Workout With Rowan

Rowan starts his workouts with stretches.  All workouts start with stretches!  These stretches aim to increase his range of motion and engage muscle groups he would otherwise not be using. I like to use songs.  My favorite for arms is one were we sing what we’re doing:

“Reach up. Reach down.  Reach out.  Reach across.

Reach up. Touch your nose. Reach down. Touch your toes.”

We do it with one arm, then the other, then both.

Next we do a leg muscle dance! For those of you familiar with Bruno Mars…this is to the tune of my favorite song of his…

(my little sister filmed it so the first half is out of focus)

When we started doing this dance game, Rowan’s legs were like limp spaghetti.  By day two, there was some resistance occasionally.  Now it almost seems like Rowan has leg muscles!  This dance is so much fun….I often have to do it with Evelyn too.

Then we work on slowly turning our head from side to side to warm up neck muscles and try to loosen the ones that keep him facing right more often than left.

After stretching, we sit up for one minute and hold our head up.  Sometimes we like it…sometimes we don’t.

 

Then it’s time to do arms.  Playmats for kiddos are really very similar to pilates machines!  With the rings on the playmat, I can increase the tension by shortening the chain, or loosen the resistance by lengthening it.  Rowan pulls across his chest for two minutes and then straight down for two minutes on both sides (or however long he’ll hold the ring).

 

Next we sit up for a minute again.

Then we lay on each side for 10 minutes with a fun and intoxicating toy just out of reach.  Sisters are good substitutes.  This helps Rowan work on strengthening his torso to develop “roll over” muscles.

Then we sit up for a minute again.

Next, we do Rowan’s least favorite…tummy time.  I try to help him anchor himself by putting a hand against his diaper so he can push against in attempts to pull his head up.

Then…we sit up for a minute again…

AND THEN…

it’s rest time.

 

We do this at least once a day, twice if we can fit it in.  Until I can get a physical therapist out to help again, I’m all he’s got.  I want him supporting his own head and sitting in the Bumbo before his Glenn (17 days..).  I’d also like him to be able to roll on his left side.  If he could do a push up…I’d buy everyone who reads this blog a drink, haha.  You need goals!