Of course, fitness for pregnant women has a number of serious differences compared to regular fitness. Before starting training, you should definitely consult a doctor and make sure that there are no contraindications for training. Next, you need to decide on the training location and trainer. It is advisable that the trainer has a medical education or experience working with pregnant women. But we must not forget that, first of all, the person himself is responsible for his own health, and the expectant mother is also responsible for the health of her baby.
Exercising at home
The most important thing is to completely eliminate any traumatic movements such as running, swinging, jumping, or deep squats. Expectant mothers should avoid playing tennis, horseback riding, rollerblading, and cycling.
If you want to supplement your fitness training for pregnant women with physical activity at home, you need to remember these rules well:
- When choosing exercises, it is important to remember that any sudden movements and strong stretching are prohibited. You should approach the issue of choosing physical activity very carefully and seriously.
- Just like regular exercise, regular pregnancy fitness routine is extremely important. Only this approach can ensure the achievement of the desired results.
- To avoid back pain and varicose veins, it is not recommended to sit or stand for a long time without moving.
A few important nuances
- The intensity of training should be moderate. The pulse during training should in no case exceed 120–135 beats per minute.
- It is also important to avoid training in too humid or warm rooms, since any training increases a person’s body temperature, and this can be harmful for the unborn baby.
- During exercise, you must drink still water to avoid dehydration. You should drink approximately 50 ml of water every 15 minutes. This will also ensure good removal of breakdown products that are formed during exercise.
https://youtu.be/0C5JdfYAV6o
Home fitness for pregnant women in the 2nd trimester
Starting from the second trimester, classes pay more attention to breathing.
An approximate set of fitness exercises in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy:
- Breathing exercise . Sit on a fitball, feet hip-width apart. Place your palms on your chest and inhale, feeling your chest expand, then exhale. Repeat 10 times.
- Push ups. Stand against the wall, legs hip-width apart, feet a step away from the wall, hands resting on the wall. As you exhale, bring your chest closer to the wall, bending your elbows. While inhaling, return to the starting position. Do it 10 times.
- Exercise for the hip joints . Lie on the floor, place your feet on the ball, bend your knees, arms along your body. As you exhale, open your knees, straightening your legs; while inhaling, close your knees and return to the starting position. Repeat 6-7 times.
- Breathing exercise . Sit on a chair, arms placed freely along the body. Inhale with the lower part of the chest, hold the air for 4-5 seconds, followed by a slow exhalation. It is important to take long inhalations and exhalations. Repeat 5-6 times, trying to inhale and exhale longer each time.
Swimming during pregnancy
Water soothes, cools the body, relieves tension from muscles, having a positive effect on the entire body. But during pregnancy it is important not to overdo it or overexert yourself. This doggystyle style should be avoided because it puts too much strain on the neck muscles, which can compress the vessels that supply blood to the brain.
You should not allow a strong deflection in the lower back, since discomfort in one area of the back can cause a response in another, and for pregnant women this is fraught with consequences. During pregnancy, you are allowed to swim breaststroke or on your back using your legs.
A set of exercises from Professor Mikhail Medvedev
The YouTube leader in terms of the number of views is a gymnastics complex for pregnant women from the professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Dnepropetrovsk Medical Academy, obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest category, Doctor of Medical Sciences Mikhail Vladimirovich Medvedev.
The complex is quite long - about 40 minutes, but it is divided into small subsections (the beginning of each subsection is a small splash picture). All exercises are demonstrated by a beautiful young pregnant woman - either against the backdrop of city streets or among picturesque landscapes; those who like changing pictures will not get bored. The classes are accompanied by meditative instrumental music and a calm, even soothing female voice-over, commenting in detail on the performance of each exercise.
There is a section with an exercise ball (you can skip this if you don't have a ball) and, something that doesn't come up often, a section with Kegel exercises. Since it would be difficult to show off their fitness models, it is accompanied by imaginative animation.
Water aerobics for pregnant women
Water aerobics can take place both at shallow depths, when people stand at the bottom of the pool, and in deep water, while hanging from special belts in the pool without touching the bottom. There is no serious difference between these two types. The vertical position of the body automatically activates the work of the abdominal and back muscles. Water massages and strengthens tissue well.
Expectant mothers who constantly do water aerobics often do not have stretch marks. Their skin continues to be elastic and does not suffer much from physiological changes in the body. Water procedures also have a beneficial effect on blood circulation and oxygen exchange in tissues, which helps reduce the risk of varicose veins.
Exercises with Masha Efrosinina
If you are bored to death to exercise while listening to smooth music and didactic commands from the presenters, then exercises for pregnant women with Masha Efrosinina are for you. The popular Ukrainian and Russian TV presenter (you could see her on the Muz-TV channel and in the program “Fear Factor”) safely gave birth to a son in August last year, and before that she recorded three sets of exercises of 15-20 minutes each for the second trimester and three sets for third trimester.
Behind the scenes remains master trainer of the highest category, Ksenia Slyusar, giving commands, and in the frame, in fact, Masha herself, every now and then interrupting the coach with remarks like “but this is what happened to me once...”. However, you don’t have to worry about getting confused, since the description of the exercise and the number of repetitions are duplicated in subtitles, but you will have the impression of easy and relaxed communication in a friendly company.
https://youtu.be/P2hMyq6uvKE
https://youtu.be/czZuAQySbx8
Aerobics during pregnancy
It seems as if the number of restrictions for pregnant women makes training completely different from fitness. However, you should not forget about this type of fitness for pregnant women: aerobics. Moderate loads of this type have a very beneficial effect on the body of the expectant mother. For example, walking has a number of big advantages, such as:
- strengthening the cardiovascular system, which improves the process of enriching the baby’s body with oxygen and improves general blood circulation;
- development of endurance;
- improved flexibility.
It is important for pregnant women to strengthen the back muscles, since during pregnancy the center of gravity of the body shifts and in order to hold the baby, a woman urgently needs strong back muscles. Aerobics classes help achieve this result.
Fitness for the expectant mother in the 1st trimester
Pregnant women are recommended to purchase a special ball for physical exercise - a fitball, which allows you to gently regulate the load, avoiding overexertion. If you don’t have a fitball, you can use an ottoman or a chair.
Here is an approximate set of home fitness exercises for pregnant women in the 1st trimester:
- Tilts . The starting position is to sit on a fitball, your back is straight, your feet are hip-width apart. Stretching your arm up, as you exhale, bend in the direction opposite to your outstretched arm. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Repeat 4-5 times in each direction.
- Rifles . Sit on the exercise ball, holding onto it. As you exhale, slowly step your feet and roll down to the level of your shoulder blades, keeping your body parallel to the floor. As you inhale, holding onto the ball, return to the starting position. Repeat 4 times.
- Pelvic lifts . Lie on the floor, feet pressed tightly, arms along the body. As you exhale, slowly raise your pelvis, linger for a few seconds at the top point, and while inhaling, smoothly lower it to the floor. Repeat 6 times.
- Breathing exercise . Sit on a fitball, feet hip-width apart. Inhale - the chest expands as much as possible, exhale - the ribs close. Do 10 repetitions.
Belly dancing during pregnancy
Belly dancing has long prepared women for childbirth. Such exercises effectively train the deep muscles of the abs and perineum (which helps protect against ruptures during childbirth). Also, during training, the leg muscles are well loaded, which is an excellent prevention of varicose veins. Of course, belly dancing only provides a good mood and improves the general condition of expectant mothers. The basis of dance during pregnancy should be plasticity and the energy of water. You should avoid bending back, fast rhythm, shaking, and blows that can harm the child.
Fitness for the expectant mother in the 3rd trimester
Fitness exercises in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy are primarily aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, which play an important role in the birth process.
An approximate set of exercises:
- Doggie breathing. Sit on a chair, back straight, feet hip-width apart. Breathing should occur in short bursts, reminiscent of a dog breathing in hot weather. In this case, 8-10 inhalations and exhalations are made in one cycle. Repeat 5 times.
- Circles with the pelvis . Sit on a fitball, place your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, and rest your hands on the ball. Rotate your pelvis 10 times in each direction.
- "Frog". Sit on the floor, legs bent at the knees, hands at the back. Alternately lower the knee of one or the other leg, bringing it closer to the floor. Repeat 8-10 times.
- "Bike". Lying on your back, place your feet on the ball, legs bent at the knees. As you exhale, push the fitball forward with one leg, the other leg remains motionless. Repeat the movement with the other leg. Do 7-8 times.
- Relaxation . Lie on your back, put a cushion under your head and knees, arms along your body, eyes closed. You need to inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Gradually relax the whole body, starting from the feet and ending with the top of the head.
Fitness for pregnant women can be a great way to train muscles, relax tired parts of the body, and prepare for childbirth. In addition, regular exercise will leave no chance for a bad mood.
Hiking during pregnancy
A very useful vacation, as well as a special sport that forces different muscle groups to work simultaneously. At the same time, too long walks in this position are undesirable. The time spent walking should be approximately 20–40 minutes. You should also not neglect such important nuances as a hat and a bottle of water when walking in the summer. During the third trimester of pregnancy, special products such as a support bra and prenatal bandage may be used. It is also important to take care of your shoes; they should be as comfortable as possible.
We must not forget about this rule: after a walk, you need to sit down or lie down for a while with your legs raised to prevent blood from stagnating in the veins.
It is worth noting that moderate and regular light physical activity affects the body of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby only in the most positive way. The body becomes stronger and more resilient, which will make childbirth easier. But it is important to always be careful, avoid sudden movements and overloads, and constantly monitor your general well-being.
Not without exceptions
Fitness for pregnant women is not suitable for everyone. If a woman is healthy, without significant pathologies or problems with the course of pregnancy, she can play sports without fear. But patients with:
- anemia;
- arrhythmia;
- the likelihood of premature birth;
- endocrine diseases;
- bleeding;
- high blood pressure;
- constant fluctuations in body weight;
- diabetes mellitus
It is strictly forbidden for pregnant women to include physical activity in their lives during multiple pregnancies, the presence of 3 or more abortions in their medical records, ruptured membranes, or placenta previa. In some cases, complete bed rest is appropriate.
Gymnastics for pregnant women from Denise Austin
But a lot can be said about the famous American fitness trainer Denise Austin: seriously involved in gymnastics since the age of 12, she became the author of many fitness courses for weight loss - from yoga to dance mixes.
Her professionalism was highly appreciated by the sports community: twice, in 2002 and in 2006, she was elected head of the committee on physical development and sports in the United States.
The exercise sets are not long (about 20 minutes). Unfortunately, the Russian translation superimposed on the English text almost drowns out the musical accompaniment, but in an American way, the cheerful and optimistic Denise lights up perfectly even without music. Perhaps it's because she's not particularly pregnant herself, but the pregnant ladies in the studio aren't far behind her.
We offer you a workout for the second trimester of pregnancy:
