How to Tone Your Thighs, Legs & Arms While Pregnant

Tone your thigh muscles -- both the quadriceps and the hamstrings -- as well as your calf muscles with ball squats. In addition to toning, the Mayo Clinic suggests that the ability to squat has definite benefits during labor. Place a stability ball between a wall and the small of your back. For stability, place your feet about hip-width apart and slightly in front of you. Inhale, then exhale as you roll down the wall to the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position without locking your knees. Use a stability ball during pregnancy, rather than doing free-standing squats, even if you are an experienced exerciser. Aim for 12 to 15 repetitions and two or more sets.

Lie on your side, if it isn't too uncomfortable, to work the gluteus minimus, hip flexors and other muscles of the outer thigh area. Your head should rest on the arm that's on the floor, while your other arm supports you with your hand on the floor in front of your chest. Bend your bottom knee slightly for support and let your top hip extend slightly more forward than the bottom hip to avoid back strain. Keeping your top leg straight but your knee soft, lift the outer thigh toward the ceiling but not higher than about 45 degrees to avoid strain on the hip. Switch sides. Work toward two or more sets of 12 repetitions on each side. If this becomes easy, progress to a smaller, pulsing motion rather than a full lift.

Remain on your side as in Step 2 to work the adductors and other muscles of the inner thigh. This time, move your top leg off the other, resting it on the floor at about a 45-degree angle. With the foot of your bottom leg flexed and your toes pointing forward, lift the bottom leg off the floor as high as you can. Progress to two or more sets of 12 repetitions. Again, if the move becomes too easy, try a pulsing move instead.

Work the quadriceps of your upper arms using dumbbells, as barbells may be awkward or require you to strain. Start with your arms extended down at your sides and your elbows tucked in, but maintain a tension in your biceps. Your palms can be facing away from you or in toward your body, or you can alternate. Flex the elbows, bringing your fists toward your shoulders. Squeeze the biceps, then return to the starting position. Choose a weight that will be somewhat difficult to lift at the end of eight to 12 repetitions. While pregnant, you should err on the side of caution and not choose a weight that will lead to muscle failure.

Sit in a chair that will support your back. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms so your elbows are tucked in close to your ears and the dumbbell is above, but slightly behind, your head. Keeping your elbows in close, bend them, trying to bring the dumbbell back to touch between your shoulders. Return to the starting position. This will work the triceps at the backs of your arms. When 12 repetitions per set becomes easy, increase the weight.

Resistance train the muscles of your inner and outer thighs -- your quadriceps and hamstrings and your biceps and triceps -- with machines at your gym that target those areas. Machines provide constant weight throughout the movement and usually have some support for your back. This can be beneficial when you're pregnant, particularly if you aren't used to exercising. Choose a weight setting on the machine at which you can do eight but no more than 12 repetitions. Complete at least two sets and increase the weight when 12 repetitions becomes too easy.