Welcome to the ultimate game of life – motherhood, where every day is a championship match, and moms are the MVPs. In this exhilarating journey, moms don't just survive; they thrive. Just like the athletes hitting the field, moms tackle each day with the resilience and determination of champions.
Superbowl Sunday: Conquering Each Quarter of Mom Life
FIT4MOM x Jessica Maurer x Jennifer Lungren
The Athletic Season – Preparing for Motherhood
Before the big game begins, athletes have already participated in a multi-month season! Similarly, moms undergo a unique athletic season known as pregnancy. The nine months leading up to the birth of a child involve physical and emotional preparation. The body goes through transformations, and moms learn to adapt, just like athletes fine-tune their skills for peak performance.
The First Quarter – Newborn Boot Camp
The first few months of motherhood can be compared to the intensity of the opening quarter of a football game. The daily playbook includes sleepless nights, feeding schedules, and diaper changes. Moms display an unwavering commitment to their little ones, reminiscent of athletes pushing through the initial challenges on the field.
The Second Quarter – Toddler Tackles
As children grow, the challenges evolve, much like the shifting dynamics of a football game. The toddler years bring new obstacles, testing a mom's agility and patience. From navigating the 'terrible twos & threes' to keeping up with a bundle of energy, moms exhibit the endurance and resilience of seasoned athletes in the second quarter of motherhood.
The Third Quarter – The School Daze
As kids enter school, the third quarter unfolds, bringing new challenges akin to the shifting strategies in a football game. Homework, extracurricular activities, and social dynamics become part of the game plan. Moms showcase their adaptability, ensuring their team (family) is well-coordinated and thriving.
The Fourth Quarter – Teenage Turbulence
In the next stretch of motherhood, the challenges may intensify, mirroring the high-stakes moments of the fourth quarter. Navigating teenage emotions requires strategic parenting. Like seasoned athletes, moms draw on their accumulated wisdom and experience to guide their children toward independence.
Postgame Celebrations - Parenting Adults
Motherhood doesn’t stop when the child hits 18. While the focus shifts from school events to life milestones, moms remain pivotal in providing support, wisdom, and a steady presence. The postgame celebrations include witnessing the achievements of adult children, offering guidance from the sidelines, and savoring the sweet victories of seeing them flourish independently. Just as athletes revel in championship glory, moms take pride in the resilience and love woven into their family's story. The postgame celebrations in motherhood are not just about the end of a game; they mark the beginning of a lifelong connection and an enduring legacy.
Mom life is a continuous training ground where moms develop the endurance, strength, and love required to conquer each stage of the game. From the pregame warm-up to the final whistle, FIT4MOM recognizes the incredible athleticism of moms in their daily routines. So, as we cheer for our favorite teams in the Super Bowl, let's also celebrate the real MVPs – the moms who exhibit unparalleled strength and resilience in the game of motherhood.
We can’t leave you without some athletic drills to try. Join our Fitness Manager, Jennifer Lungren, as she lays out the playbook for this year's game!
PLAYBOOK
6 different movements completed for 1 minute each during these times:
Pre-game
After the 1st quarter
During half-time
After the 3rd quarter
Victory (post-game)
Cardio: 3-Point Touch
Start with your feet together. Step out with your right foot, bend both your knees, and sit your hips back and down. While keeping your chest lifted, reach down to touch the floor. Step your right foot back to your left and repeat on the opposing side.
If you are feeling great, turn this into a jump by jumping out wide instead of stepping. Make sure to land with both knees bent and your hips back and down while teaching towards the floor.
Strength: Plie Squat & Goal Post Flys
With your legs and feet rotated to face the room's front corners, take a giant step out so your legs are wider than your hips. Find strong posture by rolling your shoulders into your back pockets with your rib cage zipped together. Bring your arms up into the goal post position. Bend your knees and lower your hips straight down, then squeeze your elbows towards the midline of your body and return to goal posts. Now, imagine squeezing your heels together to stand back up while lifting your pelvic floor inward and up.
Core: Squat & Front Kick
Your feet should be hips distance apart and you should find strong posture with your hips over your heels, ribs over hips, and chest over ribs. Sit back and down with your hips as you bend your knees into a squat. As you press back to standing, think about pressing into your heels and zipping your pelvic floor together and up. With a straight leg, kick in front of you as if you are punting a football. Remember to keep your strong posture so you don’t lean away from the kick. Repeat the squat and the kick on the opposite side.
Cardio: Heisman Pose
Start this move by stepping out with your right leg and bending the knee as you touch your left leg behind you. Hold your football in your left arm as your right arm extends in front of you to block the defensive player. Now move your left leg out as your right leg touches behind you and you change arms.
Turn this into a jump instead of a step as you feel stronger.
Strength: Lateral Lunge & Y Arms
With your feet together, find a strong core posture. Step to the side with your right foot, bend your knee, and lower your hips back and down while your left leg stays straight. While here, ensure your posture is still strong, and you are not rolling forward. Now, press through your right heel to return to standing, but do not put the right foot fully down. Lift your arms to a Y above your head, remembering to keep your core strong and not lean back. Complete on this side for 30-seconds before repeating on the other side.
Core: Reverse Lunge & Rotation with Hand Off
Find your strong posture with feet under your hips, core zipped up, and bent arms at chest height. Step back into a lunge by bending both of your knees. Rotate your torso towards your front knee. Now, extend your arms as if you were handing off the ball to another player. Return the torso to the center and press through the front heel to return to standing.
WANT MORE WORKOUTS, MAMA?
Check out these blogs to get ready to jumpstart your fitness journey!
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5 Family-Friendly Movement Activities
5 Powerhouse Moves: Low-Impact Lower Body Workout
