If you read Part 1 of this blog series, you’ll already have information about the requirements for exercising while pregnant, some of the known benefits of exercise for yourself and your unborn child, and some examples of exercises that may or may not be appropriate for you during pregnancy depending on your own comfort level and doctor’s approval. Throughout pregnancy the ACOG recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity throughout the week for healthy pregnant women. In this article, you will get a good understanding of what a general exercise program looks like. Further, in Part 3 you will learn about exercise in the first trimester and how this program may be modified, Part 4 will break down exercise in the second trimester, and Part 5 will explain exercise specifics in the third trimester. All programs and articles demonstrate physiological and psychological considerations during each trimester of pregnancy.
Each trimester has specific intensity level ranges, recommended movement modifications to adapt to your developing baby and body, and movements we want to encourage throughout this time. All of this information is collected from various scientific sources and according to the Girls Gone Strong Prenatal Coaching Program Manual. Before exercising when you first find out you're pregnant, I recommend first speaking with your General Practitioner or OB-GYN to get clearance to exercise and once cleared, take their suggestions if they have any specific modifications for you. If they have cleared you to exercise, we will create an exercise plan for you based on your current level of fitness and schedule and modify exercise specific to each trimester which you can read more about in part 3, 4, and 5 of this prenatal blog series. Now isn’t the time to take on challenging yourself to a marathon for the first time or meeting a new personal record for weight lifted. Let’s take the appropriate science based steps forward so you can feel great during your pregnancy journey. Throughout all stages of pregnancy, activities that should be avoided are(1):
Throughout all stages of pregnancy activities that can be done or started slowly(1):
*You must be cleared by an OB-GYN or General Practitioner to take part in these exercises, then continually be monitored by a member of your medical professional team. IF experiencing ANY of these symptoms during or after exercise while pregnant or after giving birth, we must stop exercise and call a member of your healthcare team (1).
How do I know what level I should be training at when I’m pregnant? For strength training exercise, you are considered a beginner if you have just begun training (less than two months), have been training consistently for one to two times per week at low intensity, or have minimal training skill. For you, we’d start a full-body training program two to three times per week with at least one day of rest between sessions. You are considered Intermediate if you have been training consistently for two to six months two to three times a week. We would continue working out at this level at either a full-body two or three times a week or upper-lower body split routine four times a week. You are considered Advanced if you have been training consistently for a year or more working out at least three times per week, have experienced high training stress, understand their need for adequate recovery, and have a high level of movement skills. General exercise program example: Warm Up (2-4 days) (2)
Strength Training (2-4 days) (3)
Cardiovascular Training (1-5 days)
Rest and Recovery (daily)
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For questions or to set up your first session please contact Brie at coachbrienyc@gmail.com Comments are closed.
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