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. Is it safe? Yes, if
Some of the benefits are:
Here are some simple guidelines if you are considering training strength during pregnancy:
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:
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:
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! 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. 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?
Why exercise at this stage?
What are the recommendations in terms of exercise?
Second Trimester What’s normally happening?
Why exercise at this stage?
What are the recommendations in terms of exercise?
Third Trimester What’s normally happening?
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?
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