{"id":476,"date":"2021-05-14T20:12:55","date_gmt":"2021-05-14T20:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.mutusystem.com\/en-us\/?p=476"},"modified":"2023-12-15T12:24:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T12:24:06","slug":"setting-goals-for-pregnancy-safe-exercises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mutusystem.com\/en-us\/mutu-pregnancy\/setting-goals-for-pregnancy-safe-exercises\/","title":{"rendered":"What exercise is safe during pregnancy? Try these"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you were a keen exerciser prior to pregnancy, know that your fitness and training goals will shift for the next few months, but you can absolutely keep on working out! Focus on pregnancy-safe exercises that help you to feel strong and capable in your changing body and that make you feel healthy and energized<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your strength or lean muscle mass goals will be more about maintenance than progression. The goal of core and pelvic floor awareness, including activation as well as release, become much more of a focus. You\u2019ll want to gain weight throughout your pregnancy healthily, to rest more and to build or maintain strength without stressing your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your body is changing in the most natural and amazing way. Embracing and accommodating these changes is important as your energy levels, balance and strength will fluctuate.\u00a0 You\u2019re working out to maintain great physical function, fitness and well-being, not to progress any performance criteria you may have previously been working on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose appropriate  pregnancy safe exercises and be ready to modify when necessary. You can exercise as far through your pregnancy as you feel good, comfortable and safe doing so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safe exercise in the first trimester<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the first trimester <\/strong>you may experience shortness of breath and less stamina. You are likely to feel much more fatigued than before pregnancy, and possibly nauseous. All of these things are normal but will affect your training, energy and goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experienced strength trainers should only do what they were familiar with prior to pregnancy, and are skilled and comfortable performing. No weight progressions and no breath holding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise in the second trimester<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the first trimester, any more challenging lifting or strength training risks increased intra-abdominal pressure and excessive downward pressure on the pelvic floor, so scale it down, even if you felt fine in the first trimester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re likely to feel at your pregnant physical best during the second trimester<\/strong>. Nausea will hopefully have subsided and you will feel more energized and less fatigued. So\u00a0 pregnancy-safe exercises might start to be more on your mind than they were during the first trimester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the time to modify, progressively lighten the load, and concentrate on breathing strategy, pelvic floor and core activation, and technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will want to use lighter weights now, and your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles are increasingly under strain as pregnancy progresses (due to weight gain, hormonal changes, and the baby\u2019s increasing size).\u00a0 This is normal and healthy, and load should be decreased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safe exercise in the third trimester<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Strength training programs in the third trimester<\/strong> require still further modification due to changes in abdominal musculature, the extra load on the pelvic floor, and the increasing size of your abdomen. Diastasis Recti is often a misunderstood part of pregnancy- get the low down on DR during pregnancy.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time, energy and comfort will limit your \u00a0pregnancy safe exercises in this final trimester, so listen to your body and only do what feels good, is comfortable and keeps you entirely symptom and discomfort-free. When modifications do not eliminate symptoms right away, it is time to stop that exercise for now. You can come back to it following postpartum recovery! Core and pelvic floor connection work, gentle activity, rest and birth preparation are the main focus now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pregnancy Safe Exercise Guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n