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This 12-15 minute upper body session, designed by Sweat trainer Kelsey Wells exclusively for Women’s Health Australia readers, helps reduce postural issues, as well as strengthen upper body muscle groups that can become weakened during pregnancy to help women feel strong as they approach motherhood. The only piece of equipment needed for this session is an open ended resistance band. The great thing about resistance bands is that they are suitable for all fitness levels – you can adjust the resistance level by using different strength bands, as well as simply by adjusting where and how you hold the band. As you move through this session, it is important to work at a pace that suits you, listen to your body and rest when you need to.

“This Upper Body Mobility & Strength workout is inspired by my new pregnancy program – Pregnancy with Kelsey Wells – available in the Sweat app. As a mother and a prenatal qualified trainer, I’ve been there and I understand all of the incredible changes the female body goes through during pregnancy. I am so proud to be able to support women during this special phase of life to help them stay connected to their body through movement in each stage of their pregnancy journey,” Kelsey explains.

“During pregnancy it is so important that women listen to their body – when you are pregnant your body is physically doing more already so if you don’t have the capacity, the energy or the desire to exercise on top of that, that is perfectly ok and you do not need to feel any shame about that. Each pregnancy journey is individual, and the number one thing as a women’s fitness trainer I would tell any and all pregnant women in regards to exercise – is to consult with your health professionals on your journey. They will help guide you as to what is best for you every step of the way.”

“If you choose to and are able to exercise during pregnancy, I hope you can let it be a powerful reminder of how movement and exercise can and should be used as a tool to care for yourself and your health. You’re not doing this to lose weight or change your body composition, you are moving your body to provide a healthy journey for your baby and your body during this delicate time – and that’s the mindset that I hope women can carry throughout their postpartum journey and in every other phase of their fitness journey as well.” 

Equipment: Open-ended resistance band and mat

Good for: Upper body strength

Instructions: Follow along with Kelsey for the entire workout

Sweat and Kelsey recommend taking a few minutes to warm-up prior to working out. 3-5 minutes of dynamic stretches — such as arm swings and cat cows can help warm up your muscles, increase your range of motion and help to reduce your risk of injury.

Step 1: Holding a long resistance band with both hands in front of your chest in a wide, overhand grip (palms facing the ground), lock out your elbows to extend your arms. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. Using the muscles in your shoulders and arms, slowly raise the band upwards above your head. Gently draw your shoulder blades together to lower the band behind your back, ensuring that your arms remain straight for the entire movement. It’s important that you also engage your abdominal muscles to support your lower back.

Step 3: Inhale. Continue drawing your shoulder blades together as you raise the band from behind you and up overhead. Slowly lower your arms in front of you to return to the starting position, once again, ensuring that your arms remain straight and using your abdominals to support your lower back. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Step 1: Plant both feet on the floor slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Hold one hand on each end of the recovery band with an overhand grip (palms facing down) and extend your arms directly in front of your chest, ensuring that your elbows are completely locked. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. Using the muscles in your shoulders and back, pull the recovery band ends outwards and backwards until your arms are in line with your shoulders. You should feel a small squeeze between your shoulder blades.

Step 3: Inhale. Hold this position briefly before gently drawing the ends of the recovery band together to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Step 1: Standing on the middle of a recovery band, plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. While maintaining a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward from your hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms directly below your chest, holding the ends of the recovery band with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards). This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. Bend your elbows to bring the ends of the recovery band in towards your lower ribs, ensuring that your elbows remain in close contact with the sides of your body. You should feel a small squeeze between your shoulder blades.

Step 3: Inhale. Extend your elbows to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Step 1: Standing on the middle of a recovery band, plant both feet together on the floor. With your arms extended by your sides, hold one end of the recovery band in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards). This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. While maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, raise the ends of the band outwards and upwards to shoulder height. As they reach shoulder height, move them forwards to bring them directly in front of your chest, ensuring that you draw your shoulder blades down and back.

Step 3: Once the ends of the band come together in front of your chest, draw the ends of the band backwards until they are in line with your shoulders, once again, ensuring that you draw your shoulder blades down and back.

Step 4: Inhale. Slowly lower the ends of the band down to your sides to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Step 1: With a recovery band around your back and under your arms, plant your feet in a split stance with your left foot forward and right foot back. Extend your arms directly in front of your chest, holding the ends of the band with an overhand grip (palms facing down), ensuring that your hands are shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Bend your elbows outwards to bring the ends of the band towards you until your hands are in line with your chest*.

*It is important that there is still some tension in the band when in this position. If there isn’t, you will need to place your hands further down the band.

Step 3: Exhale. Extend your elbows and push the ends of the band away from your chest to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Step 1: Standing on the middle of a resistance tube, plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. Hold one resistance tube handle in each hand with an underhand grip (palms facing away from you) with arms extended on either side of your body. This is your starting position.

Step 2: Inhale. Exhale. Bend your elbows to bring the resistance tube handles in towards your chest, ensuring that your elbows remain in close contact with the sides of your body.

Step 3: Inhale. Extend your elbows to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Sweat and Kelsey recommend completing a cool down session after your workout. 3-5 minutes of walking will help to slowly lower your heart rate to normal levels and help your body to cool down after a workout. You might also like to complete some static stretching as part of your cool down, where you hold a single position for twenty seconds or longer. Static stretching works to lengthen your muscles with the aim of increasing your flexibility and range of motion.

Nikolina is the web-obsessed Digital Editor at Men's and Women's Health, where she covers news, fitness, health, style, travel and pretty-much everything else. A lover of boxing, she was previously a Digital Editor at GQ and Vogue magazine and has contributed to Vogue Living and The Australian. She specialises in digital marketing, social media and branded and editorial content creation.

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