Strength training during pregnancy

Contrary to popular belief, strength training can and should be done during pregnancy.
Ideally, we would have already been doing some form of strength training before getting pregnant and we can continue it during the pregnancy and after. But if that’s not the case, it is possible to start doing this at this stage of your life.
 
Strength training helps maintain strength and aerobic fitness, as well as reduce risks of prenatal issues, such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and incontinence.
And when paired with pelvic health physiotherapy, training during pregnancy can help reduce the risk and severity of several post-pregnancy health conditions.
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Is it safe?

Yes, if

• you have the go-ahead for your doctor
• Don’t have any contraindications
• Follow simple safety guidelines

 
Some of the benefits are:

• Decreased risk of gestational diabetes
• Decreased risk of preeclampsia (i.e., a combination of high blood pressure and increased protein in urine)
• Decreased postpartum recovery time
• Decreased risk and severity of low back pain
• Decreased risk of urinary incontinence
• Decreased risk of Cesarean birth
• Prevention or improvement of depression
• Maintenance of physical fitness

 
 
 
Here are some simple guidelines if you are considering training strength during pregnancy:
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1. Get your doctor’s go-ahead: as long as your doctor says you can exercise, you can go ahead and squat, deadlift, push, pull, and more

You might need to modify some of the exercises, but there is a great variety you can choose from according to your situation. The options are not limited 😊
There are only some situations during which it is not advised to do strength training and that will be determined by your doctor.
Also, there are just a handful of exercises you shouldn’t be doing and some symptoms to look out for. 
 
You should proceed with caution if:

• Something seems off during your workout
• You feel out of breath during exercise
• You’ve been diagnosed with prolapse
• Feeling excessive downward pressure on your pelvic floor
• You experience urinary incontinence
• You feel aches and pains beyond the normal mild one that comes with exercise
• You observe abdominal wall “doming” or bulging, you feel like the exercise is "too much" for your core to handle, or you have been diagnosed with diastasis recti. 
• You’ve been diagnosed with a relative contraindication to exercise, which can be things like respiratory disorders, nutrient deficiencies, mild preeclampsia and thyroid disease.

 
2-Determine your level: beginner, inter, advanced

This will depend on whether you were already doing strength training before pregnancy or not, and if you were, what type of training, how much weight you were lifting on the main exercises, like squats, deadlifts, and presses, and how many times a week you use to train before.
Your level will impact how your workout will look in terms of the number of sessions per week, intensity levels, number of exercises, repetitions, and sets.
 
3-Modify exercises as needed:

If you were already doing some form of strength training, you may find you need to reduce the weights when you exercise pregnant.

You may find yourself fatigued or get tired more quickly, so you might need to take longer rests or work out for shorter periods.

Be careful when working your core, especially avoid crunches and find alternative core exercises that put less pressure on your belly overall, such as a pallof press or a suitcase carry

Other modifications you can make are: 

• Doing what you feel is safer
• Experimenting with different numbers of sets and repetitions 
• Applying different breathing strategies
• Working in a smaller range of motion

4- Be mindful of your pelvic floor:
Your Pelvic Floor will be carrying the load of your growing uterus, placenta and baby as well. 
It is important that we maintain good pelvic floor health to avoid disfunctions like urinary or fecal incontinence during and after pregnancy. 
Get your pelvic floor assessed by a specialize physiotherapist in your area whenever possible. This will give you an idea of its current health and what would be best for you to do to maintain or improve it, as it depends on each case. 

A good rule of thumb, however, is to practice connection between your pelvic floor, breathing and core and try to them apply this connection through your workout. 

I could record this for you, but I think this video explains it really well. 

 
4-Enjoy and celebrate that you’re doing this!

No matter how much you do, just showing up counts. Make sure you know that.
 
5-Be open to a change of plans

Some days will be easier than others and you’ll be able to stick to your planned workouts.
Others, you may show up and realize you are just too tired and just need a few stretches and gentle mobility work. And that’s Ok!
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If you are working out on your own, allow yourself this break. If you’re working with a trainer, most of the time she will notice and suggest a change of plan, but, otherwise, let them know how you feel and what your needs are that day.
 
 
What and how often should you be training?
 
The recommended number of sessions is 2 to 3 per week, depending on your level of fitness and of course, the time available to you.

Bear in mind that when it comes to training, you should not limit yourself to strength training only.
Some moderate cardiovascular activity will bring great benefits to your health, together with strength training.
Besides cardio and strength work, you will want to allow some time for the restorative type of work, like walking, meditation, some relaxing form of yoga, swimming, etc. Anything that helps you relax and recover.

With strength and cardio, you will be working at moderate to high intensities. It will be something you can handle, but it will fatigue you, make you feel somewhat tired, and that you are exerting an effort to do it.

So, some work on the opposite side of the spectrum can come in handy many times.

Think realistically about your life now: how many days a week can you train? How many days will you enjoy training? How much time can you give to each session? For how long would you want to train each session?
 
From all of these data, you can decide to do 2 or 3 strength training sessions a week, plus 1 or 2 moderate cardio sessions a week, and restorative work in between or when needed.

This doesn’t mean you should do a different thing every day.

You can decide to do that, or you can do strength and cardio on the same day. It all comes back to your time and goals.
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If you choose to do both on the same day, what you do first, also depends on your goals. Most women at this point will be trying to get stronger and improve overall fitness. In this case, strength training would go first, followed by cardio in the same session or a session later that day, as it can help improve recovery.

Considerations for exercise during each stage of pregnancy
 
First trimester:

What’s normally happening?

• Morning sickness
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Sleep issues
• Frequent need to urinate
• Changes in appetite

 
Why exercise at this stage?

• Keep or get a strong upper back to support the increasing weight of your breasts
• Get a strong trunk and core to carry the growing size and weight of your uterus
• Get a strong posterior chain (the back of your body) to help balance and counter the weight from the front, due to a growing belly and breasts.

 
What are the recommendations in terms of exercise?

• Relaxation and breathing exercises
• Monitor your intensity: low-impact and low to mid-intensity exercises are best at this stage.
• Stay cool and hydrated
• Modify as needed, and listen to your body.
• Improve the connection between your core and your pelvic floor (a physio or trainer specializing in the pelvic floor can help here)
• Work on your aerobic resistance: do some form of cardio, even light cardio helps here, like walking or jogging in place.

 
Second Trimester

What’s normally happening?

• We start feeling the baby move
• Symptoms of the first trimester are now gone for most women
• Many women feel like you suddenly have their energy back
• Changes like weight gain, increased breast size, and new aches and pains are right around the corner

 
Why exercise at this stage?

• This is typically a great time for strength training.
• Include postural work and exercises that can help reduce back or pelvic pain
• Include mobility work in your program
• Keep up the strength training as well as the cardio work.
• Play with doing exercises in different positions like standing, kneeling, squatting, and side-lying.

 
What are the recommendations in terms of exercise?

• Avoid going all out in your exercises. Rather work to about an 80% capacity which means you still have a few reps on the tank. For example, you do 10 reps, but you feel you could do 12.
• Modify training if you use barbells, especially avoid explosive movements past the midsection (such as Olympic Lifts), you can use other implements like dumbbells or kettlebells)
• Once again, listen to your body and watch out for symptoms such as feeling excessive pressure or heaviness on your pelvic floor, or doming or bulging of the stomach around the linea alba.
• Modify any supine (lying on your back) exercises if they don’t feel right. For example, if they make you feel nauseous, light-headed, or any discomfort.
• Do exercises like planks and push-ups on an incline: the growth of the abdomen can be an inconvenience when trying these conventionally, but also these make you exert a force that your body may not be ready to do at this point.

 

Third Trimester
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What’s normally happening?

• The baby is growing faster, so we gain weight faster as well
• Some normal activities like rolling out of bed can become challenging due to the growing size of the abdomen
• Sleep deprivation is more common
• Less energy, due to preparations and more social events
• It might not be easy to keep up with an exercise routine at this point. If you manage to do it, that’s great! And if you don’t, then allow yourself that too.

Why exercise at this stage?

Maybe you will need to stop working out at this stage or maybe not.
This is highly individual, and you will need to do what feels right for you.
 
What are the recommendations in terms of exercise?

• Consider adding gentle stretches to your training and any exercises that reduce discomfort.
• Add birth preparation exercises and postural exercises to prepare for nursing
• Include more rest and recovery time
• Remove supine exercises if they generate discomfort
• Avoid holding your breath when lifting weights
• Reduce load if needed
• Try not to switch positions too much

Want to know more or need help with training during your pregnancy? 
​Let's get on a call :) ​