Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning DVD: Review {Giveaway Closed}

After having a baby, you begin to realize the toll pregnancy and childbirth had on your body.  You realize that you’re not as firm any more, and especially if you had a vaginal delivery – the control of your bladder and/or bowels might have been severely affected.  Does one just wait and see if it will heal on its own?  Or can you do something about it?

Helene Byrne has created three great products to help new moms regain control.  I have reviewed two of her products over the past few days, and today I am going to talk about the DVD Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning; with perinatal exercise specialist Helene Byrne.

The DVD has several options in the title screen.  Shorter clips that are explanations of what happens to your body during pregnancy;  the pelvic floor (kegel) exercise; what abdominal separation is; how to check if you have it; and what to do about it.  It also has a few different workout options:  The Gentle First Moves; which can be started just days after giving birth; and then the Bounce Back Fast! program which builds from the first moves series and is more whole body focused. There is also a separate Bounce Back Fast section for moms who have abdominal separation and need to use modifications for this workout.

This DVD comes with an exercise band; which is the only piece of equipment that you will need for this workout. The workouts are short enough for you to do while baby is napping and easy enough for a beginner.  You will love the detailed instructions that she gives and the explanations of why we should be focusing on these particular areas.

Like I had said in the previous review: I am fairly familiar with using your pelvic floor muscles to help you focus deeper into the abdominal muscles and creating a super strong core.  I love the session she gives on exactly HOW to focus on this area; and what it should feel like when you’re doing them correctly.

One thing I am a little disappointed about in this DVD is that you’re supposed to be mastering the kegel exercise, (I assume for use throughout the workouts) but I never hear her mention it again throughout the workout series.  So I am a little uncertain about when this kegel exercise should be used and focused on.

BUT! before you drop all focus on this DVD because I gave it one form of ‘needs improvement’ – the DVD is fabulous.  I love that she goes slow; and talks the way through every move; repeatedly.  She doesn’t assume that we’re all great at memorizing particular movements – and therefore walks through each step of the exercises, for each repetition of each exercise.

I love that it is simple to get started.  The Gentle First Moves are so simple to do; but still challenging enough on your muscles and your body – But it’s not a Cardio workout or anything too exciting that will wake the baby up. It focuses a lot on posture as well as flattening your tummy; and is purely meant to help relax your mind while re-training your body to get back to normalcy.

I have seen a few too many exercise movies in my life: ranging from my mom’s old Richard Simmons series all the way to one I saw in Ukraine about using weird facial expressions and sticking your tongue out as far as you can to lose weight… :\  This DVD is not like any of them.  There are no crazy soundtracks; no wacky faces; no jumping or self promoting.  Just pure, honest truth about what is going on in your body after you have gone through pregnancy and childbirth; and what you can do to get your body back.

I have worked through the Gentle Moves series a few times already now that life is starting to slow down again after our move; and I’m noticing the difference in my neck stress.  I almost constantly have my shoulders tensed up to my ears; so doing these exercises and having constant reminders to keep my shoulders down and my chin tucked towards my chest really helps train the muscles to stay relaxed and less tense, which overall reduces my pain.

You can view some pregnancy movement tips and exercises Helene Teaches here.

Buy it:  You can purchase the Bounce Back Fast Post Natal Core Conditioning DVD from www.befitmom.com or Amazon.com for $21.95.  This is also great gift for ANY mom; new or not!

WIN IT!!!!

One Lucky Reader will win the DVD “Bounce Back Fast! post Natal Core Conditioning”. (MSRP:  $21.95)

This first entry is MANDATORY.  Visit the Be-Fit Mom website and tell me something you’ve learned about Postpartum Abdominal Reconditioning.

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