jump just fine during pregnancy, and others that with one jump, you may not even have time to make it to the restroom!  If you aren't up to doing jumps, consider getting on your tippee toes as you come back up from the squat.  Or as another option, add a kettle bell or weight to this and just stay grounded as your do your squats, only adding resistance by swinging the kettle bell or weight as you go.
• Ladders - As I said, my doctor doesn't want my heart rate getting too high. I need to keep it at 140 and below.  Any time I run, I'm normally around 175-180.  So running is a non-option for me during pregnancy.  Instead, I did incline intervals.  
• Pace of 4 on the treadmill the whole time.  Try not to hold onto the machine at all
• Minutes 1-5 increase incline by 1 each minute until you are at 5
• Minutes 5-7, 10 on the incline
• Minute 8, 2 on the incline
• Minutes 8-10, 11 on the incline
• Minute 11, 2 on the incline
• Minute 12, 12 on the incline
• Minute 13, 2 on the incline
• Minute 14, 13 on the incline
• Minute 15, 2 on the incline
• Mminute 16, 14 on the incline
• Minute 17, 2 on the incline
• Minute 18, 15 on the incline (yes, you'll want to hold on, but resist! you and do this!)
• Minutes 19-20 2 on the incline, and you can decrease your pace from 4 to 3 as you cool down.
• My heart rate likely went above 140 during this routine, but becuase these are intervals, I was able to get my breath back and cool off in between increases in inclines.

@LivelyHappening on Instagram!

Overall, I think this was a great workout!  I will be trying it again during pregnancy.  As stated, I do recommend doing Fire Hydrants - Jump Squats 3 times through and then doing your ladders after to get an even better workout.

To cool down, I always do some downward dog as shown above.  I also add in pigeon pose for some sciatica release and stretching followed by sitting and putting my right foot out to grab, then my left, then both feet and finishing with butterfly pose.  This is my normal post run routine.

I completed this workout yesterday and feel GREAT today.  My sciatica nerve pain is even less today than it has been in 2 weeks!!!

So what do you think?  Do you love this workout and the cute pup to human comparisons Julia brings?!