What is worth knowing in order to pump your body to a new stage in life? We will try to answer this question in this article.
Pregnancy is really a serious test for a woman's body, and the general level of physical fitness of the expectant mother should at least be satisfactory. If you find it difficult to climb to the third floor and fall off your feet even from a short walk, you should think about how to prepare your body for the upcoming stress.
Our expert Olga Rodionova, obstetrician-gynecologist at the Center for Reproductive Health "CM-Clinic" says:
“If you have never played sports or you are more than 35 years old, you will need to physically prepare yourself for pregnancy for at least a year, based on the expectation that it will be regular exercises of moderate intensity 3-4 times a week.
If you have been regularly engaged in physical education for several years, it will be enough to shift the focus in training about six months before the planned pregnancy: pay more attention to the muscles of the pelvis, back and legs. The muscles of the pelvic floor will reduce the likelihood of termination of pregnancy, the abs and pelvic muscles will help with attempts, a strong muscle corset on the back will reduce the load on the spine in the later stages, and the muscles of the legs will minimize the likelihood of varicose veins.
When preparing for pregnancy, it is not so important what kind of sport you do, the rule is one thing: the main thing is to strengthen those muscles that will be most involved during pregnancy.
It can be yoga, Pilates, fitness, crossfit, swimming - in short, almost any type of load that allows you to work on several muscle groups at once.
But, for example, running and cycling will not help you much in preparation for pregnancy - only if you include these activities in your warm-up program to strengthen your legs.
Running at speed or lifting weights over 20 kg without a coach and appropriate preparation for such loads is not worth it, as you will only increase the risk of injury. It is best to consult a professional trainer to create a balanced program tailored to your individual characteristics and health problems.
Plank for expectant mothers
A universal exercise that can be done even without an instructor is the elbow plank. It is simple and helps to simultaneously work out the muscles of the abs and legs. Follow the correct technique: the pelvis should not sag, the back and legs should be straight, legs together.
For a person completely without physical training, a good result will be to stand in the bar for at least 1-1.5 minutes.
Try to maintain this result and increase the standing time if possible until you know for sure that you are pregnant. Until 6-8 weeks of pregnancy, you can continue to do this exercise, but carefully monitor the technique and at the end of the exercise do not fall abruptly on your stomach.
Possible loads
If you have been playing sports for a long time and found out that you are pregnant, this is not a reason to quit abruptly, this will only harm your body.
From about the 8th week until the third trimester, it is better to temporarily stop running and switch to walking, and it is worth resuming training only with the permission of the doctor.
If you're used to cardio, the best option for pregnant women, even late in the day, is an ellipse.
It makes the heart work, but at the same time the factor of shaking and unnecessary pressure on the uterus is excluded here.
If you like strength training, do not be afraid to work out in the gym: strength exercises keep muscles in good shape, reduce pain and help with childbirth. However, when working out in the gym during pregnancy, it is best to avoid free weights and explosive loads to avoid injury. Ideally, all sets should be supervised by a trainer.
The closer to childbirth, the more restrictions on physical activity, but pregnant women can walk and go to the pool without any restrictions.
You will have to give up sporting feats and marathon distances during pregnancy, but maintaining a moderate level of load even at a later date will be useful - brisk walking, housework or gardening, or walking with the dog will definitely not harm you.
Do not forget to always consult with your doctor about the choice of physical activity during pregnancy.