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30-Minute Prenatal Workout (All Standing)

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | September 23, 2024

Build strength, get your heart pumping and stay active at home with this all-standing prenatal workout! This fun and effective “strength and steps” workout is safe for all trimesters of pregnancy, but also a great workout for anyone looking for low-impact strength training at home.

Jump To Workout

This post is brought to you in partnership with the Minnesota Pork Board.

Our prenatal workouts are some of the most popular on the internet (and for good reason, if I do say so myself).

Dr. Taylor is a familiar face around here – she’s filmed multiple strength training workouts with us before. When Dr. Taylor told us she was expecting her first baby, we knew we had to team up to share a new pregnancy-friendly workout.

As a certified prenatal fitness specialist, I believe that the best prenatal workout includes these components:

  • Compound strength training exercises
  • Low impact cardio exercises
  • Pregnancy-safe core and pelvic floor exercises

Today’s workout is a challenging, full body “strength and steps” workout that also happens to be safe for pregnancy.

It’s low impact, all standing (huge bonus if up/down movements make you nauseous) and easily modified if you’re experiencing sciatica or SPD pain.

women performing shoulder press as part of prenatal workout

30-Minute Prenatal Workout (All Standing)

Build strength, improve heart health and stay active throughout pregnancy with this guided prenatal workout.

A complete workout targeting every muscle group in the body: the legs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, back, chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders and core.

Add full body workouts like this one to your home workout plan one to two times a week to maintain strength during pregnancy.

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Prenatal Workout Routine on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 4 Full Body Circuits (3 exercises per circuit)
  • Timed Intervals (30 seconds of work, 15 seconds rest; complete as many repetitions as you can in the timed interval)
  • Repeat Each Circuit x2 Sets

Workout Equipment:

Medium Pair of Dumbbells. I recommend between 5-25 lbs depending on your fitness level. We used 15 and 20 lb dumbbells in today’s workout. Option to add a mini loop resistance band (discount code: NML) as well.

pregnant woman posing before completing prenatal workout

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Pregnancy Workout

Workout Outline

CIRCUIT ONE:

  1. Side-to-Side Squats
  2. Two Back Rows, Clean and Two Lateral Steps
  3. 45-Degree Tap Back and Jab

CIRCUIT TWO:

  1. Staggered Deadlift and Rear Leg Tap Back
  2. Single Arm Bicep Curl and Tap Back
  3. Loaded Single Leg Runners

CIRCUIT THREE:

  1. Deadlift, Clean and Two Lateral Squats
  2. Dumbbell Press Out and Press Overhead with Taps
  3. Two Loaded Lateral Squats and Two Press Jacks

CIRCUIT FOUR:

  1. Lateral Squat
  2. Single Arm Tricep Kickback
  3. Four Toe Taps and Four Squat Jacks

5 Standing Pregnancy Exercises

Side-to-Side Squat

Targets: Gluteus medius (outer glute that controls hip movement and side-to-side movements), hamstrings, hips, quadriceps, calves and core.

group of standing women performing side to side squats

How To Do Side-to-Side Squats

  1. Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, holding one dumbbell vertically at your chest (goblet hold). Think about keeping your elbows tucked in and your core engaged. Option to place a resistance band around your calves.
  2. Step out to the right as you bend your knees, lowering into a squat. Push your knees out towards your outer three toes. Aim for 90 degree bends in both knees.
  3. Hold briefly, then drive through your heels to push your hips forward, squeezing your glutes as you step your right foot in and return to a narrow standing position.
  4. Repeat, this time stepping out to the left as you bend your knees, performing a low squat.
  5. Press through your heels to stand tall, returning to the starting position.

45-Degree Tap Back and Jab

Targets: Total upper body — arms, back, shoulders, chest, biceps, triceps, abs and core.

women wearing pink tank tops performing pregnancy-friendly cardio exercise

How To Do Alternating Punches and Tap Backs

  1. Start standing feet hip-width apart, knees bent, on the balls of your feet. Option to place a resistance band around your calves.
  2. Hinge forward slightly and bring your fists up to chest level.
  3. Step your right foot back behind you at a 45-degree angle, while jabbing your right hand across your body at a 45-degree angle, punching the air in front of you. Think about forming one long line from your right heel through your right fist.
  4. Then step the right foot back to center as you pull the right arm back in towards your chest.
  5. Alternate the movement, stepping the left foot back as you jab your left hand across your body to punch the air in front of you.

Staggered Deadlift and Rear Leg Tap Back

Targets: Posterior chain, hamstrings, glutes, core, and lower back.

A more stable version of a single leg deadlift, this exercise shifts most of the work load into one leg while providing more balance support and stability.

trio of women performing a staggered deadlift as part of prenatal workout

How To Do Staggered Deadlifts and Rear Leg Lifts

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your hips (palms facing in towards your body). Option to place a resistance band around your calves.
  2. Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly in front of your right foot. Kickstand your back left foot, left heel floating off the ground. Keep 80% of your weight in your front foot, 20% in your back toe.
  3. Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Pushing your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs, keeping your core tight, slightly bending both knees. Range of motion will look different for everyone.
  4. Drive through your front heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbells back up towards your hip as you stand tall, returning to starting position.
  5. Then, tap your left foot back behind you, squeezing your left glute to extend your leg before returning to the starting position.

Dumbbell Press Out and Press Overhead with Taps

Targets: Shoulders, chest, upper back, outer glutes and core.

Pressing a weight overhead is one of the best ways to increase your heart rate without adding any high-impact exercises.

standing people performing a dumbbell press out and shoulder press

How To Do Dumbbell Press Outs and Shoulder Presses

  1. Start standing, feet hip-distance apart and knees slightly bent. Hold one dumbbell horizontally between both hands at your chest. Option to place a resistance band around your shins.
  2. Exhale as you press the dumbbell straight out in front of you, keeping soft bends in both elbows. As you press the dumbbell out, tap your right foot out to the right.
  3. Reverse the movement on an inhale, bringing the dumbbell back to your chest and returning your right foot to a narrow stance.
  4. Then, exhale as you press the dumbbell straight overhead, elbows near ears and wrists stacked over shoulders. As you press the dumbbell overhead, tap your left foot out to the left.
  5. Inhale as you reverse the movement, bringing the dumbbell back to your chest and left foot back to the starting position.

Single Arm Tricep Kickback

Targets: All three heads of the tricep muscle (lateral head, medial head, and long head).

The tricep kickback is one of best isolation exercises for targeting the triceps brachii muscle.

3 standing women performing a bent over tricep kickback

How To Do Single Arm Tricep Kickbacks

  1. Start with feet hip-distance apart, slight bend in the knees and hinge forward. Option to stagger the feet to support the lower back.
  2. Hold one dumbbell in your left hand at your side (palm facing your body) with your left arm bent at a 90-degree angle. Think about pulling your shoulders blades down and back away from your ears.
  3. ‘Kickback,’ extending the left elbow so your left arm forms a straight line as you push the dumbbell back past your hips. At the top of the movement, the elbow is fully extended.
  4. With control, slowly return the dumbbell to the starting position.

Prenatal Workout FAQs

When Should You Start Doing Prenatal Workouts?

In general, you can continue many of your pre-pregnancy workouts through the first trimester. Avoid exercise that may cause abdominal trauma (including contact sports, horseback riding or ice hockey). Prenatal workouts or modifications may be more necessary during the second trimester and third trimester as the belly expands and center of gravity shifts.

What Type of Exercise Is Best During Pregnancy?

Strength training and low impact moderate intensity cardio are the best forms of pregnancy workouts. These both support healthy weight gain during pregnancy and can help reduce common pregnancy aches and pains. Many women also enjoy prenatal yoga classes during pregnancy.

What Are The Benefits of Prenatal Workouts?

Maintaining a regular exercise routine during pregnancy can reduce common aches/pains and help you maintain strength to prepare for labor. Physical activity can reduce risk of pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, bloating, swelling and back pain.

More Workouts

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Pin This Workout: Standing Prenatal Workout

collage of prenatal exercises

Pork: Lean Protein For Pregnancy

Pregnant women have higher protein needs than non-pregnant women, with experts recommending 75-100 grams of protein per day (American Pregnancy Association).

Pork is an excellent source of protein and provides several important vitamins and minerals. A serving of pork is an excellent source of:

  • Protein: a 3-ounce serving of pork loin includes 23 grams of protein.
  • Selenium: supports thyroid health.
  • Vitamin B-6: supports mood and brain health.
  • Zinc: supports tissue repair as well as maintenance of a healthy immune system.
  • Beta-alanine: form of amino acid found in pork and a crucial element in muscle development.

How To Shop for Pork:

  • Both pork tenderloin and pork sirloin roast meet the criteria for the American Heart Association Heart-Check Mark.
  • One of my favorite cuts is pork tenderloin – it is considered “extra lean” and has the same amount of fat as skinless chicken breast.
  • Ground pork is also affordable and really versatile – we love using it for meatballs and lettuce wraps!

For a wide variety of heart-healthy and family-friendly pork recipes, visit mnpork.com.

Minnesota Pork Board

The Minnesota Pork Board (MPB) administers checkoff programs relating to pork promotion, consumer and producer education and research on behalf of more than 3,000 family pig farms in Minnesota.

This is a sponsored post in partnership with the Minnesota Pork Board. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Nourish Move Love, making the content you see on this blog possible.

This post includes affiliate links. I do earn a commission for products purchased using these links (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for supporting Nourish Move Love, making the content you see on this blog possible.

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