Three-time Olympic gold medalist Heather Mitts retired from soccer in 2013, then moved on to the next challenge: starting a family with husband A.J. Feeley. A lifelong athlete, she knew she wanted to continue working out throughout her pregnancy. "It's a part of who I am," she says.
When she became pregnant with her son, Connor, in 2013, less than a year after the London Games, she was able to do CrossFit until she was six months along, plus Pilates, elliptical work and running until two days before delivering.
With her second pregnancy, it wasn't so easy. Living in the suburbs with a toddler in tow, she looked around and found she just didn't have as many options.
"When I was playing soccer, it was my job," she says. "It was the first thing I would do every day. But as a mom, it can fall to the bottom of your list. I needed something I could do at home."
But she wanted more from her training than what she could find online. She had struggled with diastasis recti, a separation in the abs experienced by as many as two-thirds of women during pregnancy, and she knew it was crucial to focus on safe core strengthening moves.
"Ninety percent of women aren't even aware they have it and can actually make it worse by doing the wrong exercises," she says.
And so, Mitts partnered with sports physiologist and fellow University of Florida athlete Shannon Grady to develop a plan of exercises she could do throughout her pregnancy to prepare her whole body for birth and beyond. For Mitts, it paid off.
"I felt amazing, even toward the end of the pregnancy. I had a lot of energy, no back pain, and I was shocked at how quick I was able to get back in shape afterwards," she says.
Mitts was so inspired by the knowledge she gained that she created a series of workouts for pregnant athletes on her website, HeatherMittsEmpoweredPregnancy.com. She shared four of her favorite core moves with us:
Modified side plank
Lie on your side with knees bent at 90 degrees. Raise your hips and torso off the floor, supported by your forearm with your shoulder over your elbow. Actively engage your core, and keep your hips lifted to form a line from the top of your head to your knees. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, aiming to build up to a minute. Lower and switch sides. Do three reps per side.
Prone plank with ball
Starting with your fitness ball behind you, lower your hands to the floor for support and lift the tops of your feet or shins onto the ball. Come down to a plank on your forearms and elbows. Make sure to tighten your glutes, pull in your pelvic floor and keep your back flat. Hold for 15 seconds, then slowly come off the ball.
Prone plank on ball with knee tuck
Get into a plank position on your forearms with the tops of your feet or shins on a ball. Raise your glutes, and draw your knees toward your belly. Keep your core engaged and back straight. Straighten knees and roll ball back to plank position. Aim for 10 to 15 reps.
Side plank with leg raise
Lie on your side, knees bent and upper body in a plank supported on your forearm and elbow. Keeping your core engaged, including your obliques, extend your top leg straight and lift. Lower your leg, keeping it extended, and repeat. Do 10 reps, and switch sides. If raising and lowering is too difficult, start by holding your leg at the top for 10 to 15 seconds and work up to the lifts.