Pregnancy and Postpartum Physical Training (known as P3T) programs enable Soldiers to maintain their physical health and fitness through the three trimesters of pregnancy and postpartum period.
To maintain readiness, Soldiers exercise three to five times per week for 60–90 minutes per session.
Exercise sessions should follow the same principles outlined in this publication but with modifications to accommodate the changes in the pregnant Soldier’s fitness and fatigue levels, directives from medical providers, and the Soldier’s motivation to train.
Otherwise-healthy, postpartum Soldiers may resume core strengthening exercises within a short period after giving birth.
Modifications to core and hip strengthening exercises may be necessary at first, but as Soldiers progress, standard movements become easier to execute safely.
The six exercises in the Pregnancy and Postpartum Physical Training Drill are specific for pregnant and postpartum Soldiers.
Paragraphs 12-3 through 12-10 list them for easy reference.
The Pregnancy and Postpartum Physical Training Drill exercises consists of the following exercises:
- Reverse Sit-Up
- Oblique Sit-Up
- Modified Sit-Up
- Standing Trunk Curve
- Deep Sumo Squat
- Pelvic Clock
REVERSE SIT-UP
The Reverse Sit-Up is a modification of the Sit-Up specifically for pregnant or postpartum Soldiers.
This exercise safely challenges the abdominal muscles.
It can be practiced during the second and third trimesters and in the initial postpartum period.
Figure 12-1 on page 12-2 illustrates a breakdown of the exercise a Soldier moving at her own pace conducts it:
Starting Position
The starting position is Sitting position with knees bent, feet on the floor, and hands and forearms crossed over the front of the abdomen and pulling the sides inward.
This creates support to reduce the work of the abdominal muscles.
Movement
● From the starting position, lower the trunk as far as comfortable toward the ground while keeping the feet on the ground throughout the movement.
● Return to the sitting position.
Additional Guidance
● Progress to lower drops as skill improves, keeping feet on the ground throughout the movement.
Repetitions
● Repeat this exercise up to 10 times.
Figure 12-1. P3T1 Reverse Sit-Up
OBLIQUE SIT-UP
The Oblique Sit-Up is a modification of the Sit-Up specifically for pregnant or postpartum Soldiers.
This exercise safely challenges the oblique muscles of the abdomen.
It can be practiced during the first trimester and postpartum period by Soldiers who have no rectus diastasis or no diastasis wider than two fingers.
Figure 12-2 shows a breakdown of the exercise as a Soldier moving at her own pace conducts it:
Starting Position
The starting position is the Supine position with knees bent, and feet, trunk, and head on the floor.
Fingers are locked together behind the head.
Movement
● From the starting position, cross the right leg over the left knee before raising the head and left shoulder and arm up toward the right knee.
● If necessary, keep the right shoulder and upper arm on the ground to support the movement.
Pause before lowering back the starting position.
Repetitions
● Repeat this exercise up to 10 times before performing the same movement on the opposite side.
Figure 12-2. P3T2 Oblique Sit-Up
MODIFIED SIT-UP
The Modified Sit-Up is a modification of the Sit-Up specifically for pregnant or postpartum Soldiers.
This exercise safely challenges the muscles of the abdomen.
It can be practiced through the first trimester and postpartum period by all Soldiers who have no rectus diastasis or no diastasis wider than two fingers.
Figures 12-3 and 12-4 show a breakdown of the exercise as a Soldier moving at her own pace conducts it:
Starting Position
The starting position is the Supine position with knees bent, feet, trunk and head on the floor.
Arms are crossed over the abdomen with hands holding the sides to splint the abdominal muscles.
Movement
● From the starting position, lift the head, shoulders, and chest toward the thighs while continuing to splint the abdomen.
● Pause before lowering back to the starting position.
Additional Guidance
● Reduce the difficulty of the exercise by only lifting the head or just the shoulders from the ground
Repetitions
● Repeat this exercise up to 10 times.
Figure 12-3. P3T3 Modified Sit-Up
Figure 12-4. P3T3 Modified Sit-Up—head lift
STANDING TRUNK CURVE
The Standing Trunk Curve is an exercise specifically for pregnant or postpartum Soldiers.
This exercise safely challenges control of the muscles of the abdomen and pelvis.
It can be practiced through the third trimester and postpartum period by all Soldiers.
Figure 12-5 and figure 12-6 show a breakdown of the exercise as a Soldier moving at her own pace conducts it:
Starting Position
The starting position is the Straddle stance position with hands on hips.
Movement
● From the starting position, raise the arms up and out from the shoulders at 45 degrees while taking a deep breath in.
Simultaneously draw the waistline in and up.
Exhale but hold the curve in the abdomen created by this procedure.
● Relax and return to the starting position.
12-7.
To modify the Standing Trunk Curve—
● Increase difficulty by taking a second inhalation, drawing the abdomen further in and staying tall in the spine and upper chest.
● Decrease difficulty by performing it in a Sitting position with hands on knees and elbows out.
● Take a few normal breaths between repetitions.
Repetitions
● Repeat this exercise up to 10 times at own pace.
Figure 12-5. P3T4 Standing Trunk Curve
Figure 12-6. P3T4 Seated Trunk Curve
DEEP SUMO SQUAT
The Deep Sumo Squat is an exercise specifically for pregnant or postpartum Soldiers (see figure 12-7, figure 12-8, and figure 12-9).
This exercise safely helps to prepare Soldiers for delivery of their babies.
It challenges balance and hip mobility and prepares for a return to similar movements with free weights in the postpartum and reconditioning periods after pregnancy.
The standing version of this exercise should not be performed until pelvic floor muscles have regained their strength after pregnancy.
The Soldier conducts the exercise moving at her own pace with the following movements:
Starting Position
The starting position is the Sitting position with hands on the ground at the sides.
Movement
● From the starting position, bend the knees to draw both feet up to either the left or right side of the body.
● Move both hands to the ground.
● Use the arms to support the movement into a squat with the feet and knees turned out to open the pelvic floor.
● Support the position with hands on the ground, elbows between the knees.
Hold
● Relax in this position for 30–60 seconds or to tolerance before return to the starting position.
Additional Guidance
● To modify the Deep Sumo Squat, hold a small weight (kettlebell or dumbbell) in front of the body to assist with balance
Repetitions
● Repeat 2–3 times at own pace.
Figure 12-7. P3T5 Deep Sumo Squat
Figure 12-8. P3T5 Deep Sumo Squat—weight-assisted
Modifications
Increase the level of difficulty by moving to the Deep Sumo Squat from the standing position without placing the hands on the ground.
Figure 12-9. P3T5 Deep Sumo Squat—from Standing position without weight
PELVIC CLOCK
The Pelvic Clock is an exercise specifically for pregnant or postpartum Soldiers.
This exercise safely challenges the Soldier’s muscular control and the mobility of her pelvis and lumbo-sacral region.
It can be practiced through the third trimester and postpartum period.
Figure 12-10 shows the exercise as a Soldier moving at her own pace conducts it:
Starting Position
The starting position is the Supine position with knees bent, feet, trunk and head on the floor.
Hands are placed on the bony prominences on the front of the pelvis below the waistline.
Movement
● It may help the Soldier to imagine a clock resting on the front of the pelvis.
12 is toward the head.
● From the starting position, flatten the low back against the ground.
The hands will move down to the ground.
Consider this as movement “toward 12 o’clock.”
Hold for 5 seconds.
● From this position, move back through the starting position to rotate the pelvis up—“movement toward 6 o’clock.”
Hold for 5 seconds.
● As skill improves, move to other positions on the clock—left side up as right side of the pelvis moves down is “movement to 3 o’clock.”
● “Movement to 9 o’clock” is created by tilting the pelvis up on the right and down on the left.
● Pause for 5 seconds in each position before moving around the clock.
Additional Guidance
● If the Soldier moves around the 12 positions on the clock, it would take one minute to complete.
Figure 12-10. P3T6 Pelvic Clock