In December of last year, seven-time CrossFit Games athlete Kara Saunders announced that she wouldn’t be competing in the 2019 Games season because she was expecting a child. The big day arrived last month: Saunders and her husband, Matt, gave birth to Scotti Maddison Saunders.
For many mothers, getting back into the gym post-baby can be a daunting prospect. But few things can stop Kara Saunders from lifting weights and at roughly five weeks postpartum, she shared what her current training routine looks like to help inspire other moms.
Check out the video below!
[Learn more: 3 common myths about pregnancy and strength training.]
After kicking off with 20 sets of 20 calories on the assault bike with her husband, Saunders moved to three sets of five back squats then moved on to some active recovery work that included ab work and isolated glute exercises.
Today it was really important for us that we get a workout in together. I think when you’re two tired parents, that’s really important.
Kara Saunders’ Tips for Active Moms
Here are a few tips she gave to help moms make it in the gym.
- Lay your clothes out the night before. This makes it easier to get out the door, plus it serves as a reminder that you are going to the gym.
- Plan ahead. Write your workouts out ahead of time. Saunders emphasized how important just being prepared to maximize your time is as a new mom.
- Wear headphones. A good pair of headphones will allow you to block out any other distractions in the gym.
- Pack food. Saunders knows how important fueling herself for workouts is, and now with another body to care for it’s essential to have quick and easy snacks ready to go at any moment hunger strikes.
- Acceptance. Her final tip was to just be kind to yourself if your day, or workout doesn’t go exactly as planned. There will be another day, or perhaps a different time during the day to squeeze something in, and just having a balanced approach is key.
There is one way that a baby actually improved her workouts: “I go a lot faster in my workouts because I’m just waiting for her to wake up!”
On Mother’s Day this year, we gave Saunders a special shoutout as one of the nine strong moms we’re honoring this Mother’s Day, even though at that time she was a mom-to-be.
[Learn more: How do I stay competitive as a parent?]
Kara Saunders — known for most of her career by her maiden name Kara Webb — was crowned the second Fittest Woman on Earth in 2017 and has earned the title of Australia’s Fittest Female on four occasions (2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016.) At the 2018 Games, Saunders finished in fourth place — we’ll certainly miss her at the Games this year, but it sounds like she knows where her priorities are at.
Featured image from @karasaundo Instagram page.
