We know it’s hard to stay fit and find the motivation to workout throughout your pregnancy.We get the benefit of being able to do your prenatal workouts at home and firmly believe that the #1 at home workout gear essential is a high-quality workout mat. Our favorite overall is the: Manduka Pro Yoga & Pilates Mat because it will never peel, fade, or flake, is completely customizable, and provides a well-cushioned space to practice a wide assortment of exercises on. We’ve also comprised a list of our additional favorite at-home maternity workout essentials so you can get your workout on your own time and stay fit, happy, and healthy throughout your pregnancy.
Best Overall: Manduka Pro Yoga & Pilates Mat
The Manduka Pro Yoga & Pilates Mat is the perfect at home workout partner for pregnant Mamas. You can do several types of exercises on this high-quality, densely cushioned, and environmentally friendly yoga mat such as: Yoga, Pilates, Barre, general strength training, and general stretching. We love Manduka mats because they’re highly reputable, have great joint support, offer nice cushion. These mats are built to last with highly durable material. This mat also possesses a closed-cell surface preventing your sweat from seeping in and providing you with a nice no-slip grip.
On the downside, these mats are a bit pricey starting at $90+, but Manduka offers a lifetime warranty and promises the Pro mats will never peel, flake, or fade. Manduka claims that the performance grip will improve over time. Please note that these mats must be broken in. The more you use them, the better the grip, so practice away!
Pros:
- Customizable
- Closed cell surface
- Non-toxic
Cons:
- Pricey
- Needs to be broken in
- Can be slippery if not used frequently
Best Overall
Manduka Pro Yoga & Pilates Mat
Breathe, stretch, flow, let it go
This high quality, cushioned, environmentally friendly yoga mat offers joint protection and unmatched support as you practice. It comes in a variety of designs, so you can find the fit that’s perfect for you. It possesses a closed-cell surface to prevent your sweat from seeping in and is non-toxic, 100% latex free, and comes from emissions-free manufacturing.
Best Value: URBNFit Exercise Ball
This super durable exercise ball has an ultra safe, high grip surface. These balls are extra-large in diameter and can support up to 2000lbs, so they’ll survive even the most rigorous of workouts. Designed for at home workouts with their tough, rubberized surfaces, they allow you to perform a range of balance and stability exercises, and are perfect for use with yoga, pilates, or for general strength and balance training. Get a great workout in for just $17, that’s a great value!
Some reviews of this product do reflect size discrepancies and the pump that comes with it is pretty low-quality. Just be sure to have a backup pump to inflate your ball with after ordering.
Pros:
- Large color selection
- Extra-large diameter
- Tough, rubberized surface
Cons:
- Low-quality pump
- Size discrepancies
Best Value
URBNFit Exercise Ball
Versatile comfort in ball
This ball comes in a large assortment of colors and boasts an extra-large diameter. It has a tough, rubberized surface, allowing you to perform a range of balance, stability, and strength exercises. It’s perfect for use with Yoga, Pilates, or for general strength and balance training.
Best Tech: Apple Watch Series 4
If you’re a high-tech Mama, you can’t do much better than the Apple Watch Series 4. The latest and greatest from Apple features the widest display yet. It comes with a proactive health monitor that sends notifications for low/high heart rate as well as any rhythm irregularities. You can personalize your workouts and training program to suit your pregnancy through every trimester and the watch will offer you daily motivation to accomplish your health goals. There is also a feature that can detect when you fall or send an SOS in emergency situations.
Like most Apple products, these watches are pricey, but you get a lot for the price. However, beware. You may have to purchase additional apps to achieve the right workout routines and coaching. This watch is a bit heavier than your typical Fitbit or fitness tracker, so be sure to take that into account when making the decision to buy.
Pros:
- Proactive health monitor
- SOS/accident features
- Workout direction/personalized coaching
Cons:
- Pricey
- May have to purchase additional Apps
- Heavier than your average watch
Best Tech
Apple Watch Series 4
High-tech mama
This watch has a proactive health monitor, fall detection/emergency SOS feature and response, and uses automatic workout detection to track your workouts. It also offers cadence and pace alerts. It has a comprehensive activity tracker that provides personalized coaching and other activities giving you the motivation you need to close your activity goals every day.
Best Resistance: Azure Life Resistance Bands Set
Resistance bands are a great way to strengthen your upper and lower body at home. This premium quality set is eco-friendly, non-toxic, odorless, and latex free. These bands feature four different levels of resistance: light, medium, heavy, and x-heavy and are color coded so you can tell them apart. An exercise guide is included and you can incorporate these bands into your prenatal Yoga, Pilates, Barre, stretching, and strengthening routines at home.
Pros:
- Four levels of color coded resistance
- Exercise guide
- Eco-friendly & non-toxic
Cons:
- Exact weight of resistance not specified
- No instructional video
Best Resistance
Azure Life Resistance Bands Set
Strengthen & tone
This premium quality set comes with: four top elastic quality exercise bands, illustrated workout guide with 12 exercises, worry-free 12-month product guarantee, friendly customer service, and complete customer satisfaction. These color coded bands offer four levels of resistance: light, medium, heavy, and x-heavy and are eco-friendly, latex free, and non-toxic.
Best Free Weights: AmazonBasics Neoprene Dumbbell Pairs & Sets
Add resistance training to your prenatal workouts with this dumbbell set. Resistance training not only builds strength, but it can also burn calories, increase energy levels, protect bone health, and improve your mood! This versatile set includes three pairs of dumbbells in 2-pound, 3-pound, and 5-pound sizes, so you can choose the right amount of weight for your routine, preference, and number of repetitions. We recommend this set for it’s light weight nature, so you can up your reps and achieve long, lean muscle.
The stand that comes with these weights isn’t super sturdy, so consider purchasing another holder especially if you have active pets or small children. The handles on these weights are also quite thick, so they’re not the best for smaller hands. This weight set comes in heavily boxed and padded packaging, so understand that you’re going to be carrying about 25lbs of product and packaging when it arrives at your door.
Pros:
- Colorful neoprene coating
- Versatile use
- Weight stand included
Cons:
- Stand isn’t super sturdy
- Thick handles
- Lots of packaging
Best Free Weights
AmazonBasics Neoprene Dumbbell Pairs & Sets
Got dumbbell?
This dumbbell set comes with three pairs of dumbbells in 2-lb, 3lb, and 5lb sizes. They’re ideal for resistance training and strength building and perfect for workouts at home. These weights can be used indoors or outdoors and their neoprene coating provides a firm, secure grip.
Bottom line Mama
We get that maintaining a consistent workout regimen throughout your pregnancy is tough! Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to workout and stay fit in the comfort and privacy of your own home with this workout gear list. Our favorite piece of gear overall is the Manduka Pro Yoga & Pilates Mat because it’s the foundation of every at home workout routine and offers a high-quality, nicely cushioned surface that has great support and durability for a variety of different workouts. You can practice Yoga, Barre, Pilates, cardio, general strength training, and general stretching on the Manduka PRO. It comes in a variety of colors, lengths, and thicknesses, so you can find the perfect fit for you!
You can’t go wrong with any of the gear on this list, and all of the items were picked to work in conjunction with your: Manduka Pro Yoga & Pilates Mat. If you’re looking for some at home instruction to guide you through putting this gear into action, we’d recommend joining Amazon Prime. Not only will you get free 2-day delivery on all of these products, but you’ll have total access to their video streaming service where you can find a large array of prenatal workout videos. Get your sweat on, Mama! We guarantee that these items are the best in their class and will support your health and happiness while you workout at home throughout your pregnancy.
Source of the article – iMore