Exercising During Your Pregnancy

Let us preface this by saying that we are not experts on pre/post natal training and that it’s always best to consult with your physician when exercising during your pregnancy. Having said that, we have trained a number of women throughout their pregnancies that have attributed working out to being a major factor in regards to having an easier labor as well as preventing common issues such as lower back pain, and a general inability to move around freely.

All too often, pregnant women are told not to lift anything heavy – whether it’s a piece of luggage or a dumbbell – there seems to be a fear that once a woman is pregnant, she is no longer capable of utilizing her strength. This can’t be further from the truth. When a woman has been consistently lifting weights prior to her pregnancy, she should be able to continue on a strength training program as long as she is practicing safe exercise technique. Barring any complications in a woman’s pregnancy, she can continue working out all the way to her due date (see pictures below for evidence!) We feel that the most important thing to do is to listen to your body. This isn’t the time to set personal strength or conditioning records, and it’s always best to analyze the risk/reward for any exercise.

There are some things to consider when training during a pregnancy. We tend to stay away from a ton of stretching for the hips. The further along you are in your pregnancy, the more your body produces a hormone known as Relaxin. It makes pelvic ligaments more “pliable” and is one of the reasons why pregnant women experience “sore” and “loose” hips. Basically, if your core and the muscles surrounding your hips aren’t strong enough and don’t provide enough stability, a lot of stress gets placed instead on the ligaments and soft tissues supporting your pelvis, which weren’t meant to bear that much load on a daily basis.

Another issue to keep in mind is that most women are in a state of anterior pelvic tilt – a position where the pelvis is “dipped” forward and the lower back is arched excessively. As pregnancy continues and weight in the stomach region increases, that arch is exaggerated even further and that extended posture can lead to lower back pain and stiffness. In order to counteract this, a lot of emphasis needs to be placed on strengthening the core. You should opt for exercises like planks and pushups with an emphasis on tilting the pelvis back to a more neutral posture as opposed to crunches and sit-ups.

Keeping these points in mind, as well listening to your body can lead you to an active and healthy pregnancy and set you for an easier labor. Check out the pictures attached to this post of Cori and Serena working hard in the gym on their actual due dates!

Comment below if you have any questions or to share your own story of a fit and healthy pregnancy! Also, feel free to let us know which topics you would be interested in us covering in the future!