Pregnant and Still Lifting? Here’s How to Stay Safe and Strong
Can I still lift weights while pregnant? Here’s what you need to know.
Disclaimer: Exercise in any form while pregnant is only safe and beneficial if you are given clearance from your doctor.
Exercise in any form at any point in your life has tremendous benefits. It is a catalyst to helping you not just live longer but to live healthy, strong and independent. Pregnancy is a time in your life where there is a lot of change to your body as well as very little control over how your body changes. It can be overwhelming, scary and exhausting. The best way you can maintain some control over your body during this time is to do things that are beneficial to making you and baby strong and healthy. Eating nutritious food, drinking plenty of water, getting enough rest and staying active are huge ways to help aid in a healthy pregnancy.
Pregnant women are recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week whether it is strength training, walking, swimming, biking, modified yoga or pilates.
Benefits of weight lifting pregnant:
Reduced risk of gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension
Decreased postpartum recovery time
Decreased risk or severity of low back pain
Prevention of excessive weight gain during pregnancy
Improved ability to cope with additional weight
Keep in mind, pregnancy is not the time to be chasing personal bests or aesthetics. Personally, I have found pregnancy to be the most committed I have ever been to a fitness routine. There is no tangible strength goal to meet, no aesthetic goal to meet as my body is going in the opposite direction than what I’m used to, and my motivation has been at an all time low. Dedication and commitment to doing what is best for my body and baby has been what has kept me showing up consistently. It is difficult when you can’t see or feel physical results during a time when it’s harder than ever to get yourself to move, but just know if you are pregnant and moving in some way, you are doing wonders for yourself and your baby.
The ultimate objective is to support yourself and the baby and to facilitate a safe and strong pregnancy and birth.
What should you be focusing on?
Training goals recommended during pregnancy:
Goal 1: maintain or gain strength and muscle mass
Goal 2: Improve function of the pelvic floor
Goal 3: Develop a solid aerobic foundation
Goal 1: Focus on a well rounded strength program giving a little extra attention to the muscles of the upper back, anterior core, and posterior chain. Strengthening these areas will help support growing breasts and belly in the front, accommodate some of the postural changes that will occur, and strong glutes/posterior chain help balance the anterior weight shift during pregnancy as the baby grows.
Goal 2: Improving the function of the pelvic floor includes improving the mind-muscle connection, learning to fully relax and contract the pelvic floor muscles and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Pregnancy places enormous stress on the pelvic floor so improving the function of the muscles will help tremendously with adapting to the changes your body goes through as the baby grows.
Goal 3: A solid aerobic foundation helps reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and more. It also increases the body’s ability to handle the stress that comes with pregnancy as well as encourages better quality sleep.
Keeping weight lifting safe while pregnant:
Pregnant women shouldn’t maximally exert themselves when lifting (on the high end of effort keep it to 80%-85% of 1 rep max intensity).
Don’t brace your core too hard on lifts. Maintain the ability to breathe throughout your exercises, don’t hold your breath.
Modify exercises or reduce load if you experience doming, pelvic or back pain, leaking urine or feeling heaviness in the perineum.
Heart Rate shouldn’t exceed 90% of max heart rate
Avoid loading on the pelvis, weight belts and movements like cleans and snatches as the bar has potential to hit the belly as it grows.
Always listen to your gut! If something feels off or even too uncomfortable it’s better to stay safe than try and “push through.”
In conclusion, strength training while pregnant is not only safe when cleared by your doctor, but extremely beneficial to your ever changing body. Focus on exercises and movements you enjoy, keep your routine safe for baby, and be so proud of yourself for showing up and staying strong!
