Weight training in pregnancy

Typer Monkey

Hello all. Not looking for medical advice but just looking for some general information or experience of those here who may have trained while pregnant or trained any pregnant women.

I'm in the early stages of my second pregnancy and have been weight training for 18 months or so. I do the usual compound lifts squats, bench, deadlift aswell as leg press, upper body arm/shoulder work etc. I spoke to my doctor about continuing to weight train but she has admitted to being unfamiliar with it but cautioned about hyper joint mobility due to pregnancy hormones and the dangers of squatting due to pelvic separation.

I've done some internet trawling and read to avoid any lying on the back from 12 weeks on and that continuing with upper body weight training should be ok.

I'd like to stay active as I did nothing throughout my last pregnancy and ate rings around me resulting in a 5 stone weight gain! I lost all of that weight and will obviously be watching what I eat much more carefully this time.

The advice is always 'walking and swimming is good exercise in pregnancy' but I really HATE walking.

Any experience from the knowledgeable folk here appreciated

Mr. CooL ICE

Someone has a training log up here and is currently pregnant. You could ask her for advice

Typer Monkey

Oh brilliant, thanks for that Nicholas. Will have a read of her log with interest

power pants

Could always eat more healthily during pregnancy and exercise by walking etc

The thought of someone deadlifting or squatting whilst pregnant is making me wince

Stench Blossoms

power pants wrote: »

The thought of someone deadlifting or squatting whilst pregnant is making me wince

Why?

Blacktie.

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Why?

Intra abdominal pressure maybe... Or the chance of injury when performed incorrectly.

I actually don't know were I stand on this.

Alf Veedersane

power pants wrote: »

The thought of someone deadlifting or squatting whilst pregnant is making me wince

Loosen your power pants.

Alf Veedersane

FWIW, here's gymfreak's input on it from about a year ago.

juke

I have a pdf paper from the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecologists on exercise in pregnancy and postpartum period. No idea if it's any good, I never read it. I'll e-mail it to you if you want, just pm me your e-mail address.

Typer Monkey

Thanks Juke. Pm'd you're there

juke

Typer Monkey wrote: »

Thanks Juke. Pm'd you're there

done

MicraBoy

The general rule with exercise in pregnancy would be if you have been doing it you can keep doing it, but don't take up anything you haven't been doing.

power pants

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Why?

why?

Im not saying it is medically right or wrong. Personally it would make me feel very queasy to see. Just an opinion

I would imagine the pressure on the stomach/lower region causing the baby to fall out or something

Alf Veedersane

power pants wrote: »

I would imagine the pressure on the stomach/lower region causing the baby to fall out or something

There is that risk. In fact, if you don't have the epidural they get you to do squats at 75% of your 1RM to speed up the process in the labour room.

Tasden

I think usually you're advised to avoid it because the muscles and ligaments and joints can become weaker/looser during pregnancy. Also your balance can be off too so lifting something heavy can throw you off, for want of a better word or phrase.
Maybe that's why they recommend only upper body stuff? But like someone else said the general rule is if you already do it then its usually ok, its more that you shouldn't start new while pregnant.

gymfreak

First off, congratulations Typer Monkey!!

Secondly, I've attached a well researched journal article from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning that highlights the positivies of continuing resistance training whilst pregnant.

The article also details appropriate exercises for each trimester and what should be avoided too. Yes, you can continue to do both lower and upper body training but you just need to be careful about exercise choice...eg...avoid overhead strength work in your 3rd trimester.

I don't really need to say much more...cos the paper pretty much says it all. Have a look at the references at the end aswell if you are looking for additional research.

Stench Blossoms

power pants wrote: »

why?

Im not saying it is medically right or wrong. Personally it would make me feel very queasy to see. Just an opinion

I would imagine the pressure on the stomach/lower region causing the baby to fall out or something

Well aren't you lucky Typer Monkey isn't having your child.

I'd recommend not looking at her log either (if she decides to do one while pregnant)

Your opinion isn't really of any importance to her or this thread. She was looking for advice/knowledge, not opinions.

power pants

you should stick to cooking and cleaning tbh

Brian?

power pants wrote: »

you should stick to cooking and cleaning tbh

infracted for being uncivil. Any more of that nonsense and it's a ban

Stench Blossoms

power pants wrote: »

you should stick to cooking and cleaning tbh

:D:D:D:D:D

power pants

Apologies stench blossoms and Mod

Didn't mean it really.

Typer Monkey

Thanks everyone, Gymfreak especially. That's a really interesting, helpful link and exactly what I was looking for

Zanzi

Typer Monkey wrote: »

Hello all. Not looking for medical advice but just looking for some general information or experience of those here who may have trained while pregnant or trained any pregnant women.

I'm in the early stages of my second pregnancy and have been weight training for 18 months or so. I do the usual compound lifts squats, bench, deadlift aswell as leg press, upper body arm/shoulder work etc. I spoke to my doctor about continuing to weight train but she has admitted to being unfamiliar with it but cautioned about hyper joint mobility due to pregnancy hormones and the dangers of squatting due to pelvic separation.

I've done some internet trawling and read to avoid any lying on the back from 12 weeks on and that continuing with upper body weight training should be ok.

I'd like to stay active as I did nothing throughout my last pregnancy and ate rings around me resulting in a 5 stone weight gain! I lost all of that weight and will obviously be watching what I eat much more carefully this time.

The advice is always 'walking and swimming is good exercise in pregnancy' but I really HATE walking.

Any experience from the knowledgeable folk here appreciated

Hi Typer Monkey,
I always remember reading this post and swore I'd come back to it! I wasn't pregnant at the time but was hoping to be soon and I was wondering the same things as you.
Well I'm 28 weeks in now, just started into the 3rd trimester so I can at least share what I have learnt personally to date.

I was lucky enough not to be sick in the 1st trimester so I've been able to continue with 3 x Strength and Conditioning classes a week all along. I adjusted down my numbers to about 70% of my 1RM to allow for any instability I might be developing. Also to know I was always in a manageable range for my ability. As in, if I felt off in a squat, I was fully in control to come out of it at all times. (Although I must say, I've never felt this so far in any move). My numbers might be handy for you to compare, I was 62kg pre-pregnancy and my 1RMs were 110kg back squat, 115kg DL, 50kg bench (hate benching :P).

I had to fake an injury to my gym buddies for the first 12 weeks...until we were ready to tell everyone. My only complaints during the time were tiredness, touch of nausea and bloating. I would feel **** arriving to the gym and absolutely amazing leaving. That's still the case, working out is the one thing that makes me feel like a normal healthy person!!

The not working out on your back thing is largely dismissed now, from the research that I've done. Same goes for sleeping on your back as a side note. If you feel uncomfortable, move. I don't overthink it any more than that. I'm still benching etc. and no intention of stopping.

I stayed with the same free weights for accessory work, for example exercises like lunges with dumbbells. We finish classes with a cardio/HIIT thingy. I sometimes take more breathers here and I am always watching I'm getting enough water.

One thing to be conscious of is diastasis recti, have a google of that. I avoid exercises that involve a stomach crunch motion, you want to avoid moves that make your bump move away from your spine. Before I start any move now, I brace my abdomen but sure that's just good form anyhow. I stopped planks about a week ago, I was starting to be uncertain if I was engaging the deep core muscles - the bump is getting too heavy! Same for push-ups. Although it's a bit of craic the first time your bump is the first thing to hit the floor in a push up I avoid twisting of the ab area too. I gave up pull-ups the other week also. I just sub in other stuff and it's no bother. And there's tons you can sub in.

I took up Pregnancy Pilates once a week at the start of the 2nd trimester and kept up the 3 x Strength and Conditioning classes a week. Pilates is great for working out the kinks and knots plus they really drive home the whole pelvic floor importance.

Overall, I've had a relatively very healthy and happy pregnancy so far (everything crossed that it continues!!). Personally I attribute a lot of that to being lucky enough to stay active. Mental and physically, it's a life saver. You can feel like your body is being taken over and new freaky stuff is happening everyday. Being able to go to the gym and load up the bar and still rock it out makes me feel like the "old me", in control and confident of my body and it's ability. And all that is without starting to consider the benefits for the baby, the mystical "they" say it benefits the development of the baby's heart and brain and has a lasting long-term benefit on your child health.

Sorry for the long post! Wanted to record any bits I'd learnt before I've forgotten it all again. Hope it helps you or someone!

Typer Monkey

Wow thanks for that Zanzi..you're some woman! Very helpful post. Unfortunately the pregnancy I posted about originally here ended in miscarraige but happily I'm 12 weeks pregnant again at the moment and all is going well. I've been really sick for the last couple of months so training has gone by the wayside but I'm feeling much better now and bought some pregnancy training pants and am ready for action! I'll be referring to your post for inspiration over the next few months. Thanks again :-)

Zanzi

Sorry for your loss Typer Monkey, you've had a very tough few months. And hopefully 2nd trimester goes a bit smoother for you. If you've any questions at any stage, ask away, I'll help if I can!
Pregnancy workout pants - I had a mini meltdown one day when nothing was comfortable anymore so I invested in a few. Ingrid & Isabel Women's Maternity Active Capri Pant are dear but very good, really supportive and never budge. Had to go to amazon.com for those. The FittaMamma capris are dear as well, they are too dear for what they are - a light legging. But they are comfortable and I'm getting my money's worth in wear at least. My favourite are an ancient non-preggo pair of Victoria's Secret yoga pants with a fold-down top. I wear them unfolded up over the bump. I ordered a pair of fold-over Bebe Sport leggings but they were kinda sh!te. I tried Puma fold-over capris too and they were not bump friendly, I'll save them for afterwards. I have 3 in rotation now so I'll survive for the rest of the pregnancy anyhow! The top half is so much easier, t-shirts are grand.
Best of luck!!