Exercises to avoid while pregnant

Exercises To Try — and Avoid During Pregnancy

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Posted July 05, 2022 by Diana Mong, M.D., FACOG

When you’re expecting, it’s especially important to keep moving. Exercise is an important part of a healthy pregnancy and offers big benefits for both you and your baby, such as:

• Boosts energy levels and makes you feel better by releasing endorphins
• Reduces back pain
• Eases constipation, bloating and swelling
• Decreases risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and cesarean birth
• Prevents excess weight gain, which is helpful in regaining your pre-pregnancy body more quickly
• Improves sleep, while relieving stress and anxiety
• Promotes muscle tone, strength and endurance, which are all vital in preparing you for labor and delivery

But before you continue your old exercise routine or begin a new one, it’s important to discuss your exercise plans with your healthcare provider early on.

You may need to make a few adjustments to your exercise routine, especially if you’re experiencing complications, such as pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, cervical or placenta problems, early contractions or vaginal bleeding, or if you’re carrying multiples.

Exercises to try while pregnant

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant individuals get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. It’s also a good idea to incorporate strength and flexibility moves to feel your best during pregnancy. 

Your level of exercise will depend, in part, on your level of pre-pregnancy fitness. If you’re new to exercise, start off with as little as 10 minutes a day and gradually increase your activity by 5 minutes each day until you reach 30 minutes. Whether you’re a novice or pro, remember to warm up, stretch and cool down to avoid injury.

A good place to start is brisk walking. Walking enables you to vary the pace, add hills and distance. Plus, it’s a total body workout and is easy on the joints.

Swimming and other water workouts also can be very appealing because it gives you the welcoming feeling of weightlessness, which decreases your risk of injury and muscle strain. Also, water workouts use all of the body’s major muscle groups and places minimal stress on the joints.

Yoga and Pilates also are great exercises during pregnancy, especially those designed with modified poses for pregnant individuals. Yoga reduces stress with focused breathing, improves flexibility and encourages stretching. Pilates increases flexibility, strength and muscle tone with a concentrated focus on the core, which alleviates backaches and can help with labor and delivery.

Just be sure to avoid hot yoga or hot pilates because they may cause you to become overheated.  

Exercises to avoid while pregnant

While pregnant, you’ll want to avoid activities that put you at a higher risk of injury. Hormones released during pregnancy cause the ligaments to relax, which increases your chance of injury. Also, due to the extra weight in front of your body, your center of gravity gets shifted and you can easily lose your balance and fall.

In addition, avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your back for an extended period of time. The weight of the growing uterus and baby can press on the main vein that carries blood back to your heart from your lower body region.

For these reasons, most providers recommend pregnant individuals avoid the following:

• Contact sports, such as soccer, volleyball and basketball
• Exercises that put you at risk for falling, such as downhill skiing, off-road cycling and gymnastics
• Activities that force you to bounce heavily, such as horseback riding
• Scuba diving, which could put your baby at risk of decompression sickness
• Exercises that put you at higher risk of getting hit in the abdomen, such as kickboxing or ice hockey
• High-altitude activities

No matter which exercises you and your healthcare provider decide on, remember to drink plenty of water to avoid overheating and dehydration and be sure to listen to your body. Your energy level will vary from day to day, and as baby grows and pushes up on your lungs, it may make it harder to breathe in more air while exercising. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t talk while exercising, you’re doing it too strenuously.

Although you may not always feel like exercising, especially as your pregnancy progresses, stay motivated by keeping the added benefits in mind. Regular exercise can help you cope with the physical changes of pregnancy while building strength and stamina for the challenges ahead.

12 Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy

prenatal exercise Jul 17, 2020

Are you endlessly searching online about what exercises to avoid during pregnancy and only getting conflicting results? You're not alone. I am here to help you workout safely when pregnant.

You see, unfortunately there are a lot of "so-called" prenatal exercise experts willing to give their view in order to make a quick buck. This conflicting advice can not only be confusing, but also dangerous.

So I want to set the record straight to keep you safe throughout your pregnancy.

Let's get to it.

What if I Did these Exercises before Pregnancy?

Great, if they helped you get fit. But they may not be appropriate now.

First, I want you to take the time and carefully select which exercises, workouts and classes you participate in when pregnant.

Your goals have changed. Your priorities have changed.

Now you're pregnant, you must take into account your growing baby. Because your growing baby may not respond well to certain exercises or sports.

What you were doing before getting pregnant may now cause harm.

How you exercise now may be determined by your pre-pregnancy fitness level. How you exercise now may also be determined by your previous exercise experience.

Any activities that have a low risk of falling, injury and joint and ligament damage should now be chosen.

What Exercises Do I Need to Avoid when Pregnant?

1. Any high impact exercise.

2. Planks or push-ups.

3. Movements or exercise that places extreme pressure on your pelvic floor.

4. Traditional sit-ups and crunches.

5. Exercises where you are lying on your back (especially late in pregnancy).

6. Exercises where you hold your breath.

7. Exercise in hot, humid weather.

8. Sports where there is a greater risk of falling (water skiing, snow skiing, riding motor bikes, horse riding).

9. Pregnancy Exercises that require lying on your back for long periods of time.

10. Exercises that require lying on your right side for long periods of time.

11. Exercises that require sudden twisting movements when standing.

12. Exercises that requires intense bursts of movement followed by long periods of no activity.

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What Activities Do I Need to Avoid during Pregnancy?

1. Require extensive bounding, jumping, hopping or skipping.

2. Require bouncing (trampoline).

3. Involve sprinting, agility or a lot of running.

4. Ask you to do deep knee bends and squats.

5. Requiring full sit-ups.

6. Involving double leg raises.

7. You have to bounce when stretching.

8. Include any contact sport (football, basketball and volleyball).

9. Need a sudden change in direction or jarring movements.

15 Exercises to AVOID During Pregnancy

This is an obvious one but you may unintentionally be participating in recreational contact sports in your backyard or at the park with family and friends.

The risk of injury increases significantly. These sports could include horse riding, football, soccer, basketball or volleyball.

Prenatal Yoga is recommended.

But hot yoga should be avoided due to the room temperature often reaching 100 degrees or higher.

Pregnant women should avoid such hot conditions. Exposing a fetus to high temperatures may cause hyperthermia which can lead to birth defects and premature labor.

Many boot camps involve using ropes, pushing tires, lifting heavy weights or boxing which all could cause harm to both you and baby.

Pregnancy is not the time to be starting a boot camp which is designed for a healthy population with little regards to the requirements of pregnancy.

Whether it is using a trampoline in your backyard or one at a trampoline center it is best to avoid this exercise.

There is significant risk of falling. Your center of gravity is off balance due to pregnancy.

You could also sustain an injury to your ankles. Knees. Or wrists if you brace yourself when you land.

There are some classes (power circuits) or other programmed classes that may involve heavy lifting weights. These classes can place greater stress on your joints and ligaments.

Due to the pregnancy hormone relaxin you should avoid these ballistic, dynamic heavy lifts. Your back wont like it.

AND trust me, the last thing you want when pregnant is crippling back pain.

Heavy weight training lifts that involve maximal isometric muscle contractions can place too much stress on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system.

Participating in a workout that involves raising and keeping your heart rate elevated for as long as possible is considered unsafe during pregnancy.

These sessions can be harmful to both you and baby. Low to moderate intensity level is best. Let's not try and set any new personal bests here.

CrossFit is often promoted as a competitive fitness sport.

It incorporates elements from high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, power-lifting, gymnastics, and other exercises.

Bounding, lifting heavy weights, high-intensity exercise and forms of gymnastics are obviously not recommended when pregnant.

If you were doing CrossFIT before pregnancy, then now is the time for a mindset change. That is, your goals have changed.

A popular exercise trend that has emerged in recent years is stair climbing events involving some of our city's tallest buildings.

There is a risk of falling, tripping, over-exerting yourself and exercising in a hot environment.

You also increase heart rate to very high levels. You also overload your leg muscles.

While some pregnant women still choose to compete in a marathon when pregnant, it is recommended to avoid running such long distances.

This can lead to over-exertion. It can increase your core body temperature. There is the risk of dehydration. You are more susceptible to sustaining a muscle strain.

There is just no point to running extremely long distances. Please put your ego aside.

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I cringe when I see a pregnant women doing the old traditional crunches. And even worse, the plank!

There are so many better ways to strengthen your core when pregnant. Yoga and Pilates is a better option here.

Some abdominal strengthening exercises will be very uncomfortable. This is due to muscle weakness and the development of abdominal separation.

A condition called diastasis recti.

The human fetus develops normally under low-oxygen conditions. Exercise at high altitude may place further stress on oxygen delivery to the fetus.

Avoid lying on your back.

Why?

Because when you lay on your back the gravid uterus is known to compress the inferior vena cava. This can result in maternal hypotension and reduced blood flow to the fetus.

For obvious reasons, please don't attempt any exercise or sport that may require you to lay on your stomach.

Standing still for long periods of time is not recommended. For one, you could faint if too much blood pools in your lower extremities. Secondly, it places a lot of stress on your joints.

Scuba diving should be avoided as the pressure can result in birth defects and foetal decompression sickness.

Use common sense! If it hurts, stop. If it doesn't feel right, stop. If you are at risk of losing your balance, don't do it. Please avoid exercises during pregnancy that may harm you and your growing baby! Start with good habits in your first trimester and only participate in safe workouts throughout your pregnancy.

If you have any specific questions then your doctor will be your best resource.

12 exercises for pregnant women recommended by doctors

March 21, 2021 Likbez Sports and fitness

Even if you have never been into fitness, now is the time to start.

Iya Zorina

Author of Lifehacker, athlete, CCM

Why do exercises for pregnant women

Scientists and doctors agree that pregnancy is not a reason to stop training. You should continue to engage in your usual physical activity as long as you feel comfortable doing it.

In addition, women who were inactive before pregnancy are advised to add more movement, as exercise provides several benefits at once:

• strengthens muscles, which helps you better cope with the extra weight that you will gain during pregnancy;
• improve blood circulation;
• strengthen joints;
• help with back pain that can develop as the belly grows;
• have a positive effect on the duration of labor and its outcome;
• reduce the risk of complications in late pregnancy and childbirth.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that pregnant women exercise for at least 30 minutes a day most of the week. But this applies to healthy women without contraindications to exercise.

How to know if you can exercise during pregnancy

While healthy women have little to no contraindications to exercise, there are several conditions in which physical activity can be harmful.

Exercise during pregnancy is contraindicated in:

• gestational hypertension;
• preeclampsia;
• rupture of membranes;
• cervical incompetence;
• bleeding in the second or third trimester;
• multiple pregnancy at risk of preterm delivery;
• placenta previa;
• threatened preterm birth.

Exercise caution should also be exercised in cases of growth restriction, extreme weight, and poorly controlled comorbidities such as type 1 diabetes, hypertension, seizure disorders, and thyroid disease.

Even if you feel fine and do not have any illness, please consult your pregnancy doctor before beginning any activity.

He will assess the risks and your level of activity before pregnancy and will give recommendations on the types, intensity and duration of activities.

Things to consider when doing exercises for pregnant women

First of all, it is worth reducing the intensity to a comfortable level. Stick to the Conversation Rule: If you can carry on a conversation during a workout without getting out of breath, the intensity is right.

If you did not exercise before pregnancy, start with 15 minutes of exercise a day. Gradually bring this time up to 30 minutes, but not quickly - focus on the sensations of your body and do not overload.

Also follow a few rules:

• always warm up before training and cool down after training;
• avoid strenuous exercise in hot conditions;
• drink enough water;
• if you are going to work with a trainer, make sure that he has a special education and tell him about the pregnancy.

Exercises to avoid during pregnancy

There are several types of exercises that can cause unwanted effects or make you uncomfortable:

• Movements in which you lie on your back for a long time (after 16 weeks of pregnancy). Because the weight of the abdomen compresses the main blood vessels that bring blood to the heart, lying on your back can cause weakness.
• An activity that requires you to stand for long periods of time.
• Contact sports that increase the risk of getting hit.
• Exercise and activity that can lead to a fall. If you feel insecure, ask your relatives to insure.

What Pregnancy Exercises to Do

Here are some safe pregnancy exercises you can do if there are no contraindications.

1. Wall Push-ups

This exercise will strengthen your chest muscles and the back of your shoulders.

Stand one step away from a wall with your feet hip-width apart. Press your palms against the wall at shoulder level, bend your elbows, and do a push-up. Keep your back straight, do not spread your elbows to the sides, place your shoulders at an angle of 45 ° from the body. Gradually work your way up to 15 reps.

2. Fitness Ball Squat

This exercise strengthens your hips and back, improves your ability to get into and out of a chair with new weight and a shifted center of gravity.

Stand up straight with a fitness ball between your lower back and a wall. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself down to a right angle at the knees. Make sure your heels do not come off the floor.

If you find it difficult to squat to a right angle at the knees, do the exercise as low as you can. Then straighten your legs, returning to the starting position, and repeat the movement.

If you feel unsure, ask someone to stand next to you to help you if you lose your balance. Perform 10-12 times.

3. Leg raises on all fours

This exercise strengthens the muscles of the back and abdomen.

Get on all fours, place your wrists under your shoulders, straighten your arms. Raise your right knee and straighten your leg back parallel to the floor. Return it to the floor and repeat on the other side. Do 10 reps with each leg.

4. Steps

A functional movement that will help you strengthen your legs and buttocks and improve your sense of balance. You can step onto a step stand or a ladder rung. Make sure the chosen support is stable.

Step up the hill, then back down and repeat with the other leg. During the exercise, keep your back straight and fully press the foot to the surface of the platform.

Do as many reps as you can, depending on your fitness level. Stop when you get tired or the form of the exercise begins to suffer.

5. Elbow Side Plank

This exercise strengthens core muscles and helps increase stability and balance.

Lie on your left side, bend your knees so that your thighs are in line with your body. Then lift your body off the floor, resting on your knees and left forearm. Place your right hand on your right side. Hold the position for a few seconds, then lower yourself to the floor and repeat. Do 10 reps on each side.

6. Leg extension with lumbar support

This movement will help strengthen the abdominal muscles.

Lie down on a mat with a folded blanket under your lower back and place your hands on your forearms. Bend your knees at a right angle and place your feet on the mat. Straighten one knee, extending the leg, then return it to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Do 10 times with each leg.

7. Bosu V-Position Hold

You can perform the ab hold while sitting on an unstable platform.

Sit on the Bosu with your knees bent at a right angle and your feet flat on the floor. You can stretch your arms out in front of you or leave them pressed against the platform if you feel insecure.

Lean your back straight and tighten your abs. Hold this pose for a few seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat. Aim for 10 reps.

If you find it easy to do the V-fold on two legs, try doing it on one. When you tilt your body back, lift one leg off the mat and extend it parallel to the floor.

Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times and do with the other leg.

8. Seated Stomach Row

This exercise strengthens the muscles of the upper back.

Sit on a chair, press the band with your feet, placing it under the balls of your feet. Grasp the handles or loops of the expander, turning the brushes with your palms facing you. Lean your body forward with a straight back.

Overcoming the resistance of the elastic band, pull the handles to the belt. Feel how your shoulder blades converge. Return to starting position and repeat. Do 15 times.

You can also do this exercise while sitting on a fitball. It is good if there is a person nearby who can insure you in case of loss of balance.

9. Seated band deadlift

This exercise will strengthen the back extensor muscles.

Sit on a fitness ball or chair with your feet shoulder-width apart and your feet flat on the floor. Place the expander under the arches of the feet. Holding the handles in straight arms, bend at the hip joint. Bring your belly close to your hips, keeping your back straight, then return to the starting position and repeat. Do 15 reps.

To make this exercise harder, wrap the band around your wrists to provide more resistance and stress on your back muscles.

10. Backbend on all fours

Get on all fours with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders with your fingers forward. Make sure your lower back stays neutral and doesn't arch. Pull in your stomach and raise your back to the ceiling, arching it in an arc. Leave your head hanging relaxed, do not block the elbow joint. Move within a comfortable range.

Hold the pose for a few seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Again, check that the lower back is in a neutral position, and does not sag in an arch. Perform the exercise slowly and rhythmically 10 times, feel how the back muscles work.

11. Pelvic tilt

Stand up straight with your shoulders and buttocks against the wall, do not strain your knees or lock your joints. Pull your navel towards your spine so that your lower back is fully pressed against the wall. Hold for 4 seconds and relax. Repeat 10 times.

12. Pelvic floor exercises

Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as if you were about to stop urinating. Pull your vagina in at the same time, as if you were going to wrap around a tampon.

To begin with, do these exercises quickly, contracting and relaxing the muscles. Then move on to slow movements, holding contractions for as long as you can. Try to hold out for 10 seconds.

Do 3 sets of eight compressions each day.

When to stop exercising

Pay close attention to how you feel. Stop exercising if you experience signs of preterm labor and the following symptoms:

• vaginal bleeding;
• dizziness;
• pain or swelling of the legs;
• chest pain;
• reduced fetal activity;
• leakage of amniotic fluid;
• shortness of breath before exercise.

Seek medical advice immediately after stopping exercise.

Read also 🧐

• How and why to practice yoga for pregnant women
• What should be included in the diet during pregnancy?
• Vitamins for pregnant women: what will help and what will hurt

Fitness for pregnant women: what can and can not be given during training

In previous articles, we have already discussed many issues related to fitness for pregnant women: the most important thing that an instructor should know, and what exercises can and should be performed during pregnancy.

Today we will talk about what should be avoided when training in an interesting position, what should be paid special attention to. Consider the most frequently asked questions on different muscle groups and types of training.

TRAINING THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES DURING PREGNANCY

As the pregnancy progresses, the center of gravity shifts further and further forward due to the growth of the abdomen, which leads to an increase in lumbar lordosis (sagging in the lower back) and possible back pain. The abdominal muscles during pregnancy must be strong to help the back muscles maintain a close to vertical body position and minimize discomfort.

This is absolutely correct. Only this does not mean that exercises for the rectus abdominis are mandatory during pregnancy in order to make her stronger than she was. This also does not mean that it is necessary to start "pumping" the abdominal muscles for those who have not done this before. In reality, if the abdominal muscles were trained before pregnancy, then their “strength” margin would be enough for all 9 months for the most comfortable state. If there was no good press before, then, most likely, it will no longer be possible to achieve it during pregnancy.

To understand why this is so, you need to understand what happens to the abdomen during pregnancy in terms of physiology.

In the first half of pregnancy, the size of the abdominal cavity practically does not increase, because the uterus itself does not yet become noticeably larger. During this period, the formation of the child's body systems takes place without active growth of the fetus in size.

In the second half of pregnancy, every week the fetus increases significantly in height and weight. The uterus becomes larger, the size of the abdominal cavity increases, the stomach begins to actively "bulge" forward.

The rectus abdominis must lengthen so as not to impede this process. This requires its high elasticity, the degree of which depends on three main factors:

1 - individual (genetic) characteristics

2 - the action of hormones during pregnancy (relaxin softens the connective tissue)

3 - the degree of muscle relaxation (the more relaxed it is the easier it stretches)

If the elasticity of the muscle is not enough, the options are:

- muscles to some extent prevent a further increase in the size of the abdomen itself, the uterus, which, as a result, negatively affects the growth of the fetus. For a woman, this is to some extent a plus: the stomach is small and neat, there is less load on the back. But this is not the best option for the development of the child.

- the abdomen grows "inward": the child develops at a normal pace, the uterus increases, but its growth to a greater extent occurs not due to the protrusion of the abdomen forward, but due to compression of other organs inside the abdominal cavity. The external effect is the same as in the previous case (small belly), but this does not have the best effect on the functioning of the internal organs of the woman herself: there may be problems with digestion, breathing, blood circulation, etc.

- the abdomen is actively increasing in size, but due to insufficient elasticity, the rectus abdominis muscles of the right and left halves of the body begin to diverge away from the white line of the abdomen. This phenomenon is called diastasis rectus abdominis. The connective tissue is stretched, this prolonged tension leads to a decrease in its elasticity, which after childbirth can lead to the fact that the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity becomes less dense and durable. This reduces its protective functions in relation to internal organs. In extreme cases, too much tension can cause a tear in the white line of the abdomen.

Ideally, the abdominal muscles should be strong enough to support an ever-growing belly, yet elastic enough to avoid the negative effects described above.

To train the abdominal muscles, various modifications of the two types of exercises are most often used.

Dynamic version - flexion of the spine in the lumbar and lower thoracic regions;

Static variant - different variations of movements/holds of legs on weight in the supine position.

Let's analyze what happens when using these exercises during pregnancy:

- flexion of the spine in the lumbar and lower thoracic regions is possible, but only in the early stages of pregnancy, while the stomach is not yet pronounced. At later stages, it becomes more and more difficult (and then almost impossible) purely mechanically - the size of the abdomen simply does not allow you to bend in these sections of the spine. When pregnant women are offered these exercises, everything is limited to moving the head in the cervical region in an attempt to raise the body above the floor.

– keeping the legs (moving the legs) on weight in the supine position is theoretically possible throughout pregnancy, because these actions do not use flexion of the spine (the abdominal muscles tighten to fix the position of the pelvis so that the lower back does not bend), and the growing stomach does not interfere with movements in the hip and knee joints. The abdominal muscles must exert a high enough force to hold the pelvis in place. However, as the gestation period increases and the abdomen grows, the rectus abdominis lengthens, and the longer the muscle, the less force it can exert. It becomes almost impossible for pregnant women to keep their back and pelvis on the floor, there is an excessive deflection in the lower back, which, with a high vertical load on this area, can lead to severe discomfort (at least) or injury to the lumbar region. This exercise is quite difficult to perform even for a non-pregnant woman!

It turns out that in the second half of pregnancy, exercises on the abdominal muscles are either practically impossible (dynamic option), or fraught with a high risk of negative consequences of their implementation (static option).

In the first half of pregnancy, in principle, it is possible to train the stomach in the expectation that the muscles will have time to become stronger in order to provide greater comfort in later periods. But there probably won't be enough time for that. But muscle tone may well become higher if you force the load too much - for example, “pump your stomach” every day in large volume. Increased tone prevents normal muscle lengthening, which is necessary at this moment. As a result, the diastasis described above occurs (this is quite often observed in athletes with “cubes” on their stomachs). Of course, there is always a risk of diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles, but with increased training it increases. This is not to say that “abs” exercises are strictly prohibited during pregnancy. But when planning your classes, you need to evaluate the potential benefits of training the abdominal muscles and correlate it with the possible risks.

Ideal for the woman: Abdominal training combined with pre-pregnancy posture training will help you feel more comfortable throughout the 9 months. And during pregnancy, it is better to focus on doing other exercises.

If the ideal option did not work out, before pregnancy the stomach was not trained, then instead of ambiguous twists and other exercises for the press, it is better to focus on posture and exercises to relax the back muscles.

TRAINING OF THE BACK MUSCLES (EXTENSIONS OF THE SPINE) DURING PREGNANCY

The main function of the extensor muscles of the spine is to keep the trunk in a vertical position and maintain balance due to this. These muscles are constantly used in everyday life - almost always when we are not lying down. During pregnancy, the load on the extensor muscles increases due to natural changes. With the course of pregnancy, the center of gravity shifts forward due to the growth of the abdomen, the lower back sags more and more. Along with this, the size and weight of the chest increase, and this leads to the lowering of the shoulders forward and the appearance of a stoop in the upper body. As a result, changes in the initial anatomical position occur immediately in two sections of the spine: an increase in lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis. This simultaneous "over-curvature" can cause discomfort and pain in the back. The task of the extensor muscles of the spine is to compensate for changes in posture associated with pregnancy, to help avoid soreness. To do this, the muscles must be strong enough.

The common logic of many fitness instructors is to make sure to do exercises to strengthen the extensor muscles of the spine (hyperextensions) in order to maintain their strength or have time to make them strong during pregnancy.

We do not recommend doing this. Let's explain why.

If a woman has strong enough spinal extensor muscles because she trained before pregnancy, then these muscles will be able to counteract excessive curvature of the spine and posture, because. will be able to keep the torso in an upright position. At the same time, discomfort will be manifested to a lesser extent. They may not even exist at all.

However, additional extensor exercises would be superfluous. After all, these muscles during pregnancy will constantly strain in everyday life, receiving a natural additional load that they previously received during training.

If a woman did not train before pregnancy, then for her muscles, everyday additional efforts will be a greater load than before pregnancy, that is, in fact, training. When the muscles are constantly tired, it is not advisable to additionally load them. Rather, they need to recover from the daily unaccustomed stress.

In both cases, we would advise you to focus on relaxing and stretching the ever-tiring spinal extensor muscles.

Exercise of the extensor muscles may be relevant at the beginning of pregnancy, while the daily load is low - before the growing belly and chest begin to change posture. But even during this period, in our opinion, it is better to focus on exercises aimed more at forming or maintaining a correct posture than on strength exercises for the back muscles. Performing special exercises for posture, in any case, we use the extensor muscles, which can be a sufficient load for them. And besides this, we form such a necessary skill at this time to maintain an even vertical position of the body.

A few recommended exercises for pregnant women - posture and stretching

IMPACT LOAD, STRENGTH EXERCISES, AQUA AEROBICS DURING PREGNANCY

To understand in what form and why it is worth offering such exercises exercises, you must first consider the physiological effect of the hormone relaxin on the body of a pregnant woman.

The effect of relaxin on the body as a whole and on the musculoskeletal system

During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin begins to be produced. Under its action, the connective tissue softens, becomes more pliable (extensible) and less rigid (strong). Thus, nature prepares the woman's body for the period of pregnancy and childbirth.

More pliable connective tissue is needed so that during pregnancy the uterus can increase in size for the normal growth of the child, so that the skin can stretch freely in the right places without damage.

During childbirth, softened connective tissue in the cervix makes it easier to open, high extensibility of the perineum prevents tears, and softened pubic symphysis and iliosacral articulation help the pelvic bones “spread” when the child passes through the birth canal to avoid injury both mother and baby.

But there is a downside to the effect of the hormone relaxin: the musculoskeletal system becomes more vulnerable in terms of resistance to stress. Indeed, due to the softening of the connective tissue, the strength of the ligaments and the stability of the joints decrease. This can lead to discomfort, and sometimes quite severe pain, even with normal movements in everyday life. Naturally, with additional physical activity, the sensations of discomfort and soreness will be much higher, as well as the risk of injury.

For this reason, it is worth paying more attention to the choice of certain types of loads and exercises.

Some Recommended Exercises for Pregnant Women - Posture and Relaxation

High Impact

The impact that occurs during standing exercises can be traumatic for the joints of the lower extremities and the spine. This risk is especially evident at high shock loading, which involves the use of jumping and running actions. The degree of possible negative impact depends on the following factors: the weight of the person, the depreciation properties of the joints, the position of the spine, and the landing technique. The greater the weight, the lower the strength of the joints and ligaments, the less even (vertical) position of the spine, the higher the shock load.

In order not to be injured, one must master the skill of safely performing such movements (the skill of correct landing). If a woman knows how to run and jump well, then it is permissible to use these exercises during pregnancy, of course, within reasonable limits.

But it must be remembered that, regardless of physical abilities and motor skills, during pregnancy there are those changes in the body that lead to an increase in impact load and a decrease in the ability to withstand it. Own weight constantly and very significantly (especially in the second half of pregnancy) increases. This in itself is an additional load on the joints of the legs and spine. Naturally, the impact load increases with all movements (even if they are correctly performed). Joints and ligaments, becoming more softened under the influence of relaxin and less strong, cope worse with the increasing load, their depreciation properties are reduced. A change in the position of the spine due to an increase in lumbar lordosis leads to a deterioration in depreciation in this area as well. All of these changes increase the risk of injury. Therefore, with an increase in the duration of pregnancy, it is worth minimizing the number of runs and jumps, if they were previously used in training practice. And for those who have not previously run or jumped or did it incorrectly (unsafely), it is better to abandon these types of exercises altogether.

It is desirable to limit (or even completely eliminate) high impact loads also because the risk of loss of balance increases due to an increase in the abdomen and a shift in the center of gravity.

Power load

Strength exercises and power loads should also be selected taking into account the ongoing physiological changes. It is not necessary to exclude strength training, but the methodology must be adjusted.

Intensity of load

Those who are familiar with power loads, who worked out “before”, should gradually reduce the intensity of loads. Indeed, despite the fact that the muscles themselves are quite capable of withstanding the usual level of load, and a woman may feel ready to continue training at the same intensity, it should be remembered that the condition of the joints and ligaments is fundamentally changing. Due to the effect of relaxin, they are not ready to continue to safely resist the load that they previously coped with.

And for those who did not exercise before pregnancy, it can be even more dangerous. Therefore, power loads for them should be selected especially carefully. It is better to limit yourself to minimal impact, so as not to lead to overwork and injury.

Accessories

Any accessories may be additional power loads. In addition, the use of various items in training requires the ability to handle them in such a way that it is safe for a person.

The equipment can be used (remember the difference between the words “can” and “should”), but do not abuse it. And it’s better to think in advance - is it really so necessary that you can’t do without it?

Additional equipment (dumbbells, body bars, barbells, rubber shock absorbers, etc. ) is often used to increase the load. Given what we wrote above about intensity, it is worth thinking before using it. It is likely that you can do without equipment using only your own body weight. Especially with those who did not do strength exercises before pregnancy. Often, coaches do not realize that in the second half of pregnancy, a woman already carries an ever-increasing weight. Sometimes more than the weight of the bar from a bar, for example, or a body bar. Therefore, the weight of the additional equipment, together with her own increased weight, can become an excessive load, especially in the initial standing positions when performing exercises on the muscles of the lower extremities.

If you have done strength training before, if you have developed the skill of working with equipment, then there is no reason to refuse it completely. You just need to gradually reduce the working weight and reduce the complexity of the exercises.

If a woman has never trained with equipment and does not know how to handle it, then she must first be taught how to do it. However, do not get carried away and spend a lot of time on something that is not a task of paramount importance. Moreover, the period of pregnancy is far from the best time for mastering new skills. And, any. The head of pregnant women works in a completely different way, nature has made sure that most of the body's resources (including the brain) are spent only on the successful bearing of the fetus. That's why pregnant women become so distracted.

The only thing that may be useful to focus on is exercises with additional weight for the muscles of the arms. A dumbbell of 1-1.5 kg for isolated training of the biceps of the shoulder, deltoid muscle, pectoral muscles may well be useful, since the expectant mother after childbirth should be ready to carry more weight in her hands.

Initial provisions

The longer the pregnancy, the greater the body weight and the greater the load on the joints of the legs. It is increasing every day. Performing exercises in a standing position is becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, in training, you should gradually replace them with exercises in a position on the floor. This is especially true for untrained women, whose joints are not used to high loads.

In addition, blood often stagnates in the lower part of the body during pregnancy. This occurs in particular due to prolonged immobility in a standing position. As a result, edema, varicose veins, hemorrhoids may occur. Therefore, we need exercises that improve blood circulation in the lower extremities: normal walking, foot rolls from heels to fingers and back, various (including circular) foot movements. Many of these exercises can be performed not only while standing, but also in any other position (sitting, lying down), they do not require additional equipment. Such movements should be performed not only in the classroom, they should be recommended in any situation where you have to stand or sit still for a long time: at work, in a car, on public transport, in line or in front of the TV.

The initial prone position, for obvious reasons, must be eliminated as soon as the abdomen begins to increase in size.

The supine position is often prohibited from being used in class (most of the instructors who come to the seminar are absolutely sure of the correctness of this prohibition). It is widely believed that this position should be excluded from training, because. there is a risk of compression of the inferior vena cava, which leads to dizziness, fainting, and even loss of consciousness.

Yes, it can happen. But not with everyone, and not in every case - many women are not even aware of such a problem, they rest and sleep all pregnancy, lying on their backs, and nothing terrible happens. However, forewarned is forearmed.

To do this, instead of excluding the supine position from the training process, without telling anything about the possible unpleasant and even dangerous consequences, it is better to do things differently. Ask if the woman has experienced the situation described above in her daily life or in other activities. Explain why this has happened or may happen in the future. Teach how to behave when the first symptoms occur: stop doing the exercise, roll over to the left side (to reduce pressure on the inferior vena cava, because it runs to the right of the spine), maybe even sit down (but not abruptly). Offer to perform the exercise lying on your back and carefully monitor your well-being. If everything is in order, then there is no reason to exclude such exercises. They should be abandoned only if the symptoms that were described above appear.

For the future, it is necessary to advise a woman in everyday life to pay attention to the slightest discomfort when she lies on her back. If discomfort appears, then you will have to rest and sleep so that the torso is in an elevated position.

Using this tactic, we not only retain the ability to use a fairly wide range of exercises, but, most importantly, help a woman feel as confident and comfortable as possible outside of our classes.

Aqua aerobics

There is a general opinion that aqua aerobics is indicated for absolutely all pregnant women, because it is the best and safest form of physical activity for them.

What is true in this statement? Indeed, being in the water is very pleasant in terms of sensations, because. its own weight "reduces" compared to the actual weight of the body "on land" due to the buoyant action of the water. At the same time, the vertical (shock) load is reduced, the joints of the lower extremities and the spine are “unloaded”. Additionally, there is a natural micro-massage of the skin, etc.

But it's one thing just to be in the water. And quite another thing is to move. If we compare the resistance force of the air and water environment when performing movements, then a clear difference will be visible. When you move on land in different directions (to the sides, back and forth), the air resistance is practically not felt, because. it is too small. If the same actions are performed in the water, then they will be much harder to perform, because. the water resistance force is much higher. Try simply raising your arms forward to horizontal on land and in water and compare which is heavier.

Therefore, any action in the water for joints and ligaments can be even more traumatic than on land. This should be remembered when doing swimming or aqua aerobics. The principle is the same: if you did this before pregnancy, continue by reducing the speed of swimming, reducing the amplitude and pace of exercises during aqua aerobics, doing everything very smoothly and in control of your movements.

If you haven't practiced, but really want to start, be extremely careful. Follow all the nuances, control the amplitude and speed of the exercises, since it is very easy to “pull” a softened joint in the water (especially when using additional equipment: a swimming shoulder blade in the palm of your hand will greatly increase the load on the elbow and shoulder joints).

HOW TO DETERMINE WHAT EXERCISE IS POSSIBLE AND WHAT SHOULD NOT BE OFFERED TO PREGNANT WOMEN

We have considered only some of the exercise options, it is impossible to make out everything. But if you need to decide for yourself what to offer or not offer in training with pregnant women, then we recommend using the logic below.

Do not raise the question: "what should not be done when pregnant." Consider any exercise, first of all, from the standpoint of expediency, first answering two questions.

First: Can a pregnant woman do this exercise? In most cases, this question can be answered positively, provided that the course of pregnancy is normal and there are no obvious pathologies (only a doctor detects pathologies, a fitness trainer does not have the right to make a conclusion about the course of pregnancy). And also, when it comes to what a woman did in the period before pregnancy, and what is familiar and natural for her.

The second, much more difficult question: how much this exercise is necessary for a pregnant woman? How useful it will be, given her position and individual condition. This issue is inextricably linked with the goals and objectives of training during pregnancy.

For example: can a woman be offered a high-coordination load during pregnancy? Basically, you can. There are no definite categorical contraindications. But is it necessary? .. Especially considering that this load is given to a woman more difficult due to changes in the functioning of the nervous system. In addition, due to the shift in the center of gravity during complex exercises, there is a greater risk of losing balance, stumbling and hurting yourself. If you choose between coordination and power load, then it would be more appropriate to offer, for example, strength exercises for the muscles of the hands. Strong arms are very useful after childbirth. And it is better to leave the development of coordination capabilities for later.

Another important filter for choosing or excluding some exercises: individual condition and whether the woman exercised before pregnancy. What would be perfectly normal for a pre-pregnancy exerciser may not be acceptable and/or simply impossible for another pregnant woman. For example, if a woman is a master of sports in alpine skiing, then skiing is as usual for her as ordinary people walk.

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