Bar Refaeli’s Post-Childbirth Workout Routine Targets The Muscles New Moms Need To Work Most

Bar Refaeli happily welcomed her daughter Liv in mid-August. And now, the supermodel, who exercised throughout her pregnancy, has uploaded several Instagram posts that show she's still on the workout grind after giving birth. Some of the latest snaps include Refaeli using TRX straps while standing on a BOSU ball, looking like an absolute pro.

A quick primer on her equipment: A BOSU ball is a training device made up of what looks like half of a stability ball on a platform. The ball can be used with either the flat or round side down, and it’s often used to help strengthen a person’s core. TRX bands, on the other hand, are portable straps that leverage a person’s body weight for a number of strength-training exercises.

Jim Pivarnik, Ph.D., a professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University, tells SELF that a BOSU ball and TRX bands are great tools for working out, period. A BOSU ball's unstable surface helps muscles "fire," or engage faster and more efficiently, by adding instability, Caitlin Bailey, senior personal trainer at New York's PhilanthroFIT training studio, tells SELF. And TRX bands can be used to do so many different strength exercises that they're often an excellent addition to any fitness repertoire.

But both pieces of equipment can be especially useful after childbirth because they can help strengthen your abdominal muscles, which are often weakened during pregnancy. Basically, due to your expanding uterus, your abdominal muscles stretch out, separate, and generally make way for the growing fetus. Those changes usually lead to weaker abdominal muscles after pregnancy, so focusing on those muscles when creating a post-childbirth workout regimen can often be beneficial.

As a bonus, TRX bands and BOSU balls can be gentler than weights and help with balance, Pivarnik explains. “As long as you don’t try to stretch past your limits, I think they are a good idea,” he says.

Here, the Instagram video of Refaeli using the two pieces of equipment in tandem. To date, the video has been viewed more than 300,000 times:

Albert Matheny, M.S., R.D., C.S.C.S., of SoHo Strength Lab and Promix Nutrition, tells SELF that in the above video, the supermodel is using her equipment to do a stability challenge, engaging her ankle, knee, hip, and core muscles. “Post-pregnancy, you want to focus on strengthening and stabilizing the abdominal wall without stretching it, so the tissue can return to its original length,” Matheny explains. Refaeli may be using the straps for stability, or she might be engaging her upper body muscles, like her latissimus dorsi and triceps, if she’s actively pushing down on them while she’s balancing, Matheny explains.

There are a bunch of workouts you can do with a BOSU ball and TRX bands, Matheny says. While you should start working out again after you have a baby whenever it feels right for you, he explains that you don’t have to wait long to do these exercises since they’re low-impact. “They are challenging your core in a static way, so you’re not at risk of stretching your abdominal muscles,” he explains.

But you can also work your core in other ways, like through yoga or Pilates. If you're not sure where to start or what's right for you at this stage of your life, definitely talk to a professional for some pointers. Like any kind of exercise routine after giving birth, it's always smart to check with your doctor before jumping in, Pivarnik says.

Related:

• People Are Going Crazy Over This New Mom’s Post-Baby Workout Goals
• This Mom Lost 84 Pounds With The Help Of Instagram
• This Couple Gained 60 Pounds On Purpose—Then Lost It In 8 Weeks

You may also like: 12 Ultra-Effective Arm Workout Moves You Can Do At Home