PREGNANCY AND TRAINING
Every pregnancy is different- The exact type of exercise, frequency, duration and intensity will depend on current fitness levels and how you are feeling from trimester to trimester. You can expect adaptations to be made week to week and day to day.
BENEFITS OF EXERCISING WHILE PREGNANT
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Improves strength
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Better sleep
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Prevents excessive weight gain during pregnancy
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Reduce risk of gestational diabetes
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Decrease risk of high blood pressure associated with pregnancy
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Decrease postpartum recovery
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Decreases risk of low back pain
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Decrease severity of low back pain
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Decreases risk of urinary incontinence
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Prevents or improves symptoms of depression
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Maintains physical fitness
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Prevents postpartum weight retention
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May reduce risk of Caesarean birth
It very important to listen to your body when exercising while pregnant. You should stop exercising and seek medical advice if you experience any of the following: Vaginal bleeding, regular painful contractions, amniotic fluid leakage, shortness of breath before exertion, dizziness, headaches, chest pain, muscle weakness affecting balance, calf pain or swelling.
Can exercise harm my baby?
Will exercise make me even more tired?
Can I work my abs while exercising?
These are a few of the many myths and misconceptions that lead to some women assuming exercise is unsafe or should be decreased in significant ways. However this thinking is old fashioned as there are actually many benefits to exercising when pregnant. There are so many adaptations that can be made as you progress through your pregnancy journey- meaning you can still enjoy training while maintaining a happy, healthy and active pregnancy!
EXERCISE CONSIDERATIONS
Throughout pregnancy, the volume and intensity of the program will greatly depend on: your training level, your pregnancy experience, your goals and interests and the amount of time you have to dedicate to training. Everyone is individual and every pregnancy is different!
1ST TRIMESTER (0-13 WEEKS)
If the client is feeling good during the first trimester, few modifications need to be made to the programming.
TRAINING GOALS in the 1ST Trimester:
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Increase overall strength
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Increase or preserve muscle mass
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Strengthen the core
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Balance the tone of the pelvic floor
TRAINING CONSIDERATIONS in the 1ST Trimester:
1. If lifting in a higher rep range (12-15) with lighter weight, effort should feel like a 5-6 out of 10. (Moderate activity, feels like you could sustain it for hours, but breathing is heavy and its more difficult to hold a conversation).
2. If lifting a moderate rep range (6-12) with moderate weight, effort should feel a 6-7 out of 10. (Vigorous activity, on the verge of becoming uncomfortable. You can only speak a sentence or few words at a time and can’t sustain the activity for long periods).
3. It’s not recommended to be lifting in the lower rep ranges with heavier weight due to concerns about increased intra-abdominal pressure and excessive downward pressure on the pelvic floor.
4. Plan for adequate rest periods during workouts and let her determine how much rest she needs.
2ND TRIMESTER (14-27 WEEKS)
During this phase, pregnancy usually becomes more noticeable. Activities that previously felt comfortable may start to feel ‘off’.
TRAINING GOALS in the 2ND Trimester:
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Reduce incidence of back and pelvic pain
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Continue to work on strengthening and relaxation of pelvic floor muscles
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Encourage good alignment and posture
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Maintain strength and cardiovascular fitness
TRAINING CONSIDERATIONS in the 2ND Trimester:
1. If there are any feelings of being lightheaded, tingling in the legs, or general discomfort lying flat on her back, she should not do exercises that require this. Modify to perform them at a slight incline of about 15 degrees.
2. Minimise the amount of time your client spends flat on her back if she experiences symptoms. However, if she feels ok, you can program this exercise for short periods of time, always check with her how she is feeling.
3. As the abdomen expands, it may be time to reconsider some barbell exercises. If your client must adjust the trajectory of the bar to go ‘over’ the bump, it will affect technique and may increase risk of injury to her and the baby.
4. If she feels strong and supported through core and pelvic floor you can continue back and front-loaded barbell work.
5. If she experiences doming or bulging of the abdomen or heaviness in the pelvic floor, it may be time to change from a barbell to another implement.
6. The weight your client lifts should not require her to hold her breath. She may need to use lighter weights depending on how she is coping with the load.
7. She may need extra rest between sets to catch her breath and let her determine how much rest she needs.
3RD TRIMESTER (28-40 WEEKS)
During this phase the client may feel physically uncomfortable as she and the baby continue to grow. This will eventually limit her range of motion and mobility. She may also experience joint, back, hip or pelvic pain along with sleeplessness and exhaustion.
TRAINING GOALS in the 3RD Trimester:
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Maintain a comfortable level of activity
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Reduce discomfort related to body changes
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Minimise bulging or doming of the anterior core
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Minimise downward pressure on the pelvic floor
TRAINING CONSIDERATIONS in the 3RD Trimester:
1. Minimise or eliminate the amount of time a woman spends on their backs, especially if they experience symptoms such as lightheaded, nausea, tingling in legs, breathlessness or general discomfort.
2. Incline supine positions to 15 degrees or eliminate if she feels any of the symptoms above.
3. If bulging is evident during an exercise, you can choose to eliminate or modify her technique.
4. Planks, crunches, sit ups etc should no longer be part of the program as the linea alba may not be able to support them
5. Program adjustments are due to changes in the length-tension relationship of the abdominal musculature, the extra load on the pelvic floor and the increasing size of the abdomen as the baby grows.
6. She should not hold her breath while lifting weights.
7. Your client will use lighter weights, depending on how she is coping with load.
8. Mobility exercises are great in this trimester for reducing stiffness and pain.
9. Continue to let her determine how much rest she needs.