5 exercises for back carrying
Your baby or toddler has upgraded to back carrying!
This definitely allows you more freedom and your baby or toddler can see the world so much more! It’s such a joy to see their heads turn side to side soaking it all in.
Back carrying allows you to carry more load and wear your little one for longer periods of time, especially now it is safe for your baby or toddler to nap whilst back carrying, in a soft or structured carrier.
Back carrying does place more demand on your postural muscles, posterior chain and core, so it is vital that these are strong and able to endure the length of time you are carrying for.
Here are five exercises that will help you get strong for back carrying (all can be done bodyweight or with weight, why not grab your baby or toddler!):
Squats
Squats, one of my favourites and a most versatile exercise. Although it may seem like a simple exercise, it is a really important one to master, and will help you build on strength, endurance, co-ordination and balance all at once.
These will build a strong lower body, focusing on your glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings mainly, but are also a foundation for many other exercises.
Using a dumbbell or kettlebell, you can perform Goblet Squats (holding the weight at your chest) or Suitcase Squats (holding the weight at your side).
Use a barbell to perform Back Squats.
Muscles involved:
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Glutes
Core
Reverse lunges
Reverse lunges will challenge your balance as you can't see where you are placing your back foot as you transfer weight, whilst also building a strong lower body. These are great as they focus on your posterior chain, yet require a good core strength to perform these with extra load (dumbbells/kettlebells).
Muscles involved:
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Glutes
Core
Plank
This staple in your exercise routine will demand your core to stay stable and connected to your limbs, mimicking what you’ll be doing walking and baby carrying.
This exercise focuses on your core, such as rectus abdominus, obliques and the deep transverse abdominal muscles. Additionally, there are many other muscles that will be working very hard to keep your body strong and stable in the isometric hold.
Muscles involved:
Rectus abdominus
Transverse abdominus
Obliques
Deltoids
Quadriceps
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a fundamental in building posterior chain strength, increasing the strength in your glutes, hamstrings, quadratus lumborum and grip strength!
This exercise is extremely handy as it mimicks some movements that parents will find familiar! Hello picking up all the bags of shopping from the floor, or yoir toddlers bags and coats, or carrying all of your kids bikes, bags and coats all at once!
Muscles involved:
Hamstrings
Glutes
Latissimus dorsi
Spinal erectors
Glute bridges
This exercise, like Squats, is a great foundation exercise that will allow you to improve the strength in your glutes, one of the most powerful muscles in your body.
Additionally, your core and back will be working to stabilise your body and keep everything in place.
Muscles involved:
Glutes
Hamstrings
Core
With all the exercises above, the sets and repetitions that you do, will depend on your goals and what you want to achieve.
If you are new to exercising, or returning to exercise after a break, such as being postpartum, or are returning from an injury, you are more likely to start with endurance training:
Endurance = 1-2 sets x 15-20 reps
If you are used to resistance training, in the next phase of your training programme, or your goal is to focus on building lean muscle, you are likely to do hypertrophy training:
Hypertrophy = 3-4 sets x 8-12 reps
If you resistance train regularly, building muscle is your goal, or are in a strength phase in your training programme, you are likely to do strength training:
Strength = 4-6 sets x 1-5 reps
Ready to give these a go? Make sure you perform a safe and effective warmup before physical activity. Read more about RAMP warmups here.
Disclaimer:
Your postpartum journey is different from anyone elses.
Always listen to your body, if you experience any pain or discomfort, seek medical attention.