As with any good training protocol we must first go over safety.  Never ever pick up your baby to perform baby exercises if you are not 100% sure you can handle the load.  When exercising with baby, we must be certain to never drop baby.  This a 100% thing.  If you drop baby during any exercise you lose the privilege of exercising with baby FOREVER!!!  Now, if you are taking part in normal activities like doing the laundry, watching soaps, or drinking coffee dropping baby is just something that might happen.  Don’t lose sleep over it.  And, if you do drop baby chalk it up as a high impact exercise meant to improve baby’s bone density and general toughness.   However, if dropping your baby is a common occurrence I suggest limiting that occurrence ASAP!!! By the way, that entire last blurb about it being OK to drop your baby is complete BS.  It’s not cool, ever, to drop your baby.

Opps!!! Guess my baby exercises are done

We were just playing!!!

Back to Exercising.  I try very hard to never pick Mason up the same way twice.  Single arm pick ups, double arm, between the legs, Left handed, right handed, you name it.  You are only limited by how creative you can get.  Today we will discuss the Single Arm Baby Deadlift.  This is the foundation of all baby exercises as most times you handle baby the baby starting position will be from the ground.

 

STEP 1 – Set your stance.  You have some options here depending on your goals and the size of baby.  If you want to utilize this exercise as a training devise to improve your Baby Power Clean or any Baby Olympic Style movement your feet should be in the pulling position directly under your hips.  If you are utilizing this exercise to improve overall strength and weight baring capacity you should widen your stance to back squat width and point our toes out at 30 degree (the receiving position).  If improving your Olympic Style Baby Movements is important I would also suggest practicing your transition from pulling to receiving position while holding baby. 

    

Step 2 – Set your grip.  Remember, when we exercise with baby we are never allowed to drop baby.  With that in mind we must grab baby by something and secure the hell out of our grip.  For me, I simply grab baby by the onsie.  One piece garments work best as baby will not fall out.  If you don’t have onsies find some, invent something else, or find a better way to make sure baby doesn’t come out of your hand.  You can alternate between a supinated and pronanted grip, either will produce results; just very it up.

 

Step 3 – Lower your hips, set your back, and lift your chest.  No matter the lift we must have a strong back and fight to protect that posture throughout the movement.  This is no different when performing Baby Exercises.  When performing the Single Arm Baby Deadlift your back should be stiff and rigid, lower lumbar curve set, with shoulders slightly in front of baby.  In most instances your back should be at about a 45 degree angle in reference to the ground.  

Step 4 – Pull!!! Take a deep breath, make sure baby is close to your feet, look forward and slightly down, and pretend to paint the area between your legs with the baby.  The main point here is to keep the baby close to your body.  At the top of the pull lift your chest and pull your shoulders back.

 

Step 5 – If you were lifting a barbell and doing a standard deadlift you could drop the bar thus finishing the movement.  This is not true with Baby Exercises.  At this point we have only done the concentric phase of the exercise.  We must now return the baby to the starting position, on the ground (hopefully somewhere soft).  This is the eccentric phase of the movement.  To perform this phase correctly you simply push your hips back, delaying the knee bend until the baby is below your knees, while also fighting to protect your posture.  Once baby is below your knees bend them but remember to keep a strong back, and gently place baby on the ground. 

There you have it folks.  If you have been practicing while reading you have just performed your first baby exercise, and one that will provide the foundation for successful movement to come.  Good training is not just about big weight.  It is also about establishing the correct motor pathway.  The best part is that as baby grows so will your lean mass to fat ratio.  As a side note baby will begin to get strong too.  Since performing this and similar movements with Gator he holds his head up a little higher, started rolling over, and has begun to even start doing some baby push-ups.  In general it is best to keep reps low or baby could get sick, fussy, or agitated.  If perfect form is your goal try doing this movement while baby is asleep and making sure baby stays that way throughout the entire workout.  I hope you have been motivated to pick up your baby and do some work.  Keep your eyes open for future movements.  In fact, in the next installment we will be discussing the Single and Double Arm Baby High Pull.  Get strong people.  It will only improve every other aspect of your and  your family’s life.